INFORMATION KIT - Api-fellowships.org

The Monarchy: Thai people have deep, traditional reverence for the Royal Family, and showrespect for the King, the Queen and the Royal Children.Religion: Thai dress neatly in all religious shrines. Each Buddha image is regarded as a sacredobject. Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman.Wai: Thai don’t normally shake hands when they greet one another, but instead press the palmstogether in a prayer-like gesture called a “wai”. Generally a younger person wais an elder, whoreturns it.Head: Thai regard the head as the highest part of the body, literally and figuratively. Similarly,the foot is considered the lowest part of the body.Behavior: Public displays of affection are frowned upon. Also, losing temper or even speakingloudly is a sign of poor breeding.Tipping is not commonly or traditionally practiced in Thailand although it is becoming morewidespread as a result of foreign influence. Tips are sometimes expected in the more expensiverestaurants, hairdressers and for hotel porters. Don’t add a tip in hotel restaurants (where aservice charge is added to the bill anyway) or in street restaurants. Taxi fares should be roundedup to the nearest 5 or 10 Baht.What to Wear: Light, loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided. Sweaters areneeded during the cool season evenings or if visiting mountainous areas or national parks.Jackets and ties are required in a few restaurants and some official functions. Appropriate clothesare required for entering temples or palaces. Tank tops, singlet, shorts and the like are consideredinappropriate dress everywhere except at the beach. Sandals are all right except at formaloccasions. Shoes should be removed when entering a private Thai home.Be Wary of the Ice in cold drinks. Ice often comes from unhygienic sources and is bestavoided. The ice cubes with holes through them are generally OK.When you’re eating out in the evenings, watch out for mosquitoes. Ask the waiter to put amosquito coil under the table to discourage them. Wearing pale colored slacks and mosquitorepellant will also keep them at bay.Don’t be surprised if someone addresses you by your first name, like Mr. Joseph or MissJennifer. The Thai normally address one another using first names only, usually with the title‘Khun’ in front. Surnames are not commonly used as a mode of address.Sightseeing in the heat all day can be exhausting, physically and mentally. Rejuvenate yourselfwith a traditional Thai massage at one of the many shops around town or at your hotel. A two-hour massage costs less than 10 dollars at one of the massage parlors in Bangkok’s SurawongPlaza. Upcountry it costs even less.You’ll notice after a short while in Thailand that Thais have three names—a first name, asurname and a nickname. The nickname, usually something short and catchy like Noi or Lek, isgiven at birth and is used universally among family members and close friends.Bargaining: Fixed prices are the norm in department stores, but at most other places bargainingis to be expected. Generally, you can obtain a final figure of between 10-40% lower than theoriginal asking price. Much depends on your skillsand the shopkeeper’s mood. But remember,54