Cultural Dos and Don’ts in Thailand

Thailand cultural Dos and Don’ts: Don’t get caught out being an ass while you are holidaying in Thailand.

While you are having fun in Thailand, please remember that there are a lot of social taboos that you may not know about that could easily cause you to offend your hosts. Some could even land you in jail!!

One of the most important things to remember while you are in Thailand is that respect for the monarchy is of utmost importance. NEVER say anything that could be remotely construed as critical of any member of the Royal Family. Doing so would not only deeply offend every Thai person with earshot, but could be dangerous to your personal safety and could get you jailed under Thailand’s Lese Majeste laws. The law, expressed in Article 112 of the Criminal Code, states, “Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished (with) imprisonment of three to fifteen years.”
This includes standing respectfully during the playing of the Royal Anthem. As a tourist you will most likely to come across this situation if you go to the cinema, as the anthem is played in every cinema in Thailand before every movie. People have been arrested for not standing at the cinema, though it should be noted that these were cases of Thai nationals deliberately showing disrespect, not foreigners ignorant of the law.

Other things to be careful about are touching other people’s heads, which, even if you touch it by accident can cause offense. The head is considered the highest part of the body and is a very personal space. Feet, being on the opposite end of the body are considered dirty and you should take care not to point to things or people with your toe. Also you should be careful not to step over anybody, be sure to walk around them.

When visiting temples you should be careful to wear appropriate clothing, meaning no open toes sandals and no exposed shoulders.

There are plenty more cultural tips to keep in mind the next time you visit Thailand at Thailand dos and don’ts in our ezine.

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