The do's and don'ts of Thailand

Go up holiday to Thailand? Then you don't have to memorize a whole list of do's and don'ts. Most missteps are easily forgiven. Thais know that foreign visitors have different customs and are flexible about this.

Nevertheless, it is useful to be aware of a number of do's and don'ts during your stay in the 'Land of Smiles'. This is how you can earn the respect of your Thai hosts. During a stay in Thailand, two things are most important:

• Respect Buddhism.
• Respect the Thai Royal Family.

The do's of Thailand

• Respect all images of Buddha. The Buddha statues you will encounter everywhere are sacred. Violating these sanctuaries can even be punished with imprisonment. This also applies to foreign tourists.
• Dress decently when visiting a temple (no bare legs or shoulders for women).
• Take off your shoes before entering a temple, someone's house and some shops.
• Treat monks with the utmost respect.
• Remain calm and polite regardless of the problem or provocation.
• Eat with a spoon. Use your fork to push the food onto your spoon.
• Learn a few simple Thai words like 'hello' and 'thank you'.
• Smile a lot (read more about this here the meaning of the Thai smile).
• Enjoy. Thais like life to be Sanuk (nice/cozy) (read more about Sanuk here).
• Make sure you have a visa and avoid exceeding its validity (read more about the consequences here).
• Make sure you get the right one Travel Insurance (world coverage and possibly coverage for medical costs).

Thailand's don'ts

• Do not show disrespect to the Thai Royal Family (insulting the Royal Family carries a 5-year prison sentence per offense).
• Women are never allowed to touch a monk (this also applies to female tourists). If you are a woman, do not sit next to a monk on the bus.
• Do not touch a Thai woman without permission. Despite the fact that the number of clubs and bars suggests otherwise, most Thai women are quite conservative.
• If you are a woman, do not sunbathe naked or topless. This is an insult to most Thais. Nevertheless, probably no one will say anything about it.
• If you are a man, don't go bare-chested on the street. Visiting a restaurant with a bare upper body is downright dirty and disrespectful to everyone present.
• Don't worry too much about whether or not to say "Wai." A nod of your head is enough (read more about the traditional Thai greeting).
• Don't touch a Thai's head. Don't run your hand through their hair either. Apologize if you accidentally touch someone's head. There are exceptions regarding this behavior when it comes to your loved one. Thais do give children a pat on the head. As a Westerner it is better not to do this, unless you know the child well (read more why here the head is an important part of the body is for Thai).
• Do not put your feet on the table when you are sitting. Don't point at anything with your feet. Don't touch anything with your feet either.
• Don't speak louder or yell and never lose your temper in public; try to be 'Jai Yen' (controlled and patient).
• Don't be offended by prying questions about your age, marital status, salary, or what you do for a living. These topics often come up during conversations. Of course, you don't have to answer (especially the question about your salary). You can also just smile nicely and say it's a secret or that you're 'mai bok' ('don't tell').
• Do not bring Buddha statues from Thailand. Strictly speaking, it is prohibited by law. It is only allowed if special permission has been granted. This doesn't mean stores won't sell them to you. That is possible, but they usually say nothing about the prohibition to perform them.

When you take these rules to heart, your stay in Thailand will be even more enjoyable. Thai are very friendly and hospitable, they will do their best to give you a pleasant holiday.

About this blogger

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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.

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