What to not doEdit

  • Do not say or do anything that can be misconstrued as irreverence or disrespect towards the Royal Family. For example, this includes stepping on a coin with a portrait of a Thai king to stop it from rolling down a surface. See the caution regarding the Les Majeste laws in the Politics section above.
  • Do not be overly harsh with negative feedback. If you absolutely must deliver negative feedback to someone, always temper negative feedback with a diplomatic comment (e.g. I don't mean to sound rude, I am sorry to say this, and so on) and address it directly.
  • Do not say or do anything that can cause a Thai person to be seen in a bad light, i.e, lose face; Thai people will not hesitate to defend themselves if they feel someone has challenged them or has made them look bad in front of others. Keep in mind that defamation is a punishable offence in Thailand.
  • Do not raise your voice, lose your cool, or use swear words in a conversation. Thai people, in general, consider these coarse manners.
  • Do not ask about someone's salary, family, or standard of living unless you're well acquainted with someone. These are considered private affairs.
  • Do not exhibit the crossed fingers gesture; in Thailand, showing this gesture means that someone is lying to you.
  • Do not rest your feet on a table; this is impolite.
  • If you are a woman, do not touch a monk; it's strictly forbidden for a monk to touch a woman.
  • Do not sit above a monk. Sit below them or kneel before them.
  • Do not cross your legs in front of a monk. Kneel instead.
  • Do not pass anything directly to a monk. Put down what you want to give to a monk.
  • Do not take pictures of a monk unless they have permitted you.