Bordered by 4 exotic countries in the world, visiting the kingdom of Thailand should be
every tourist's dream.
Why?
You might ask.
Well, not only does Thailand boasts magnificent natural sceneries and a rich and intriguing
mix of cultural heritage, but it is also a very affordable country to visit.
In fact, some sources claim that you can enjoy an adventurous and exciting week in Thailand
for just 40$ per day.
However, as cheap and easy as it is to visit Thailand, there are also some customs you
must stick to in order to ensure you avoid offending the locals and also have a great
visit.
We've compiled a list of do's and don'ts peculiar to Thailand in this video.
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Ready?
Here are the do's and don'ts in Thailand.
We'll start with the Do's.
Always leave your shoes outside.
One of the first things to note and do in Thailand is always to leave your shoes outside.
In Thailand, shoes are considered dirty, and as such, they are expected to be left outside.
Buildings, where you are expected to leave your shoes outside, include the temple, residential
homes, and even some shops.
Additionally, whenever you visit the home of a Thai person, you should avoid stepping
over the threshold at the house entrance.
. If you're going to a new building and you
aren't sure whether you are required to remove your shoes or not, it helps to observe the
behavior of the people around you.
If they take off their shoes at the entrance, you should too.
Although most Thai establishments are usually friendly towards foreigners and will understand
if you make a mistake, it pays to go with the flow so that you don't offend some locals
who might not be familiar with the western culture.
Dress conservatively The Thais are conservative people, and it
shows in their mode of dressing.
It doesn't matter what gender you are; dresses showing too much skin are frowned upon.
This rule also extends to the beaches.
If you plan to swim or visit a waterfall, don't pack bikinis or one-pieces; instead,
go for t-shirts and shorts as they are more acceptable.
Rural areas and temples won't allow you to enter some places if you are not wearing clothes
that at least cover your shoulders and go beyond your knees.
Some temples will not even allow you inside if you're putting on tight clothes like leggings.
Although it is hot in Thailand, and you might be tempted to put on somewhat exposing clothes
to combat the heat, kindly refrain from doing that.
Instead, wear light, loose, and flowing clothes.
Always return a wai Just like the Indians have their namaste greeting,
the Thais also greet with the wai gesture.
A wai is a prayer-like gesture.
To make one, you have to clasp your hands together and bow your head slightly.
It is a form of greeting and prayer, so you might get it a lot.
Whenever someone gives you a wai, it is polite you return it.
In fact, we might even go as far as saying it is mandatory.
Only 2 groups of people in Thailand are exempted from returning wais, and they are the king
and the monks.
So, unless you are the king of Thailand or a monk, always return a wai.
However, note that you don't have to return a wai to children, waiters, or servers.
Use your right hand In Thailand, the left hand is considered dirty.
This is because it is believed that the left hand is used to take care of dirty business
such as toilet functions and so on.
Always pass objects or pay for purchases using your right hand to show respect.
If you want to go the extra mile and further show respect, then you can touch your right
forearm with your left hand.
This will show that you've kept your left hand out of reach.
Try to tip Thailand sees quite a huge number of tourists,
so it is becoming more expected to receive tips, especially from tourists.
Most restaurants will include a service charge on the bill; this serves as a tip.
So when you get a bill that includes a 10% service tip, you don't need to bother about
tipping.
However, if it is not included, then make sure to always drop a tip as a sign of gratitude
and respect.
Use spoons Although Thailand shares a similar culture
with many Asian countries, they are more lenient with their eating habits.
The most accepted way to eat Thai meals is through fork and spoons.
Although Thais encourage the use of forks and spoons, they still have some eating etiquette
that would be good to know.
The fork is never put into the mouth, it is only used to move the food to the spoon, and
for meals such as noodles or spring rolls, chopsticks should be used.
Respect the Monarchy and the Monks At the beginning of this video, you'd have
noticed that we referred to Thailand as the kingdom of Thailand.
That's the official name, and yes, Thailand is run by a monarch.
Thailand is also a profoundly religious country, and you will see many monks around.
This set of people should be respected at all times because disrespecting, insulting,
or defaming the monarchy is a punishable crime.
When greeting the Monks and members of the monarch, it is expected you perform a higher
wai.
Also, women are not allowed to give a monk something or touch them or their clothes.
Step up your smiling game
The Thais are happy people, and they smile a lot.
It is an everyday habit for them.
And they will expect you to reciprocate it.
So when preparing for your trip to Thailand, also be prepared to smile a lot.
Now that you know some of the things you're expected to do, we will not check out some
things you must avoid doing.
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Thailand Donts Don't touch anybody's head
The Thais consider the head as the most important and sacred part of the body, and as such,
they believe no one should touch it.
This also applies to ruffling their hair.
If you mistakenly touch or ruffle someone's head, apologize immediately so you don't cause
a situation where you might be embarrassed.
Don't be overly affectionate in public.
From all we've been discussing so far, you would have gotten the notion that Thais are
very conservative.
Although they are becoming more open-minded, there are still many Western norms that they
frown on.
One of these is the display of affection in public.
It's okay to hold hands and do other mildly affectionate things in public.
However, it would be best if you did not go beyond this.
Also, when visiting the temples, resist the urge to carry out any affectionate activities,
including holding hands.
Don't touch a woman without consent Unless it's someone you're close and familiar
with, touching a Thai woman in any part of her body is considered rude.
Don't forget mosquito repellent This is a piece of general advice if you're
making any trip to a tropical or humid country.
Mosquitoes are prevalent in Thailand, and they transmit different diseases that can
turn fatal.
Carrying a mosquito repellent will come in handy and prevent the mosquitoes from disturbing
you and giving you diseases.
It also helps to get vaccinated against some of the prevalent diseases in Thailand like
tetanus, hepatitis B, and yellow fever.
Don't forget the feet etiquette.
Just as the Thais regard the head as a sacred part of the body, the feet are considered
dirty.
There are quite a number of don'ts that apply to the feet.
We will talk about them here.
1.
Don't put your feet on any furniture or place not designated for feet.
This includes coffee tables, chairs, and so on.
If you're sitting on the floor, tuck your feet away from other people.
You can tuck them besides you or beneath you 2.
Don't point to anyone with your feet; this is considered extremely rude.
And lastly 3.
Don't pass objects around with your feet Don't take Buddha images outside the country
Although many stores sell Buddha images, it is against the laws to take them out of the
country.
You can only take them out of the country if special permission has been granted to
you.
Don't get offended by personal questions.
While the Thais are conservative, they are also very friendly and curious.
When you're in a gathering, personal questions involving your job, age, marital status, and
so on might come up.
To them, they are just making small talk, so don't be too offended.
If you're not comfortable answering those questions, you can simply say mai bok, meaning
not telling, or you can smile and say that it is a secret.
Now that you know what to do and not do in Thailand, I'm sure you will be better prepared
for your trip.
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