When you’re travelling to a brand new country, it can be hard to know whether something that you wouldn’t think twice about doing at home is in fact deeply offensive to the culture that you now find yourself in. Committing a social faux pas may be an accident but in Thailand, a little preparation goes a long way! So cast your eye over our top tips and you’ll be well-prepared for the moment you step off the plane.

 The King

In Thailand, the King is a massive part of everyday life and is a figure to be highly respected. Talking negatively about him is a grave offence and even treating money badly is a bad idea, as it bears an image of his face. The longest-serving monarch in the world, the King’s birthday on 5^th December is a national holiday celebrated with fireworks and processions. What’s more, if you ever find yourself in a Thai cinema, you’ll be expected to stand while the national anthem plays just before the film begins.

Saving face

In a culture that is so friendly, well-mannered and reserved, anger is seen as a weakness and an inability to control emotion. Disagreeing with somebody or losing your temper in public is a huge social faux pas and should be avoided as much as possible in order to save face. If you lose your cool or begin to shout in public, this will be seen as overly confrontational and local bystanders will often feel embarrassed for you!

The head and the feet

The head is considered the most sacred part of the body in Thai culture, with the feet being the least so and seen instead as dirty. It’s considered highly offensive to point your feet towards anybody and Thais will sit with their feet tucked beneath their body to avoid doing so. As the head is regarded so favourably, it’s also seen badly to raise your feet above the level of someone’s head, to step over someone who’s sitting down or to touch another person’s head, even in a friendly manner.

The Wai

If you’ve grown up in a western culture where a firm handshake is the de rigueur introduction to a stranger, then you might find it automatic to offer your hand to someone new. However, in Thailand, the standard greeting is called the Wai and involves pressing your palms together at your chest and bowing your head slightly. Typically, the person of local social status offers the Wai first, with Thais of extremely high status under no obligation to return the gesture. If someone offers you a Wai, don’t be too embarrassed to return the gesture – it’s like rejecting someone’s handshake or high five.

Left vs. Right

In Thailand – as with many traditional cultures – the left hand is considered inferior or even ‘dirty’ compared to the right. You should always try to remember to pass objects or money with your right hand – this can be particularly hard if you’re left-handed (like me!) as it goes against your automatic reaction. However, Thais will highly appreciate the effort. The same rules apply for eating, so try to eat with a spoon held in your right hand, using your left hand to simply push food onto it with a fork.

So if you want to try out your newly-acquired etiquette skills in the city itself, be sure to check out flights to Bangkok with Expedia, who have some great deals running this summer.