Name: Peralta, Ferdinand Gabriel A. Date: 11/27/2019 Instructor: Mr.

Irvin Bugtong

The 40 Lessons before Going to Thailand

When you are planning to go to Thailand, there are some lessons that you will need to
know before going there so that when you arrive to that country you will know what is not
right in the eyes of the Thai people and these lessons may also guide you when you don’t
know what to do when you are visiting in some places like temples. So, here are some
lessons that you will need when you go to Thailand.

I. First part of the lessons are about what are the things that you will do when you are going
or visit to their temple and also how will you respect and greet the Monks when you see them.
Majority of Thai people are Buddhist, according to the article that I found in the website of History
channel about Buddhism is that they don’t acknowledge having a supreme God and Deity and they
also the one who believe in karma. Here are some dos and don’ts when you are visiting to their
temple and how you respect their religion.

1. When you are going to their temple, always respect their statue when you see it outside
the temple. In Thailand, there are many statues that you will see and notice when you
visit all the temple. There are many representations about the statues that are standing
there, like for example “Yaksha” according to the Thai people this statue served as a
guardian to temples in Thailand during the 14th century and also they believe that this
statue was a protection from the malevolent spirits and so for them, they always believe
that these statue will be always protect them.
2. Always respect the monks when you see them in the temple and do not touch their head
because for them it is sacred. In part of Buddhist tradition in Thailand, every man before
they reach out 20 are required to be a monk. They do this because they will receive a
good karma and also a merit. Thai people also believe that when a monk doesn’t have
much money it means that the monk behaved poorly in his past life and don’t receive a
good karma. In Thailand, touching the head of a monk or the other people is disrespect
because for them the top of the head is sacred so you must no touch the top of the head.
3. Always take off your shoes when entering a room with a Buddha statue or in the temple.
According to the studyinthailand.org that it need to remove the shoes because the room
Name: Peralta, Ferdinand Gabriel A. Date: 11/27/2019 Instructor: Mr. Irvin Bugtong

is to small and some other websites tells that some people believes that there are some
spirits protecting inside the statues so stepping with it will make you receive a bad luck.
4. When sitting inside the temple, always keep pointing away your feet to the statue and
you must sit a mermaid position. In Thailand, it is disrespect when your feet is pointing
at them or to the statue and it also for them so always be guided and always look your
feet when it is pointing.
5. For women, don’t touch or come nearly to the monk because for them it is against for
the monk to be touched by women. This lesson is the same for the some South East
Asian with a Buddhism in their religion, the reason why monks are not allowed to be
touch by women because it is believe that it is in the law for the monks that they must
not have a sexual conduct.
6. Don’t wear shorts (for women) and sleeveless shirt (for men) when entering at the
temple or even outside the temple and you must do wear some clothes that it covers you
knee and your shoulder. Wearing this things in Thailand will make some people
disturbed and even some monks will be disturbed always look on you.
7. Don’t bring a Buddha statue with just parts outside the country because it is against their
law. According to first2board.com that in Thailand it is ban to bring outside the country
with some parts of a Buddha statue, but according to them that if you want to buy and
bring a statue, you must buy it in a licensed shop.
8. Don’t be noisy when you are inside the temple and if you want to talk to each other, just
lower your voice. Being noisy in inside the temple is disrespectful for them because
many people in inside the temple are praying, some are meditating and some wanted to
be quite and so when you make noise in inside of the temple, many of them will be
distracted.
9. Avoid taking pictures of people praying. It is okay to taking pictures around the temple,
but you must not take a picture when you see people praying because it will be
disrespect for them. They need privacy when they are praying that is why you must
respect them.
10. Don’t climb to the Buddha’s Statue when you are in the Temple. It is against the law
when you are climbing in the statue because it is preserve and also it is disrespect from
Name: Peralta, Ferdinand Gabriel A. Date: 11/27/2019 Instructor: Mr. Irvin Bugtong

other people when you are climbing on it. When you are in the temple, you must treat
Buddha with respect so that other people will not be angry to you.

II. Second part of this lesson will be all about the table manners and etiquette. In this part, I will
be talking about what to do when you are eating in Thailand with your friends in either outside or
in others home. This part will be also talking about what are the dos and don’ts when you are in
the restaurant or in a party. So here are the list of the lessons:

11. Don’t open your mouth while chewing because it is disrespect when they see you
chewing while opening your mouth. This is usually the same as other country do, you
must not always open your mouth while chewing because for them sometimes it is weird
when they see you doing it.
12. When someone invites you for a dinner or a party, you must wait them when you arrive
early because in Thailand, you can’t go to sit unless the one who invites you has arrived.
In Thailand, when it comes to going to some dinner event usually before eating you
must wait the host if that person hasn’t come yet or that person doesn’t said to start
eating.
13. The host usually sits in the middle of the table and if you are honored guest, you will be
sitting in the opposite sit beside the host and if you don’t have a sit, you must wait and
someone will guide you. In Thailand, this kind of lesson are usually done or see when
there is a party or dinner event and these kind of setting are usually be doing by some
rich person.
14. If you are going to some restaurant or some fast food chain and you are eating solo, you
may asked someone to share table with yours. Doing this in Thailand are fine because
you can ask to share table and just eat without talking.
15. Always use spoon and fork when you are eating. Spoon usually in the right hand and
fork always in the left hand. This lesson is the same with other countries with just spoon
and fork. Also in Thailand, they don’t have knife for cutting meat and they just use the
spoon.
Name: Peralta, Ferdinand Gabriel A. Date: 11/27/2019 Instructor: Mr. Irvin Bugtong

16. Don’t use your left hand for handling food. In Thailand, they believe that using your
left hand for handling food like sticky rice is bad because for them left hand represents
dirty and so always use your right hand.
17. Don’t start to eat or drink, unless the host or the oldest that sitting in the table have been
served. In Thailand, before you start to eat you must wait first the one who invites you
to because for them they know that person will be the one paying for the dinner.
18. When eating in a communal dinner, you must wait someone to be served the food to
you or ask politely. In Thailand, communal dinner is a kind of dinner that you will order
many food that are good for many people in the table and they will be just passing
around the food in the table.
19. Always place your spoon and fork in 5:25 when you are done eating. In Thailand when
you are done eating, you need to do this because when you didn’t do this, they will see
it not polite to them.
20. When you’re eating, you must leave a small amount of food in your plate. In Thailand,
when they see that your food in the plate is almost empty, they will be indicate that you
enjoy the food that host served.

III. Third part of the lesson will be talking about how you communicate to other people or how
you greet them. This part will be talking about their culture and what will be the do’s and don’ts
when you are communicating to them and going to some of your friend’s house and shop.

21. When you are greeting a person that is older than you, it is a must to do wai ( it is a
prayer like gesture with a palm place together in front of the chest and the finger is
pointing upward and head slightly bow forward). For the Thai people, it is a respect
when you are doing wai to the older people and also this kind of doing can be used to
greet the monks.
22. Don’t do wai to a person that younger than you. Greeting a person that are younger than
you with wai is disrespectful for them because this kind of greeting it is use for older
than you.
23. When you are drinking a bottle like softdrinks, use a straw and put it a bottle. In
Thailand, using straw is part of their culture because for them any things that are
pointing to them is disrespectful and that is why they are using straw.
24. Don’t make a bad joke to their king or even the past king. In Thailand, they treated their
late king as respectful person and they treat it as god to them.
25. Don’t disrespect some things with a face of their king with it, like the money. In
Thailand, it is disrespectful to scramble their money because for them you need to
respect your money because the face of the king is there.
Name: Peralta, Ferdinand Gabriel A. Date: 11/27/2019 Instructor: Mr. Irvin Bugtong

26. Do learn some simple Thai language when you planning to buy or to communicate. In
Thailand, majority or some of them don’t know how to speak English because English
was not part of their national language so learn some simple language so that you will
understand each other.
27. Always take of your shoes when you are invited by someone house. This kind of doing
is the same in the temple and this usually do to have respect to someone house by
making it not become dirty.
28. Don’t show your feet in the public either you are sitting in the floor or walking because
for them is dirty. In Thailand, when your feet was shown in front of them. It will become
disrespectful to their eyes.
29. When communicating to a Thai person, don’t always move your hands when you are
talking because for them they think you are angry. In Thailand, when they see you
moving your hands while you are talking, they will be thinking that you are angry.
30. Always do smile when you are greeting to a person or buying things. Thailand known
as the Land of Smiles because many tourists saw that Thai people are always see smiling
when they are talking to them or buying things to their shop.

IV. This will be last part of the lesson. This part will be talking about what are the do’s and don’ts
when you are in the public with either your friends or you alone. So here are the list:
31. Don’t be affectionate to your partner in the public because it is awkward to other
people. In Thailand, doing this in the public is disrespect and also awkward because for
them seeing young people doing this are not right.
32. When you hear their national anthem playing, always stand still and respect. In
Thailand, the national anthem always playing every day in first in 8am and the last is
6pm. When Thai people heard this playing, they always stop.
33. It is okay to touch to the same gender, but not opposite gender. In Thailand, when it
comes to opposite gender touching to each other, they are strict because of their beliefs.
34. When in the public, try eating some street food because they are known to their delicious
street food. In Thailand during night, the street always full of street food stall and many
tourists are usually try to eat there because many of Thai people always recommended
it to many people.
35. When you arrive early to the place where your will meet up is polite to them. For the
Thai people, arriving early to a place like a party is a respect or act of polite to them
because you know the time will be starting and you don’t want to be late.
36. Always ask permission before taking pictures. When you are travelling with your
camera, always ask first to that person before taking it a picture. Taking a picture
without asking is disrespect to them.
37. Do not sunbathe in naked when you are in the beach it is impolite to them. In Thailand,
it is not allowed to take a bath with naked or in swimsuit in public places because for
them it is disrespectful and also impolite.
Name: Peralta, Ferdinand Gabriel A. Date: 11/27/2019 Instructor: Mr. Irvin Bugtong

38. Don’t raise your voice while talking to a person because they think it’s violent. In
Thailand. Thai people are not known to conflict and they don’t have a loud voice
because of that and so when you want to speak to a friend that doesn’t understand you
clearly, don’t shout and just talk softly.
39. Don’t toss things someone because it is rude. In Thailand, tossing things to someone is
rude. So when you wanted to give things to others to toss it.
40. Always talk to the locals when you want to ask some directions. In Thailand, when it
comes to the locals they will help you and so always respect the locals so that it will
help you.

My Insights to the context

From what I saw on their do’s and don’ts and also their culture, Thailand is a High- Context culture
because from what I seen they are usually in the nonverbal side like how you move and what are
restricted in your body that it must not see by the other locals. That is what I see while doing this
paper.

Reference:

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/a-guide-to-thailands-temple-statues/

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-buddhism-in-
thailand/

https://tastythailand.com/when-should-you-take-your-shoes-off-in-thailand/

https://theanthrotorian.com/culture/2015/11/4/culture-quirk-dont-point-your-feet-in-thailand

https://first2board.com/verygoodpoints/2015/08/12/is-it-okay-to-buy-a-buddha-statue-in-thailand/

http://www.responsiblethailand.co.uk/green-tourism/7-dos-and-don-ts-of-thai-cultural-etiquette/

https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism#section_1

https://www.tripsavvy.com/thailand-temple-etiquette-1458306

https://studyinthailand.org/study-abroad-thailand-university/social-graces-thailand.html

https://www.flowermoundyummythai.com/table-manners-and-food-etiquette-in-thailand/

https://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table-etiquette/pacific_dinner_etiquette/thai.html
Name: Peralta, Ferdinand Gabriel A. Date: 11/27/2019 Instructor: Mr. Irvin Bugtong

http://thaideliciousfood.blogspot.com/p/table-manners.html

https://culture-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Thailand1.pdf

https://www.thailanda.travel/presentations/category-general/dos-and-donts-in-thailand/

https://www.smilingtuktuk.com/customs-habits-dos-dont-thailand-first-timers/

https://www.lostboymemoirs.com/dos-and-donts-bangkok/