Ayutthaya Culture Travel Guide

Jump to: Ayutthaya Culture Galleries

The Thai Culture differs greatly from Western culture. Whilst many Thai people have embraced aspects of Western culture, there still exists a very strong link with the traditions of old. [more]

Thailand equals the land of smiles. Smiling in Thailand does not just mean a Thai person feels happy or amused. Smiling may also mean hello. It may mean thank you, I'm sorry, or it may show feelings of embarrassment. Thai people welcome guests and make pleasant, open, and friendly hosts. Generally tolerant people, you will need to be careful not to insult the royal family or to treat the Thai temples with any disrespect.

The Thai Culture has evolved around the Buddhist beliefs. This includes a respect for seniority from age, wealth, and status. Above all, though, sit the Buddhist monks. A healthy young monk may take a bus seat from an elderly passenger. The seniority that comes from age often means Thai people will openly ask a person's age.

A wai means the traditional greeting given by Thai people. Press your palms and fingers together at chest level whilst slightly bowing your head. This may mean several things - hello, a show of respect to a senior, or asking for forgiveness. Unless given by a child, a wai should always be returned. Do be careful, though, as a foreigner about using a wai. As a traveller, a smile should suffice, and you will not offend anyone by accident. If nothing else, keep smiling!

Thais always stand for the national anthem, and expect foreigners to do the same. Played twice daily at 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, it also gets played before every film at the cinema, and everyone must stand whilst it plays. Learn more about the current royal family, and you may realise that they have earned all the respect shown to them.

The head plays a sacred role in Thai culture, and therefore you must be certain to never touch anyone on their head. Thais believe that the top of the body lives high and sacred, whilst the bottom half equals low and dirty. Women should not touch a monk in any way. Always be aware of your feet in Thailand due to their "dirtiness". Using your feet to point at anyone or anything does not conform with Thai standards, be sure to never step over anyone, do not show the soles of your feet to anyone, and always remove your shoes before entering a temple or someone's home. Under no circumstances should you put your feet on anything other than the ground. Use your right hand to pass objects as Thai people still view the left hand as dirty.

Anger does not go over well in Thailand - in fact, it's important to always remain cool, calm, and polite. Always be discreet and practice patience at all times.

There exists a view in Thailand that foreigners have more wealth than Thais, and therefore you may find a double pricing standard - one price for the locals, and a higher price for the travellers. Usually the difference in price will not be huge when converted to your own currency. It remains up to you as to how offended you get at the price difference - does a few cents matter for the sake of politeness and respect?

The arts in Thailand consist of visual art, literature, and dance. Thai visual art traditionally consists of Buddha images with distinctive styles based on the different periods of history. Contemporary visual art uses contemporary techniques to create traditional Thai elements. Literature consists of Indian influences and the notable work of the Kings Rama I and Rama II, who wrote a version of the Ramayana called the Ramakien. With no traditional of acting in Thailand, traditional dance takes its place. With three styles of dance - khon, lokhon and likay - there still exists a heavy tradition in the stage.

Thai cuisine tends to be a fusion of the four fundamental tastes in every dish - sweet, spicy, sour, and salty. Many herbs and fruit get used to create these combinations, including chilli, garlic, ginger, basil, lime, coriander, and turmeric.

Here's a quick list of things to try when you're in Ayutthaya that you normally might not experience:

• Get a full traditional Thai massage
• If in season, try a durian. Known as the worst smelling, best tasting fruit in the world. It's a cult hit!
• Use the phrase "Mai pen rai." Loosely translated, it means "it's nothing", "no problems", "keep smiling". Basically, it covers the Thai philosophy of life and will relieve your stress no end.
• Use "khrap" if you're a male speaker or "kha" if you're a female. This word cannot be translated literally, but it's known as the polite word - sort of like ending your sentences with sir. "Sawadee khrap" or "sawadee kha" means a greeting - hello, good evening, goodbye or goodnight.
• "Arroy" means delicious. Use profusely!
• "Mai phet" means not spicy. You may want to use it at restaurants, although most restaurants will normally reduce the amount of chilli and spice for Western customers without being asked.