Things to Know in Thailand – OMG finally Thailand has reopened its country for international tourists! Be honest, t-mates, don’t you miss this tropical destination? From the tasty street foods, warm sunlight, to pristine beaches. Ah, what a heaven!
But, t-mates, there are some things to know in Thailand. As they have their own culture and values, let’s learn some of them so we don’t accidentally do something bad!
Read more:
- Best Beaches to Visit in Thailand, Perfect for Your Tropical Vacay~
- Backpacking Thailand: Tips to Minimize Your Budget and Enjoy Holiday to the Fullest!
- Shopping Paradises in Bangkok: Shop Till You Drop!
8 Things to Know in Thailand, from Mannerism to Travel Hacks
Same as anywhere else, Thailand has its own set of traditions. This means you can’t just do what you regularly do in your own country as it can be forbidden in others. So, let’s take a look at some of the things to know in Thailand, shall we?
1. Mannerism of Visiting Temples
Thailand is a majority Buddha country, so it’s no surprise to see plenty of stunning temples in many areas in Thailand. But, as the temples are considered a sacred place, there are some rules of mannerism you need to follow.
The first one is regarding the choice of wardrobe. When visiting a temple, you must cover up and dress politely. Before entering, you also need to take off your shoes, hat, and sunglasses as a sign of respect.
2. Don’t Touch Someone’s Head
Well, it’s not like you can touch someone’s head in any other country, but it’s especially serious in Thailand. Here, the head is considered to be the most sacred part of the body. Touching someone’s head will be considered a disrespectful act and should be avoided.
3. Folding Money is a No-Go
The next thing you should know about Thailand is there is an unwritten rule that forbids people to fold or rumple their money. This is due to the fact that the money has the picture of the late His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. As he is one of the most beloved figures in Thailand, the locals despise people that fold their money.
4. Watch Out of the Holy Offerings on the Street
Just like in Bali, the sight of holy offerings on the streets of Thailand is a common one. The locals usually prepare these offerings daily and put them on the road or the car they drive for the Gods. As it is everywhere, you need to look at where you going and watch out to not step on them.
5. Avoid Skinship
Although Thailand is famous for its friendly locals, they don’t really like it when someone touches them. Unless you’re a family or a couple, shaking hands and hugging is considered unsanitary. So, to respect them, you can try their greeting called “wai”. It’s easy. You just need to cup your palms together as if in prayer and bow slightly.
6. The Calendar is Different
Did you know that Thailand uses more than one calendar? Yup, aside from the regular Western calendar, Thailand also uses Buddhist calendar where the year zero starts at Lord Buddha’s birth, 543 years before Jesus Christ.
In short, they have 2 New Year’s holidays, one on 31 December – 1 January while the other one on 13 -15 April, or the Songkran New Year. If you happen to visit Thailand during Songkran, you will see the most insane water-fight!
7. Some Months are Better for Certain Things than Others
Yes, Thailand is a tropical country. It means that most of the time they have sunny weather and a warm atmosphere that’s perfect for a trip. But still, some months are better than others for certain activities.
For example, the beaches are better to be visited during dry seasons, which are from November to February. But, to freely hop from island to island, it’s better to go in late October, May, or June. To read more on this, you can check out this article!
8. It’s OK to Negotiate
The last thing to know in Thailand is that you need to negotiate the price of everything. Not just in Thailand, but tourists can be overcharged when they shop or take public transport. So, do your research first and if you think that the price that’s being offered doesn’t make sense, you must negotiate.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun!
Sure there are some rules that you need to follow, but don’t let it stop you from having the best time of your life, okay? There are too many exciting places and activities to do in Thailand so make sure that you don’t forget to have fun!
To make your trip to Thailand even better, you can try to check out some of the best hotels in Thailand on the tiket.com app. With a wide range of accommodation types, you will surely discover your dream hotel in no time!
See you in Thailand, t-mates! Don’t forget to mask ON, tiket ON!
going anywhere? tiket.com!
