No shoes, no knives and no hugs: welcome to Thailand!
9 things you better not do in Thailand (unless you want to be very uncomfortable).
When you think of Thailand, you probably think of street food, temples and golden beaches. What is less known about the land of smiles is that it also has a lot of unwritten and let's just say ... 'special' rules! You better do things there just a little differently than at home.
We have listed the 9 most important customs for you, so you don't end up in uncomfortable situations!
1. Smiling is a lifestyle
In Thailand, they don't just smile when they are happy. They also do this when they feel uncomfortable, when they want to apologize or to avoid an argument. In fact, they do this almost all the time. So if your cab is driving the wrong way, you'd rather stay calm and smile. Then you'll probably get to the right place faster than if you're on your toes!
2. Folding hands instead of shaking hands
Shaking hands feels very uncomfortable for the Thai. In fact, they almost never do it. They prefer to opt for the 'wai': the typical Thai greeting where you put your palms together and bow slightly. It is expected that for every 'wai' given, one is given in return. Just like our handshake actually, because how rude would it be to leave an outstretched hand unanswered in our culture. So be sure to return a 'wai' when someone offers you one, unless that person is younger or a hotel employee. Then a friendly smile will suffice (see number 1 ;-)).
3. Your head is sacred, your feet are not
In Thailand, the head is considered the (literally) highest and most sacred part of the body. So it is absolutely not done to touch anyone on the head, not even children. The feet, on the other hand, are the lowest part of the body, and they take that quite literally in Thailand. Pointing at someone with your foot, putting your feet on a chair or, even worse, pointing at a Buddha statue with the soles of your feet is considered very rude!
4. Respect for Buddha is not an option, but a sparrow
In Thailand, Buddha is not a decoration. They really honor this image. So never wear a t-shirt or a visible tattoo of Buddha, because they absolutely cannot appreciate that! It is best to buy your Buddha souvenir at the end of your trip, so you can take it straight home and be sure not to doanything wrong . :-) Would you like a photo near a Buddha statue? Then definitely never just casually sit next to it. And certainly not with your back to it or your feet forward. And crawling on the Buddha statue or kissing each other next to it to get a perfect shot? Absolutely not!
5. Keep your opinions quiet
Thais like to avoid conflict and like peace and harmony. Open discussions, angry voices or impatience make them uncomfortable. Even if you have a disagreement as a couple or within your family and would like to express your feelings about it, it is better to keep this to yourself in the hotel room. Raising your voice or arguing in public is really not done!
6. Shoes off, always!
That it's best to take off your shoes when entering a temple, we probably don't need to tell you. What you may not know is that you should also do the same when entering a small hotel, a massage store, someone's home,... Often there is even a special rack provided! So wear sandals or shoes that come off and on easily, because it will be necessary several times a day!
7. Eat everything with a spoon
Thai meals you eat with fork and spoon. You're rarely going to get a knife there. And your fork, you only use it to push the food onto your spoon. Chopsticks are only used for noodle dishes and you absolutely do not eat them with a spoon! So start practicing! ;-)
8. Giving and taking with your right hand
Even better is with both hands actually, if you want to be extra polite. The left hand is traditionally associated with less "pure" things, so you'd rather not exchange money, food or documents with it while traveling in Thailand.
9. Not too touchy-touchy
You can be nice to each other, but preferably not in public. Walking hand in hand is usually okay, but giving a kiss or hug is very inappropriate for the Thai, because it is such a religious country. They themselves are very reserved in how they show affection and as a visitor you should go along with that.
Curious about this beautiful (and sometimes a little strange :-) ) country?
Then discover our tours in Thailand!