Andys Real Guide to Thailand

People, manners and such..

Thais are generally incredibly polite and helpful. They're not used to doing things quickly however. Given that their standard of English is generally weak you need to be prepared to be patient even during straightforward interactions.

If you take the trouble to listen to Thai speakers you quickly notice that they often use the words "Kaa" (females), & "Khub" (males) at the end of their sentences. There's no direct translation for these 'politening' words but they're broadly equivalent to "please" or "thank you" in English. The phrase "Khap Bhom", means "Yes Sir" by-the-way. See theLanguage page for more information.

Here are a few do's and don't that you might like to take note of. Thai's being Thai's it's unlikely you'll be criticised directly for not following them but it'll help all round if you can;

Physical contact is generally a no-no especially between the sexes. Thai men who deal with farang are used to the handshake, but this is definitely as far as you should go - no pats on the back etc.. Don't handshake women. The higher points of the body are held in greater esteem than the lower, the head being sacred, the feet dirty. If you accidentally touch someone's head you should apologise immediately - the phrase is "Khor Thod".

The traditional Thai greeting is the(pronounced "Whai"). Basically the tips of your fingers of both hands are brought together and positioned at the level of the chin, then a slight nod is in order. The younger person is supposed to initiate this. You should not "whai" a child, instead just look at them and acknowledge the gesture.

Avoid stretching you legs out and thus point the soles of you feet in anyone's direction. The feet are 'dirty' and this gesture is viewed as very insulting. Over time you will notice that Thais are fastidious on this point.

Spirit Houses -

Thai's are a superstitious lot and sometimes is seems to an outsider that they see good or bad luck in almost everything. The San Pah Phom is a common sight around the country and many hotels seem to pride themselves in having the best or the biggest. San Pah Phom is usually translated to "Spirit House", though the meaning is probably closer to a 'Dwelling for the Angels'.

This is Pah-Phom-Se-Nah () or the 4-Faced Spirit house. Mouseover shows the view behind the camera.

The idea behind this colourful eye-catcher is that is provides the spirits with a place to reside. Not providing one risks having the spirits live in your house - with possible dire consequences. Owning a San Pah Phom is a considerable responsibility. A good bright location is a must, as is daily provision of food and drink. It must be as good a place to live, if not better than your own home. Even disposal of one comes with its own problems...

West & East, two cultures collide ?

In the West there is a culture of getting down to business promptly, not to much faffing around with formalities. Probably something to do with the climate - not wanting to stand around getting cold and wet! In Thailand as with most Eastern cultures meeting people and interacting is something one takes time and care over. The directness of Westerners unfamiliar with Thai culture often comes over as blunt, even rude. I certainly used to be guilty of this. Once you're clear of the airport try to slow yourself down, it'll help in many respects..

In all your dealings with Thais it is very important to retain your composure. In Thailand, in common with other Eastern cultures losing your temper is something only children do. If you do lose it, expect to be ignored - most Thais' simply don't know how to deal with a "Mr. Angry".

The country has very much of a "can-do" culture. Unfortunately Thai's have an annoying habit of saying "yes" just to be polite. They'll also say "yes" when they don't in fact understand you. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to conclude that together these habits can lead to some problems...

When arranging things with them make sure that they understand that things that are important to you (E.g. time, deadlines) are understood by them. I've learnt that it's best not to ask questions to which the answer could be Yes. For example, instead of asking:
       "So the taxi will be here at 9pm then ?"
its better to say:
       "What time will the taxi be here?"
It'll likely take longer to get an answer, but you'll be more confident of catching that plane on time.

On the subject of time you might like to read my bit on Thai Time - it works differently over here....!

Finally a note to any American readers:
You will find you stay in the country much more pleasant and the locals so much more amenable if you scatter the phrases "Please" and "Thank You", into your conversation. When the occasion calls for it there's that "Sorry" word as well.

This isn't just an expression on my own predjudices, a number of Thais have mentioned to me that alone amongst native English speakers Americans come over as impolite.