Discover Asia, Thailand

Thai Culture

• Thai culture needs to be understood from the ethnic traditions of the various peoples who migrated to Thailand to form the Thai culture as we understand it today, the influences from India of religion and mythology, the origin myths of some of the minorities living in Thailand and animist traditions which continue today.
• From these traditions we have a Thai culture where belief systems are distinguishable from elsewhere and the themes of these are reflected in the performing arts of music and dance, in the art forms of woodwork, sculture, murals, pottery and bronze and significantly in architecture forms and decorations, both in the past and continuing in new buildings today.
• Most importantly Thai culture is significant in the behaviour, customs and beliefs of the Thai people today.

The Thai Wai and Foreign Tourists

At school last week, we held our regular Thai Manners competition for the students. The students wore traditional Thai clothes and had to visit a number of different bases in order to show that they knew how to perform the proper respect in the correct manner. This reminded me of one of the most common questions that we get in our mailbox. That is the “Thai Wai”. How to use it and when to use it.