Do's and don'ts in Thailand?
Rating: 8,2/10 (4985 votes)  Buddha statues, Thailand This article will be a recommendation for teachers in schools in Thailand, but it will also be useful to anyone who comes to this country. In many schools in Thailand, teachers are not only Thai, but there are also teachers from other countries who came here, find themselves in an unfamiliar cultural environment. Without knowing the local culture and customs, you can make many missteps without even wanting to. Thais, of course, will quickly forgive a mistake than point out it. But by the behavior of one tourist, all his compatriots will be judged. Therefore, it is better to try to make a good impression, especially for teachers who are very respected people in Thailand. We have tried to compile a list of rules that may be useful to those who would like to behave in an unfamiliar country in accordance with their traditions. Some rules are useful only for those who plan to work in a Thai school, but knowing these rules would not hurt anyone who would like to come to Thailand and conduct in such a way as not to look ignorant in the eyes of the locals. Remembers, that the Thais themselves do not always follow the rules, but it is worth remembering that foreigners, due to the fact that there are not many of them, always look and each of their actions is given special importance. As needed, you can and cannot behave in Thai school and not only in school: 1. You can't go naked. This is considered indecent. Thais even swim in their clothes.  Thai girl bathing in clothes 2. Do not try to pat a Thai on the top of the head or ruffle his hair. Thais consider the head to be a sacred part of the body. 3. The feet, on the other hand, are considered an"unclean" part of the body. You should not perform with your feet those actions that are performed with your hands - gesticulate, turn on or off the technique with your foot, etc. When sitting, try to keep both feet flat on the floor. If you do cross your legs, make sure that your foot is not directed at someone present or at any sacred object. 4. Be discreet about monarchy and religion, Thais take it more than seriously. For example, do not cover the floor or wardrobe with newspapers or leaflets, where a picture of Buddha or a photograph of His Majesty is printed. 5."Sanuk" is a word that you will definitely pick up. Translated from Thai, it means"have fun, rejoice, have fun." For Thais, this is very important, as they say:"Work must be sanuk", otherwise they simply will not do it. So don't be too serious, rejoice and have fun. 6. Don't criticize. in Thailand, criticism is discouraged, even if it is just a suggestion to improve the workflow. Any suggestions here will be taken as criticism, so before suggesting anything, check with your curator. 7. We advise you to learn a few words in Thai and try to use them when communicating with the locals. Immediately notice how to change the attitude of the Thais towards you, who will enthusiastically help you in any situation when they find out that their language is interesting to you. But it is better to refrain from Thai words when conducting English lessons. 8. If you are left-handed, we advise you to reach out and take objects with your right hand, while holding your right hand with your left hand. 9. Times and customs are changing, but not in Thailand, where public displays of feelings are still discouraged. 10. It is very important to maintain the position of the head. Note that passers-by bow their heads as they pass you. Moreover, this is done not only by students, but also by adults. You should do the same when you pass in front of someone or behind someone. 11. You should not sit anywhere - on the ground, on the steps of stairs or on the floor in the hallway. This creates certain inconveniences for people who will try to bypass you. Indeed, according to the rules of etiquette, their heads should be lowered lower than yours. If you stretch out your legs as well, then only exacerbate the situation, since it is indecent to step over a person sitting in Thailand!  Welcome sign 12. As a sign of the"wai" greeting, you need to fold your hands in a prayer gesture just above the chest level, almost touching the tips of your thumbs with your nose. This is how all teachers greet each other and say goodbye at the end of the day. This does not apply to students, in response to their bow, it is enough to smile and nod. 13. If you are a male teacher, then try not to be alone with women, - neither students nor teachers. It is not customary among Thais for a woman to be alone with a stranger. 14. Thais sometimes laugh, so sometimes they hide their confusion, so as not to"lose face." Don't take it personally, they are not laughing at you. 15. Students in Thailand have to comply with many rules and regulations. As a teacher, you have to lead by example, so don't eat while walking, take off your shoes at the entrance to the room, watch your hair, and go up and down the right side of the stairs. 16. You should always look great. It doesn't matter where you are: at home, at work or on the way to work. It is important to look after your reputation, as in the case of misconduct. this will affect not only your reputation, but also the reputation of the institution. 17. Piercings are not acceptable, as are tattoos. Women are only allowed to wear hoop earrings. Tattoos are not forbidden to do, it is just desirable to hide them under clothes. Those who wear beards are generally looked askance at. You need to dress neatly, shower as often as possible and change into clean clothes. 18. It is illegal to smoke on school grounds. If you feel the urge to smoke, do it outside of school and as discreetly as possible. 19 Handle Thai money as carefully as possible. Do not crush, tear, burn them, carry them without a purse or wallet, in a back pocket, hide them in socks, and also do other inappropriate actions with materials where there is an image of the king. This is punishable by imprisonment.  Thai money 20. There are a number of words in the Russian language that are not recommended to be pronounced, as they are pronounced like abusive, offensive words, especially for women. For example, the Russian word"let's go" can be split into two Thai words"Pai" - let's go,"Ekkhali" - to fuck. We also recommend reading How is durian useful? Durian prices in Pattaya Topic: Do's and don'ts in Thailand?. |
