Language

According to Countryaah, the official language of the country is Thai. Residents of local villages also communicate in Chinese, English and Malay.

Religion and customs

The main religion of the country is Buddhism. There are also Muslim, Christian and Hindu movements.

Everywhere in Thailand you can see monks dressed in orange robes and Buddha figures placed everywhere. The popular form of Buddhism is Theravada. The teaching of this school is focused on developing the potential of each person without the help of gurus and saints.

In Thailand, there is a custom: during the days of the rainy season, every man can take a monastic vow for a while. You can become a monk for a period of several days to three months. It is the duty of every man, whether he is an ordinary citizen, a King or a Crown Prince.

Thais are religious and most of them honor their monarch. The royal anthem is broadcast twice a day on all TV channels and radio stations at 8 am and 6 pm. At these moments, every Thai must stand up, or freeze in place, if at that time he is on the street.

Women are forbidden to associate with Buddhist monks. If she wishes to bring an offering to the altar, she must ask a man to do so, or place the offerings herself on the edge of the cloak held by the monk.

It is not allowed for outsiders to be in the mosque during the service. Inside the mosque, men are in headdresses, and women are in long skirts, trousers, or other clothing that covers bare parts of the body, including hands. Leave shoes at the entrance to the mosque outside the threshold. Check agooddir for recent history of Thailand.

Code of conduct

Showing disrespect to the Buddha statue (you can not climb on the statue and step on it) is punishable by a fine.

When sitting in the lotus position, make sure that the feet are not directed towards a person, a sacred statue, or a king.

Do not touch the head of a local resident – they will take it as an insult.

Greetings. For greetings in Thailand, a special ritual “wai” is adopted. To do this, the hands are folded in a “boat” and applied to the head or chest. The higher the status of the person to whom the greeting is addressed, the higher the hands are located and the longer the ritual itself lasts. Tourists should not respond to the greetings of children and staff. In extreme cases, it is better to do with the usual nod.

Use business cards to negotiate.

Emotions. Raising your tone when talking to a Thai is considered bad manners.

Clothing. Shorts and miniskirts are only allowed to be worn in hotels or on the beach. Legs must be covered at least to the ankles in public places.

Liberty of morals, the use of soft drugs, prostitutes, imaginary “massage parlors” on the west coast of the country bring confusion to the lives of local residents. Before you check into a hotel, find out about the rules adopted in the area.

Holidays

Most holidays in Thailand are associated with historical events in the country, religious dates, or stages in a person’s personal life. Some of them are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, their date changes every year. All holidays here are celebrated on a grand scale and are accompanied by carnival processions, music and dances.

Official public holidays in Thailand:

January 1 – New Year;

End of January – beginning of February – Chinese New Year. It is celebrated for three days;

April 6 – Day of the ruling dynasty;

April 12-14 – Thai New Year;

May 5 – Coronation Day;

7.05 – Day of the first furrow

May 10 – Queen’s birthday;

23.10 – Memorial Day of Rama V;

5.12 – Birthday of the king;

10.12 – Constitution Day;

February, May, July, November – Days of the new moon.