Although Do’s and Don'ts are important, in most part Thailand is a fun and happy culture. If you were to make some cultural inaccuracies, the Thais are mostly forgiving, especially if you are wearing a smile. Although Thais don’t take well to demanding or moody people.

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Please note, be particularly careful about respecting Temples, Buddhism and the Thai Royal Family.

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THAILAND DO’S

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• Do respect all Buddha images. They are sacred. Disrespectful acts are potentially punishable by fines and/or by imprisonment.

• Do treat monks with the highest of respect.

• Do remove your shoes before entering a temple.

• Do try and keep calm no matter what the issues may be. Often it’s best to just walk away and enjoy your holiday. Regardless if you feel justified.

• Do dress properly when visiting a temple. Eg no skimpy clothing, dress conservatively regardless how hot it may be.

• Do try and learn a few basic phrases in Thai, Top 100 basic Thai Phrases to know.

• Do ensure that you have a visa. Be well organised, losing a ticket or misplacing documents is very problematic and time consuming.

 

THAILAND DON’TS

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• Don’t show disrespect towards the Thai Royal Family. It’s against the law, and it is strictly enforced.

• Don’t cross your legs or point your feet when you are in the presence of a monk.

• Don’t touch a Thai woman without consent. The majority of Thai women are very conservative.

• Don’t touch any Thai person’s head/hair, young or old. This doesn’t apply in the privacy of your room.

• Don’t point your feet anywhere but downwards, don’t point to anything with your feet and don’t touch anybody with your feet. It’s considered very inappropriate.

• Don’t be offended by questions about age, marital status or what you do for a living. These are subjects that often come up with Thais. Answering them is at your own discretion.

• Don’t take Buddha images out of the country. It is against the law regardless if they are replicas or not, unless special permission has been granted, which can be a very challenging endeavour. I believe replicas under 12 cm or 5 inches need no permits.

• Don’t overstay your visa.

• Don’t drive drunk, drive without a helmet, or valid license, it’s very dangerous and illegal.

• Don’t take illegal drugs: You can go to jail for a long time with a very large fine. This is Not where you want to be spending anytime.

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