Dosmile.Often.Thaissmileforalloccasions:Tosayhelloorthankyou,toapologize,tomakearequest,tosmoothoverbadfeelings.Andevenbecausethey’rehappy.
Dolearnthreephrases,asrecommendedonthelanguagepage.
Doshowrespectfortheking.Thisisn’tjustaguideline;it’sthelaw.Risewhenthenationalanthemisplayed(typicallyat8a.m.and6p.m.inmanypublicplaces,andbeforepublicevents.)Neverinsultorjokeaboutthekingorroyalfamily.Asyoulearnmoreaboutthepresentking,BhumibolAdulyadej,you’llreadilyrespecthim;inmorethanahalf-centuryonthethrone,unlikesomanyotherrulers,hehasbeenapowerfulandpositiveforcetowardimprovingthequalityoflifefortheThaipeople.
Dodressmodestly.ThaisnowunderstandthatAmericansmayshowupinshortsandtanktopsinpublic,butwouldneverdosothemselves.Wearinglongpants,andclean,neatclothes,willgainyouanextrameasureofrespect.
Don’twaiunlessyouknowwhatyou’redoing.Thewai―theslightbowwithfingertipstouchinginfrontofone’sfaceorchest―isagreeting,andawayofshowingrespectorthanks.Butit’smorecomplicatedthanthat.Ifyoureturnawaitosomeoneofmuchlowersocialstatus,forexample,youmayfeelyou’restrikingablowforequality;actuallyyou’rejustembarrassingtheperson.Unlessyou’vegotanaudiencewiththeking,awesternercanjustsmileinsteadofdoingawai.Ifyou’vegotanaudiencewiththeking,youneedamoreexhaustivewebsite.
Doshowrespectforreligion,fortheBuddha,andformonks.Don’twearshortsortanktopstoatemple.It’sconsideredimproperforwomentotouchamonk.Don’tarrangeacomicalposeofyourselfwithaBuddha;touristshavebeenarrestedforsuchoffenses.
Donottouchanyoneonthehead,aspotwhichisconsideredsacred.
Donotpointyourfeetatanyone.(It’seasytodosounthinkinglywhenyousitcross-leggedinachair,orsitonthefloor.)Feet,locatedattheoppositeendofthebodyfromthehead,haveanoppositestatus.Don’tuseyourfeetforanythingexceptwalking,andkeepthosefeetoffthefurniture.(Ifyou’restudyingtobecomeaThaikick-boxer,youneedamoreexhaustivewebsite.)
Dospeakquietlyandgesturesoftly.Loudvoices,callingattentiontoyourself,pointingatpeopleorthings,throwingthings,andmakingbighandgestures,allseemgracelesstotheThaisensibility.IntheU.S.,makingascenemightgetresults.Here,itgetsyouavoided.
Donotloseyourcool.Attimes,everythingwillmovemoreslowlythanyouthinkitshould.Toshowirritationorfrustrationwillonlymakethingsworse.
Dowatchforcongames.Anythingofferedforfreeprobablycontainsahitch:Afreecabridewillincludestopsatknick-knackorgemshops.Evenwhenyoupayforaride,cabbiesandtuk-tukdriversmaytrytodeliveryoutoashop,fromwhichtheycollectacommission,enroutetoyourrealdestination.Anyjewelerwithaprintingpresscanselljewelrywithacertificateofauthenticity.Don’tbeparanoid,butdobecautious.
