Here’s a list of 10 you may or may not have heard before…
1. Unopened Gifts
Should you visit a Thai home and take a present for your host, you may find it is put on the side and left unopened. Don’t be offended by this, though. It’s actually considered rude to rip the present open there and then in front of the giver. A Thai person is more likely to wait until you have left to open the gift. This is part of the “grengjai” custom (in consideration of).
2. Asking a Ghost’s Permission
Historically, overnight visitors to a Thai home were requested to ask permission from the phra phum (spirit ghost of the land) to stay in the house. The visitor would then be asked to thank the ghost when they left. This custom still exists in some rural areas of the country, but you probably won’t be asked to do this as a foreigner. However, some Thais will even perform this ritual before going to sleep in a hotel room.
3. Keeping Your Cool
Raising you voice is unacceptable in Thailand, and considered an act of losing control. Me and a couple of friends caused quite a stir once in Chiang Mai when debating current affairs at the table of a restaurant. Quiet and humble is always the best approach in the Kingdom; you certainly won’t achieve anything by becoming aggressive or loud. Jai yen yen (cool heart) instead of Jai rawn (hot heart)