 |
Thai CultureInformation on Marrying in Thailand 
Don't expect long essays here on Thai culture, society, history, Buddhism, the monarchy, etc. There will be other pages of information for those who are interested. I also will not present a list of "do's and don'ts" for the visitor to the Land of Smiles. Instead, I'd like to share some of my observations on how Thais live and conduct themselves and you can draw your own conclusions.
Social CustomsCities like Chiang Mai (and Bangkok especially) seem to have changed in many ways from the countryside in how people act. Bangkok is a cosmopolitan capital where western cultures are well known and accepted but the old ways of Thai culture are still observed by most people even if there is a tolerance for the stranger who acts differently. Thailand is famous for its tolerance and hospitality and when a Farang (foreigner) makes a blunder the typical Thai reaction is "mai bhen rai." "Never mind" or "it doesn't matter." Just the same, there are some deeply ingrained beliefs and attitudes held by most Thai people.ReligionAlthough religious tolerance is the rule in Thai culture (and the law) about 95% of Thais are Buddhist. All Buddha images, of any size or age, are regarded as sacred objects and given respect.Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or to be touched by a woman or to directly accept anything from a womans' hand. If a woman wants to give anything to a monk or novice, she will first hand it to a man who will give it. If another man isn't available for this, the monk will spread out a piece of his robe or a handkerchief for the woman to place the item or money on. Visitors are almost always welcome in temple compounds and people are expected to dress neatly the same as for a church or mosque. Long pants or skirts and shirts covering the shoulders are considered good manners. Any time you see a line-up of shoes (or a sign) outside a door, the shoes come off to keep the interior of the temple clean. Inside the chapel where the principal Buddha image is kept is reserved for the priests and there will usually be a sign or barrier to keep people out.
Body LanguageOne of the first things that most people notice in Thai culture is that Thais don't usually shake hands. Instead the "wai" is used by almost everyone for greetings, this is holding the hands together in a gesture like prayer in front of the chest or head. There is a well established etiquette for who and how to "wai" that the non Thai will almost certainly get wrong. But just as certainly, the foreigner will be gracefully forgiven for the blunder.Generally, older people or superiors do not "wai" the younger or inferior status person but it can be good form to return the greeting. It's not expected to return the "wai" of a waitress or doorman unless you have a previous social relationship with them. In most cases a smile or a Thank You is sufficient. Most Thai people will also use the "wai" to show their respect for a Buddha image or the picture of a member of the Royal family. The head is the highest part of the body and being closest to heaven is treated carefully. Care is usually taken to not touch another persons' head or to put anything (yourself included) above their head. Feet (being the furthest from heaven) are treated the opposite. It's considered rude to show the bottom of your feet to others or to use one of them to point with. It is extremely rude in the Thai culture to step over any part of another person. In many ways Thais are very socially conservative culture and consider any public display of affection, even between husband and wife as low class. InformalityApart from the subject of public conduct, most people are quite informal socially. Most people are addressed by their given name rather than the family name but to show some respect for the person, "Kuhn" is used for adults, "Nong" for children and "Pee" for an elder person. Being called Kuhn Bob or Nong Lee, etc. is expected.Nicknames are the rule and the shorter, the better. They can be hung on a person for any reason as a baby and will be used for life. Kuhn Daeng (Mr. Red), Kuhn Poo (Miss Crab) and Kuhn Maeow (Mrs. Cat) are common examples. CleanlinessA lot is written in guide books on the Thai preference for being clean. It is mostly true and you will find that showering more than once during the day is common and considered pleasurable. Don't expect to be lectured by a Thai if you don't look and smell clean but do expect to be a subject of conversation when Thais are sharing their experiences with "Farang."In the same vein, most Thai people strive to keep their homes clean and a line-up of shoes just outside or inside a door is an invitation to take yours off when entering.
Marriage in Thailand Return from Thai Culture to Easy Chiang Mai Home
|
