Having
only traveled in Canada and the US, the one thing that I have never really had
to worry about was the cultural differences.
Sure, there are things that are slightly different as you go from
province to province or state to state but in overall, North America generally
has similar cultural expectations.
I
remember being nervous when I traveled in Quebec because of the French Language. About the only French I really know is “Hello”,
“Thank-you,” and “Goodbye.” But the pronunciation I speak may make it sound
anything but French. I was worried that
I would insult someone but quickly, I found that I was wrong. People can be very understanding when you attempt
something you are uncomfortable with but still in Canada, the majority of our
Laws are the same from one end of the Country to the other.
As
I prepare for Thailand, I have been researching many aspects of Thai Culture
and listening to different speakers who have lived in Thailand. What I have come to understand is that this
is going to be one “Very Incredible Educational Learning Opportunity.” So what are something’s that need to be
remembered as I travel through Thailand and most importantly, what are the
things that I must remember NOT to do as I meet and greet people in
Thailand. Here is a list:
Do’s In Thailand
-
Respect the King
and the Monarchy
o Thai’s revere
the King and the Royal Family. They have a true and Deep Love for the Monarchy.
o Criticism of the
King will not be tolerated; either verbally or by actions. In fact, it is against the Law in Thailand to
make any kind of criticism toward the King or the Royal Family and is
punishable with possible jail time
§ A Swiss man was
sentence to 10 years in prison for defacing pictures of the King
http://www.thaizer.com/news/swiss-man-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison-for-insulting-thai-king/
-
Respect all
Buddha Images
o Buddha images,
whether new or old or in any condition, are held sacred and any act or vandalism
against a Buddha image can result in imprisonment
o It is also
unlawful to cause any kind of a disturbance at religious ceremonies
o It is also
unlawful to take a Buddha image outside of the country. Many tourists find out
this out as they prepare to leave the country only to have the Image taken by
the authorities
-
Treat Monks with
the Highest of All Respect
o Always greet a
Monk with the highest of all Wai’s and Monks DO NOT return a Wai
o A Monk cannot
touch or be touched by a woman and cannot accept anything offered directly by a
woman (It must either be given by a man or placed on a cloth first)
o A Monk does not
shake a man’s hand
o A person should
give up their seats on public transportation to a Monk
-
Eat with a Spoon
o Forks are used
in meals but only to push the food onto the spoon to place the food into the
mouth
o Be sure to hold
the spoon with your right hand
-
Smile A lot
o Very often, the
Thai smile is one of Welcoming. It is an attitude that life is to be enjoyed
and that being too serious is unhealthy and causes stress
o Thai’s smile
when they are happy, unhappy, apologetic, upset or annoyed, uncertain, embarrassed
or wrong. Understanding that they are
not mocking you is something a person needs to understand. Thai’s just smile a
lot.
o Thai smile is
used to cover just about every circumstance of daily life. I read where it mentioned on TV showing a
police officer bringing a criminal to court for sentencing and not only was the
police officer smiling, so was the criminal who was looking at 10 years in
jail.
-
Remove Your
Shoes
o There are
several places where it is required and appropriate to remove your shoes when
entering;
§ Visiting a Thai
Temple
§ Entering a Thai
person’s home – to not remove your shoes at the entrance of a Thai’s home, no
matter the condition, is a sign of disrespect.
§ Some Shops and
Boutiques – some shops also act as a part of a person’s home.
Dont’s in Thailand
-
Be Careful of
Your Feet
o The bottom of
the feet is considered by Thai people to be the dirtiest part of body as it is
in contact with the ground. Because of this, it is considered very
disrespectful to:
§ Point your feet
in the direction of any other person
§ Cross your legs
or Point your feet directly to a Buddha or a Monk
·
When
sitting down in front of a Buddha or Monk, it is best to kneel with your feet
pointed away
§ Point your feet
to show a direction or anything to another person
§ Place your feet
on a table
§ Move anything
with your feet
-
Beware of the
Head
o As the feet are
the lowest part of the Body, the Head is the highest and as such, is much
revered and sacred. With that, it is
considered very disrespectful to:
§ Touch or Pat
anyone on the head.
·
This
is just something you DO NOT do. Even to
a child as it will bring shame to that child.
It is very unacceptable to touch any person’s head.
-
Stay Calm
o Shouting or
showing any form of Annoyance is frowned upon by Thai’s
o This shows a
lack of discipline and a lack of proper manners
§ Even if
something goes wrong with an order, you will get further if you speak in a low,
calm voice and of course, Smile.
o Be careful of
your hands as you talk. Don’t wave your hands about you as you talk as this can
give the impression that you are angry.
-
The Wai
o Never return a
Wai given by a Child, waiter, clerk, street vendor or laborer, or someone in a
serving position. Just a nod and a smile
will do
-
The Threshold
o Avoid stepping on the threshold of someone's home. It is considered
polite to step OVER the threshold and not on it.
§ It is believed
that various spirits to live in and around the home and one of these spirits
live in the Threshold
·
To
step on it is to antagonize the spirit and bring bad luck to the family who may
live in the house
-
Showing Affection
o Thai’s see
Public affection such as holding hands, kissing or cuddling as inappropriate
and is frowned upon
The
best advice given to me through the Skype sessions has been that when in a
situation where you are unsure of the proper procedure, watch the locals and do
as they do! I look forward to learning
more in a practical, hands on experience.
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