Do’s and don’ts in Thailand

Thailand is visited by millions of tourists every year, for most it is a fantastic holiday, for some it could be a nightmare. We will list some of the things to beware of when in Thailand.

Drugs

Don’t take any drugs while in Thailand, stiff penalties apply. Thailand is not a place to be caught chopping up lines, smoking a joint or popping pills. A joint may land you in jail for 5 years, if you have a lot more you can be jailed for life or worse.
The full moon party is a place where a lot of travelers think the police will turn a blind eye, its not the case. Many police officers are undercover and buying drugs from a random person could land you in some serious trouble. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Royal Family

The royal family in Thailand is very respected (as they should be), any jokes or showing any kind of disrespect can get you in a lot of trouble. It’s also against the law and you could end up in jail. Also if you drop money on the ground, please don’t step on it as it’s looked as your stepping on the King’s face. If you do it most Thai’s won’t get angry as they will know your a traveler, but it’s best to avoid it if you can.

Clothing

If you are visiting a temple in Thailand, you will need to show respect and dress appropriately. This means for males that a shirt and long pants are required and for ladies covering your shoulders just below the knees will be ok. Most temples will have clothes to rent so usually you won’t have anything to worry about.
Also don’t walk down the streets with your shirt off, it’s considered very rude and having no respect.

Head

In Thailand the head is considered the highest part of the body (which it is) and touching it with your hands and especially your feet is a big no no. You might get a negative response from a Thai person if you do this.

Feet

The feet is considered the lowest part of your body (which again it is) and pointing the bottom of your feet to anyone is considered disrespectful. This means don’t point it at any buddha images and try to avoid pointing it at people.

Getting annoyed

When getting bad service or a mix up has happened, don’t raise your voice and start shouting. Thai’s really frown upon this and it’s looked at as being arrogant or a show off. Plus you won’t sort the problem out any quicker. Also the person you are yelling at might not even care about your problem anymore. So do it quietly for a better response.