Culture and society in Thailand

Thailand, located in the heart of Southeast Asia, is known for its rich culture, hospitable people and picturesque landscape. With around 70 million inhabitants, the majority of whom are Thai, the country is characterized by a warm attitude and friendliness towards foreigners.

• Religion and faith in Thailand: Buddhism plays an important role in Thailand's spiritual and cultural life. Theravada Buddhism, which is practised by the vast majority of the population, shapes social norms and values. Monasteries and temples play an important role in the lives of lay people as centers of spiritual guidance. Despite the predominance of Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Chinese folk cults also exist in the country.
• Thai language: The Thai language, with its tonal and aesthetic script, allows the expression of a wide range of emotions. This unique language with its rich vocabulary is supported by non-verbal communication such as smiles and traditional gestures, making it a rich means of self-expression.
• Respect and politeness: Respect and politeness are deeply rooted in Thai culture and manifest themselves in language, behavior and social interaction. The importance of deference is emphasized through respectful forms of address and traditional respect for elders. This culture of respect promotes tolerance, restraint and harmony in society.

Avoid being disrespectful to Buddha: Buddha holds a special place in the hearts of Thais and any kind of disrespect is considered highly offensive. Do not touch Buddha statues, study them or use them as a background for photos. Also, do not point your feet at Buddha statues or religious objects.

Do not raise your voice: open displays of anger, frustration or conflict are not welcome in Thai culture. Thais value calm and friendly behavior. So try to maintain an emotional balance, especially in public places.

Do not show your feelings openly: Public displays of emotion, such as kissing and hugging, are considered inappropriate in many public places, especially temples and religious sites. It is advisable to limit physical contact in public places.

Do not use your feet inappropriately: In Thai culture, the feet are considered the least pure and lowest part of the body. Avoid pointing your feet at people, touching objects or behaving disrespectfully, especially towards religious symbols or images.

Do not engage in illegal activities: Thailand has strict laws against drugs, including recreational marijuana. Illegal activities, including drug use and theft, can result in serious legal consequences and prison sentences.

Do not touch heads: The head is considered the most sacred part of the body in Thai culture. Even jokes that involve touching the head are considered disrespectful. This is especially important if you are dealing with children.

Do not throw away waste: In Thailand, it is important to keep the environment clean. Littering is not only disrespectful, it is also a violation of the law. Dispose of your garbage responsibly and use garbage cans.

Take off your shoes: As in many Southeast Asian cultures, it is traditional to remove your shoes before entering a temple or visiting another person's home. Some businesses, restaurants and stores will also ask you to remove your shoes at the entrance. If you are not sure, just look for a pile of shoes at the entrance or pay attention to the behavior of the staff. For this reason, comfortable and lightweight shoes are a good idea when visiting Southeast Asia. Try not to step over the threshold when entering houses and temples.

Use your right hand: In Thai culture, the left hand is considered unclean as it is sometimes used for "going to the toilet". Always pass objects and pay with your right hand. If you want to show extra respect, place your left hand on your right forearm (to show that it is not safe to grab it).

Eat with a spoon: The real pleasure of Thai food is to hold a spoon in your right hand and a fork in your left. Scoop the food onto the fork and bring it to your mouth with the spoon; the fork should never touch your mouth. Chopsticks are normally only used when preparing noodle dishes and for delicacies such as spring rolls.

Show respect to monks: When greeting a monk, always show respect. The wai, a bow of greeting, should be higher for monks than for normal people; monks do not have to respond to your wai. Women should avoid touching monks, cleaning their robes or handing them anything. Monks should be allowed to start eating first at ceremonies and gatherings. Monks are commonplace in Thailand and are sometimes even seen with smartphones in internet cafes!

Smile: The "Thai smile" is known to everyone and plays a key role in Thai etiquette. Always return other people's smiles. Smiling is used in a variety of situations: when communicating, as an apology, to relax when something doesn't go as planned, and simply in everyday life.

• Before entering the temple, you should definitely take off your shoes. You should only enter the temple barefoot or in socks.
• Clothing should be modest and cover the shoulders and knees. You should not enter the temple in shorts or miniskirts. Shoulders and stomach should also be covered.
• You should kneel in front of the Buddha statue, bow three times and fold your palms in front of your forehead in a prayer gesture. The monks are also greeted in this way.
• Do not raise your voice, speak in a whisper. The temple is a place of prayer and contemplation.
• You must not turn your back on the Buddha statues. If you have to walk past, do so facing forward and bow.
• Be careful and respectful of the images and statues and do not touch them without permission.
• Make sure that you do not drop or break anything. The temple is a sacred place for followers of Buddhism.

By following these rules, you are respecting the beliefs of the Thai people and their culture.