About Thailand and Thais - what are they like? Character traits, habits, manners, mentality. External influence on culture

We all know Thailand as a beautiful and sunny country inhabited by friendly people - Thais who practice Buddhism, as they say

the "kindest" religion in the world. Thailand is a multinational country consisting of different nations and tribes having general history and united by the borders of a modern state. In addition to Buddhists, there are also Muslims in the country, and in significant numbers, and Christians, and Jews, and many other teachings, religions and denominations. Great amount Chinese and Vietnamese, Laotians, representatives of island states.

In general, like most modern states, a huge pile of small things, led by the government and the King (let's not forget that Thailand is a kingdom). Are there among the peoples that the indigenous inhabitants of the country like more, or does no one here single out their neighbor and everyone is equal to each other? It’s a strange question, and if we look at it from the perspective of “which tourists do Thais like best,” then here research was carried out and certain facts were collected.

The Japanese are the ones the Thais, and indeed the rest of the world, like as tourists, because they meet the basic requirements of an ideal tourist: they speak English, have enough money, are friendly, and also have Buddhist neighbors.

But if you don’t take tourists, then who would the Thais be happy to invite into their home and show off their magical country?

Thais are practical people. Therefore, having deep economic ties and very developed trade relations, the Thais would be glad to see the Americans, as well as any person with a wallet. The dollar equalizes everyone, and the Thais are no exception. In general, Thai policy is largely dictated by the US government, and Americans feel at home in this country; hundreds of thousands of American citizens live and work in Thailand.

Besides money, Thais love historical roots, and from this side the Chinese are revered here. According to various estimates, there are about 10 million Chinese in Thailand; they moved to the country in ancient times and settled here (mainly in central region), disappeared among the local population and have since been actively involved in the economy and politics of the country. On modern stage Thailand, like the United States, has huge business and economic ties with China. The two largest economies in the world are directly involved in the Thai economy, and in the case of China, historical roots are also added.

Cambodia - what does it have to do with it? However, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos are intertwined into such a strong knot that representatives of these countries feel at home with their neighbors, despite the fact that the Thais and Laotians also understand each other well, speaking similar languages. When traveling through these three countries, it is sometimes difficult to understand where you are and how similar the cultures, peoples and customs of these countries are. Thailand is the richest neighbor, Laos the poorest, but, nevertheless, they are almost relatives, loved, respected and completely mixed with each other (try to distinguish the Thais from the Khmers, from the Laos, at least you can). So among Thailand's closest neighbors, the Laotians and Khmer-Cambodians are the most beloved.

These are probably the four nations that are most suitable for Thais. Of course, let’s not forget about the Japanese, our World War II partners, and the Koreans, whom the Thais love for their fair skin, and European countries, which supply grooms to Thailand - these are already places from the fourth place and further.

Who's at the bottom of the table? It has its own leaders, and among them stands out Burma - Myanmar, historically the most serious and invincible enemy of the Thais, the Malays - well, they really want to chop off part of the country back under their control, the Vietnamese are a proud and wayward people, with whom the Thais have almost never fought , but, nevertheless, this is a serious and advanced force, which, unlike Thailand, has chosen the opposite socialist camp, along the way, defeating the eternal allies of the Thai Americans and seriously battering the Khmers. There are plenty of Vietnamese in Thailand, but hardly anyone would call them beloved neighbors.

Finally, about Russia - we are somewhere in the middle. We bring money - good, yelling and fighting at resorts - bad, but, in general, the attitude is neutral, and especially with weak trade and economic ties.

Maybe the future will show something, but for now we are one of many, more or less pleasant comrades for the Thais.

What could be unusual in Thailand if it is traveled far and wide by tourists, bloggers and journalists? Anyone who has been interested in the country already knows that the country is ruled by a King, Thais love to smile, and even that the monarch of Thailand has American citizenship. But no! You don't know everything...

Never! Listen, never think of leaving the house without underwear in the Land of Smiles. Why? This is one of the taboos that exists in Thailand, and breaking it is punishable by law. If you didn’t intend to anyway, read our selection of facts about the Kingdom - and then you will avoid trouble or, at least, be known as an erudite. It's also useful!

No surnames

Before 1913, Thais only had names. And even now in school, court, and official presentations, surnames are not used. The name is preceded by the prefix Khun, no matter whether it is masculine or feminine.

King Almighty

He is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-serving monarch. It is everywhere: on baht, on stamps, on posters, on houses... In Britain, Norway, Denmark there is also a monarchy, but in Thailand it is not symbolic and disrespectful attitude Bhumibol Adulyadej (for example, for an abusive post on Facebook) can be imprisoned. There was a case when a Thai almost went to jail for insulting the King’s dog.

Don't throw things

In Thailand, you are prohibited from throwing objects at a person, regardless of whether it is your friend, a passer-by, or someone else. Find the time and energy to pass a pen, sock or suitcase from hand to hand. Ask how Thais play volleyball and the bride throws a bouquet into the crowd? We don't know this. But we know for sure that such a gesture is understood as an insult.

So that your legs are gone

Putting your feet on a table, chair, or sitting cross-legged so that your feet are visible to your interlocutor is an extremely rude act in Thailand. Even while sitting on the ground, you should not show your dirty feet.

Fork spoon

Thais, like most peoples, eat with a spoon and fork. But they use these items in an unusual way. Holding the fork in the left and the spoon in the right, for example, put rice on the spoon with a fork and only then bring it to the mouth. Or another option - use a fork to direct food onto a spoon while still on the plate. The main thing is that both hands are busy.

Elephants instead of Santa

Animals with red caps and beards bring Christmas gifts to Thai children. New Year. We especially honor this holiday, and if in Russia in the evening they watch “Blue Light” or “The Irony of Fate”, and in the USA - “This wonderful life", then in Thailand there is an elephant show. Even everyone well-known tradition According to one version, the Thais spied on dousing with water from proboscideans.

Unlucky Wednesday

For a long time in Thailand, neither hairdressers, nor massage parlors, nor dentists were open on Wednesdays... This day was considered unlucky, especially for such important procedures. But everything changed when the Kingdom became a tourist mecca.

Finish your rice

Never leave rice on your plate, even if you can't see it. This is considered a terrible waste - as in Slavic cultures It is not customary to throw away bread. Moreover, the Thais take their tradition extremely seriously. If the last spoon does not fit into your throat, ask to wrap it with you or share it with a neighbor. Just explain why!

Thai keyboard

In the local keyboard, there are two Thai keys for every English key. Thailand's alphabet is the second largest in the world: it is second only to Khmer, and has 76 letters.

Ladyboys imported

Those who make the Land of Smiles famous are either visitors or people from remote provinces of Thailand.

City of Angels, but not Los Angeles

Bangkok has the longest name in the world. It reads in full like this: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintarayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Nopparat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Avatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Vitsanukam Prasit. The first two words - “Krung Thep” - mean “City of Angels”: on behalf of the village that was once here. Therefore, do not be surprised if they tell you that the City of Angels is not in America!

About the anthem

In 1939, the author of the work, Prime Minister Phibunsongram Luang Saranupraran, decreed that the anthem would be played daily at 8:00 and 18:00. In the same year, another law was introduced, according to which anyone who does not stand up during the execution national anthem, will violate the Constitution. Both decrees are still in force, but so far no one has been arrested for not standing up.

Each Thai - according to his personal spirit

All Thais have their own spirit, which is called Khuan. According to legend, he lives in the head. Therefore, under no circumstances should you touch this part of the body - the Thai will be offended for disrespecting his personal deity. Only a mother, a doctor or a monk can touch the head.

Thais, accustomed to tourists, will forgive you a lot. But still show some respect local traditions and be inspired by Thailand!

While I'm moving along the Samui-Pattaya-Bangkok-Samui route, I'll tell you about life in Thailand. Or rather, about the Thais.
Today - no cosmetics)


For those who are not in Krusa, I have been living in Tay for more than two years now. Koh Samui. And during this time I managed to delve a little into the culture. “A little” because “a lot” is not possible.
Asians are so different that a European can’t wrap his head around the Thai mentality. Their soul is still a mystery to me. I will tell you the little that I managed to learn and understand.

Briefly about the main thing under the cut

1. If a Thai man smiles at you, this does not mean that he is infinitely happy and glad to see you. It’s just customary - all emotions, except anger, are expressed by a smile. They have a lot different smiles for every occasion.

2. From the same opera: you can’t be sad or cry in public. Because for a Thai it is important not to lose face.

3. You cannot shout at Thais - raising your voice is generally not accepted. If you start arguing with a Thai and speak loudly and harshly, most likely the Thai will turn around and leave thinking that everything is not okay with you. In general, shouting in this country will not achieve anything.

4. Thais have two stages of intoxication: a sober Thai and a drunken Thai. There is no intermediate stage.

5. Most nice, kind Thais carry guns.

6. Thais do not have a pension. Children should provide for the elderly.

7. The first important thing for a Thai is parents. If a mother comes to her adult daughter and says that she needs money for something, then the daughter will scoop up all the money and give it back. Everything, including my husband's money. (It’s especially fun if the husband is a foreigner and doesn’t understand what’s going on at all)

The second is social status.

The Thais have a whole book about who should address whom how. Depending on gender, age, family relations, positions and other things. If a Thai asks who you are and what you do, he may be trying to figure out how to talk to you.

8. If a wedding is planned, future husband must give the bride's parents money. How much is at the discretion of the parents.

9. Pregnant women go to work until the last minute. I do not know why.

10. I see very few Thai children crying/acting. They are calmer. Or from childhood they learn to “save face”))

11. Thai children are kinder than Russians.
And they all take care of their little brothers and sisters.
And they make contact very easily even with European children.
To be honest, I have not seen any manifestation of cruelty in children here. The cruelty that I often saw in Russia.

13. Thais are very.. Very, very superstitious.

14. And they can simultaneously believe in Buddha, in spirits, and be Baptists.

15. "All Thais don't like the Chinese. Everyone except their grandmother." For example, more than 30% percent of Bangkok's population is ethnic Chinese. Everything is mixed up)

16. The basic principle of life is “sanuk sabai”, sometimes they say “sanuk, sabai, suai”. Unfortunately, in Russian there are no exact words to translate these concepts. The bottom line is this: you need to be happy, not overwork, relax and feel good.

17. It’s not customary to eat alone here. Thais prefer to eat in groups. If you eat alone, then something is wrong with you)

18. Previously, the Thais did not have the concept of “cuisine”. And a special place for this. The "kitchen" is where you cook.

19. Yes, they love to eat. For example, Famous mall Siam Paragon, almost two of the five floors are occupied by restaurants.

And street food is always within walking distance.

20. Not a single Thai person to whom I left a deposit for something that he was supposed to bring/give/make to me in bulk has deceived me.

Of course, that's not all I can tell you. There are many other things that surprise me. But I still love Thailand very much. And Thais) And Bangkok. In which we have a small family gathering tomorrow)

Have you been to Tai? Liked? Who should we expect to visit?))

1. We went to watch TV. Do not wait.
Thais can be so captivated by what is happening on the screen that they forget about everything in the world. Moreover, they can show complete garbage. Don't be surprised if you stop getting a foot massage and freeze in horror for 5 minutes because on TV a swarm of killer puppet bees from an ancient American TV series is approaching a new victim.

And don’t be angry if you can’t find a waiter in a Thai cafe because the entire staff is watching the ending of the next episode of a drama series. However, no one will notice this except you - the rest of the visitors are also immersed in the screen. In general, Thai television deserves a separate post, there are so many strange oddities hidden in it...

2. The man eats, the woman pays
On the very first evening in Thailand, all the plates of food were brought to Serezha. Seryozha rubbed his hands like a child: “You see, you see how it should be!” I wasn’t offended, but when Seryozha asked for the bill, and the bill was brought to me, it was too much)) At first we thought it was just an accident, but this was repeated over and over again. This is not always the case, especially if the place is aimed at foreign tourists or they already know you there, but still quite often. We decided that, probably, in a Thai family the woman is in complete charge of finances. Then they asked their Thai friends - it was true.

3. Ode to clean clothes
Thais are very careful in their clothing. Wearing the same thing two days in a row is considered indecent. After the item has been worn for one day, it is immediately sent to the wash. In all my time in Thailand, I have never smelled an unpleasant odor from any Thai person. It would not hurt to adopt this glorious tradition in Russia. And some of our comrades still in the 21st century think that not washing T-shirts and pants for weeks is normal. Well, it’s true, one summer, even in St. Petersburg, I had to get off the minibus halfway, such smells were floating around the cabin.

4. No, not the sun!
Unlike foreigners, Thais avoid sun rays: putting on hats, hiding in the shadows, smearing sunscreens, wear closed clothes or simply don’t stand under open sun. And they generally don’t understand why foreigners love to sunbathe so much. When they see a farang walking around without a shirt, they say: “Crazy!” - crazy. In Thailand, white skin is considered very beautiful, and a cult of whitening it with special means is developed. And they will never understand why farangs “disfigure” their “wonderful” skin with tanning.

5. Long nail? This is the same...
Sometimes you can see Thai men are very long nail on thumb or little finger. I was at a loss for a long time as to what this could mean, until I simply asked. It is believed to bring good luck. Some even grow a nail on both the thumb and the little finger at once, just to be sure)) By the way, this also happens in Indonesia, and maybe throughout all of Southeast Asia.

6. The world's healthiest breakfast
Russian guidebooks vying with each other to admire the healthiness of Thai food. In many respects, of course, I agree with this. You won't get fat on sticky rice alone, no matter how hard you try. Yes, and the spicy will burn out all the living bacilli. But the Thais themselves don’t seem to worry too much about usefulness. In the morning, there is a steady queue of barbecue vendors. The picture of mom, dad and their 7-year-old schoolboy eating chicken or pork skewers for breakfast is quite familiar.

7. Optimism in Thai
Thais have been seen picnicking in hospitals many times. They will come to visit the patient, all bandaged and broken on the bed, they will cover the mat on the floor and let’s eat...)) In my opinion, this is very optimistic)) Don’t feed the Thais bread at all, let them have a picnic. As a rule, they gather big family from several generations and are ready to use any opportunity for this. Usually they go out into nature, but in Chiang Mai, where the situation with parks, embankments and beaches is very poor, the Thais do not lose heart. They’ll just lie down right at the entrance to their store or computer club, set up a Thai barbecue and have a picnic with all their might.

8. Decent girls don't smoke or drink
In Thailand you can change your gender - no one will judge you, going to prostitutes happens, but for decent girls to drink and smoke - no, no, shame... Therefore, here it is almost impossible to meet a girl who drinks or smokes in public. Just once we saw two students shyly hiding with bottles of beer on the beach behind big stones. Once, a friend of ours was riding a moped in a very Thai area in Phuket, asked for directions in one of the houses, and the owner invited him to drink beer with him on the veranda. The wife was also sitting at the table. A friend asked why she didn’t drink with them, so the husband and wife waved their hands: it is indecent for women in Thailand to smoke and drink. But all this does not apply to bar girls - few Thais consider them decent anyway, so they have their own rules.

9. Swimming with your clothes on
At first it was very uncomfortable to strip down to a swimsuit among Thais swimming in only their clothes - in the lake, in the sea, in thermal spring, in a waterfall. Then I got used to it. Moreover, they do not always have spare things with them. They can plop into the water wearing whatever they have, get out, wait until it drains a little and go on about their business.

10. There are no pensions in Thailand
It sounds quite strange to us, but it is true. The responsibility of supporting their elderly parents when they become unable to work falls entirely on the children's shoulders. I just wonder what single people without a family should do in old age...

11. As he was “Mister”, he remained “Mister”
You probably know that gender reassignment surgery is very common among men in Thailand. Such people are called katoi or ladyboys. They can be found so often in Everyday life- at the cash register at McDonald's, in a pharmacy, in a beauty salon, etc., which has not surprised anyone for a long time. Some of them can be immediately recognized as ladyboys by their voice, Adam’s apple, large palms, etc. But some of them are not much different from ordinary girls, especially to the inexperienced eye. But the fact is that they cannot change the gender in their passport. There they will always be listed as “Mr.” In this regard, I once read a note from a Thai hotel employee. When a guest brings a girl with him for the night, she is required to present documents at the reception and register. That is, the receptionist always knows who is in front of him - a man or a woman. He writes not without gloating over the farangs, since they often don’t even realize that they are spending the night not exactly with a girl)) There is only one way to officially change the gender on your documents. This right goes to the winner of the annual beauty contest among ladyboys, Miss Tiffany Universe.

Unusual beliefs, rituals and customs of Siam in our selection today. 25 facts about the traditions of Thailand that make this country unique.

1. The historical name of Bangkok consists of thirty-seven words and is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest name settlement in the world. Thais learn the full name of the capital of their state in school, but immediately after finishing school they conveniently forget it.

2 . It is almost impossible for a foreigner to learn Thai. At one time, in order to avoid colonization, the country's authorities carried out a language reform, making it as difficult as possible. Modern Thai is a coded language; if you don’t know the topic of the conversation, it’s almost impossible to understand its meaning. For example, the word “klay” means both “far” and “close”, the word “k’ap”, depending on the situation, “yes” or “no”. In this case, nouns, adjectives and verbs can appear in the same row of homonyms.

3. Residents of Thailand practice Southern Theravada Buddhism, albeit in a somewhat simplified version. The main commandments of the land of smiles are: “don’t envy”, “don’t judge”, “don’t be ashamed” and “don’t be greedy”.

4. Thais still believe in good and evil spirits; miniature houses for spirits can be found on any street in Bangkok, in the most remote village or on the beach. Every morning, food offerings are made to the spirits, in the evening the houses are cleaned out, and the food is mercilessly thrown into the trash. It is strictly forbidden to finish eating after spirits; local residents believe that the spirit could come for a meal in bad mood, which will inevitably affect the well-being of a person who decides to “finish the spirit.”

5. In addition to spirits, Thais also believe in angels; it is believed that an angel of a certain color protects one of the days of the week. Color palette the following: Monday is patronized by a yellow angel, Tuesday - green, Wednesday - blue, Thursday - pink, Friday - brown, Saturday - lilac, Sunday - red. Locals It is recommended to wear colored things in accordance with this schedule, then the angel will notice you in the crowd and send you good luck.

6. For the reason described above, on Monday the streets of Bangkok are flooded with people yellow t-shirts. Yellow and the yellow angel is especially revered here, as it is the color of the king.

7. Thais are very superstitious lucky number in Thailand - 9, unlucky, like everywhere else in the world, 13.

In the photo: Thailand, Monday, people on the streets in yellow T-shirts.

8. Thais believe that Buddha loved chicken eggs, and therefore 99 eggs are the best offering for Buddha. They are carried to the temple on the eve of an important business transaction or exam. By the way, if you can’t finish the offerings after the spirits, then you can finish the offerings after the Buddha. According to local beliefs, the Buddha is never in a bad mood, so some time after the Buddha is “fed,” the offering can be collected and eaten.

9. The white elephant is the symbol and sacred animal of Siam. After birth, the baby elephant becomes the property of the king. An animal cannot be forced to work, it cannot be shown to anyone, and maintaining an elephant, as hard as it may be to guess, costs the treasury a pretty penny. It’s not very clear what to do with them, so previous centuries the king preferred to re-gift elephants. It is because of this custom that the idiom “white elephant” arose, which means an expensive but useless gift.

10. Thailand is one of the few countries where the birth of a daughter is more celebrated than the birth of a son. Thai men are generally lazy, while girls are as hardworking as bees. Parents know that their daughters will never allow them to go hungry in their old age; unfortunately, the same cannot be said about their sons.

11. Upon marriage, the groom must pay the bride's parents a dowry. The amount is negotiated individually each time, but the most expensive in Siam are: beautiful girls who managed to get a good education, according to the logic of their parents, such girls have nothing to do with a poor husband.

12. Fat men have a funny name in Thailand "pumpy". Men's bellies are valued here more than abs, because the presence of an abdomen indicates office work and above-average income, which is why men with a belly in Thailand automatically fall into the category of eligible bachelors.

13. August is considered the most successful month for marriage. Sometimes, to save money, newlyweds celebrate their engagement and wedding on the same day.

14. Buddhist chants are an essential element of a traditional Thai wedding. It is customary to feed the monks during breaks between chants; it is believed that this improves the karma of the future family.

15. Thais do not like to cook at home and prefer to eat on the streets. By the way, the freshest food is sold on street stalls.

16. Polygamy is still common in Thai villages. Often, after a husband earns a dowry “to acquire” three wives, he stops working. Maintaining the home and children, as well as raising money, falls entirely on the shoulders of women.

17. If a wife (or wives) has caught her husband cheating, she will not stand on ceremony with him. IN worst case, wives can castrate their husbands using a simple kitchen knife, which is why male genital reconstruction surgeries are widespread in Thailand and are included in the list of standard operations.

18. The Thais believe that a spirit lives on the top of a person's head, so you should never hit a person on the head, otherwise you may kill the spirit.

20. Many Thai girls working in the sex industry are married with children. Husbands are certainly aware of what their spouse does for a living.

Sometimes it happens that a client becomes attached to his Thai girlfriend and decides to pull his beloved out of the “quagmire of vice.” He invites the girl to become his permanent girlfriend, after which an attraction called “Thai divorce” begins.

The girl introduces her client to her husband, whom she introduces as a brother, then the European buys the secret woman a house and a car (usually from friends and at exorbitant prices). Everything goes well until the European decides to visit his friends in his historical homeland. Returning to Thailand, he discovers that the house he bought has been sold, and his “faithful girlfriend,” along with his “brother” and money, has disappeared in an unknown direction. This is a very popular scenario, although, of course, there are happy exceptions.

21. As a rule, any Thai has two names: one is a long official name (it is written in documents), the second is a short home name - for friends and family.

22. Thais can change their names several times during their lives. From a bureaucratic point of view, this is a very simple procedure. As a rule, the name is changed if a person is dissatisfied with his life and wants to start all over again. clean slate. If life fails again, the procedure can be repeated. Also, recently it has become mandatory to indicate a person’s gender in Thai passports, due to the fact that local plastic surgeons have finally learned how to remove the Adam’s apple, and now it has become even more difficult to distinguish lady boys from women.

23. Thais love to give small children nicknames, but, unlike residents of other countries, Thai nicknames do not characterize a person’s personality, but rather play the role of shapeshifters, so, for example, a thin girl can be nicknamed fatty, and a dark girl can be called Snow White. This is done on purpose so that evil spirits cannot find an innocent soul and take possession of it.

24. Thais use the same principle to name caves, waterfalls and other natural objects. For example, the waterfall bearing the name Baiyok Bolshoi is only a few meters high, while the Baiyok Small waterfall, on the contrary, is distinguished by its impressive size.

25. The Thais call caves a tunnel between the world of the living and the world of spirits, so in almost every cave there is a statue of Buddha and incense smokes. Local residents quite clearly delimit the caves into places with evil spirits and kind people, visiting evil people is strongly discouraged.

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Yulia Malkova- Yulia Malkova - founder of the website project. In past Chief Editor Internet project elle.ru and editor-in-chief of the website cosmo.ru. I talk about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels or a tourism office, but we do not know each other, you can contact me by email: [email protected]