A guide to Thailand’s customs and etiquette

In 1998 we partnered with the University of Kasetsart, Bangkok to establish the Preziosa Botanic Park and Farm endeavor, now 19-years-old. Almost yearly Professor Charuphant “Noi” Thongtham would arrange exchange visits with his horticulture teachers and our agriculture teachers to set up the organic farms, greenhouses and fishponds in the highland property of Alfonso, Cavite, which he helped me locate. Bordering Tagaytay, its cool climate is similar to the Royal Projects he was looking after for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej that helped the tribal minorities shift from opium planting to ornamental plants. Until now the school visits of our senior teachers to Southeast Asia are directed to “amazing Thailand”.

What Filipinos like in Thailand

Thailand has leapt forward after its economic downfall before the millennium. Traditional life has been reinforced by their response to hard times. Those in need of help find comfort and meaning in family, friends, and Buddhism. They express their hopes for a brighter future by appealing to the spirits to intervene in their destiny.

Change is evident everywhere: the excellent communication network with the reliable Bangkok Transit System (BTS) directed to well-organized public markets of Chatuchak, Pratunam, shopping centers and offices. Tourism has marked a record increase year after year. Now 30 million tourists flock to Bangkok, including balikbayan Thais, enthralled by the clean, efficient historical city and its surrounding regions.  Author Nanthapa Cooper (Culture Shock - Thailand) wrote of ‘iron buffaloes’ that not only plough the fields in the central and northern plains but also pump water to irrigate fields, making possible double even triple cropping. These also pull carts and carry passengers to work. 

Families are smaller and better able to care for their young and old. Promoted by activist Mechai Viravaidya, the nationwide use of the condom has successfully controlled the population.  Immunization against basic contagious diseases is high. Primary and secondary education is available in all but the most remote areas. Tribal minorities (37 of them under the Royal Project) have increasingly come into the mainstream of Thai life.

To communicate in Thai, learn to ‘wai’

The wai is an important gesture of respect in Thailand. While Filipinos traditionally greet elders by bowing to touch the parent’s hand with one’s forehead, Thais press the palms together, holding the fingers upwards below the chin and bowing to one’s superior. When the social distance between two individuals is very great, the wai is not returned. The Thai King does not wai his subjects unless they are monks.

The greatest problem facing the visitors to Thailand is the language barrier. Part of the problem involves the poor standard of English language learning. Students need to pass a written examination in English before admission to university, but many, even those majoring in English, are unable or too shy to speak in English.

One of the most frequent causes of misunderstanding is the Thai’s speech habit of never pronouncing two consonants without a vowel sound in between. If you are wondering why your Thai friend constantly tells you, ‘’I am Thai!” chances are he is really trying to let you know that he is tired. Words are pronounced with all consonants but vowel sounds sneak in between them. Thus twenty becomes tawenty, and since y and w are often confused in Thai and the t is rather different than the English t, twenty often sounds very much like seventy. Bear this in mind when bargaining! Satem is Thai for stamp; sanwit is Thai for sandwich; bang is Thai for bank and you take a lip (lift) to your aparmen (apartment).

Please and thank you

The visitors might also be surprised to find that Thais, though very polite, rarely say “please” or “thank you”. While some might be fluent in English to say “Would you mind passing me the water”, others would struggle through a puzzling but polite, “Help pass water a little”; some would just simply say, “Pass water.”

“Please” and “thank you” are not used in Thai to the same extent as these are used in English because alternatives exist. The most obviously simple is the smile, quite enough for most situations. It is not usually used for minor favors like passing the sauce at dinner or where people are only doing their job. Verbal thanks are signs of respect that might be accompanied by a wai or several wais or a bow of the head.

“Hello, how are you” would be an appropriate greeting for somebody you have not seen for some time, but is not necessary for people you see ever day. The English “good morning” is expressed quite adequately in Thai with a smile, a nod or, if appropriate, a wai. You may find that everybody appears to be extremely interested in where you are going. The direct translation of the most commonly heard Thai greeting “Where you go?” is “How are you?” The visitor is likely to find himself engaged in “international” small talk.  When you are getting a bit bored with repeating how lovely everything is, by all means talk about the King and Buddhism – the most important Thai institutions.

The similarities of the Thais and Filipino taste buds

Mango with suman (glutinous rice), sweet sampaloc (tamarind), crabs, shrimps and patis (fish sauce) are food likes of both Filipinos and Thais. While our cuisine has been strongly influenced by Spain and America, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country that has never been colonized and therefore acquired its own culinary arts. Specialties are health food like the various salads using, green papaya, pink pomelos and mango using oriental dressing pounded with crablets, dried shrimps or fried tilapia flakes.  Most liked are pad thai, fish or chicken curry (not so hot, please), fried giant gourami or hito (catfish) presented with lovely carved vegetables and fruits. It is said that the underground economy of Thailand are the hundreds of food hawkers everywhere in Bangkok, even right beside major hotels, including the ‘Wall Street’ region and Bangkok Railway Station. These steamed, grilled and fried food are strictly monitored in sanitation. No flies at all.