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| Do's and Don't |
The Monarchy : Thai people
have a deep, traditional reverence for the Royal Family, and
a visitor should be careful to show respect for the King, the
Queen and the Royal Children.
Religion : Visitors should dress neatly in all religious
shrines. They should never go topless, or in shorts, hot pants
or other unsuitable attireIt is acceptable to wear shoes when
walking around the compound of a Buddhist temple, but not inside
the chapel where the principal Buddha image is kept.
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Each Buddha image, large or small,
ruined or not, is regarded as a sacred object. Never
climb onto one to take a photograph or do anything which
might indicate a lack of respect. Buddhist monks are
forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept
anything from the hand of one. If a woman has to give
anything to a monk, she first hands it to a man, who
then presents it.
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Social Norms : Thais don't normally
shake hands when they greet one another, but instead
press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture called
a wai. Generally a younger person wais an elder, who
returns it.
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Social Norms : Thais don't normally
shake hands when they greet one another, but instead
press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture called
a wai. Generally a younger person wais an elder, who
returns it.
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Shoes should be removed when entering
a private Thai home.
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Public displays of affection between
men and women are frowned upon.
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Speak in Thai
Thai is a tonal language belonging
to the group of Ka-Tai languages, the five tones are monotone,
low, falling, high, and rising. This can be a rather complicated
language for the visitor; however, English is quite widely
understood, particularly in Bangkok where it is almost the
major commercial language.Here are a few Thai basic greetings
and phrases to try.
| Hello
(male speaker) |
sawatdee krup |
| Hello
(female speaker) |
sawatdee kaa |
| How
are you? |
sabai dee reu pao |
| Fine
thanks |
sabai dee |
| Thank
you |
kop koon |
| Never
mind |
mai pen rai |
| I
can't speak Thai |
phoot Thai mai dai |
| I
don't understand |
mai kao chai |
| Do
you understand? |
kao chai mai |
| May
I take a photograph? |
tai ruup dai mai |
| Where
is the rest room? |
hong nam yoo tee nai |
| How
much does this cost? |
nee tao-rai |
| What
is this ? |
nee arai |
| Very
expensive |
paeng maag |
| The
bill please |
gep taang |
| Good-bye |
la gon |
| See
you again |
laew phob gan mai |
| Good
luck |
kor hai chok dee |
| Sorry/excuse
me |
kor thoad |
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Tipping
Tipping is not a usual practice
in Thailand although it is becoming more common. Most hotels
and restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. Taxi
drivers do not require a tip, but the gesture is appreciated.
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| Bargaining
Fixed prices are the norm in
department stores, but at most other places bargaining is
to be expected. Generally, you can obtain a final figure of
between 10-40% lower than the original asking price. Much
depends on your skills and the shopkeeper's mood. But remember,
Thais appreciate good manners and a sense of humor. With patience
and a broad smile, you will not only get a better price, you
will also enjoy shopping as an art.
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