Travel Thailand (Part 2): 30 Do's and Don'ts Daily Etiquette

Daily Etiquette in Thailand, 30 Do's and Don'ts:

1.) The monarchy and religion are interconnected, so guard your tongue and behavior with absolute respect at all times.

2.) Any image or icon of the King & royal family are treasured, and anything with the King's face should never be dropped or stepped on (including money.)

3.) Criticizing the royal family is illegal, and will serve you a lifetime or 2 of a prison sentence.

4.) Whenever the National and/or Royal anthem are played, pay respect to the image of the King by standing straight, still and remaining silent. Everything stops during the anthems. This happens in city streets all over usually at 8 am and again at 6 pm. This happens also in the cinemas before any film is played.

5.) When visiting temples dress conservatively, always. Some temples in Bangkok will deny you entry if you're not dressed appropriately, other temples in the countryside won't. Part of the 'saving face' concept means that even if you're causing offence or embarrassment to yourself or the locals, Thai people will never inform you of your wrong-doing. Cover the shoulders, wear knee-length or longer, and always take off your shoes before entering any temple buildings.

6.) Buddha images and revered objects include statues, hand prints or footprints, jewelry or icons once worn or associated with Buddha & amulets. These are always lifted off the ground, on altars. The main Buddha image is always in the main hall of a temple, where people come to pray and pay respect to Buddha. Always sit in front of him, keep your head below his to show respect. Keep your feet tucked under or behind you away from the Buddha image, since your feet (the dirtiest part of your body) pointed at anyone is considered rude.

7.) If you take pictures of Buddha, do so from a seated position, and never pose in front of one. Never touch any of the Buddha images, and certainly don't climb up on one.

8.) Women never touch a monk, (a special, time consuming cleansing ceremony is required if ever a monk is accidentally brushed up upon.) If women would like to make an offering to a monk, it should be placed within reach of the monk , or on a special cloth and placed in the alms 'offering' bowl that's part of their daily attire.

9.) Never step on the threshold of a building (the raised wooden step in the doorway). In temples and homes as well, a spirit guards the doorway of every building, and stepping on the threshold is the ultimate disrespect. Step over it.

10.) Do make a small donation after visiting temples. It's good karma for you and a good gesture of faith for the locals.

11.) Feet are the lowest, dirtiest part of your body. Never put your feet up on a chair or bench, and never point your feet at people. If for some reason you do need to climb on a chair or seat, take your shoes off first.

12.) Always take your shoes off before entering a home, since traditionally Thais eat, sleep and entertain on the floor. To keep the floor clean, there is usually a washing bucket nearby the house entrance to wash your feet in before entering.

13.) Some businesses or guesthouses also request 'shoes off', your cue will be whether there's a rack of shoes left of the entrance or not.

14.) Never step over people, and if being fed or napping on a mat on the floor take your shoes off first. If eating or sitting in a group setting, be conscious of your feet placement, keep them tucked away 'temple style.'

15.) Never use your feet as extra hands: don't close doors with feet, don't point with your toes & don't stomp on something if it blows away.

16.) Never touch the heads of others (even if in a playful manner like ruffling hair.) This is an insult.

17.) Don't sit on pillows meant for heads.

18.) Don't touch a Thai person's amulet necklace, the Buddha image is considered highly revered and should only be handled by the owner.

19.) If someone 'wais' a greeting to you, always bow and 'wai' back unless it's from a small child where a small nod will suffice.

20.) "Sawat dee kaa" if you're female, "Sawat dee kup" if you're male is 'hello' and always welcomed with a smile.

21.) Public displays of affection are uncomfortable in any culture. PDA in cities outside of big cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai are rude and inappropriate, especially for the older generations.

22.) Don't shake hands with the left hand, the left hand is unofficially known as 'the wiping hand.

23.) Nude sunbathing is never OK, considering that most of Thailand's 5% Muslim population lives in the Southern islands.

24.) Walking around towns shirtless or in skimpy singlets is also inappropriate. (*Something I saw today: Walking in a mall wearing a sarong as a dress is NOT OK!*) I know it's hot, but suck it up. Light loose layers (cotton tunics are best) and shower 2 or 3 times a day, just as the locals do.

25.) Don't throw toilet paper down any western or squat toilet, use the bin nearby to dispose. (Use the hose first to clean, the paper should just be for drying.)

26.) Think consciously of supporting children selling flowers or food on the streets. Where do they come from? What's their story?

27.) Do Not Ride an Elephant! The treatment of elephants in the tourism industry is cruel and abusive, visitElephant Nature Park and support a conservation project instead. You'll have more fun here, I guarantee it.

28.) Ping Pong shows and sex shows are usually women who have been illegally trafficked and enslaved by mob bosses...please treat these shows as forced prostitution.

29.) If visiting the hill tribe minority groups, please respect their animist beliefs. Do not take photos without asking permission first, many of the elders believe they will lose their soul to a flash in a camera.

30.) If visiting villages with totem-like poles, altars or sacred objects dangling from trees these are religious symbols that can not be touched. Ask first before touching or posing for photos.

Last Minute Extra Survival Tips!!

Visas: If arriving by plane you get 30 days upon arrival automatically for most countries, if you cross a land border you only get 15 days. You can only apply for a 60 day tourist visa outside of Thailand. Multiple entries, and multipes visas are available for free right now, enquire at your local consulate.

Health: Take serious precaution against mosquitoes. Dengue Fever and Malaria are mosquito borne viruses that are life-threatening. I've had Dengue Fever once already and it nearly killed me...I wish that upon no one! Purchase health/travel insurance, I'm a personal fan of STA Travel's plan. Update your standard immunizations: Hepatitis A & B, Tetanus boosters and Typhoid. Yellow Fever is not required. Don't drink the tap water (ice served in restos OK), invest in a water purifier or bottled water. Watch your food and make sure meat is always properly cooked before consuming.

Safety: Most crimes and murders in Thailand are 'crimes of passion.' So be careful who you mess around with! The Police have a foreigner friendly emergency number 1155 (similar to our 911) use any public phone for free and the operators speak English.

Currency: Access to cash is best. Debit machines are widely available at 7-11s and markets. Credit cards are also accepted, but not widely used outside of stores or boutique shops. Currency exchange locations and banks are widely available, as well as money transfers like Western Union should an emergency arise. Tipping is not common, but leaving behind small change leftover from a paid bill is a polite gesture.

Drugs: Trafficking of drugs is not taken lightly. Life prison sentences are paid out, without bail without a trial jury and the conditions inside of a Thai jail are less than desired with physical abuse and violence common. Some trafficking offences even warrant the death penalty, only pardoned by the King. Don't be an idiot here.

Scams: Don't be a sucker for fake gems and jewelry. General rule, don't accept offers of free shopping or sightseeing from strangers, commissions are being made on your behalf. Gem scams in Bangkok have become notorious.

TRAVEL THAILAND (PART 1): Intro to Thai Culture

Any more tips about etiquette and travel friendly advice I'm missing? Please share!

For further reading, especially about Health and Pre-Travel Planning I recommend "Lonely Planet's Thailand" issue and "Lonely Planet's Healthy Travel- Asia and India."

Travel Thailand (Part 1): Intro to Thai Culture

Traveling to Thailand? Know before you go: the landscape, the culture & 30 tips for every day etiquette while you're traveling. Spare yourself the embarrassment of being a 'farang kee nok' (bird shit foreigner!)

Introducing Thailand:

Manhattan-esque city scrapers, tropical beaches, buzzing green jungles, meditation friendly temples, smiling monks, jumping live music clubs, forested mountains, rice plantations, river rafting, bamboo huts, majestic roaming elephants, motorbike traffic jams, screaming tuk-tuks, markets crammed with life and overall sensory overload...this and so much more is what awaits you. The country is in constant motion, and is evolving every day under the pressures of development and modernization.

And yet, after 700 years of independence the Kingdom of Thailand has deep rooted traditions the people remain firmly loyal to. These traditions and customs are fundamentally reinforced by the 3 pillars that make up Thai society: Buddhism (the national religion), the Monarchy & respect for elders.

Bangkok is the gateway... and the first impression is usually unpleasant. Stifling concrete, incomprehensible traffic and polluted air makes L.A. look like an amusement park. But the capital is the stronghold of the monarchy, the palace and all things royal. Some of the most majestic royal temples, built by the first kings of Thailand lay scattered throughout the city.

The Central Plains... are the most fertile areas where every day life surrounds ceremony and respect to Chao Phraya River, the goddess of water & the giver of life. Here are the ancient kingdom capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukothai, and today's agricultural heartland. Temple ruins and statue remains date back nearly 800 years, and the power and history behind the Kingdoms of Siam inspire respect and admiration.

Northern Thailand... has the history of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, with temples suspended in the mountains and dispersed in & between the old cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, dating back circa 1296 AD. The cooler climates from the mountaintops make a visit necessary in the warmest months (March to May). Elephant conservation projects like Elephant Nature Park stamp the map in the struggle for preservation of Asian Elephants.

Amidst these mountains also lay the isolated hill tribe villages; nomadic peoples who have maintained a way of life dating back nearly 2000 years. They have their own identity, language, dress and culture; originally traveling overland from China and Tibet they practice traditional mountain rice farming, agriculture and devout belief in animism-man's oldest belief that a soul or spirit exists in everything around us.

North East... takes you to the heart of Isaan: the least developed, most rural and the more authentic Thai experience if you're game. Water-buffalo riding is a sport here, and will give any rodeo a run for their money. The Mekong River cuts through the quaint town of Nong Khai, and this is the stepping point to Laos.

West...takes you straight to the border of Myanmar (Burma). To get there, you drive through the toes of the Himalayan mountains. Tourists seldom make the journey out here and foreigners are few and far between. The violent history of war, occupation, the Bridge of River Kwai and Hellfire Pass as a WW2 POW camp site should not be missed. Today, this remote region is quiet, overgrown with green and Sangkhlaburi, in my opinion, is home to absolute raw beauty. The mountains cut like dragon-teeth and the valleys fill with lakes, waterfalls, boat houses and a strong, determined locals trying to make a living beyond the war zone that is Burma.

Head South... and the beaches are the biggest attraction. Tropical islands, raw rainforests, dotted coconut palm and rubber plantations, florid coral reefs, limestone cliffs and caves, fishing villages, carved wooden boats, and peace loving Muslim communities offering a pride and tradition of their own including Batik handwoven crafts and cookery. Railey Beach, Koh Tao, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Lanta and 'Lost World' scenic jungles of Khao Sok National Park must not be overlooked.

Understand the Culture:

The 3 pillars of Thai society are Buddhism, the Monarchy and respect for elders. Every Thai person is taught from a young age to strictly follow certain social protocols, including unquestioned respect for elders, temple etiquette, and 'saving face.'

"Saving Face"... means to avoid confrontation and avoid embarrassment for all parties involved in any situation. This means you don't discuss negative topics, you don't express firm opinions or try to impose ideas, you remain humble and never boast about your title, you never ever raise your voice, and you always aim to please. Harmony and agreement in every facet of life is the stuff of gold.

"Sanuk"... literally translates to fun, and taken to heart in every job or task. If you're not having fun while you work hard, then what's the point? There's a sense of group playfulness in any work environment (Thais seldom work alone), from office tycoons to construction workers you'll always find co-workers flirting, teasing and mocking each other. Work environments always quickly become family environments too. "Sanuk sabai" also famously brings the name Thailand: the Land of Smiles.

"Mai pen rai"... translates roughly to 'no worries.' This is taken to the core of Buddhism and the idea of reincarnation, where every day holds the possibility of death, but 'no worries' because we'll always be re-born again. Nothing is this life is ever too serious to be concerned with to the point where "sanuk" is gone. Everything is transient.

Status... all relationships and their inter-involvement are dependent on factors like age, wealth, and position. Thai children are taught that first and foremost there is Buddha, the monk who showed the way to enlightenment and peace on earth. Next, their King is a descendant of Buddha, a living-godlike icon, worthy of the title considering all the good he has done for his people the past 60 odd years. After the king (and his extended royal family), the most important people are monks and novice monks, people in servitude of Buddha's teachings. After monks, and nuns, come elders and inherent respect for family.

The Thai greeting, the 'wai'... a small bow brings the palms of your hands together in a prayer like greeting also has its position relative to your body and face depending on this social rank. The King deserves a 'wai' above the crown of your head, a monk should receive your hands in between your eyebrows. Anyone older than you deserves a 'wai' with your fingers touching just under your nostrils, whereas children or younger siblings need only a clap of hands in front of your chest and small nod.

Thais and homosexuality...despite the traditional values and conservative natures of Thais in general, there is an open tolerance for gays and homosexuality that is unmatched anywhere else in the world. You may often see two men or women holding hands in public, but this usually denotes a friendship not a relationship since public displays of affection are not common. Ladyboys, transvestites, transgender, gays, tomboys, are all accepted without the stigma we find in Western culture. The reasons behind this are not really clear: maybe it's because of the peaceful nature in Buddhism, maybe it's because Thais in general are not very aggressive. Gay-bashing or violence against gays in not common at all.

TRAVEL THAILAND (PART 2): 30 Do's and Don'ts in Daily Etiquette

Have you traveled to Thailand before? Where was your favorite spot? What other interesting cultural differences did you experience?