Respect and relationships

A few things to make you feel more comfortable (and make everybody around you feel comfortable, too). Here are just some basic tricks to help you show that you respect the culture that you are going to enter in.

  • Learn about the wai (thai greeting)
  • You’re not required to wai everybody (public places like shops, airport, etc = not necessary) but if somebody wai’s you, be sure to wai back.
  • The older the person you’re greeting, the higher the wai: the highest spot is your finger tips slightly above your nose tip… higher, it’s for monks & bouddha – on your chest for kids (though not necessary)
  • If you can do it, be sure your head is always lower than a monk’s head, or than a bouddha statue’s head
  • Don’t show the palm of your feet to anybody, it’s considered to be one of the worst insults
  • Don’t use your feet to move stuff around
  • Try not to point to people with one finger (it’s better to use your whole palm)
  • Thai people use chopsticks… but usually only for noodle soups/salads! For regular food they use spoon and fork – use the spoon with your main hand.
  • Never pass above somebody else (or somebody else’s body parts). If you don’t have enough space to go somewhere without passing above somebody else’s feet, don’t: ask for permission and they will move their feet.
  • Be patient – they rarely count in minutes in Thailand. If you asked for a service of any kind, be ready to wait for it (it is also quite common to be late on appointements).
  • If you hear the King’s anthem and see thai people stand up, stop what you’re doing and stand up too. It’s not about politics and you’re free to agree/consider it or not – but understand that everyone is really fond of the King over here, and they have very good reasons too: it’s just a way to show your respect.
  • Don’t go around semi-naked. Wear a t-shirt. It is OK to wear short pants, mini-gowns, etc. but remember: it’s just like at home, every attire is good in the right circumstances. If you go out in classy night clubs or venues, consider putting a little effort in the way you dress up: even though your money has a better value than the one of Thailand doesn’t mean you can behave like you’re on a beach.
  • Thai people consider an older person owns more respect than a younger one. So they use the prefix P (pronounce pee) before the names. I.e. Pee June. If you use it, it will be appreciated. You can refer to young ones as Non. I.e. Non June. At a restaurant, you can call the waiter pee kaa/krup (check the basic thai vocabulary page for an explanation). If you’re not sure if a person is older than you, choose pee.
  • Don’t go around laughing at transvestites (referred as ladyboys). Be kind to them as you would be to any other human being.
  • Don’t go too close to monks if you’re a woman. Let space for them to walk on narrow sidewalks and avoid sitting next to them in busses. A monk is not allowed to touch a woman, also.
  • Although it may seem weird, don’t throw used paper in the toilet: use the bin or you’ll end up with a stuck toilet.

This family of travelers (Got Passport) wrote a very nice article about basic respect when travelling: Be a gracious guest, not a pest