Every country and region has their own cultural differences that make trips to foreign lands that much more exciting. Indeed while finding out about and enjoying the differences in other cultures can be one of the great experiences of traveling, there are some things about Thailand that you may like to know before you go, to avoid any unnecessary cultural goofs, or in the worst case, jail-time.
Respect the Royal Family.
This had got to be one of the most important rules in Thailand. The king in Thailand is highly respected and loved by all of the Thai people and any disrespect toward the king or any member of the royal family will not only deeply offend the Thais, it can also land you in jail. Lese Majeste is a crime that is still on the books in Thailand, and people still get prosecuted for it. Also many people do not know that the Lese Majeste laws in Thailand actually apply to all royal families around the world; so theoretically, you could get arrested for expressing disrespectful opinions about Queen Elizabeth II or Belgium's King Albert II. Thais can even find seemingly innocuous questions like "why is the king so revered in Thailand?" as offensive, so it is probably best not to talk about the royal family at all in Thailand.
Disrespecting the King is not confined to words. If you go to the movies in Thailand, the Royal anthem is played before every movie and all patrons must stand up during it. If you don't stand and quietly observe this show of respect, you will find yourself the target of the ire of other patrons and may even be reported to the police. Also, images of the king must also be respected. As the king's image appears on all Thai currency, be sure to treat this with respect. For example, if you drop a coin and it rolls away, do not stamp on it with your foot to stop it rolling any further, this is considered disrespectful as is folding paper money in a way as to make the king's face smile or frown, which I personally found out the hard way is not funny in Thailand.
Physicality
In Thailand the head is considered the highest part of the body, both figuratively and literally. You should never touch the head of other people, even children. If you do touch someone's head, even slightly, you should apologize. Conversely, the foot is the lowest part of the body and considered dirty. You should never use your foot to point out objects, or even worse, people, as this is considered very rude. Also take care never to step over other people, for example if they have their legs outstretched on the floor. It is better manners to walk around people than to step over them.
Public displays of affection are frowned upon in Thailand and most people will be embarrassed to witness people kissing or hugging in public.
Also, while the beautiful beaches may make you want to soak up as much sun as possible, topless sunbathing is looked down upon in Thailand and is not appropriate.
Buddhism
Nearly 95% of Thais are Buddhists and temples are an integral part of the quintessential Thailand sightseeing itinerary.
When planning on visiting a Buddhist temple, you should dress appropriately, meaning no open-toed shoes. Legs and shoulders should be covered, so no shorts or tank tops. Shoes are allowed on the grounds of the temple, but not inside where the Buddha image is kept. Also keep in mind the point made above about pointing with your feet. If you are sitting inside a temple, take care so that the soles of your feet never point towards the statue or image of Buddha.
Buddhist monks cannot come into physical contact with women or sit next to them on public transport. A woman cannot hand anything directly to a Buddhist monk. If a woman wishes to give something to a monk, the correct procedure is to hand it to a man who will hand it to the monk. However if the woman feels that she must give the item to the monk directly, he can spread out a piece of saffron robe or handkerchief, and she can place the item on top of this.
Respect
Thai culture places a lot of importance on respect for the aged. While dealing with older people, it is best to be as respectful as possible. This is a good thing to keep in mind if you are haggling with a merchant or speaking with a tuk tuk driver. Your respectful tone will not only save you "face", an important concept in Thailand, but it may even be rewarded in the price you finally agree upon.
A quick way to lose "face" and the respect of Thai people is to lose your temper in public, or worse yet, shout at someone in public. Thais a re very uncomfortable with public displays of anger and consider it very uncouth. Getting angry at someone in Thailand is very unlikely to help you get your way, and in fact merely hardens the other party's stance and any sympathy you may have had from surrounding people is likely to evaporate quickly. Best to keep your cool and a smile on your face.
Disciplining your children or arguing with your spouse in public are also included in this category of no-nos.
Scams
Be careful of overly friendly strangers who approach you in the street and offer to show you around town. A common scam is for a well dressed person to approach you as you are heading towards a temple and tell you that unfortunately the temple is closed that day and offer to show you to another one, or to show you a good gem store. Don't go with these people! The gem store ruse is also common among tuk tuk drivers. They often say that they can show you some good gem stores, and that they can receive coupons for gasoline for bringing you to the store. They will then say that they will not receive their coupons if you do not buy anything and try to guilt you into buying something. Any gem store that participates in such activity is highly unlikely to sell you genuine stones. Unsuspecting tourists are often told that they can resell the gems at a partner store in their home country for high profits, only to discover that the stones are practically worthless once they get back home. Don't be fooled by the lovely smiles on the beautiful young ladies in the stores!
Taxis
When hailing a taxi, hold your arm up with your palm facing downwards and make a beckoning motion with your fingers, kind of like a "shoo" go away" motion in reverse.
Also by law all taxis must turn on the meter when they carry a fare. Some drivers may sometimes try to strike a deal with you off the meter before you leave. This will never be in your favor, and as stated above is against the law. If the driver hasn't started the meter when you depart, kindly remind him by saying "metaa na kap" if you are a man and "metaa na kaa" if you are a woman.
Finally
Do try to learn some of the local language, even if it is just simple greetings and numbers. Your holiday will be that much more enjoyable when the locals see you putting in an effort to speak their language. You will receive a much warmer reception by the already famously friendly Thais that you will be very happy that you put in the effort to learn.
The author is an Asia based frequent traveler and runs a number of travel and Thailand related websites including Thailand Hotel Reservations A self-confessed hotel freak, he plans on staying in and reviewing as many Cha Am hotels as possible.
