Whilst Thai people are among the most tolerant and forbearing of hosts, they have nevertheless a number of customs and taboos which the visitor should respect.


What are Thai people like | What sort of clothes should I wear
How difficult is it to talk with the Thais | Is it okay to go topless / nude on beaches in Thailand | If I want to take presents for the Thai people - what should I bring | Am I allowed to take Buddha images out of Thailand | Some Do's and Don'ts in Thailand | Thai Weights and Measures

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Many visitors leave with a very positive impression of Thais in general, as they are friendly, smile a lot and are rarely confrontational. Unfortunately, some (but by no means all) of the Thais who spend a lot of time working with tourists can hassle you and lie if it'll make you buy something. Try and make contact with ordinary Thais outside of the tourist industry, and it's likely to be a very rewarding experience.

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Generally, the more conservative your clothes the better. This is mostly true in rural Thailand, where tourists are relatively uncommon. In very touristy places such as Phuket and Ko Samui, the locals are used to tourists and you can basically wear whatever you want. In Bangkok, this is true for Khao San road and Sukhumvit road but you may start to feel self-conscious if you wander elsewhere. The best guide is to emulate locals in the area where you are. What is perhaps most important, however, is that the clothes are clean. Unwashed or dirty clothes will lose you a lot of respect, and the Thais have a none-too-complimentary phrase (farang kee nok) for some of the low-budget tourists who dress like this.

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 It's perfectly possible to take a long trip around Thailand without being able to speak a word of Thai, but it's certainly helpful to be able to. Places that get a lot of tourists, and Bangkok in particular, have English speakers everywhere but this is not the case in other parts of Thailand. The more off the beaten track you go, the more speaking some Thai becomes necessary. The Thai people are generally very appreciative of any attempts to speak their language, not least because so few foreigners are able to.
Check the Thai language section for words and phrases in Thai.

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This is frowned upon in Thai culture, and you will almost never see a Thai doing it. Nevertheless, going topless on some beaches on Ko Samui, Phuket, Ko Pha-Ngan and other very touristy islands is commonplace. The locals here are used to foreigners and don't care so much. In less touristy places, particularly where there are Thai families on holiday, it is considered rude and offensive. Going nude at beaches is illegal in Thailand, and is impossible pretty much everywhere. If you really want to do this, your best bet is to find somewhere remote where you are not sure not to be seen.

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Basically, anything representative of your country that is difficult to get in Thailand is a good idea, even things such as photos and postcards of where you come from. Fancy chocolates are also a good idea, as these are next to impossible to get in Thailand. Bringing flowers as a present to any Thai person is not really a good idea, as the type of flower given is very significant - you may well end up inadvertently offending them.

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 Small amulets and the like that are worn on the person can be taken out without any problem, but there are restrictions on anything bigger by non-Buddhists. It requires a permit if you want to take one out of the country, the store you buy from should be able to help you with this.

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"Some Do's and Don'ts in Thailand".

• Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon. You may see Westernised young Thai's holding hands in public, but that is as far as it goes, in polite society.

• Topless bathing may be considered acceptable in your own country, but is inappropriate in Thailand.

• Thai's consider the head as the highest part of the body, both literally and figuratively. As a result they don't approve of touching anyone on the head, even as a friendly gesture.

• It is considered rude to point the sole of your foot at another person, so try to avoid doing so when sitting opposite someone, and following the concept that the foot is the lowest limb, don't point your foot to show anything to anyone.
   

• Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept anything from the hand of one. If a woman wants to give anything to a monk or novice, she first hands it to a man, who then presents it. In case the woman wants to present it with her hand, the monk or novice will spread out a piece of saffron robe, and the woman will lay down the gift on the material.

• It is alright to wear shoes whilst walking around the grounds of a Buddhist temple, but not inside the chapel where the Buddha image is kept.
   

• Women should ensure that their legs and shoulders are covered before entering a Buddhist temple. Please do not wear shorts.

• The Thai people have a deep traditional reverence for the Royal Family, and the visitor should also show respect for the King and the Queen, and the Royal Children. When attending a public event where a member of the Royal Family is present, the best guide on how to behave is to watch the crowd and do as it does.

Of course, the vast majority (95%) of Thais are Buddhists. Although there are many Malay decent Muslims in the south, and even hill tribe (Karen) in the north and western Burmese border area. The traditional Thai greeting is the "wai" (like putting your hands together to pray, but higher and lowering your head).

And all Thai's love their King and find any detrimental action or word against either him, or their religion particularly offensive, even provocative. So you should always pay utmost respect to both.

This includes standing up straight and smart whenever you hear the national anthem. Plus always respecting religious leaders and priests. It may be "OK" to hold onto your seat in a bus crowded full with old and pregnant women. But if a priest enters, you had better give up your seat! Although most westerners find such things alien, even oppressive. The Thais do this out of respect, even love, not command. And you should be very careful to honour their undoubted grace by following suit.

No matter what their origin, you will find Thais non-confrontational. In fact, confrontation is frowned upon. So if you see a Thai looking at you, smile! As there will be no malice intended on their part. And they may just be looking for the invite to open communication. Many visitors lose something along their travels, and many Thais say to each other "I did try to tell them". So your smile might just save you from losing your camera!

Of course, as with any culture, there are elements to avoid. But these are very few in Thailand. As even the inevitable gangsters do not want to "rock the tourist boat" (for sure). The largest "threat" to tourists are pick pockets, fraudsters (remember, business is business, nothing personal in most Asian cultures) and wanabe gigolos; The later can be extremely aggressive. Although it is wrong to generalize. Ladies, be wary of Thai guys with long and / or dyed hair. You can get good information online from the Thai Tourist Police Website. Thailand has become one of the prime travel destinations in Southeast Asia and acts as a travel gateway to Southeast Asia.
The Kingdom of Thailand, with a population of about 60,000,000, is located in Southeast Asia and shares borders with Myanmar (Burma) on the west and northwest, Laos on the east and northeast, Cambodia (Kampuchea) on the southeast, and Malaysia on the south.

The Gulf of Thailand is on the south-eastern coast and the Andaman Sea on the southwest. Bangkok is the Kingdom's capitol and major seaport. It has an official population over 6,000,000 and was established in 1782.

With a land area of 513,000 square kilometres, Thailand stretches approximately 2,500 km. from north to south. East to west it spans 1,250 km. The eastern coastline is estimated at 1,800 km. and the western coastline along the Indian Ocean is 860 km. Mountainous areas dominate much of Thailand's terrain, Ranges stretch to most areas of the country.

The Korat Plateau bordering the Mekong River covers about one third. The main river within Thailand is the Chao Phraya and flows through an alluvial plain that lies between the central and western mountain ranges.

The central plain along with a fertile delta near Bangkok is highly productive and provides much of the agricultural product of Thailand. This central plain is also the most densely populated area of The Kingdom.

With a diversity of attractions, Thailand offers the traveller long stretches of beach in the south and misty forested mountains in the north. Idyllic islands and limestone karsts dot the Andaman Sea while ancient Buddhist shrines lure the spiritual.

Thailand is a primarily Buddhist country with picturesque temples and serene forest monasteries. More that 90% of the Thai population claim Buddhism as their religion. The second largest religion is Islam.

For centuries, Thailand was a kingdom. In 1932 a constitutional monarchy was established and free elections select members of parliament. Yet the Thai people continue to hold the Monarchy in high esteem.

His Majesty Bumibol Adulyadej, who currently reigns, is revered and respected by Thais and the international community as well. His Majesty is ninth in the line of the Chakri Dynasty and also referred to as King Rama IX.

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