DOs & DON'Ts in Thailand

(Note: I have taken some hints from the book with the same name as the headline, written by Kenny Yee & Catherine Gordon. I recommend you to buy this book if you want to know more about the thai society and social etiquette.)

Introduction to the thai society & mentality
Before I give you advises about DOs and DON'Ts I will tell you a little about the thai mentality.
Thais are an easygoing lot on the whole, usually minding their own business and going about their daily chores without fuss or complaint. This makes them warm and friendly. They are friendly. But at the same time no one would like to be offended, especially where revered customs and habits are concerned. This is important to bear in mind from the very beginning. With exceptions, Thais can be deadly if seriously offended and/or pushed to a corner.
However, there are two noticable aspects of the thai easiness that describe the thai mentality pretty well; Mai Pen Rai and Chai Yen Yen. It means 'never mind' and 'take it easy' and if you stay in Thailand for a while you will hear it many times.

Plus Side

Patience
Thais display a commendable amount of this quality.

Tolerance
Thais have a beautiful capacity of tolerating inconvenciences for a long periods and great suffering.

Temper
Thais do not easily lose their heads at anything or everything. To lose one's temper is most unbecoming of the person and thought of as a person with low character or poor upbringing.

Minus Side

Sensitivity
Thais are ultrasensitive, so that even jokes could cause embarrassment or displeasure to them.This makes it touchy to be candid and encourages one to speak only that wich should be spoken. It makes the atmosphere very uneasy and unrelaxing sometimes. A Thai will have no second thought in dropping a friendship over a misunderstanding.
This also means that if a male Caucasian says 'I like you very much' to a Thai lady, she can misconstrue this to mean he loves her and tell mom and dad etc. So be careful with these words!!

Forgetfulness

Unpunctuality
Even when there is money to be made, Thais, many times over, simply cannot keep to time.

Advices

Do exercise tolerance, particulary when it comes to order food, pay a bill or waiting for change.

Don't be upset ... Expect it to be done (whatever it is) in a longer time than where you come from.

Don't lose your temper at all.

Don't feel let down if you have done a favour for a Thai and he does not seem to bodily express his thanks.

Don't hug a Thai to show him your appreciation. In Thailand, a firm 'Thank you very much' is enough. Thought your intension are good and clean, he will not like it. The good thing about this custom is that nobody can hug or kiss your wife for whatever reason.

Don't touch anyone's head for any reason. The head is the most important part of the entire body.

Don't point with the forefinger at anyone.

Do offer and receive anything with your right hand always.

Do keep both feet on the ground when sitting.

Don't place your feet so that they point towards a person, religious image or picture of the royal family.

Don't step over any part of another person.

Do use the wai correctly. A Westerner should never wai first and anyone who is paying for any service is the boss and the bosses don't wai first.

Don't keep your valuables in a hotel safe deposit box. This is a thought one. Some safe deposit boxes are the most unsafe places for safekeeping, the reason is that not all staff really care for their guests. Entrust your valuables only to respectable hotels, which you have to decide by yourself.

Don't leave your postcards to the hotel reception, they will probably never reach the destination. To be safe, go to the post office or post them into the public mailbox yourself.

Do ask for a receipt if you pay for a room/apartment in advance more than a day.

Do make sure your laundry is your laundry when its returned.

Do make sure you know a person well before accepting a tempting offer.

Don't walk into someone's house with footwear on.

Don't step on the door threshold.

Do sit in the place indicated by your friend.

Do wai an eldery person.

Accept things with your right hand.