THAILAND

Culture.

Languages in Thailand

The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation, along with a script that has Indian origins. The Thai language, belonging to the Tai family, is the main language in Thailand although there are several regional dialects as well. Other languages spoken in Thailand are Chinese, Lao, Malay and Mon-Khmer, while English use is becoming more prevalent in government and commerce. English is also being taught as a second language in secondary school and universities, which enables the English speaking visitor in Thailand to have little trouble conversing.

Buddhism in Thailand

Thailand is a stronghold of Buddhism.

. Buddhists believe that life does not begin with birth and end with death, but rather that every person has several lives based upon the lessons of life not yet learned and acts committed (karma) in previous lives.

. Buddhists believe that selfishness and craving result in suffering and that compassion and love bring happiness and well-being.

. The true path to peace is to eliminate all desire, a condition which Buddhists define as 'nirvana', an indescribable state free of desire, suffering, or further rebirth, in which a person simply is, and is completely at one with his surroundings.

Buddhism is practised in Thailand by over 90% of the population.

The Wai

The wai is the common form of greeting and

adheres to strict rules of protocol.

. Raising both hands, palms joined with the fingers pointing upwards as if in prayer, lightly touching the body somewhere between the chest and the forehead, is the standard form.

. The wai is both a sign of respect as well as a greeting. Respect and courtesy are demonstrated by the height at which the hands are held and how low the head comes down to meet the thumbs of both hands.

. The wai may be made while sitting, walking, or standing.

. The person who is junior in age or status is the first one to offer the wai.

. The senior person returns the wai, generally with their hands raised to somewhere around their chest.

. If a junior person is standing and wants to wai a senior person who is seated, the junior person will stoop or bow their head while making the wai.

If there is a great social distance between two people, the wai will not be returned.

Thai Family Values

. The family is the cornerstone of Thai society.

. Family life is often more closely knit than in western cultures.

. The Thai family is a form of hierarchy with the parents at the top.

. Children are taught to honour their parents.

cultural norms

Remember the sacred and taboo parts of your body: head and feet. For Thais, the head is the most sacred part of the body, while the feet are the lowest and the filthiest. Don’t ever touch a Thai person’s head; at the same time, you must never show the soles of your feet to anyone, or use your feet to point to something.

Before entering a house or office, it’s polite to leave your shoes outside.

Public displays of affection are not encouraged in Thailand.

music
Thai musical instruments are varied and reflect ancient influence from far afield - including the klong thap and khim (Persian origin), the jakhe (Indian origin), the klong jin (Chinese origin), and the klong kaek (Indonesian origin). The two most popular styles of traditional Thai music are luk thung and mor lam; the latter in particular has close affinities with the Music of Laos.
Aside from the Thai, ethnic minorities such as the Lao, Lawa, Hmong, Akha, Khmer, Lisu, Karen and Lahu peoples have retained traditional musical forms.

Dance
Thai Dance, known as "Fawn Thai", was originally an art performed for the royal courts of old Siam. The dance troupes were formed within the courts and their precision and beauty was the highlight of every performance. "Fawn Thai" in its many forms is usually performed by four to six pairs of dancers, and on some very important occasions it is performed by hundreds. There are five "Fawn Thai" styles: "Fawn Tian" or the Candle Dance; "Fawn Leb" or the Finger nail Dance; "Fawn Ngiew" or the Scarf Dance; "Fawn Marn Gumm Ber" or the Butterfly Dance; and "Fawn Marn Mong Kol" or the Happy Dance. Each of these is accompanied by a special orchestra of traditional Thai musical instruments and each has its distinctive tempo and movement.

Khon

The Khon masked drama draws its story line from the Ramakian, the Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana. Khon performances are characterised by vigorous, highly-formalized action. Acting and dancing are inseparable, and each step has a definite meaning, which is emphasized by precisely defined music to suggest walking, marching, laughing, etc. Until the 19th century the Khon was acted by men playing both male and female roles. By the mid 1800s both men and women were appearing on stage together. The actors are often masked and cannot speak, so narrative verses are recited and sung by a chorus that sits with the accompanying musical ensemble. The leading male and female performers do not wear masks and may occasionally speak. The highly decorated papier mache masks are works of art and perfectly portray the characters' personalities. Major characters can be identified by the predominant colours of their costumes. Phra Ram, the hero, wears green. His brother, Phra Lak, wears gold and Hanuman, the monkey-god, wears white.

Lakhon

Simplest of all in form and presentation is Lakhon Chatri which can be seen at shrines when dancers are hired by those whose wishes have been granted to perform for the shrine deity. Lakhon Nai is graceful, romantic and highly stylized. Plays were originally presented only in the palace. Lakhon Nok was performed outside the palace and acted only by men. Filled with lively music, off-colour humour, and rapid, animated movements, Lakhon Nok was the ancestor of the enormously popular Likeh folk theater which is still a feature of many provincial festivals in Thailand.

Likeh

Likeh, containing elements of pantomime, comic folk opera, and social satire, is generally performed against a simply painted backdrop during temple fairs. Its court-derived stories are embellished with local references and anecdotes, and spontaneous dialogue is filled with outrageous puns and double entendres.

Nang and Hun

Two other dramatic forms are the Nang Yai shadow plays and Hun marionettes. Intricately fashioned cowhide figures are held against a back-lit white screen.

Ram Muay

The Ram Muay is a Muay Thai boxing dance that precedes every Muay Thai match. It is a form of Wai Kru and is a way for Muay Thai boxers to show respect to their teachers. It serves as a graceful expression of the special relationship between a Muay Thai boxer and his trainer. Muay Thai regulations specify that both fighters must perform the Ram Muay before every bout. The Ram Muay usually lasts about five minutes and is done through a series of gestures and movements performed on the stadium in rhythm to ringside musical accompaniment.

Art

Thai visual art was traditionally primarily Buddhist. Thai Buddha images from different periods have a number of distinctive styles. Thai temple art and architecture evolved from a number of sources, one of them being Khmer architecture. Contemporary Thai art often combines traditional Thai elements with modern techniques.
Literature in Thailand is heavily influenced by Indian Hindu culture. The most notable works of Thai literature are a version of the Ramayana, a Hindu religious epic, called the Ramakien, written in part by Kings Rama I and Rama II, and the poetry of Sunthorn Phu.
There is no tradition of spoken drama in Thailand, the role instead being filled by Thai dance. This is divided into three categories- khon, lakhon and likay- khon being the most elaborate and likay the most popular. Nang drama, a form of shadow play, is found in the south.

Etiquette

Meeting Etiquette
. The wai (as mentioned above) is the traditional form of greeting, given by the person of lower status to the person of higher status.
. Thais generally use first rather than surnames, with the honorific title Khun before the name. Khun is an all- purpose form of address that is appropriate for both men and women
. In general, wait for your host and hostess to introduce you to the other guests. This allows everyone to understand your status relative to their own, and thus know who performs the wai and how low the head should be bowed.

Gift Giving Etiquette
. If invited to a Thai's home, a gift is not expected, although it will be appreciated.
. Gifts should be wrapped attractively, since appearance matters. Bows and ribbons add to the sense of festivity.
. Appropriate gifts are flowers, good quality chocolates or fruit.
. Do not give marigolds or carnations, as they are associated with funerals.
. Try to avoid wrapping a gift in green, black or blue as these are used at funerals and in mourning.
. Gold and yellow are considered royal colours, so they make good wrapping paper.
. Only use red wrapping paper if giving a gift to a Chinese Thai.
. Gifts are not opened when received.
. Money is the usual gift for weddings and ordination parties.

Dining Etiquette
If you are invited to a Thai's house:
. Arrive close to the appointed time, although being a few minutes late will not cause offence.
. Check to see if the host is wearing shoes. If not, remove yours before entering the house.
. Ask another guest to confirm the dress code.
. Step over the threshold rather than on it. This is an old custom that may be dying out with younger Thais, but erring on the side of conservatism is always a good idea.

Table manners
. A fork and spoon are the usual eating utensils. However, noodles are often eaten with chopsticks.
. The spoon is held in the right hand and the fork in the left. The fork is used to guide food on to the spoon. Sticky rice, a northern Thai delicacy, is often eaten with the fingers of the right hand.
. Most meals are served as buffets or with serving platters in the centre of the table family- style. . You may begin eating as soon as you are served.
. Leave a little food on your plate after you have eaten to show that you are full. Finishing everything indicates that you are still hungry.
. Never leave rice on your plate as it is considered wasteful. The words for food and rice are the same. Rice has an almost mystical significance in addition to its humdrum 'daily bread' function.
. Never take the last bite from the serving bowl.
. Wait to be asked before taking a second helping.
. Do not lick your fingers.

Food

Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. Thai cuisine is known for being spicy. Balance, detail and variety are important to Thai cooking. Thai food is known for its balance of the five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty, and (optional) bitter.