Thai people in general are friendly and polite people.

General edit

• As is the case throughout Asia, Thais are indirect communicators and they are tempered by the need to "save face" — much like their neighbours — and will normally avoid saying anything construed as judgemental or critical to people. Among close friends, however, communication is more direct.
• One common misconception about Thai people is that "they are easy to win over". Just because a Thai person is cheerful in a conversation or appears to agree with whatever you're saying does not mean they agree with or understand whatever you say. They're most likely doing it to save face. Sometimes you must read behind the lines and ascertain how someone is feeling.
• Although Thai people may not admit it, transparency and openness are valued and appreciated by them.
• Thai people often take words at face value. It's important to be clear, and upfront about what you intend to say, as euphemisms and idiomatic language may be misunderstood or taken out of context. Even saying something as simple as "the world is your oyster" may be interpreted literally rather than figuratively.
• There is a prevalent misunderstanding that Thai people are hesitant to interact with foreigners. This could be attributed to the language barrier; Thai people in general are quite conscious about their English skills and fear that their English proficiency might be evaluated by others. You can quickly bridge the gap by demonstrating some understanding of Thai and Thai customs.
• Friendships between Thais and non-Thais are not that common. If you end up befriending a Thai person, chances are, you may be the first foreign friend or acquaintance they have ever had.
• As a foreigner, it is common to be asked questions like "why do you work here", "do you have any plans to go back to your home country", "how long have you lived in Thailand", and variations thereof.
• Approaching strangers or making contact with strangers is uncommon unless there's an emergency (car accident, asking for directions, etc.).
• Do not be surprised or upset if nobody appears to show interest in you immediately; friendships and relationships are seen as serious affairs in Thailand, and the journey from acquaintance to friend is often a long one.
• Thai people, in general, are connected to their families and it's common for them to spend vacations with their family members.
• Thais have a near-obsessive fascination with the lottery. It's the most popular form of gambling in the country and even foreign nationals are allowed to participate in the lottery. Collecting lottery tickets is a popular hobby among Thai people.
• Thai people have a relaxed view of time. It's completely acceptable and normal to show up 15-30 minutes late to something.
• Thai people tend to believe in a wide range of superstitions. Evil spirits play a huge role in Thai culture.
• Thai people generally are not that interested in global and current affairs. This is attributed to two factors: the poor quality of the public educational system and a lack of focus about current affairs in Thai media. Talking about such subjects may confuse rather than intrigue the Thais.

What to do edit

• Respect for elders is important, and it is customary to use honorifics with people you are unfamiliar with. The most common way of addressing someone you don't know or someone senior to you: use the term Khun followed by the person's first name (applicable to both men and women).
• Show respect to monks. Monks are highly respected in Thai society, and the importance of showing respect to them cannot be overstated. It is customary for Thai men to spend some time living as a monk at least once in their lifetime. If you cross paths with a monk in public, lower your head a little and greet them with the 'wai' gesture. If you are on public transportation, give up your seat for them. You do not have to be a practising Buddhist to acknowledge a monk; just be polite.
• Ask questions about someone's vocation and education. Thai people do this to ascertain how they should address and interact with you.
• Attempt to learn the local language. Thai people know that Thai is difficult to learn, and they will very much appreciate your efforts to speak it, even if your knowledge of the language is rudimentary. Demonstrating that you can read and write Thai will very easily wow and win over many people.
• Try to experience the local cuisine and learn more about Thai culture. Thai people appreciate the few foreigners attempting to learn more about their culture and way of life. Doing this will allow you to strike up friendships with Thais.
• Share food and snacks with people you're close to. In an office setting, this is common and expected.
• When meeting people, exchange gifts. This is common and expected.

What to not do edit

• Do not say or do anything that can be misconstrued as irreverence or disrespect towards the Royal Family. For example, this includes stepping on a coin with a portrait of a Thai king, even if you are doing this to stop the coin from rolling away. See the caution regarding the Les Majeste laws in the Politics section above.
• Frankness is not appreciated. Thai people are remarkably sensitive to strongly worded comments, and making someone lose face or feel unappreciated is a quick ticket to making yourself an enemy.
  • Thailand has strict libel laws, and you can find yourself in legal hot water for making strongly worded comments about someone or something online. Under current laws, defamation is punishable by up to 2 years of imprisonment, a fine of 200,000 baht, or both.
• Do not raise your voice, lose your cool, or use swear words in a conversation. Thai people consider these coarse manners.
• Privacy is highly valued in Thailand. Do not inquire about someone's salary, family, or standard of living unless you know them well. Do not expect an invitation to someone's home unless they know you well.
• Do not exhibit the crossed-fingers gesture; exhibiting this gesture means that someone is lying to you. Clarifications may help prevent misunderstandings.
• Do not be loud in public; Thai people consider this extremely rude manners.
• Do not rest your feet on a table; this is impolite.
• Do not touch someone's head; the head is considered sacred in Thailand.
• Do not show disrespect to monks. They are accorded a great deal of respect in Thai society.
  • If you are a woman, do not touch a monk. It is strictly forbidden for a monk to touch a woman, even by accident.
  • If you are a woman, do not pass anything directly to a monk. Put down what you want to give to a monk, and allow him to pick it up, or hand it to a man so he can pass it to the monk for you.
  • Do not sit or stand higher than a monk. Sit below them (if they are on a raised platform) or kneel before them.
  • If you are seated when a monk or nun enters a room, stand up to show respect.
  • Do not cross your legs in front of a monk. Kneel instead.
  • Do not take pictures of a monk or a nun unless they've given you permission.

The wai edit

The traditional greeting known as the wai, where you press your hands together as is in prayer and bow slightly, is derived from the Hindu cultural influence from India, and still widely practised. Among Thais, there are strict rules of hierarchy that dictate how and when the wai should be given. In brief, subordinates salute superiors first. You should not wai service people or street vendors. The higher your hands go, the more respectful you are. You will also often see Thais doing a wai as they walk past temples and spirit houses.

As a foreign visitor, you are not really expected to know how to wai properly, nor to reciprocate when wai'd to; while you're unlikely to cause offense if you do, you may well look slightly strange. If somebody makes a wai to you, a slight bow alone is more than sufficient for ordinary occasions, and for business, most Thais will shake hands with foreigners instead of waiing anyway.

Dress edit

Personal appearance is very important in Thailand as a measure of respect to other people. You will find that dressing appropriately means that you are shown more respect in return. This translates in many ways, even sometimes lowering initial offering prices at markets. While some allowance is made for the differing customs of foreigners, Thais respond more positively to well-dressed Westerners.

While the most touristy parts of Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket are exceptions, traditionally, Thais are modest and conservative dressers. At a minimum your clothes should be neat, clean, and free from holes or tears. Except at the beach or at sacred sites, normal western dress is acceptable for both men and women, except that you should avoid clothing showing much skin. Long pants are preferable to shorts, and you should always cover your shoulders. If you are a woman, you should not expose your cleavage. Outside of the major temples and royal palaces, men wearing shorts is generally acceptable.

It is absolutely unacceptable to walk around topless in public. Foreign men have been arrested for walking around topless, so cover yourself up! Your abs or dad bod might not be the key to winning over the hearts of the ladies on the street.

Taking off your shoes at temples and private homes is mandatory etiquette, and this may even be requested at some shops. Wear shoes that slip on and off easily. Flip-flops, hiking sandals, and clog-type shoes are usually a good pragmatic choice for traveling in Thailand; only in the most top-end establishments are shoes required.

It is best to play it safe with wats and other sacred sites in Thailand: your dress should be unambiguously modest and cover your entire torso and most of your limbs. For men, ankle-length pants are mandatory; on top, t-shirts are acceptable, though a button-front or polo shirt would be best. Many recommend that women wear only full length dresses and skirts; you should make sure that your clothing covers at least your shoulders and your knees; some places may require that you wear ankle-length pants or skirts and long-sleeved tops. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are highly inappropriate at sacred sites, as are short skirts. The rules are even more strict for foreign visitors, so even if you see a local in shorts, it's not OK for everyone.

Topless sunbathing is common by Western women at many tourist beaches. At beaches which have primarily Thai visitors, however, this is not advised.

Religious etiquette edit

You're unlikely to cause offence by having a discussion about religion; for the most part, Thai people love to talk about it! It's also okay to discuss your religious convictions with someone, so long as you don't make the discussion competitive.

Proselytising, or anything hinting at it, is neither welcomed nor appreciated in Thailand. Similarly, try not to be overly enthusiastic about your religion, as it can make people feel uncomfortable and uneasy. At best, Thai people will either smile at you or laugh it off.

Although the laws are nowhere near as strict as they are in neighbouring Myanmar, try not to show any form of disrespect to Buddhism. For example, do not wear a T-shirt with Buddha or Buddhist imagery on it, and do not get a Buddha tattoo (if you already have one, cover it up as best you can). Furthermore, it is illegal to take a Buddha statue out of the country without a licence from the Fine Arts Department (a government agency).

Monks are an integral part of Buddhism in Thailand, and Thai men are generally expected to spend a certain amount of time living as a monk at least once in their lifetime.

Buddhist monks are meant to avoid sexual temptations, and in particular they do not touch women or take things from women's hands. Women should make every effort to make way for monks on the street and give them room, so they do not accidentally make contact with you and then have to undergo a lengthy purification ritual. Women should avoid offering anything to a monk with their hands. Objects or donations (which should not be cash) should be placed in front of a monk so he can pick it up, or place it on a special cloth he carries with him. Monks will sometimes be aided by a layman who will accept things from women merit-makers on their behalf.

Theravada Buddhist monks are also supposed to avoid material temptations and as such, are not allowed to touch money, so offering money to a monk is considered to be a sign of disrespect in most Theravada Buddhist cultures. Therefore, should you wish to donate to a monk, you should only offer food, and put your monetary donation in the appropriate donation box at the temple. Those monks that accept money are fakes.

As in neighbouring countries, the swastika is widely used in Thailand as a Buddhist religious symbol. It pre-dates Nazism by 2,500 years and has no antisemitic connotations.

When entering temple buildings, always take off your shoes before you do so, as entering a temple with footwear is considered to be a major faux pas. As doorway thresholds are considered a sanctuary for spirits, it's important not to step on a raised threshold, but rather to step over it.

When sitting on the floor in a temple, make sure you kneel or cross your legs under you "mermaid-style" so your feet do not point at any person or statue. Do not pose alongside a Buddha statue for a photo and certainly don't clamber on them. (It's OK to take photos of a statue, but everyone should be facing the statue.)

A sizeable Muslim minority (about 5%) is also present, mainly concentrated in the southern provinces, but also with a significant community in Bangkok. Most Thai Muslims are ethnic Malays, though there are also substantial numbers of Muslims who are ethnically Thai, or descended from Indonesian, Cambodian Cham or South Asian immigrants.

Animal abuse edit

Elephants may be a large part of Thailand's tourist business, but many people are unaware of the mistreatment they are subjected to. They're usually forced to work long hours, endure all kinds of psychological, verbal, and physical abuse, and denied food and water.

Once a depressingly common sight, you may run into elephant beggars. During night hours, mahouts (trainers) with lumbering elephants approach tourists to feed the creatures bananas or take a photo with them for a fee. The elephants are brought to the city to beg in this way because they are out of work and are mistreated and visibly distressed under the conditions of the city.

If you intend to go on an elephant ride, purchase an elephant painting, or "use" elephants for other activities, you may want to take their mistreatment into account. There are a few ethical animal tourism operators in Thailand such as Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai or the Wildlife Rescue Centre and Elephant Refuge near Bangkok.

Drugged animals such as lizards and birds are sometimes used by touts as photo subjects. These touts are often seen plying the main tourist beaches of Thailand. The tout will take a photo with you and the doped up animal and then demand payment.

Rare and endangered species are often sold at markets for pets, and many other animal products are sold as luxury items. Do not buy rare pets, leather, ivory, talons, dried sea creatures (such as starfish), fur, feathers, teeth, wool, and other products since they are most likely the result of illegal poaching. Buying them contributes to animal endangerment and abuse.

Other edit

• When answering the phone, it is common for Thais to say khrab (male) or kha (female). These two words mean "yes". Thai people proficient in English will normally say "yes" when picking up the phone. This may be seen as rude manners in other parts of the world, but Thai people do not intend to be rude; this is simply a matter of culture.
• When answering the phone, some Thai people might say waa, which literally means "what is it" or "tell me". Again, this may be seen as rude manners in other parts of the world, but Thai people do not intend to be rude; this is simply a matter of culture.
• The head is considered the most exalted part of the body, feet the lowliest. Never touch or pat a Thai on the head, including children. If you accidentally touch or bump someone's head, apologize immediately or you'll be perceived as very rude. Similarly, do not touch people with your feet, or even point with them. If someone is sitting with outstretched feet, avoid stepping over them, as this is very rude and could even spark a confrontation. Squeeze around them or ask them to move. Even if the person is sleeping, it is best to go around, as others are likely to notice.
• Thais are conservative compared to Westerners. Public displays of affection are rarely seen, even handholding by married couples, and are generally considered to be distasteful, though due to the dependence of the Thai economy on tourism, Thais grudgingly tolerate such displays by foreigners. Don't make out in public. You'll embarrass yourself and inflame Thai sensibilities.
• It is considered impolite and disrespectful to visibly sniff food before eating it, particularly when eating in someone's home (this is true even if the sniffing is done in appreciation).
• Do not audibly blow your nose in public, especially not at the dinner table, but it is perfectly acceptable to pick your nose at any time or place.
• In Thailand, expression of negative emotion such as anger or sadness is almost never overt, and it is possible to enjoy a vacation in Thailand without ever seeming to see an argument or an unhappy person. Thai people smile often compared to Western people. A smile does not necessarily express happiness. When Thai people smile in a conversation they give the signal that they are civilized and intend to behave with civility, even or especially in a case of conflict. Do not interpret a smile as a sign of weakness. "Saving face" is a very important aspect of Thai culture and they will try to avoid embarrassment and confrontation.
• In public places (such as large markets) the national anthem is played over loudspeakers at 08:00 and 18:00. When this is played, everyone will stop what they are doing and stand still for the duration. You should do the same. The royal anthem (not national anthem) is played in cinemas before the film, and everyone must stand. It lasts about a minute, then everyone will continue where they left off. In MRT and SkyTrain stations in Bangkok, the escalators will also lurch to a halt to prevent a large human pile-up.
• When giving and receiving business cards, always use your right hand with the left hand supporting the right elbow. As the left hand is traditionally reserved for dirty things, handling business cards with the left hand is considered to be very rude.
• As a reaction against smokers littering beaches with cigarette butts, there is a complete smoking ban in effect since 1 February 2018 on 24 popular beaches around the country. If caught smoking at one of these beaches, you might be fined up to 100,000 baht and/or be sentenced to up to one year in jail.