country profile of thailand in english

8/20/2019 Country Profile of THAILAND in English

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Info4Migrants

THAILANDCountry prole

Project number: UK/13/LLP-LdV/TOI-615


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AREA 513,120 km2

66,720 mlnPOPULATION

GDP per capita

CURRENCY

$ 5,675

Language THAI

Baht (฿) (THB)

2 Country profle THAILANDLearnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com


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COUNTRY BACKGROUND

Ocial name: the Kingdom of Thailand. The country’s o-

cial name was Siam unl 23 June 1939, when it was changed

to Thailand; it was renamed Siam between 1945 and 1949,

aer which the name Thailand was once again adopted.

Locaon: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea

and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Capital: Bangkok

Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon

(mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (No-

vember to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and

humid

Ethnic Make-up: Thai 75%, Thai Chinese 14%, other 11%

(Malay, Mon, Khmer, mountain folks)

Religions: Buddhism 94%, Islam 4.6%, Chrisanity 0.7%, Hin-

duism 0.1%

Naonal Flag

Naonal emblem

THAILAND

Bangkok

CAMBODIA

LAOS

BURMA



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THAILAND FACTS

Languages

The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vow-

els and ve tones in Thai pronunciaon, 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 spo-

ken in Thailand are Chinese, Lao, Malay and Mon-Khmer,

while using English is becoming more prevalent in govern-

ment and commerce. English is also being taught as a sec-

ond language in secondary school and universies, which

means that an English-speaking visitor in Thailand has lile

trouble conversing.

Siamese cats

Siamese cats are nave to Thailand. In Thai they are called

wichen-maat, meaning “moon diamond.” A 14th-century

book of Thai poems describes 23 types of Siamese cats;

today only six breeds are le. Giving a pair of Si Sawat cats

(a type of Siamese cats) to a bride is supposed to bring good

luck to the marriage.

Buddhism

Thailand is a stronghold of Buddhism. Buddhists believe

that life does not begin with birth and end with death, butrather that every person has several lives based upon the

lessons of life not yet learned and acts commied (karma)

in previous lives.

Buddhists believe that selshness and craving result in

suering and that compassion and love bring happiness and

well-being. The true path to peace is to eliminate all desire,

a condion which Buddhists dene as ‘nirvana’, an inde-

scribable state free of desire, suering, or further rebirth, inwhich a person simply is, and is completely unied with his

surroundings.



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THAILAND FACTS

Unique ora and fauna

One of Thailand’s most curious creatures is the mudskipper,

which is a sh capable of walking on land and climbing trees.

It uses its ns to “walk” and can absorb oxygen through its

skin and lining in its mouth. It spends most of its me out of

the water, eang the algae in dal pools.

More than 1,500 species of orchids grow wild in Thai forests.

Thailand is the world’s number one orchid exporter.

Thailand is home to what may be the world’s longest snake,

the reculated python. The length of the largest one ever

found exceeds 10 metres. The country is also home to the

world’s longest poisonous snake, the king cobra. The cobra

can be over 6 metres long, and one bite from it can kill anelephant. The world’s smallest mammal, the bumble bat,

also lives here.

Naonal Emblem

The naonal emblem of Thailand is called the Phra Khrut

Pha, literally “Garuda as the vehicle” . The Garuda was of -

cially adopted as the naonal emblem by King Vajiravudh

(Rama VI) in 1911. However, the mythical creature had been

used as a symbol of royalty in Thailand for centuries. The

Garuda is depicted on seals, which are used by the King of

Thailand and the Government of Thailand to authencateocial documents and as its primary emblem.

The Garuda is a mythological beast in the Hindu and Bud-

dhist tradion. According to Hindu mythology, the Garuda

is the vahana (vehicle) of the god Vishnu (more commonly

known in Thailand as Narayana). The ancient kings of Thai-

land believed in divine kingship, and considered themselves

the incarnaon of the god Narayana. Thus the Garuda came

to symbolize the divine power and authority of the king.



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THAILAND FACTS

Nest soup

Swilet nests are made from strands of saliva from the

male swilet bird. Swilet nests collected from Thai

caves can costmore than $900 per pound. It is one of the

world’s most coveted and expensive food items. The nests

used in bird’s nest soup are composed almost enrely of

saliva with lile or no plant material. The soup is made

by soaking and steaming the nests in water and is said tobe an aphrodisiac and to have various medicinal qualies.

The nests can gain high prices and many colonies are har-

vested commercially.

Flag

The naonal ag was introduced in 1917 by King Vaji-

ravudh (Rama VI). Its two horizontal red stripes symbolizethe land and its people. The white horizontal stripes rep-

resent the purity of Buddhism, the naon’s main religion.

The wide blue band across the center stands for the

monarchy. Before 1917, the ag had a picture of a white

elephant against a red background.

Name

Thailand’s name in the Thai language is Prathet Thai,

which means “Land of the Free.” It is the only country in

Southeast Asia that was never colonized by a European

naon. Thailand has had several names over the centuries.

For hundreds of years, it was known by the names of its

dominant cies, such as Sukhothai, Ayuhaya, and Thon-

buri. Since the 1800s, it has repeatedly switched back andforth between Siam (Sanskrit meaning dark or brown) and

Thailand.



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1 January: New Year’s Day

Celebrates the start of the

solar and Gregorian year.

1st day of the Chinese calen-

dar (February):

Chinese New YearObserved by Thai Chinese,

usually celebrated for three

days.

Full moon, 3rd Thai lunar

month (February):

Magha Puja

Buddhist observance com-

memorang the Buddha’s

teaching of Ovada Pamok-

kha.

6 April: Chakri Memorial Day

Commemorates the establish-

ment of the Chakri Dynasty

and the founding of Bangkok

by King Buddha Yodfa Chu-

laloke in 1782.

13-15 April:

Songkran Fesval

Tradional Thai New Year, and

the major holiday of the year.

Many people return home for

family reunions during this

period.

5 May: Coronaon Day

Commemorates the corona-

on of King Bhumibol Adulya-

dej in 1950.

Moveable date during May:

Royal Ploughing Ceremony

and Farmer’s Day

Ceremonial blessing of thecountry’s farmers.

Full moon, 6th Thai lunar

month (May): Vesak


memorang the birth, en-

lightenment and passing of

the Buddha. Also observed as

Naonal Tree Day.

Full moon, 8th Thai lunar

month (July): Asalha Puja


memorang the Buddha’s rst

discourse.

First waning moon, 8th Thai

lunar month (July):

Beginning of Vassa

Buddhist observance marking

the beginning of Vassa, also

known as Buddhist Lent

12 August: Queen’s Birthday

Commemorates the birthday

of Queen Sirikit in 1932; alsoobserved as Naonal Mother’s

Day.

23 October:

Chulalongkorn Day

Commemorates the passing of

King Chulalongkorn in 1910.

5 December:

King’s Birthday

Commemorates the birthday

of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in

1927. Also observed as Na-

onal Day and Naonal Fa-

ther’s Day.

10 December:

Constuon Day

Commemorates the promul-

gaon of the rst permanent

constuon in 1932.

31 December:

New Year’s Eve

The last day of the Gregorian

year.

Moveable day during winter:

Eid ul-Fitr

Muslim holiday celebrang

the end of the fasng month

of Ramadan.

Moveable day during winter:

Eid al-Adha

Muslim holiday commemorat-

ing the willingness of Ibrahim

to sacrice his son Ismael as

an act of obedience to Allah.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS



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Ko Tarutao

Ko Tarutao is one of the 51 islands that belong to the Tarutao Naonal Marine Park archi -

pelago in southern Thailand. One of Tarutao’s greatest aracons is its wildlife; the island

and its surroundings are home to sea turtles, whales, monitor lizards, crab-eang ma-

caques, mouse deer and others.

Ayuthaya

Ayuthaya was founded in 1350 AD by King U Thong as the second capital of Siam aer

Sukhothai. Throughout the centuries, the ideal locaon between China, India and the

Malay Archipelago made Ayuhaya the trading capital of Asia. By 1700 Ayuhaya had

become one of the largest cies in the world with a total of 1 million inhabitants. In 1767,

the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulng in the collapse of the kingdom. The

city was re-founded a few kilometers to the east of the ruins, which now form the Ayut-

thaya historical park. Most of the remains are temples and palaces, as those were the

only buildings made of stone at that me.

Ko Chang

Located near the border with Cambodia, Ko Chang is the second largest island in Thailand

and the biggest in the Ko Chang Marine Park archipelago. Ko Chang is one of Thailand’s

most beauful islands with several waterfalls, thriving coral reefs, rainforests and long

white sandy beaches. The island is also home to a wide range of wildlife, including birds,

snakes, deer and a number of elephants.

Grand Palace

The construcon of the Grand Palace started in 1782 when the capital of Siam was moved

from Thonburi to Bangkok. The Grand Palace covers a wide range of architectural styles,ranging from a pure Ayuhayan style of the temples to a blend of Thai and Western for

later structures. It also includes the Wat Phra Kaew, home to the Emerald Buddha, one of

the oldest and most famous statues of the Buddha in the world.

Similan Islands

The Similan Islands in the western Andaman Sea are considered the best diving desna-

on in Thailand. The archipelago consists of nine islands covered in tropical jungle with

white sandy beaches. The views under the water surface are even more impressive. There

are two dierent kinds of diving spots around the Similan Islands. Diving sites facing eastconsist of gently sloping coral reefs while diving sites facing west feature massive granite

boulders, covered with hard and so corals.

POPULAR ATTRACTIONS



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Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Chiang Mai is one of the top Thailand aracons. The famous Night Bazaar sprawls along

several city blocks along footpaths, inside buildings and temple grounds. It has handi-

cras, arts, clothing and and imported products of all descripons, and a number of large,

well-appointed modern shopping centers. At rst, the market was owned by Chinese mer-

chants, but since it grew in size as more commercial buildings were built, it was no longer

owned by a single group of people. Instead, there are many owners, and most of them

are Thai.

Railay

Railay beach (or Rai Leh) is a small peninsula that is only accessible by boat due to the

high limestone clis cung o mainland access. These clis aract rock climbers from all

over the world, but the area is also a popular aracon in Thailand due to its beauful

beaches and quiet relaxing atmosphere. Accommodaon ranges from inexpensive bunga-

lows popular with backpackers and climbers, to the renowned jet-set resort of Rayavadee.

Phang Nga Bay

Phang Nga Bay is one of the top aracons in Thailand and one of most scenic areas in

the country. It consists of beauful caves, aquac grooes and limestone islands. The

most famous island in the bay is a sea stack called Ko Ping Kan (more commonly known

as James Bond Island) which was featured in the James Bond movie “The Man with the

Golden Gun”.

Koh Tao

Koh Tao, literally Turtle Island, is a small island located near the eastern shore of the Gulf

of Thailand. Around 7000 new divers get cered on Koh Tao each year, making it one ofthe most popular desnaons in the world for learning to dive. Diving around the island

reefs is easy and fun and you can see an impressive variety of marine species such as

coral, turtles, lots of small sh, barracudas, and there is a very small chance of seeing a

whale shark. The average visibility is around 15-20 meters.

Ko Phi Phi

Ko Phi Phi is a small archipelago in the Krabi Province in Southern Thailand. Ko Phi Phi

Don is the largest island of the group, and is the only island with permanent inhabitants

while the smaller Ko Phi Phi Leh is very popular as a beach or for diving excursions. Tour-ism on Ko Phi Phi has grown exponenally only very recently, especially aer Ko Phi Phi

Leh was used as a locaon for the 2000 movie The Beach.

POPULAR ATTRACTIONS



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INTERESTING FACTS

1. In the past, all Thai young men, including the kings, became Buddhist monks for at

least a short period of me before their 20th birthday. Today, fewer young men observe

the pracce.

2. The longest toponym in the world is the full name of Bangkok: Krungthepmahanakhon

Amonraanakosin Mahintharayuhaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom

Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathayawitsanukamprasit.

It means “City of Angels, Great City of Immortals, Magnicent City of the Nine Gems, Seat

of the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of Gods Incarnate, Erected by Visvakarman at

Indra’s Behest.”

3. Bangkok was once called the “Venice of the East” because its original buildings stood

on slts above the Chao Phraya River. However, as Bangkok grew larger, most canals were

lled and paved.

4. A century ago, northern Thailand was covered with dense hardwood forests. Today

only about a fourth of the country remains wooded. Thailand has the second-highest rate

of forest loss in Southeast Asia, exceeded only by Singapore.

5. Trac police in Bangkok wear facemasks because of dangerous levels of air polluon.

Addionally, police staons are equipped with oxygen tanks in case exhaust fumes over-

whelm the ocers. More than 20% of Bangkok’s police have some form

of lung disease. One Thai bank esmated that Bangkok’s polluon

problems cost the naon $2.3 billion annually in lost producon,

wasted energy, and health costs.

6. Thailand has a reputaon for sexual tolerance and

is considered very safe for LGBT travelers. Trans-

sexuals, also known as krathoeys or ladyboys,

are highly visible in society.

7. The 2004 tsunami hurtled a wall

of water 30 feet high over Thailand’s

coast, killing over 8,000 people (in-

cluding over 2000 tourists). An esmat-ed 1,500 Thai children lost their parents

and more than 150,000 Thais working in the

shing or tourist industries lost their livelihoods.



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8. Prostuon is technically illegal in Thailand, but the law is very rarely enforced. Es-

mates of the number of sex workers vary from 30,000 to more than 1 mil-

lion.

9. A century ago, more than 100,000 elephants lived in Thai-

land, with about 20,000 of them untamed. Now, there are

about 5,000, with less than half of them wild.

10. Thailand’s and the world’s longest reigning mon-

arch is Bhumibol Adulyadej, who became King Rama

IX in June 1946. He was born in the U.S. in 1927

when his father was studying medicine at Harvard.

He owns a patent on a form of cloud seeding and

holds a degree in engineering from Switzerland.

11. World-famous golfer Tiger Woods is the son of

an American father and a Thai mother.

12. Bangkok is one of Asia’s top tourist desnaons.

In 2005, more than 11 million foreign tourists visited in

the city.

13. The Ramakien is the naonal epic narrave of Thailand

and has inuenced everyday Thai life for hundreds of years. The

story is actually the Thai version of Ramayana, a poem rst told in

India 3,000 year ago.

14. Thailand has aracted many expatriates from developed countries.

15. The brothers who gave the world the term “Siamese twins” were born in 1811 in a

village near Bangkok. The twins Eng and Chang were joined at the chest and le Thailand

for the U.S when they were 17 years old. Each brother married, and between them they

had 22 children. In 1873, Eng caught pneumonia and died. Chang died a few hours later.

16. The rst case of HIV/Aids was reported in Thailand in 1984. Thailand currently has thehighest prevalence of HIV in Asia.

INTERESTING FACTS



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Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromac compo-

nents and a spicy edge. It is known for its complex interplay of at least three and up to

four or ve fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty,

bier and spicy.

Thai cuisine and the culinary tradions and cuisines of Thailand’s neighbors have mutually

inuenced one another over the course of many centuries. Regional variaons tend to

correlate with neighboring states (oen sharing the same cultural background and ethnic-

ity on both sides of the border) as well as climate and geography.

Thai food was tradionally eaten with the right hand while seated on mats or carpets on

the oor, which is sll the case in the more tradional households. It

is now generally eaten with a fork and a spoon. An import-

ant concept with Thai dining equee is khluk: mixing

the avors and textures from the dierent dishes

with the rice on one’s plate. The food is pushed

by the fork, held in the le hand, into the

spoon held in the right hand, which is then

brought to the mouth.

Tom yam

This herb-forward broth is oen re-

ferred to in English-language menus as

‘sour Thai soup’. The shrimp version

– tom yam kung – is the most lauded,

and jusably so: the combinaon

of fay prawns and a tart/spicy soup

result in an unusual but delicious and

disnctly Thai amalgam.

Laap

Thailand’s northeast in one rusc dish; laap

(also known as larb or larp) takes the form of

minced meat seasoned with roasted rice pow-

der, lime juice, sh sauce and fresh herbs. Be sureto eat it with scky rice, short, fat grains of rice that are

steamed and eaten by hand.

THAI CUISINE



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Khao soi

Typically revolving around chicken or beef, the oponal sides of lime, sliced shallots and

crunchy pickled greens provide a pleasing contrast with the rich, spice-laden, coconut

milk-based broth and so, squiggly wheat-and-egg noodles.

Som tam

Som tam, a spicy papaya salad, comes from northeast Thailand, but it has reached near-

cult status throughout the rest of the country. Slight regional dierences in ingredients

means placement on the sweet-or-sour scale may vary greatly between restaurants. Com-

mon to all recipes is shredded green papaya and a healthy dose of heat. Barbequed chick-

en and lumps of scky rice are the perfect companions.

Phat kaphrao

This street food staple combines meat ash-fried with holy basil (the eponymous kaphrao)

and a generous helping of fresh chilli and garlic. Served over rice and oen crowned with a

fried egg, it is the epitome of a one-dish meal in Thai style.

Green curryFor Thai food novices, there is probably no beer starng point than this intersecon of a

piquant/herbal spice paste and rich coconut milk. Remember to do as the Thais and cou-

ple the curry with a plate of jasmine rice – it is not meant to be eaten on its own as a soup.

Yam

As a side dish or drinking snack, you are bound to encounter this ubiquitous Thai salad

that combines meat or seafood with a tart/spicy dressing and fresh herbs. A good intro-

ducon to the genre is yam wun sen, slinky glass noodles paired with minced pork and

shrimp.

Kai yang

Thai-style grilled chicken owes its fame to the people of the country’s northeast, who mar-

inate the bird in a unique mixture of sh sauce, coriander root and garlic. Couple the bird

with scky rice and green papaya salad, and you have one of Thailand’s most legendary

meals.

Khao phat

For many Thai people, fried rice is comfort food. The variaons are endless, and the dish is

oen the result of improvisaon, but a staple at seafood restaurants across the country is

the simple but delicious khao phat puu, rice fried with hearty chunks of crab and egg.

THAI CUISINE



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Thais are tolerant of individualism, but nd comfort and security in being part of a group.

Mai Pen Rai (never mind) is the Thai expression which characterizes the general focus of

life - “it is to enjoy.” Thais are producve and hard-working while at the same me happy

with what they are and what they have. They are smiling, pleasant, humble and paent people who laugh easily, speak soly, are slow to anger, and never try to cause anyone to

lose face.

Thais are very proud of their cultural heri-

tage and enjoy talking about it with visitors.

Thais are proud that they have never been

ruled by a Western power.

Names and Titles

Thais address one another by rst names

and tles and reserve last names for very

formal occasions and wrien communica-

ons. Last names have only been used in

Thailand for the past y years. Two people

with the same last name are almost certain-

ly related.

Foreigners are oen addressed by their

given names because it is easier for Thais; it

does not imply familiarity. Thais will proba-

bly call you Mr. Joe or Mrs. Mary.

Titles, rank and honor are very important.

Introducons require only the given name

and tle. Mr., Mrs., or Miss + family name

are appropriate for visitors to use in formal

situaons.

Thai given names are preceded by Khun

(Mr. Mrs. or Miss), unless they carry a high-

er degree, such as doctor. Khun is used for

men and women, married or single. If you

don’t know a person’s name, address them

as Khun. Example: Anuwat (Given) + Waa-

pongsiri (Family) is Khun Anuwat.

Correspondence: Use Dear + Khun + given

name. Example: Dear Khun Mary.

THAI PEOPLE



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WaiThe wai is the common form of greeng

and adheres to strict rules of protocol.

Raising both hands, palms joined with the

ngers poinng upwards as if in prayer,

lightly touching the body somewhere be-

tween the chest and the forehead, is the

standard form.

The wai is both a sign of respect as well

as a greeng. 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 sing, walk-

ing, or standing. The person who is junior

in age or status is the rst one to oer the

wai. The senior person returns the wai,

generally with their hands raised to some-

where around their chest. If a junior person

is standing and wants to wai a senior per-

son who is seated, the junior person will

stoop or bow their head while making thewai.

If there is a great social distance between

two people, the wai will not be returned.

Hierarchical SocietyThais respect hierarchical relaonships: so-

cial relaonships are dened as one person

being superior to the other. Parents aresuperior to their children, teachers to their

students, and bosses to their subordinates.

When Thais meet a stranger, they will

immediately try to place you within a hi-

erarchy so they know how you should be

treated. This is oen done by asking what

might be seen as very personal quesons

in other cultures.

Status can be determined by clothing and

general appearance, age, job, educaon,

family name, and social connecons.

Thai DemeanourThais place great emphasis and value on

outward forms of courtesy such as po-

liteness, respect, genial demeanour and

self-control in order to maintain harmo-

nious relaons. Many of their rules of

equee are by-products of the Buddhist

religion.

It is a non-confrontaonal society, in which

public dispute or cricism is to be avoided

at all costs.

• Being openly angry with someone might

aract the wrath of the spirits, which in

turn could cause violence and tragedy.• Openly cricizing a person is a form of vi-

olence as it hurts the person and is viewed

as a conscious aempt to oend the per-

son being rebuked

• Loss of face is a disgrace to a Thai so they

try to avoid confrontaons and look for

compromises in dicult situaons.

• If two pares disagree, one will need to

have an outlet to retreat without losingface.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE



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IMPORTANT TIPS

Dining Equee

If you are invited to a Thai’s house:

• Arrive close to the appointed me, al-

though being a few minutes late will not

cause oence.

• Check to see if the host is wearing shoes.

If not, remove yours before entering the

house.• Ask another guest to conrm 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 conservasm is always a good idea.

Table manners

• A fork and spoon are the usual eang

utensils. However, noodles are oen eaten

with chopscks.

• The spoon is held in the right hand and

the fork in the le. The fork is used to

guide food on to the spoon. Scky rice, a

northern Thai delicacy, is oen eaten with

the ngers of the right hand.

• Most meals are served as buets or withserving plaers at the centre of the table

family- style.

• You may begin eang as soon as you are

served.

• Leave a lile food on your plate aer

you have eaten to show that you are full.

Finishing everything indicates that you are

sll hungry.

• Never leave rice on your plate as it isconsidered wasteful. The words for food

and rice are the same. Rice has an almost

myscal signicance in addion to its

humdrum ‘daily bread’ funcon.

• Never take the last bite from the serving

bowl.

• Wait to be asked before taking a second

helping.

• Do not lick your ngers.

Gi Giving Equee

• If invited to a Thai’s home, a gi is not

expected, although it will be appreciated.

• Gis should be wrapped aracvely,

since appearance maers. Bows and rib-

bons add to the sense of fesvity.

• Appropriate gis are owers, good quali-

ty chocolates or fruit.

• Do not give marigolds or carnaons, as

they are associated with funerals.

• Try to avoid wrapping a gi in green,

black or blue, as these are used at funerals

and in mourning.

• Gold and yellow are considered royal co-

lours, so they make good wrapping paper.

• Only use red wrapping paper if giving a

gi to a Chinese Thai.

• Gis are not opened when received.• Money is the usual gi for weddings and

ordinaon pares.



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USEFUL HINTS

Respect to the Royal Family

Show respect for the King and his family – Thais will not appreciate even the friendliest

jest about their monarch. Thai people have a deep respect for their King, an aecon

that reciprocates his many accomplishments and sacrices for the country. Remember

that respect for the King isn’t just polite, it’s the law.

Thai Family Values

The family is the cornerstone of Thai society. Family life is oen 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.

Hello in Thai

Unlike in other Southeast Asian countries, Thai people use the same greeng regardless

of the me of day or night.

Although English spellings vary, the standard Thai greeng is: sawasdee -- sounds like

“sah wah dee” -- with a wai gesture and a smile. Women end their greeng with a

drawn-out “khaaa” which falls in tone. Men end

their greeng by saying “khrap!” with a sharp,

upward tone. The “r” is rarely pronounced, so

the ending sounds more like “kap!”.

Especially for Women

Men conduct most business. However, many

tradional gender barriers are disappearing.

More and more women are holding execuveposions in the workforce.

Ladies may not enter a bot, the restricted area

of a wat (temple). Never touch a monk, hand

him anything or sit next to or higher than him.

When vising a mosque, cover your body. Wear

slacks, a long skirt, a long-sleeved blouse with a

buoned neck, and a headscarf.

Tradional Thais believe a woman can lose face

if a man touches her in public.



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Smiling

There’s a reason why Thailand is called ‘The Land of Smiles’. Smiling is a complex form

of communicaon that doesn’t always mean one thing. It’s been said that Thais have at

least 13 smiles they use for dierent situaons. A lot of westerners can be confused when

Thais will smile in a very serious situaon. Foreigners also misinterpret a Thai smiling

or laughing at them as not taking something seriously or being made fun of. This is not

the case. People might smile when they are embarrassed or sad just as much as when

they want to be playful. They aren’t disregarding a serious situaon as much as trying to

maintain the harmony menoned before. Be paent with yourself when trying to read

peoples’ smiles and smile a lot yourself. While bargaining, confronng somebody, or just

meeng a stranger, a smile will go a long way.

Collecvism

Thais are very communal. Most Thais sleep in the same bed with their parents into their

early teens and almost always share beds with their siblings. Families are very important

and many live in close proximity to their relaves. A lot of people don’t require the same

amount of alone me that most westerners do. There is a belief that the group is more

important than the individual. Any polical leader that has gained the love of the Thai

people has done so by creang a sense of unity for the Thai people. Their culture has

expanded by this communal idea and building posive relaonships. This is why some-

mes villagers are able to connect more with groups of foreigners than an individual.

Somemes, westerners can be seen as too individualisc or even selsh. If you are able to

show the proper courtesy while traveling in Thailand, people will want to get to know you

and accept your individuality beer.

Confrontaon and saving faceAnybody who has spent a lot of me in Thailand has seen a foreigner ip out at a restau-

rant for not geng what they’ve ordered, food taking too long, or somebody being

served rst who arrived aer them. In a western country, directly confronng the waiter

or asking to see the manager will get you quick results, whereas in Thailand people will

likely ignore you. The reason for this is that it is almost never acceptable to lose your cool

in public. Also, it is considered disrespecul to embarrass a person for doing something

wrong. The best thing to do is talk in a way that doesn’t cause disharmony. For example,

if your food is taking too long at a restaurant, instead of saying, ‘I ordered this 45 minutes

ago! Why is the service so slow?’ say, ‘Excuse me, did I remember to make my order?’ Ifyou ever see a confrontaon between two Thais, people generally defuse the situaon by

smiling, saying everything is OK, and gently oering a soluon that works for everybody.

USEFUL HINTS



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DOS AND DON’TS

Body Gestures

DO understand the meaning of the “wai”,

the Thai bow of politeness

DON’T point with one nger. It’s considered

impolite.

DON’T show aecon in public or even

touch someone of the opposite sex.

DON’T pass something over someone’s

head. The head is considered sacred in

Thailand.

DON’T point with your feet or use your feet

to touch something. Feet are considered

dirty, because they are the lowest part of

the body.

DON’T talk with your hands or put your

hands in your pockets while talking to

someone.

DON’T step on a threshold when going

through a doorway. Step over it instead.

Thais believe that a spirit lives in thethreshold.

Business Meeng

DO expect men to primarily conduct busi-

ness, although women are beginning to get

more involved in Thailand’s business world.

DON’T rush negoaons. Business deci-

sion-making can be slow in Thailand.DO expect to be addressed by your tle and

rst name, i.e. Mr. Bob. This isn’t to be rude

or disrespecul.

DO introduce colleagues of a lower profes-

sional status before introducing yourself in

a formal business situaon.

Greengs

DO greet with a wai if you feel comfortable.

However, as a foreigner, you aren’t expect-

ed to iniate a wai, but you must always

return a wai to be polite.

DON’T greet children, waiters, vendors,

etc. with a wai. If they greet you with a wai,

simply smile and nod back at them.

DO shake hands if not oered a wai.

Religious Equee

DO dress conservavely. Women should

wear long skirts or pants and covered

shoulders. Don’t wear sandals.

DON’T take photos at a temple.

DO remove shoes upon entering.

DON’T sit with your feet poinng towards a

Buddha. Sit cross-legged or with your feet

tucked under you.

DON’T touch a monk, give him anything, sit

next to him, or sit above him.

DON’T touch a Buddha image. They are

sacred. Don’t climb on top of it, move it, oreven sit next to it to pose for a picture. It’s

disrespecul.



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CORPORATE CULTURE

Relaonships & Communicaon

In Thailand, business decisions may takemuch me as decisions pass through many

levels before the nal decision is reached.

Frankness is not appreciated. Be subtle in

responding with a negave reply. It is di-

cult for most Thais to say no, so you must

be aware of their non-verbal communica-

on.

Thais prefer doing business with people

they know and respect. Relaonships de-

velop slowly and do not ourish aer one

meeng; it may take several meengs.

Thai communicaon is formal and non-ver-

bal communicaon is oen more important

than verbal communicaon. Watch your

body language and facial expressions, asthese will be believed over your words.

Rank is always respected. Degrees, especial-

ly from presgious universies, bring status.Thais may list these on their business card.

Thais respect foreigners with powerful con-

necons.

Business Meeng EqueeAppointments are necessary and should be

made in advance.

It is a good idea to send a list of who will beaending the meeng and their credenals

so that Thais know the relave status of the

people aending the meeng and can plan

properly.

You should arrive at meengs on me as

it signies respect for the person you are

meeng.

Always send an agenda and material about

your company as well as data to substan-

Always be respecul

and courteous when

dealing with others, as

this leads to the har -

monious relaonshipsnecessary within busi -

ness.



21/22

CORPORATE CULTURE

ate your posion prior to the meeng.

Remain standing unl told where to sit.

The hierarchical culture has strict rulesabout rank and posion in the group.

DressThai society is divided into upper and

lower classes. At formal occasions, dress

is expected to match one’s social staon.

Appearance is very important. Wealth is

greatly admired. High-status Thais oen

overdress, especially considering the hot

climate.

Western clothing is very common. Modest

clothing is recommended. General dress is

informal but always neat and clean. Cloth-

ing should be stylish and cool.

For Businessmen: Pants and shirts (white

or colored) with or without a e. A light

suit or jacket increases status. In the eve-

ning, dark business suits or formal tradi-

onal Thai shirts are worn. Senior execu-

ves wear light weight suits to work.

For Businesswomen: Conservave dress-

es or skirts and blouses (not sleeveless).

Simple blouses and calf-length loose pants

and long wrap-around or tube skirts are

common.

Business CardsBusiness cards are given out aer the inial

handshake and greeng. In theory, you

should give your card to the most senior

person rst. Using your right hand, deliver

your business card so the Thai side faces

the recipient. Look at a business card for a

few seconds before placing it on the table

or in a business card case. As in most Asian

countries, it is polite to make some com-

ment about the card, even if it is only to

acknowledge the address.

Since Thais judge you

based on your clothing

and accessories, ensure

that your shoes are al -

ways well-polished.



22/22

Veronica Gelfgren

Yulia Bazyukina

Marja-Liisa Helenius

Research

Research, layout

Proofreading

Learnmera Oy

country profile of thailand in english

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