Meeting & Greeting
Lao names can be confusing for foreigners. Surnames come before given names, eg. Prime Minister Khamtay Siphandon would be referred to as Mr Khamtay or Prime Minister Khamtay.
The traditional Lao gesture of greeting is the "phanom" or "wai", where the palms are placed together in a prayer-like gesture in front of the face or chest. Nowadays, however, the handshake is becoming increasingly common for both men and women, particularly during the conduct of business.