As a country with a very strong religious atmosphere, Thailand has many taboos in life, so everyone must be fully prepared. Let’s take a look at what should we pay attention to when studying abroad in Thailand?

1. The head is sacred and inviolable (no touching the head)

Don’t touch other people’s heads casually, even for children, because Thai people think the head is the most sacred . When one person passes something to another, never pass it over the other person's head.

Only kings, eminent monks or parents are allowed to touch a child's head. Before a haircut, the barber says something like "I'm sorry" before starting the haircut. When you are passing something to others, never pass it over the other person's head. This is a sign of infringement.

2. Thai people eat with their right hand

Thai people eat with their right hand and also use their right hand when passing things to others to show respect. If you have to use your left hand as a last resort, you should first say "Left hand, please forgive me." Do not point to someone with your hands (especially one finger), but with your chin. When calling someone, straighten your arms, palms down, and move your fingers up and down. Do not twist your fingers, clap or shout. It is forbidden to kill animals on Buddha's Day, so the killing of pigs and chickens must be completed the day before. Fighting, gambling, and marriage are also prohibited on important Buddha's Days, and horse racing and boxing are not allowed to be held. Thais believe that a person's left hand is unclean and can only be used to hold unclean things. Therefore, holding important things with the left hand will be frowned upon.

3. Meeting Etiquette

When Thai people meet, they should put their hands together in front of their chests to greet each other. The method is to join their palms together and place them between their chests and foreheads. This is a meeting etiquette. Equivalent to a Western handshake, the higher the palms are raised, the deeper the degree of respect. Common people should raise their hands above their heads when they see the king, juniors should raise their hands to their foreheads when they see their elders, and seniors should raise their hands below their noses when they see each other. The elders should raise their hands in front of their chests in return of the younger ones, and their hands should not be higher than their chests. Those with lower status or younger age should first salute with folded hands.

Putting your hands together in front of your chest and saying "Sawadee" is a sign of respect for the person.

4. Don’t speak ill of the royal family

Thai people’s impression of the royal family is very mythical and inviolable, and the King of Thailand is the ruler of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. We ordinary people should not make fun of royal family members, as the consequences will be serious.

Remember, remember, remember this.

5. Don’t be unruly when entering temples

Almost all people in Thailand believe in Buddhism. Any trip to Thailand, whether in a group or independently, there will be many people going to worship or visit the Buddha. temple. If you go there, you must abide by the rules. Girls cannot wear sleeveless or short skirts, and men cannot be too slovenly and disheveled.

6. Be courteous when meeting monks

90% of people in Thailand believe in Buddhism, and every man has the experience of becoming a monk twice in his life. Therefore, on the streets of Thailand, we often encounter Thai monks unexpectedly. Thailand respects Buddhism, and tourists must be courteous to monks and respect every Buddha statue; women must pay special attention to avoid touching monks, who are particularly concerned about this kind of thing. If a monk is accidentally touched by a woman while reciting a long sutra, his previous efforts will be wasted and he will have to start all over again.

We should also show equal respect to the Buddha statues scattered throughout Thailand, regardless of whether they are old or new, big or small. When traveling in Thailand, visiting temples is a must. Some of the most famous tourist attractions in Thailand, such as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Temple of the Golden Buddha, and Wat Arun, are all related to temples.

7. Make a wish to repay the gods

Thailand is a Buddhist country. More than 90% of the people believe in Buddhism. There are many temples in Thailand, such as the famous "Simian Temple" in Bangkok. "Buddha", because if you make a wish in Thailand, you have to return it to the god again.

8. Brown is taboo

Thai people like red and yellow, but brown is taboo. However, they do not use red pen to sign, because after Thai people die, they will use red pen to write their surnames on the coffin; in addition, brown is also their taboo color.

They are used to using colors to represent different dates: Sunday is red, Monday is yellow, Tuesday is pink, Wednesday is green, Thursday is orange, Friday is light blue, and Saturday is purple. People often wear different clothes according to different dates. Colorful clothing.

9. Don’t behave too intimately

Thai men and women are very particular about giving and receiving, and body contact is allowed even when dancing in public. Dogs are a taboo image in Thailand. Issues to avoid: Politics, corruption, royals. Even among friends, they don't like to talk about personal issues. If you have offended someone, smile, apologize by saying "I'm sorry," and put your hands together. You must take off your shoes before entering a Thai house and do not step on the threshold. If the host sits on the floor, the guests should behave similarly. Don't cross your feet, curl your legs under your body, and don't expose the soles of your feet. When giving gifts to Thai people, it is best to use packaged food, candies, etc. and hand them to the recipient with your right hand.

Traditionally, Thai people have had deep admiration for the royal family members. Visitors should show respect to the King of Thailand, the Queen of Thailand and their children. For example: You should stand when the national anthem is played in public places at 08:00 am and 18:00 pm every day. When attending public events where members of the royal family are present, the best thing to do is to observe and imitate the etiquette of those present.

Thailand’s laws have many chapters describing violations of religious laws, including Buddhism and other faiths, which have the largest number of believers. All Buddha statues, whether large or small, intact or broken, are regarded as sacred objects. Please don’t climb the Buddha statue! The general requirement is not to behave "disrespectfully" toward Buddha statues. When visiting a Buddhist temple, you must dress neatly - do not go topless, wear shorts, or sleeveless shirts. Shoes should not be worn inside temples where Buddha statues are enshrined. Please feel free to take off your shoes. The floors in the temple are generally clean. Buddhist monks are prohibited from contacting women. If you want to give something to a monk, you should first hand it to a man and let him do it for you. A long-sleeved blouse is buttoned up to the neck and a hair scarf is worn.

10. Littering

Do not litter anywhere, especially on the street, even a small cigarette butt or a small toothpick, otherwise the offender will be If fined, the garbage should be returned to the original bag.

11. Smoking cigarettes

Smoking is not allowed in public places except in designated areas. Smoking is prohibited in all air-conditioned places such as cinemas, theaters, indoor restaurants, hotel lobbies, etc., as well as temples, schools, public green spaces, parks, etc., but international airports have special smoking rooms.

12. Public expressions of love are unacceptable

You may have seen some very westernized young couples holding hands, but this is only true in enlightened communities. Common in . In Thai society, losing your temper is the last resort. Thais believe that this represents despicable manners.

13. Call you by your first name instead of your surname

Don’t be surprised if Thai people call you by your first name instead of your surname, such as: Mr. Booker or Ms. Mary. Because this is how they call each other, usually with the honorific "kun" (Mr., Mrs., Ms.) before their names.

14. Do not give cigarettes when giving gifts

When giving gifts in Thailand, do not give cigarettes, talk to each other, and do not pass cigarettes, because smoking is not good for health. Many shops and supermarkets also do not sell cigarettes.

15. Gambling is prohibited

For some people in China who like to gamble, I have to remind you that when traveling to Thailand, it is best to temporarily stop gambling because it is prohibited in Thailand. Even if you are gambling in a hotel room, you cannot gamble on mahjong. Otherwise, you may be punished for violating Thai laws.

16. In a land of etiquette, gifts should not be opened in person

If a Thai gives you a gift, you should express your gratitude to them by folding your hands before accepting the gift. Unless the other person wants you to open it, don't open it in person.

Thailand is known for its tolerance and hospitality. They treat everyone with a smile and humility.

Travelers generally adapt easily to local customs.

17. Don’t take a taxi without a meter

There are many taxis in Bangkok. In some cases, the driver will take the initiative to tell you the fixed price or silently let you get in when you get on the bus. But if you don’t use the meter and wait until you arrive at your destination to tell you the price, then you will be really embarrassed at this time. Most of the time you will choose to compromise if you are not familiar with the place.

18. Never take a tuk-tuk

If a tuk-tuk takes the initiative to communicate with you and tells you that it can take you for a day for less than 100 baht. Then please remember that pie will not fall from the sky, and it should not hit you if it wants to. The driver will take you around all the attractions and take you to the jewelry store or other store that hired them, which means that your plan for a beautiful day has basically come to nothing.

19. Don’t talk to overly enthusiastic passers-by

Be wary of people who are well-dressed and approach you to chat. Please note that Thai people generally do not do this, so once you encounter such a situation, you must be skeptical. When you encounter such people when you go out, you must be more careful. Personal safety comes first.

20. Do not use your toes to point at people or things, that is disrespectful

Although breaking these taboos will not lead to beheading, it is still better to respect the local customs, as the saying goes Do as the Romans do when you are in the country and avoid causing unnecessary trouble to yourself or others. Of course, the most important thing is to have a happy study abroad! Thai people are very friendly to locals and foreigners. Here I will list some common taboos for everyone. I also hope that you who come to live, study and work in Thailand will fall in love with such a warm and smiling person. A welcoming country.