When it comes to visiting a country, you must remember that you are a guest. And many things that seem "normal" to us might not be so elsewhere.
For example, in our culture we often greet each other with a kiss on the cheek, or failing that, a handshake, whereas here we greet each other with hands clasped together, a gesture known as the Wai. This highly codified gesture originates from the Indian Namaste.
Coming across an article (which no longer exists, but the sentences in quotation marks are the "originals, spelling mistakes included) which succinctly described a list of things not to do in Thailand, I wanted to provide some clarification by adding my experience because I find that there are some inaccuracies.
15 Things Not to Do When Coming to Thailand
1) Criticizing the royal family
"Do not criticize the King or the royal family. In Thailand this type of behavior is not just considered rude: it is a crime against the monarchy that can be punished by a prison sentence!"
That's true in practice, but in theory it takes more than just an empty statement which would not be sufficient evidence in court, so unless your conversation is recorded… the risk remains limited.
But with the rise of social media, everything is scrutinized, and using inappropriate language on Facebook can quickly get you into trouble. In any case, it seems wiser to refrain from criticizing ; it wouldn't benefit the country that's hosting you.
2) Using narcotics
"Don't do drugs. This is no joke. If you are caught in possession of drugs you will have the choice between paying a very large bribe to the police or ending up in prison for several years."
And here, I can only confirm, in France there's rather laxity in this area, but here, some foreigners have been languishing for quite some time now… So yes, Thailand has legalized cannabis… but it's for medical purposes, and while there are still shops to smoke it pretty much everywhere, the revised law requires a prescription for you to smoke there (in practice, I don't know if it's strictly enforced…)
In any case, please refrain from smoking joints in public; this is not a country for that (see the very bottom of the article).
3) Getting ripped off by tuk-tuks
“Never let a tuk-tuk or taxi driver take you to a gem shop. These kinds of schemes always end the same way: you are forced to buy at an inflated price.”
It's more of a waste of time than anything else; I've never really heard that they're going to "force" you to buy something, throw you out because you don't buy it, yes…
However, don't be fooled by drivers using the excuse of "Buddha Day," or something similar, to claim that the Grand Palace or Wat Pho are temporarily closed. Always check for yourself; there are indeed public holidays and ceremonies that necessitate closures (most often the Grand Palace, and usually only in the afternoon), but since these are rare, it's almost certainly false. 😉
I've also written a full article on scams to avoid in Thailand: see here
4) Exceeding the authorized length of stay (overstay)
“Do not overstay your visa. In Thailand you will be fined 500 THB per day overstayed and if you cannot pay, you will end up behind bars.”
This seems obvious… Knowing that the fine is valid especially if you present yourself to immigration, if you are stopped in the street or elsewhere and your visa has expired, the fine and the consequences are likely to be more serious.
Note that there is a ceiling of 20 baht for the overstay fine. They will be a little less picky if the overstay is found when leaving Thailand via an international airport, like a day might not be counted, on the other hand, even exceeded by a few hours, an overstay of one day will be counted if passing by land…
The rule prevails as follows:
If you present yourself to the immigration office with a:
- Overstaying less than 90 days results in a 1-year ban from entering Thailand.
- Overstaying less than 1 year results in a 3-year ban from entering Thailand.
- Overstaying less than 3 years = 5-year ban from entering Thailand
- Overstaying less than 5 years = 10-year ban from entering Thailand
If you are randomly checked while in an overstay situation, you will be arrested with the following consequences (at a minimum):
- Overstaying less than 1 year = 5-year ban from entering Thailand
- Overstaying more than 1 year = 10-year ban from entering Thailand
5) Point your feet towards Buddha
"Don't point your feet at a Thai person. This action is very rude and could get you into trouble: it's silly but that's the way it is."
It's important to know that the head is considered the noblest part of the body; this is why it's generally considered impure to touch children's heads. Conversely, the feet are considered the most impure part…
In practice, it's not often that you have the opportunity to point your foot at someone… However, it's the same reason why you shouldn't stretch your legs out towards a Buddha statue , but rather fold them up at your knees or sit cross-legged, and this is something you should definitely observe. In some temples, a guard will be able to remind you of the proper etiquette if you extend your legs towards the Buddha.
Afterwards, it's no more "idiotic" than when we say "we don't point at someone, it's impolite".
6) Driving without a helmet (and without a license)
"Don't drive without a helmet or a valid license, or worse, while drinking. In addition to the fine that hangs over your head, a traffic accident in Thailand usually ends dramatically: it must be said that Thais are crazy drivers and when they hit, they hit hard!"
It's the same in France! So there's no reason to do things differently, and it seems obvious! Yet when I see these reckless young guys (I don't know what else to call them) driving carelessly (especially in the southern islands), without helmets and even without the proper license, it exasperates me…
Even ordinary tourists, probably just trying to "imitate" the locals and "let loose" (because it's hot), also tend to ride without helmets, sometimes even with their families and children, 3 or 4 on the scooter…
Stop trying to be "like them," you certainly won't be better perceived/appreciated... And because you're not at home, even if they don't always respect their laws, it's certainly not up to you, as a guest, to flout them!
More generally, I would say that in terms of driving, there are worse than Thai driving in terms of "disorganization" (see India or Vietnam), but Thailand unfortunately has a very high number of road deaths worldwide (sometimes at the top of the list, with a ratio of more than 35 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, a sad record…) due to a fast and reckless driving style, particularly motorcycles, so be careful!
If you plan to rent a vehicle, I invite you to read my article on driving in Thailand.
7) To be shameless
"Don't sunbathe topless! Such an initiative on your part would be very badly received by Thais (especially Thai women)."
It depends specifically on where . If you go to a small beach in the far south of Thailand, I'm thinking particularly of the extreme south where the Thais are predominantly Muslim, well, there, yes, it could be frankly frowned upon, but on the tourist beaches of Phuket, Samui etc… I don't think it will be particularly "unwelcome".
Yes, it's a tropical country, it's hot, even very hot depending on the season, but even in the beach areas, that's no reason to walk around shirtless everywhere. A Thai person doesn't necessarily want to go shopping and see guys everywhere showing up in just shorts and flip-flops…
It should not be forgotten that it is still common in this country to swim fully clothed (even if it is not only modesty but also related to protection against the sun).
8) Do not take off your shoes
“Don’t wear your shoes inside. In Thailand, it is customary to remove your shoes inside temples and homes. Not doing so is impolite.”
Having actually asked the question myself, it's not exactly impolite , but simply a matter of keeping the inside of the house clean… For temples, it's different; there, it's a custom that goes beyond simply not dirtying the temple …
And depending on the location, you may need to walk barefoot on tiled floors that can be scorching hot, so yes, wearing socks in Thailand is not a totally crazy idea!
Similarly, some guesthouses may ask their guests to remove their shoes at the entrance, before accessing your rooms, or even some restaurants, more rarely, but it happens.
9) Being overly affectionate
"Don't show affection in public. In Thailand, public displays of affection are frowned upon: Siamese twins are very modest."
This remains true if you plan on passionately kissing your partner. I've never seen a Thai couple making out in public, never.
After that, holding hands, putting your arm around each other's waists, or getting a little close isn't frowned upon and is actually quite common (even among close friends, where they tend to put their arms around each other's shoulders more readily than we would back home). It's true, however, that despite the fact that you might see girls in tight shorts (it's hot), yes, Thais remain modest.
You only have to look at the "love" scenes in their cheesy soap opera on TV, ridiculous or even non-existent...
10) Having unprotected sex
“Don’t have unprotected sex. AIDS is very common in Thailand so be sensible for your own sake.”
Another obvious fact that remains true everywhere, AIDS still exists so protecting yourself when you don't know your partner well enough seems essential. After Thailand has done a big job of prevention and the situation is no longer the same as in the 90s when it was a disaster.
11) Losing one's temper
“Stay cool. In Thailand, people who are not able to control themselves are generally considered idiots. Never lose your cool and show firmness with a smile if necessary.”
It is true that it is not always easy to keep calm. Whether it is misunderstandings, a scam, or sometimes just the slowness of the Thais, there are several reasons that could exasperate you. But once again, you are here as a guest, respect their way of life, take it upon yourself and relax a little!
Otherwise, yes (because you shouldn't always overdo it), speak firmly, without necessarily raising your voice, and if possible, with a smile 😉 That's the Thai way, it's related to the famous "face" that you mustn't lose. Whatever you do, don't make a Thai person lose face because that could end badly…
And as we say here: Sabaï sabaï!
12) Accept a fixed-price (No Meter) plan
"Don't negotiate the fare with taxis. In Thailand, the law requires taxis to have a meter. The price will always be cheaper on the meter than negotiating on the fly."
Exactly , always ask for the "meter" otherwise close the door and take another one, there's no shortage of taxis... After that, some will sometimes refuse to take you altogether, here too, a law has just been passed to force them to take every passenger.
You can normally take their license plate number and report them to the police if they refuse you… In practice, I think few people do (from a tourist point of view, the locals are starting to complain a lot).
The refusal to take you can be linked to several factors. Sometimes it's simply laziness, sometimes it's because they are at the end of the workday and the place they have to take you to is on the opposite side of the world from their home, or sometimes the amount of gas they have left will be insufficient (many still drive on gas, and there are not gas stations on every street corner).
The classic excuse is "there's a traffic jam over there"... Yes... the reasons aren't necessarily good, but in any case, it's difficult to stay stranded for long given the number of taxis per capita.
13) Leave your passport as a deposit
“Never leave your passport as a deposit. If someone asks you to leave your ID as a deposit, leave a photocopy.”
It is generally always recommended to carry photocopies of your passport, if only in case of loss or theft. However, a photocopy of your passport may not always be accepted as a security deposit, especially if the rental company is a small business.
First and foremost, you should know that this practice of withholding your passport is illegal, as you are always supposed to have it with you (especially in case of a police check). To avoid this, negotiate a cash deposit ; this is also possible and shouldn't be a problem. Otherwise, try a different shop; there are usually plenty of options.
14) Touching a monk
"If you are a woman, never touch a monk! It is strictly forbidden."
Yes, that's true too, but in practice, you're not necessarily aware of that, so the consequences will usually be minimal. On the other hand, if a monk starts touching you intentionally, ladies, be wary… because that is indeed abnormal. I'm being a bit cheeky, but let's just say that monks are normally expected to show restraint towards women.
This is why, when you have certain temples with monks present to give blessings and provide a bracelet on the wrist, the more "rigorous" ones will not put the bracelet directly on your wrist for you ladies, but will ask an assistant, not a monk, to tie it on you or do it yourself when they tie it on the wrist of men.
15) Throwing rubbish and cigarette butts on the ground
“Don’t throw your trash on the ground. A cigarette butt thrown on the ground can result in a fine of 2000 THB. Be very careful in Bangkok because the most corrupt police in Thailand are there and they like to watch for farangs and follow them until they commit an offence. Then they come after you.”
It goes without saying , the same applies in France: the streets are not a garbage dump. And even if sometimes, especially in the evening, the streets tend to be littered with piles of rubbish near street food stalls (before being collected at night), that's no reason to have a minimum of respect.
To say that you are actually being followed to jump on the "disgusting farangs" is going too far... (and the most rotten police officers, to use the original author's words, are not unique to Bangkok).
Bonuses
16) Bring your electronic cigarette
This is where we enter the realm of the law (which I should write an entire article about), but given recent events, it's best to talk about it and issue a warning:
DO NOT TAKE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES , a French woman recently learned this the hard way when she experienced Thai prisons , enough to inoculate her against this country forever, for lack of having done her research beforehand (and then she didn't want to keep a low profile...).
In general, smoking is frowned upon, not widespread, and especially prohibited in many public places, including beaches. If you can, refrain from smoking; it's a good opportunity to try to quit or at least cut down 😉
There you have it, opinions, your reactions, I'm all ears! Don't hesitate to comment!
