The short and sweet of it – Thailand is an incredible country. There’s so much to explore. So much food to eat. So much nature and sunshine to soak up. However there are some behaviors you’ll want to avoid if you’re headed to the Land of Smiles anytime soon. Keep on reading for my top 5 big mistakes to avoid in Thailand.
Mistake #1: Don’t Speak Ill of the Royal Family
If you remember nothing else from this blog post – do not ever speak ill of the Royal Family in Thailand. It is actually illegal to speak badly about any members of the Royal Family – especially the King. Additionally, it’s in good practice to be careful with your Thai Baht (the paper currency in Thailand). Thai Baht bares the face of the King. Stepping on Thai Baht or defacing it is a serious crime and punishable to up to 15 years in prison.
Mistake #2: Avoid Using Your Feet
This next one may catch some people off guard. In addition to avoiding stepping on Thai Baht – you’ll also want to be careful with what you do with your feet in general in Thailand. In Thai culture the feet are considered the lowest and dirtiest part of the human body. It is considered rude to use your feet for anything other than walking. Avoid pointing at things with your feet, nudging things with your feet, or even holding doors open with your feet.
Pro Tip: Also be prepared to remove your shoes and wash your feet a lot in Thailand. It’s common practice to take off your shoes before entering someone’s home, temples and sometimes retail shops. This practice is in place because your shoes have come into contact with the dirty ground outside. Instead of bringing your shoes inside, they are left at the door to keep the inside of the establishment clean.
Mistake #3: Don’t Show Too Much Skin
One trip to Thailand and you’ll quickly realize it’s hot. Like really hot – all the time. But don’t be tempted by the temperatures to remove layers of clothing. It’s in best practice to dress moderately. For women, this includes wearing pants or skirts that fall below the the knee and shirts that cover the shoulders and don’t reveal any cleavage. For men – shorts and long pants are great, paired with polo or buttoned-down shirts.
Dress code especially comes into play when visiting temples in Thailand. Some temples will downright deny entrance or suggest covering up with a shawl if you’re dressed to risqué.
Mistake #4: Don’t Hug or Touch the Monks
You will 100% come across Monks in Thailand. Monks are men who live apart from society and devote their life to religion – typically living under vows of Chasity and obedience.
I’m not going to lie, it is an absolute vision to see Monks walking (typically barefoot) through the streets of Thailand draped in their orange robes. Every time I saw a Monk in Thailand my first mind was to reach out and hug them as a means to ‘thank them’ for being so devoted to their faith. This is a HUGE no – especially for women, as monks who have not achieved enlightenment can become distracted.
Instead of reaching out to touch a Monk – a simple Wai Kru will do. This means placing the palms of your own hands together at your heart center and bowing in the direction of the Monk.
Mistake #5: Public Displays of Affection
Last but not least, you’ll also want to keep your hands to yourself in public, when it comes to your significant other in Thailand. It is very frowned upon to kiss, hold hands or show any signs of affection in public in Thailand. Instead you’ll want to hold off on the PDA until you’re in private with your significant other. PDA isn’t illegal in Thailand however doing so will definitely get you some nasty looks – as Thailand is a very conservative country.
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