Do's and Don'ts in Thailand

Thailand is a fantastic country! You will find delicious exotic fruits, irresistible Thai food, an impressive landscape with many beautiful tropical islands, beaches and jungle. In addition, Thailand has a unique, special culture. To fully enjoy your trip, here are some do’s and don’ts in Thailand.

The Thai smile

Everything is different, looks different, smells different, tastes different and definitely goes different. Be amazed and surprised. Experience things as they are which will give you an unforgettable experience. Forget the concept of time, agendas and structure. Experience from hour to hour, day to day.

The best experiences are those unexpected events. Like chatting with a local elderly man when you are waiting for the train or boat, stepping into a living room unexpectedly because you took the wrong way in the maze of all the alleys during a bike ride or hearing the monks chanting in the temple because you have the time to do so.

Thailand is known as the land of smiles. This is also the first “do” that is good to remember. Smile! Well this is pretty easy while traveling through Thailand. Thailand has so much beauty to offer, smiling comes naturally.

‘Thanks’ and other important Thai words to remember

Greetings

It is always nice when you are traveling to be able to greet and thank local people. To greet someone, say “Sawatdee ka” (if you are a woman) or “Sawatdee khap” (if you are a man) and make a wai with your hands. It is customary for the younger person to greet the older person first. The height of your hands in relation to your face, shows the degree of respect. The higher the status of the person across from you, the higher you should place your hands.

For like-minded people or if you don’t know a person’s status, place your hands under your chin. Probably everyone can see that you are not from Thailand, and they also don’t mind as much if you don’t perform the “wai” quite correctly. But it is certainly appreciated if you make an effort. It’s also always good to nod with it when you greet or thank someone.

Thanks

You thank someone by saying “Khop khun ka” (if you are a woman) or “Khop khun khap” (if you are a man). Again, you can nod and/or make the wai.

As you may notice, there is a female and male form of politeness in the Thai language. Actually, you can use the word “ka” after every sentence if you are a woman and the word “khap” if you are a man. This is a polite expression. We don’t really know this in Dutch, but it is something like ‘please’.

When someone asks, “Sabai dee mai khap/kha?”, they are asking how you are doing. You can then answer, for example, by saying ‘Sabai dee khap/kha’, I’m fine.

Asking for the bill is done by saying ‘Check bin ka/khap’ or ‘Khep tang ka/khap’. If you then add ‘Aroy’ (delicious), they will give you a smile back. Thais love their food and will really appreciate it if you show that it tasted very good.

To get a person’s attention, it is best to say “Khun. Khun is for both women and men and can be translated as sir or madam. So should you want to call the waiter, use “Khun, check bin ka/khap. Furthermore, they will mainly use your first name and not your last name. So for example, you will be referred to as Khun Robin.

When passing someone or having to walk between two people, it is good to make yourself small by bending your shoulders slightly forward and going slightly through your knees.

Buddhism

Temples

Many traditions, customs and habits in Thailand are based on Buddhism. Buddhism plays an important role in daily life. Thailand has many beautiful temples, which are definitely worth several visits!

When entering a temple, it is customary to take off your shoes, sunglasses and cap and dress appropriately, knees and shoulders covered. Step over the threshold when entering the temple and do not step on it. Thais believe that holy Buddhist spirits live in the threshold, so by stepping over it, you do not disturb them. Talk softly, don’t shout or scream when walking around. When you want to kneel in front of Buddha, don’t point your feet at Buddha. So when you sit down, make sure your feet are pointing the other way.

TIP – Traveling to faraway countries seems to be in total contrast to sustainable travel. And that’s true, of course. Unfortunately, you cannot effortlessly travel by train from Europe to Thailand. So flying offers a solution. Still, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to make your trip more sustainable. On the contrary. We have some tips and facts for you that can help.

Monks

Always show respect to a monk. You can certainly talk to a monk, but keep your status lower than the monk and bend your body slightly as soon as you pass him. As a woman, it is not appropriate to touch a monk or sit next to him. Should you wish to give a monk something, it must be through a special cloth on which you can place it or through a man who can then pass it on.

Touching a Buddha statue is also best avoided. It is also increasingly emphasized that Buddha statues or images of Buddha are not for decoration and Buddha should be treated with respect. Should you own a Buddha statue, be careful where you place it and how you treat it. Some temples have additional rules, such as no photography, but this is clearly indicated.

Pointing with a finger as we do is not very appropriate, especially if you want to point to Buddha in a temple. If you want to point to something, do it with your whole hand and with the hand palm up.

The head is sacred and feet are considered unclean. Children should not be stroked on the head and your feet should not be used to point to something or to stop money from falling on the ground, since the king is depicted on them.

The Royal Family

Talking about the king, the royal family or the political situation is best avoided; these are very sensitive subjects.

Negotiating

Negotiate the price, especially in the market and if you want to take a tuk tuk. Always stay calm, polite and smile. This is more likely to get you a good price than if you negotiate seriously and in a loud voice. Thais do not like to lose face. So if you ever fall off your chair in surprise, outwardly preserve your calmness, dignity and friendliness. This way you will have great encounters and almost always get everything done.

Other Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s – Health

• Enjoy, relax, take time to enjoy the experiences and don’t get ahead of yourself.
• Take care of yourself. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Don’t drink tap water. The water itself is clean, but the pipes often are not. Tap water is fine for brushing your teeth, showering or doing the dishes. But when you want to drink it, it’s better to buy bottled water.
• Don’t take chances with food. Go by your common sense. The good restaurants usually have a lot of customers. If you do get stomach trouble, take ORS and if the problem lasts longer than two days, see a doctor.
• Say “mai pet” (not spicy), to avoid having your mouth on fire from the usually sharp food.
• Protect yourself well from the sun. If possible, wear a cap or hat.
• If you encounter many mosquitoes in the evening hours, wear covering clothes, lubricate yourself preventively (especially feet) with mosquito oil (widely available in Thailand) and sleep with a fan or air conditioner on or under the mosquito net.
• Be careful when petting mammals (including dogs, cats, monkeys, bats) because of the risk of Rabies. If you do get bitten or scratched you will immediately need at least 2 (to 5) vaccinations.
• Pay attention to traffic and watch carefully when crossing. Mopeds pop up everywhere at once.

TIP – Thailand’s capital Bangkok is a city of many faces. It seems like every neighbourhood has a unique character, looks different. The old royal city centre is relatively quiet, if you walk into some of the narrow streets, you will see how people really live here, you will find unexpected markets and small altars. THE BEST 5 TOURS IN BANGKOK.

Do’s – Culture

• Take off your shoes when entering homes and places of worship.
• Respect the norms and values of local people.
• Dress appropriately.
• If you encounter an imperfection, keep smiling.
• Eat mainly with a spoon and fork, with the spoon going into the mouth, or with chopsticks.
• Use your right hand when eating or giving or receiving something. The left hand is used for unclean practices.

Don’ts

• Pointing to places, objects or people with the right index finger (also applies to feet).
• Entering a temple with uncovered arms/legs.
• Taking a picture of someone without permission.
• Using or dealing drugs.
• Topless sunbathing, kissing in public, dancing close together.
• Tying shoes to your backpack or backpack. Since shoes are unclean, this is really not appropriate.

But the most important do is to ENJOY! Thailand is fantastic and you will love it there!