Do’s and Dont’s for Happy Traveling in Thailand

Even if you’ve never been to Thailand I’m sure you know it is very different from your home countries in the west. The food, culture, religion and customs will all be strange and different to you, but very normal for the Thai’s you will meet. Since you are a guest in their country you should make every effort to behave in a way that is polite and respectful. With that in mind I have put together a list of do’s and dont’s for while you are visiting Thailand. This list is certainly not exhaustive, but will give you a good start at being a good guest to your Thai hosts.

DONT’S:

• Don’t complain about the level of spoken English in Thailand, I’m sure your Thai language skills aren’t that hot either.
• Don’t take advice from a taxi driver who recommends a good place for a naughty massage/hotel/beer bar/jewelry store/etc., he’s not taking you there because he likes you.
• Don’t buy a Buddha Image for household decoration, it’s a religious symbol, not a knick-knack.
• Don’t use your feet to point at things or move things and certainly don’t ever use your feet to point at or touch a person.
• Don’t EVER say anything bad about the king, Thai’s revere him and they rightly should as he is a wonderful person.
• Don’t whistle in public, Thai’s are generally superstitious and they believe that whistling calls ghosts or spirits.
• Don’t argue with a Pattaya songthaew driver (or any songthaew driver), you don’t want an angry Thai kicking the crap out of you.
• Don’t come here for an extended time and then start to complain about all things Thai, because the locals (rightly so) will ask “Why don’t you go home?”
• Don’t presume that you really are a “hansom guy” just because she tells you so. See the bald, fat sweaty 70 year old over there? He’s been told half a dozen times today already that he is a “hansom guy”.
• Don’t buy anything from the children beggars, you don’t want to encourage child labor and begging in general.
• Don’t walk around drinking a bottle of beer, you don’t want to be mistaken as a drunkard and more importantly I don’t want the Thai’s to think of all foreigners as drunkards.
• Don’t try on a t-shirt if you aren’t going to buy it, the vendor doesn’t want your smelly sweat all over her goods.
• Don’t go throwing your cigarette butts and trash around downtown Bangkok or you’ll be a few hundred baht poorer.
• Don’t feed the elephants on the streets, you don’t want to promote cruelty to animals.
• Don’t take advice from any Farang (foreigner) who has spent the past 20 years sitting on a bar stool at a bar-beer in Pattaya/Patpong/Nana, he knows nothing.
• Don’t touch a Thai person’s head. They will kick your ass first, and then explain it later at the hospital.
• And finally, don’t walk around Chatuchak/Silom with all your valuables in your handbag/wallet, you may come to regret it.

DO’S:

• Do take your shoes off when entering a Thai house, it is the polite thing to do and will help keep their floors clean..
• Do learn how to say a few things in Thai such as “Hello”, “Thank You”, “How much?”. The Thai’s will greatly appreciate it and it will make your visit much easier and more pleasant.
• Do learn how to say various foods in Thai, you don’t want to eat only Pad Thai and Fried Rice for your entire stay in Thailand.
• Do say “Hello” (sawasdee kup/ka) to the local kids, they love it and unlike in the west you won’t be thought of as a pervert or pedophile.
• Do buy gemstones, jewelry and gold at a reputed establishments, they can be a good value if your at the right place.
• Do dress neatly and politely, the Thai’s put a lot of emphasis on appearance and you don’t want to be seen as having no self-pride.
• Do get off the beaten track, there is a lot more to Thailand than beer bars, coconut shakes, Bangkok and beaches.
• Do keep your alcohol consumption under control, or you will enjoy a free breakfast as guest of the Corrections Dept.
• Do shower regularly, at least twice a day. You’ll be sweating a lot here and will smell quite bad if you don’t .
• Do have respect for Buddhism and the Buddha, it is the religion of 95% of Thai’s and to them Christianity is just as strange as Buddhism may be to you.
• Do be careful if you choose to avail yourself of Thailand’s nightlife. Watch out for overpriced drinks and scams. If you find a “girlfriend” in a bar use protection and don’t lose your heart. No matter how sad her story is this is (usually) a business transaction in her eyes.
• Do be patient, it is called jai yen by the Thai’s and means “cool heart”. You won’t get anywhere by losing your temper, especially over small things.
• Do speak politely to the authorities, they can waste a lot of your time if they want, but simple courtesy often goes a long way.
• Do follow these “Do’s and Dont’s” and have a great time during your stay in Thailand!

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