Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in the world for travelers from countries such as the U.S. and Canada. Nature lovers rejoicing in the islands and beaches in the south and the mountain scenery in the northern parts of the country. Culture enthusiasts can take in an abundance of temples from different periods in the history of the country.
I recently travelled to Thailand to train to be a yoga teacher after years of being a yogi enthusiast and dedicated yogi. While I was there I learnt some Thai traditions that I want to share to help other yogi’s who visit the land of the smile.
The first thing to be aware of is feet. Feet are seen as dirty and its rude to show people the bottom of your feet. Inside peoples houses shoes and footwear are taken off and this is something you need to remember. Thai people are laid back and relaxed and they understand that people from other countries might not understand their culture but if you want to make a good impression it’s good to know these things.
On the subject of clothing, you must always dress modestly when visiting holy sites such as temples. Knees and shoulders need to be covered and don’t point your feet at Buddha when sitting down. In general Thai people dress very modestly despite the hot weather. Nudity is illegal and unlike beaches in Europe sun bathing topless is far from the norm and very much frowned upon. However when visiting the beach it’s ok to wear regular beach wear such as swimming trunks and bikinis. Don’t be surprised to see Thai people in the sea in shorts and a t-shirt.
In cities wearing what we might consider comfortable clothing for such a hot country might not be considered ok by Thai people. Shorts and t-shirts are fine but shoulder less vests and lose clothing exposing underwear is not really the thing to do. Try not to reveal too much so light weight fabrics are the best things as it can get very hot.
Now if you really want to impress the locals learn some basic language and the formal Thai greeting. Hello in Thai is Sawadee followed by Ka for women and Kap for men. Thank you is Kob Khun and again Ka or Kap. This is the minimum you should know and enough to get a smile and garner some respect from the locals. The formal greeting of Sawadee Ka or Kap should be accompanied by placing your hands together with the tips of your fingers anywhere between your nose and forehead and blowing your head slightly.
Hope this helps any fellow yogi’s going on an adventure to Thailand.
