Thailand culture? in Pattaya.Thailand culture I couldn't resist writing at least one page on the subject of Thai culture, because the chances are that if you are a single man in Pattaya, you aint come here for the "culture" Right? Well knowing a little about the culture will help you to have a better time both in general and with Thai bar girls
I aint gonna write a million word article on the subject of Thailand culture but here's a few what you might call do`s and dont's. Land of smiles Thailand is known as the land of smiles (LOS) Thais smile for different reasons than we may do in the west, A Thai smile may cover a various amount of reasons. A Thai will smile to say hello and thankyou and maybe to apologise, or even to show embarassment, and also to ease tension in say a bad situation. Some of these are worth noting, so that you know why the bar girl just gives you a smile when your beer bar bill is wrong! And also why when you (try to) speak to a shopkeeper or assistant you just get a seemingly blank smile, well thats because they dont understand a word of what your saying! So whatever the situation just smile, especially when paying your overstay fine at departures!! Thai royalty The people of Thailand have the greatest of respect for their King, and they expect visitors also to respect the King and the Thai royal family. The easiest way to avoid potential problems here is just not get into conversations about the subject. Foreign tourists have before now been thrown in jail for not following this one. The Thai national anthem you will soon discover is played everywhere including TV and radio twice a day at 8am and 6pm.
Thailand culture and Religion The vast majority of Thai`s are Buddhists and again it`s best to show at least a little respect for their religion. If you do visit one of the many temples, bear in mind how you are dressed. Turning up wearing a pair of beach shorts and a sleevless vest will definately not be appreciated and is considered inproper and you will be expected to remove your shoes on entering the temple. If you spend a few days or longer with one of the Thai bar girls, dont be surprised if she wants to visit one these places while your both out and about, so be prepared. Oh and it will involve a donation!! Also women are not supposed to be touched by a monk or a woman touch a monk, if a woman wants to give something the item should be placed within reach or in the monks receiving cloth. Thailand culture and greetings The usual and traditional way of greeting someone is with a Wai, it is a prayer like gesture with both hands pressed together. If someone Wai`s you, you should Wai back. In pattaya and other places such as Bangkok most Thai`s are familiar with the handshake and will often offer this, but a Wai is always appreciated. Thailand culture, Feet and head Most books you shall read about Thailand culture shall say things like dont point with your feet, dont touch anyone on the head etc, Well in Pattaya I would`nt worry too much about this, But do bear in mind that if you do touch a Thai girl on the head it is tolerated not appreciated. The feet are thought of as the lowest part (physically and spiritually) of the body and the head the highest. Shoes Again if you are in Pattaya dont be worrying too much about this, you will notice outside many shops and the like piles of shoes left outside usually by Thai`s. Up to you whether you do the same, the "locals" are used to this behaviour by tourists.Given the same situation in a small town in a non tourist location I would be tempted to take off my shoes so as not to risk offending. Also should you for whatever reason be invited to a Thai persons home, in Pattaya or not, taking off your shoes is greatly appreciated. Clothing All I`m gonna say on this subject is that beach wear should be worn on the beach, you will be surprised to see just how many guy`s walk around in swimwear! Not really something I wanna be seeing as I,m eating my lunch thankyou. Pale skin You may notice that Thai bar girls comment on pale skin and how much they dislike their own dark skin! Many of us westerners and me included here find their skin color very appealing. So why do they dislike it? Well one thing is that Thais beleive that the paler the skin the higher the status. Dark skin is the sign of the peasant farmworker who spends all day in the fields outside. You will see Thai bar girls covering themselves from the sun with allsorts of things if they dont have an umbrella, and dont be surprised if you see a girl riding a motorbike with one hand and holding an umbrella with the other! Thailand culture Is slowly changing over time mainly because of contact and influence with the west. As I said on the homepage, Pattaya or indeed any of the major tourist destinations is by far no representation of the real Thailand. For that you need to have a sense of adventure and willing to stray off the beaten track, and if you do, it`s fascinating. Some Pattaya information pages Pattaya hotelsAny questions contact me return from Thailand culture-to-Homepage |
