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Getting along in Thailand
Thailand is
justly celebrated for its tolerance and hospitality, and the average tourist
will have no difficulty in adjusting to the local customs. All the same, as
when coming into any unfamiliar society, a visitor may find it helpful to be
aware of certain do's and don'ts and thus avoid giving accidental offense.
Basically, most of these are simply a matter of common sense and good
matters, not really all that different from the way one would behave in
one's own country, but a few are special enough to be pointed out.
The
Monarchy
The Thai
people have a deep, traditional reverence for their Royal Family, and a
visitor should also be careful to show respect for the King, the Queen and
the Royal Children. In a cinema, for example, a portrait of the King is
shown during the playing of the royal anthem, and the audience is expected
to stand. When attending some public event at which a member of the Royal
Family is present, the best guide as to how to behave is probably to watch
the crowd and do what it does.
Religion
Thai law has
a number of special sections concerning religious offenses, and these cover
not only Buddhism, the religion of the majority of the people, but also any
other faiths represented in the Kingdom. It is, for instance unlawful to
commit any act, by any means whatever, to an object or a place of religious
worship of any community in a manner likely to insult the religion.
Similarly, "whoever causes any disturbance at an assembly lawfully
engaged in the performance of religious worship of religious
ceremonies" is subject to punishment, as well as "whoever dresses
or uses a symbol showing that he is a priest or novice, holy man or
clergyman of any religion unlawfully in order to make another person believe
he is such person."
In less
legal language, here are a few tips on what to do and what not to do on a
visit to a religious place:
Dress
neatly. Don't go shirtless, or in shorts, pants, or other unsuitable attire.
If you look at the Thais around you, you will see the way they would prefer
you to be dressed, which, in fact, is probably not very different from the
way you would dress in a similar place back home. It's all right to wear
shoes while walking around the compound of a Buddhist temple, but not inside
the chapel where the principle Buddha image is kept. Don't worry about dirt
when you have to take them off, the floors of such places are usually clean.
In a Muslim mosque, men should wear hats and women should be well covered
with slacks or a long skirt, a long sleeved blouse buttoned to the neck, and
a scarf over their hair. All should remove their shoes before entering the
mosque and should not be present if there is a religious gathering. Buddhist
priests are forbidden to touch or to be touched by a woman or to accept
anything from the hand of one. If a woman has to give anything to a monk or
novice, she first hands it to a man, who then presents it. Or in the case of
a woman who wants to present it with her hand, the monk or novice will
spread out a piece of saffron robe or handkerchief in front of him, and the
woman will lay down the material on the robe which is being held at one end
by the monk or novice.
All Buddha
images, large or small, ruined or not, are regarded as sacred objects.
Hence, don't climb up on one to take a photograph or, generally speaking, do
anything that might show a lack of respect.
Social
Customs
The don'ts
of Thai social behavior are less clearly defined than those concerning the
monarchy or religion, especially in a city like Bangkok where western
customs are better known and more widely accepted. However, what is
acceptable in Bangkok may not be in the countryside where the old ways are
still strong. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Thais DO
NOT normally shake hands when they greet one another, but instead press
the palms together. In a prayer like gesture called a 'wai'. Generally, a
younger person will 'wai' an elder, who then returns it. Watch how the Thais
do it, and you will soon learn. It is considered rude to point your foot at
a person, so try avoid doing so when sitting opposite anyone, and following
the conception that the foot is a low limb, DO NOT point your foot to
show anything to anyone, but use your finger instead. Thais regard the head
as the highest part of the body both literally and figuratively. As a result
they DO NOT approve of touching anyone on that part of the body, even
in a friendly gesture. Similarly, if you watch Thais at a social gathering,
you will notice that young people go to considerable lengths to keep their
heads lower than those of the elder ones, to avoid giving the impression of
"looking down" on them. This is not always possible, of course,
but it is the effort that counts. Public displays of affection between men
and women are frowned upon. You may see some very Westernized young Thai
couples holding hands, but that is the extent of the displaying of affection
in this polite society. Losing your temper, especially in public, will more
than likely get you nowhere. The Thais think such displays denote poor
manners, and you are more apt to get what you want by keeping a cool head
and concealing your emotions. DO NOT be surprised if you are
addressed by your first name; for instance, Mr Bob or Miss Mary instead of
by your surname. This is because Thais refer to one another in this manner,
usually with the title "Khun" (Mr, Mrs, or Miss) in front. Follow
the customs of any country as far as possible, and you will make more
friends during your stay. The more friends you make, the more you will want
to return to Thailand.
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