UNDERSTANDING THAI CULTURE

Thailand is the country where Agama Yoga School makes its home, and therefore this land is our host. As foreigners, we are guests here – something happy travelers often forget but worth a reminder now and then….

A few little stories and tips can go a long way toward deepening a cultural understanding that helps integrate a visitor personally – and our entire school community generally – into our Thai landscape. Therefore, we invite you to read these tips, passed from an excellent resource website for everything from customs to news to holidays and helpful information: www.thaizer.com. Please visit often for new articles and updates!

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Land of Smiles

Thailand is famously known as the “Land of Smiles,” and for good reason. But a Thai smile does not automatically mean that a person is happy. Such an assumption can lead to misunderstandings between Westerners and Thais.

Roy of thaizer.com gives a highly illustrative example from his second trip to Thailand:

“I was at an Internet café near Sukhumvit in Bangkok. An American man at the computer next to me spent an hour typing away only to watch his computer crash. Understandably, he was frustrated at losing all his work. He explained to the shop owner that the computer had crashed and asked if she could retrieve what he had been working on. The shop owner spoke English well and apologized for the inconvenience. After quickly assessing the computer was, in her words, “kaput,” she smiled at the man and told him that he would not have to pay. The man then said that he had wasted an hour of his time. The lady again smiled and offered him a free fruit shake. The man was still upset and raised his voice and said that a free fruit shake did not make up for the fact that he had wasted an hour of his time.

“This time the lady smiled even more broadly than before and simply said ‘yes.’ Each time she smiled, the American customer became more irate. He eventually stormed out of the shop cursing about Thailand being a Third World country. The Thai lady continued to smile.”

As Roy explained, the Thai woman’s smile was initially a smile of apology which turned into a smile of embarrassment. The American man had misunderstood it as a sign of indifference and unhelpfulness. As Roy lives in Thailand, he said he has since on many occasions witnessed British, German, Australian, and other Western tourists misinterpreting the Thai smile as a sign that they are being mocked. In Thailand, he says, a smile isn’t necessarily (or only) a sign of happiness. Thais smile when they are amused, bemused, apologetic, annoyed, uncertain, wrong, furious, or embarrassed. In fact, there is a Thai smile to cover just about every circumstance and thus it is no wonder this can lead to confusion.

Roy notes that it is common for Thai television to show pictures of criminals in handcuffs being taken back to the scene of their crime where they are photographed and filmed. Not only do the policemen smile, but so do the criminals! He adds: it is certain that they are not smiling at the thought of spending the next 10 years of their life in a Thai prison!

However, he also insists that often the Thai smile is a welcoming one. There is a definite attitude in Thailand that life should be enjoyed. Being too serious is unhealthy and causes stress and illness – “not think too much, be happy” is common Thai advice, Roy says, adding: “It’s good advice.” 

Beach Etiquette

According to thaizer.com, Thailand is a relaxed country to visit but that doesn’t mean anything goes…. Some tourists unfortunately forget that when they hit the beach. Although Thais working in tourist resorts are generally very tolerant – partly due to practicality, as tourism brings revenue and jobs – there are some things that show disrespect to local culture and customs and should be avoided.

Women Sunbathing Topless

Topless sunbathing by women is frowned upon by local Thais. This is true everywhere in Thailand, but in particular on some of the southern islands and beaches where there is a local Muslim population. The fact that it’s highly unlikely that any Thai person will actually reprimand a foreign woman for sunbathing topless doesn’t make it right or acceptable.

Put Your Shirt on in Restaurants

You may be dining at a cheap and cheerful beach-side restaurant, but if men don’t have the courtesy to put a shirt on it shows disrespect to the owners and other people eating there and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Thai people. In Thailand, food and food etiquette is important and no man should need a sign in English to tell them they need to put on a shirt before eating at a restaurant, even a restaurant on the beach.

Thai Greeting – the Wai

Whether they’ve been to Thailand before or not, most people are familiar with the traditional Thai form of greeting, the wai, in which the palms are pressed together in prayer-like fashion and the head is lowered. However, what appears to be a simple gesture is in fact governed by very subtle rules of etiquette.

The Wai as a Form of Respect

In the title, I’ve described the wai as a greeting, but it is more than that because it is also a form of respect. The wai may be used as a greeting, but it isn’t the equivalent of saying “hello” and there are times when use of the wai would be inappropriate. There are different types of wai for different situations and Thai people inherently know the correct form to use. As a foreign visitor you will not be expected to understand them all so don’t worry, but it’s important to realize that it is the social inferior who always initiates the wai.

Social Superiors

The idea of all people not being equal may rest uneasy with some visitors, but it is part of Thai culture. Monks and elderly people are at the top of the social hierarchy, but again that doesn’t mean you should wai the old lady selling fruit outside your hotel! Social superiors may or may not return a wai.

Returning a Wai

Advice given in some guidebooks says that you should always return a wai. Strictly speaking that isn’t true. For example, if the waitress or cashier at the restaurant wais you for leaving a tip, it would not be appropriate to wai in return. Like it or not, in this instance you are the social superior and respect is being shown to you; a smile in return would be a more appropriate response. Similarly, the bellboy and receptionist at your hotel are not your social equal even if you do the same job in your home country. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be friendly, but there’s no need to return a wai every morning. In fact, doing so may cause them embarrassment. In many other circumstances though, you can safely return the wai, but if you’re not sure a smile will almost always get you by.

Waiing Objects

On the bus or in a songthaew (truck taxi), some Thai people routinely wai when they pass sacred places or Buddha images. And it isn’t just the passengers; don’t be surprised if you see the driver lift both hands off the steering wheel as he passes a Buddha image or wat (monastery).

No Wai

Although the wai is often used as an indication of respect, it does not automatically mean all Thais will use it in deference to an overseas visitor. Thai people, particularly the younger generation, know it is not the way foreigners do things so don’t be offended if you don’t receive a wai. In some instances a handshake or smile may be offered in place of a wai.

Advice drawn from: http://www.thaizer.com/.