Thailand Local Customs

 
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Most Viewed Local Customs in Thailand

26.

Dress codes   Bangkok

Dress codes, Bangkok

 17 Reviews  In most Asian countries it's common to understand the remains of British influence, in the students' dress code. In Bangkok we saw a parade with students using traditional costumes and some... 

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27.

Religion & Beliefs   Ko Samui

Religion & Beliefs, Ko Samui

 10 Reviews  One of the things that I have never understood about travellers is their desire to break the rules, or guidelines of the local people. Out of respect to the people who look after this temple, and also... 

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28.

Correct behaviour   Chiang Mai

Correct behaviour, Chiang Mai

 21 Reviews  To take off your shoes is extremely important when visiting temples. At the massage rooms, it was also necessary to do so. It was even requested at one of the restaurant I went to. So, it is helpful... 

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29.

Bullfighting   Hat Yai

Bullfighting, Hat Yai

 1 Review  Apparantly Hat Yai is one of the main centre for Bullfighting in Thailand. Many local people seem to have no problem with a variety of 'sports' that enable humans to use dumb defenceless animals for... 

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30.

General Dos and Don'ts   Bangkok

General Dos and Don'ts, Bangkok

 29 Reviews  The must Do: -dress properly when visiting a temple -treat monks with the highest respect -try to learn a few Thai phrases -smile -enjoy DON'T EVER TRY TO: Don't show disrespect towards the... 

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31.

Language   Ko Samui

Language, Ko Samui

 3 Reviews  As with any foreign country it is an advantage to learn some basic communication terms.In thai it is handy to know the following terms. Sa-wa-dee khap for males,Sa-wa-dee ka for females(hello or... 

 See All 29 Local Customs in Ko Samui

32.

Local people   Chiang Mai

Local people, Chiang Mai

 17 Reviews  This flower market is located along the western bank of the Ping River, to the north of Nawarat Bridge. Here you can see stalls and shops selling the offering garlands that people take to temples plus... 

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33.

Religion   Hat Yai

Religion, Hat Yai

 1 Review  At various shops around the place you will see orange buckets loaded with food and toiletries. These are passed to monks as part of their daily 'alms-collecting'. Monks are supposed to have very few... 

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34.

The Wai - Traditional Thai Greeting   Bangkok

The Wai - Traditional Thai Greeting, Bangkok

 17 Reviews  Many people in the capital speak some English, sometimes too enthusiastically as they speak so fast. However you should try to learn the basic words, but no-one expects you to learn much more than... 

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35.

Song Kran Festival   Chiang Mai

Song Kran Festival, Chiang Mai

 8 Reviews  Songkran Day has been celebrated as New Year's Day in the Thai solar calendar since ancient times. The date coincides with the day the sun leaves Pisces and enters Aries, usually falling on April 13... 

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36.

Thai Language   Bangkok

Thai Language, Bangkok

 17 Reviews  People who want to learn the Thai language should listen to some Thai music.Listening to Thai music is a good way to improve your listening skill as well as to learn new words . One band that is... 

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37.

Excursions   Chiang Mai

Excursions, Chiang Mai

 7 Reviews  Interested in different kinds of Fruits and Plants not found in your country? Then there is a good chance of seeing something entirely different in an Akha & Lisu village. I saw a Longan Fruit tree,... 

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38.

Feet (and Heads)   Bangkok

Feet (and Heads), Bangkok

 16 Reviews  In Buddhist culture, the feet are the lowest and most unclean part of the body, while the head is the highest part of the body. Touching someone on the head, or shaking your foot, or pointing with... 

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39.

Buddhism / Monks   Bangkok

Buddhism / Monks, Bangkok

 38 Reviews  A few years ago, a Thai friend told me that it was forbidden and highly avoided that a female approach and give alms to monks. Females can do so via a male conduit. I am not sure if this is till... 

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40.

Beer drinking   Bangkok

Beer drinking, Bangkok

 6 Reviews  Singha beer is the leading beer product in Thailand and the Boon Rawd Brewery Co. Ltd. (located in Bangkok, Thailand) Brews this popular beer. Singha has for many years been Thailand’s most popular... 

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41.

People   Bangkok

People, Bangkok

 22 Reviews   On the banks of the Chao Phraya river, you will see rickety old wooden houses on stilts and covered boats. The people that live here are called the boat people. They do not have much money but seem... 

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42.

Bargaining   Bangkok

Bargaining, Bangkok

 7 Reviews  Bargaining is meant to be fun so the first rule is that you should never get angry or rude with merchants. Sometimes merchants will be rude to you in an effort to make farangs lose face but don't... 

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43.

Shoes - when to take them off   Bangkok

Shoes - when to take them off, Bangkok

 11 Reviews  Whenever you enter a religious building (Buddhist temple, Mosque, etc), you must first remove your shoes prior to entering. So, sandals with closed heals or other shoes easily removed and put on are a... 

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44.

Traditional Thai Dancing   Bangkok

Traditional Thai Dancing, Bangkok

 9 Reviews  With all forms of dance drama in Thailand, music forms an important role which is greatly bound by tradition The performances you will see are mystical dances based on stories from classical Thai... 

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45.

Songkran Festival   Bangkok

Songkran Festival, Bangkok

 7 Reviews  Songkran is the Thai New Year's festival. It is celebrated on the first after the first new moon of April. Everything shuts down for the Songkran festival and then a country wide water fight emerges.... 

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46.

Shrines and Spirit Houses   Bangkok

Shrines and Spirit Houses, Bangkok

 15 Reviews  There are many Thais with Chinese ancestors ,so you will often see Chinese style shrines all over the country .On certain ocassions such as Chinese New Year you will see people paying respect to Gods... 

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47.

Respect for Royalty   Bangkok

Respect for Royalty, Bangkok

 17 Reviews  A person can notice coming to Bangkok that many people (men and women) are wearing light pink shirts. Dress shirts, polo shirts or tee shirts in light pink. Winston, my VT friend, explained how the... 

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48.

Money   Bangkok

Money, Bangkok

 3 Reviews  Paid 250Baht to get into the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, upon entering the palace, looked up and was surprised to see a sign that says it's FREE for the Thais. Later, I found the same thing for... 

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49.

Statues   Bangkok

Statues, Bangkok

 9 Reviews  Shiva's carriage was the bird of eagle. Shiva is the Hindo deity of Destroying, and Creating! That is why this deity is considered the supreme Hindu Deity, possibly the oldest one. That is to say the... 

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50.

Traditional Thai Massage   Bangkok

Traditional Thai Massage, Bangkok

 2 Reviews  Thai massage is believed to have been developed by Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, physician to Buddha, more than 2,500 years ago in India. It made its way to Thailand, where the Ayurvedic techniques and... 

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How to say Thailand

by volopolo

How to say Thailand in different languages01. Bulgarian (Български): Тайланд02. Croatian: Tajlanda03. Czech (Česky): Thajska04. Danish (Dansk): Thailand05. French (Français): Thaïlande - THAÏLANDE06. Finnish: Thaimaasta07. German (Deutsch): Thailand08. Greek (Ελληνικά): Ταϊλάνδη - ΤΑΙΛΑΝΔΗ - ΤΑΥΛΑΝΔΗ09. Italian (Italiano): Thailandia10. Japanese (日本語): タイ王国11. Korean (한국어): 타이12. Norwegian (Norsk): Thailand13. Netherlands (Dutch): Thailand14. Portuguese (Português): Tailândia15. Polish (Polski): Tajlandii16. Russian...

Wear Yellow on Mondays

by lauren6

King Rama IV has been reigning for quite some time and is beloved. He was born on a Monday and his color is yellow, hence the wearing of yellow on Mondays abound. Make sure you bring a yellow shirt for your trip!

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Proper Dress

by lauren6

Even though the cities are modernized it is important to still be respectful and wear as much clothing as you can possibly stand in the heat. I carried around a sarong that I could throw over my shoulders when I was wearing a tank/short sleeve shirt. Some places, even require skirts when you are wearing long pants as evidenced by the picture. It was nice that sarongs were provided!

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Leo Beer

by Gili_S

Leo beer I only tasted it once and surely the less favourite of the local beers I tasted. I would only have it if it is the only local brand choice as while travelling I always prefers to have local brands then the usual imports.

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Chang Beer

by Gili_S

Chang Beer was my favourite in Thailand and so I understand by majority of the locals. It is rather stronger then most of the beers in this part of the world, but as I was on holiday, I didn’t really care :)

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Scaly Friends in all places

by HasTowelWillTravel

In many hotels, guest houses, and restaurants, you will find some beneficial creatures come out at night. Small geckos prowl around the walls and ceilings of Thailand. They are quite harmless, and indeed help out, eating the mosquitos that plague travelers every year. So don't be afraid, but enjoy their pesticidal presence. Nesides, they're rather cute if you look at them.

Basic Thai words

by XBlanka

Learn few Thai phrases and words. The locals will really appreciate that. “Sawadi ka/krap” (hello) and “kop khun ka/krap” (thank you) is one of the must know words. If you learn counting in Thai you’ll have big advantage when bargaining at night markets.

Spoon and fork

by XBlanka

In the past people in Thailand was used to eat just with their hands or chopsticks. Later then English colonizers bring the spoon and fork. Thai people usually don’t use the knife. The use instead of it the fork. Remember – only spoon put to your mouth. Eating with a fork is the same impolite like licking the knife in Europe. This rule is common in some small local restaurants not the tourist ones.

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Take off your shoes

by XBlanka

TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES – this is local custom and for us - people from Czech Republic - it’s familiar because we’re used to taking off our shoes at home. In Thailand you’re expect to take off your shoes even if you enter the shop or hairdresser. Local people tell you when there’s no need to taking off your shoes.

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Language

by xaver

Try to learn some Thai words, people will appreciate that a lot even if you will be able to comunicate in english in most parts of the country.Thai are kind and really funny people so, letting them teach you a few words will bring also some laughs and not only a knowledge of some new terms.

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Local traditions and culture in Thailand

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Local Customs: Cities in Thailand
  1. Bangkok Local Customs
  2. Phuket Local Customs
  3. Pattaya Local Customs
  4. Ko Samui Local Customs
  5. Chiang Mai Local Customs
  6. Krabi Local Customs
  7. Hat Yai Local Customs
  8. Ko Phi Phi Don Local Customs
  9. Hua Hin Local Customs
  10. Ko Phangan Local Customs
  11. Ko Lanta Local Customs
  12. Kanchanaburi Local Customs
  13. Ko Samet Local Customs
  14. Chiang Rai Local Customs
  15. Ko Chang Local Customs
  16. Ko Tao Local Customs
  17. Nakhon Ratchasima Local Customs
  18. Ayuthaya Local Customs
  19. Udon Thani Local Customs
  20. Khon Kaen Local Customs
  21. Mae Sai Local Customs
  22. Sukhothai Local Customs
  23. Pai Local Customs
  24. Lampang Local Customs
  25. Cha-am Local Customs
  26. Chon Buri Local Customs
  27. Surat Thani Local Customs
  28. Chumphon Local Customs
  29. Prachuap Khiri Khan Local Customs
  30. Mae Hong Son Local Customs
  31. Ban Bang Saen (2) Local Customs
  32. Chanthaburi Local Customs
  33. Ban Khao Yai Local Customs
  34. Satun Local Customs
  35. Phitsanulok Local Customs
  36. Ko Phaluai Local Customs

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  I am from Canada and going to Thailand, what kind of plug adapter do I need to charge my camera? 

leics profile photo

A: You will find all the information you need about voltages and plug adaptors (and photos of plug types) here: http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm 

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