Do you like to "wai"? Why?

[GammaGlobulin]

As a Farang in a foreign land, the act of the "wai" is foreign to me.

 

During my initial long-term stay in Thailand, I was reluctant to wai.

 

However, after becoming quite settled in Thailand, I now feel comfortable in returning a wai.

 

Why is this?

Maybe it is because the act of the wai was so foreign to me during my first many years in Thailand.

And now, maybe, I have gotten to the point where I have...already...

GONE NATIVE....

 

Do you enjoy the return of the wai when someone offers this gesture to you?  Why?

 

Or, do you feel a bit out of place using the wai?

 

Why?

 

Why? Please do not ask me,

Gamma

 

 

 

 

[sirineou]

Certainly a more hygienic form of respect and greeting, than shaking hands and exchanging germs. 

[GammaGlobulin]

6 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Certainly a more hygienic form of respect and greeting, than shaking hands and exchanging germs. 

 

I stopped shaking hands, many years ago.

Not my style.

 

Also, I don't shake it much, either, when visiting the head.

 

As you say....

The wai is best.

But this does not mean that it takes a while to fully acclimate oneself to this superior custom.

 

 

[sirineou]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I stopped shaking hands, many years ago.

Not my style.

and how then do you show respect or greet ?

3 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The wai is best.

But this does not mean that it takes a while to fully acclimate oneself to this superior custom.

what does it mean

[thaibeachlovers]

16 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Certainly a more hygienic form of respect and greeting, than shaking hands and exchanging germs. 

I didn't wai in LOS, nor did I shake hands. I gave a little bow, if it felt appropriate, ie I didn't bow to my temporary girlfriends.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

I stopped shaking hands, many years ago.

Not my style.

 

Also, I don't shake it much, either, when visiting the head.

 

As you say....

The wai is best.

But this does not mean that it takes a while to fully acclimate oneself to this superior custom.

 

 

I'll warrant that even you, who knows everything, will still not know every nuance of the wai. For that reason I did not wai in LOS. It was never expected of me either.

[stoner]

thread started on this a few weeks back. 

[UKresonant]

I am perhaps sometimes unsure of the the other person being of senior years and / or their relative rank or status, so initiate a Wai infrequently, unless quite sure. I  always try to acknowledge, but this often does not come naturally as a reflex.

Edited February 23 by UKresonant

[sirineou]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I didn't wai in LOS, nor did I shake hands. I gave a little bow, if it felt appropriate, ie I didn't bow to my temporary girlfriends.

That's an acceptable form of respect and acknowledgement., and if I am the one initiating the exchange often I do the same, but if someone wai to me first I think it is only polite that i wai back. After all I am in their country and Cultural and one should not only respect the person but also their culture, because by disrespecting their culture you are also disrespecting the person. .  

[thaibeachlovers]

15 minutes ago, sirineou said:

That's an acceptable form of respect and acknowledgement., and if I am the one initiating the exchange often I do the same, but if someone wai to me first I think it is only polite that i wai back. After all I am in their country and Cultural and one should not only respect the person but also their culture, because by disrespecting their culture you are also disrespecting the person. .  

But if you do the wai wrongly and insult them, or put yourself too low or too high status...............

[ezzra]

31 minutes ago, stoner said:

thread started on this a few weeks back. 

That doesn't stop some people from posting whatever comes to their minds first thing in the morning,

we had couple of quite days from the op's nonsense but he's back again... 

[sirineou]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

But if you do the wai wrongly and insult them, or put yourself too low or too high status...............

I think one has more of a chance of insulting someone by not  returning a wai, than they do by returning it in an incorrect form 

  20 years in Thailand , I have never felt from anyone, that I have insulted them  by my improper wai.

They know I am not Thai and any discrepancy is not a result of disrespect but a result of me not having grown up in this culture and might not know the exact form.

Wai  back and smile.

[sirineou]

11 minutes ago, ezzra said:

That doesn't stop some people from posting whatever comes to their minds first thing in the morning,

we had couple of quite days from the op's nonsense but he's back again... 

It is an innocuous enough subject.

 On my time here I have seen it many times, Let's not forget that though it might be old to us, there are alway new people coming to Thailand and it is new to them, as it once  was new to us  .

[GammaGlobulin]

57 minutes ago, sirineou said:

and how then do you show respect or greet ?

what does it mean

 

Sorry.

This was supposed to be a double negative statement....but....

I left out a "not"....and so....the double negative statement makes no sense.

So solly.

 

The utterance should have been:

"But this does not mean that it does not take a while to fully acclimate oneself to this superior custom."

 

============

Still, your practice of taking snips out of various comments, and then putting them in one single stew of leftovers, is very confusing.

 

Also, I bet you are one that thinks he/she can multitask, too.

 

Valid research has proved this wrong.

 

I will not reply to your comments if you insist upon putting so much garbage from various unrelated comments into one of your garbage comments.

 

Never again, Sir!

 

Just keep it simple.

Keep it simple.

 

Simple.

 

Here we are trying to simplify our understanding of the Universe.

And there you are trying to gum up the works by replying to various comments from others, all in one of your leftover stews.

 

Enjoy your multitasking, if you will.

Freedom!

As said Havens.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

58 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'll warrant that even you, who knows everything, will still not know every nuance of the wai. For that reason I did not wai in LOS. It was never expected of me either.

 

I know almost all the levels of the wai.

I just do not know the SUPREME, almost invisible, wai, which is so supreme that only the gods can recognize it.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I didn't wai in LOS, nor did I shake hands. I gave a little bow, if it felt appropriate, ie I didn't bow to my temporary girlfriends.

 

a little bow?

You gave a little bow?

[GammaGlobulin]

13 minutes ago, sirineou said:

It is an innocuous enough subject.

 On my time here I have seen it many times, Let's not forget that though it might be old to us, there are alway new people coming to Thailand and it is new to them, as it once  was new to us  .

 

Actually, one does not understand this Topic until one has been here a very long time.

 

Or, maybe you do not understand the Topic?

 

 

[stupidfarang]

30 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

But if you do the wai wrongly and insult them, or put yourself too low or too high status...............

over thinking the wai in Thailand, I think Thais in general would like the show of respect.

[GammaGlobulin]

1 minute ago, stupidfarang said:

over thinking the wai in Thailand, I think Thais in general would like the show of respect.

 

Yes.

Agree.

It's the newcomers who know nothing that cause problems, as usual.

 

[sirineou]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

"But this does not mean that it does not take a while to fully acclimate oneself to this superior custom."

It don't think it should. But that's me .

You only get one chance to make a first impression. 

When in Rome do as the Romans do. If someone initiates a wai, return it with a smile.

The danger that you will offend someone by not returning the wai is very much grater that you would if you done it incorrectly.  Thais know you are not familiar with their customs, and if you smile at the same time you show pleasant intent. 

Trust me . I have been coming to Thailand close to 20 years, Married to a fine Thai lady for over 13 years and living full time here after I retired, but have maintained home for a long time. 

Even after all these years, I am still not entirely sure of the exact etiquette,  but not once have I felt that I insulted anyone, Not once out of literally thousands of times. Thai people are for the most part nice pleasant people, They understand and they appreciate the effort. 

[GammaGlobulin]

28 minutes ago, sirineou said:

When in Rome do as the Romans do

 

Yes, but only if you are as smart as the Romans.

 

Here, in Thailand, most Farang are just to ignorant to do as the Romans do.

 

Too many misconceptions and invalid preconceptions.

 

Talk about STUPID!

 

Farang do not MEAN to be stupid, in most cases.

Therefore, Farang should be forgiven.

 

 

[fredwiggy]

24 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Yes, but only if you are as smart as the Romans.

 

Here, in Thailand, most Farang are just to ignorant to do as the Romans do.

 

Too many misconceptions and invalid preconceptions.

 

Talk about STUPID!

 

Farang do not MEAN to be stupid, in most cases.

Therefore, Farang should be forgiven.

 

 

"Too many misconceptions and invalid preconceptions". This , your statement, emphasizes the ignorance you show by assuming you know more than just a few foreigners that live here. Assuming that the Roman were smart because they used force to try and conquer the world doesn't work either. The Romans borrowed technology from many nations as they barged their way in, took slaves, and laid to waste anyone who opposed them, mainly because of attrition. They were no more educated than many other nations. Calling farangs you don't know stupid IS stupid. It's an assumption based on a few meetings or typed words here. Also, a Wai is not a "superior" custom. It's just their way of greeting. Westerners use handshakes, which is actually "superior" because it involves touch, and a firm handshake tells a lot about someone. It might be possible to transmit germs, but as children are taught young, don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands unless you have washed them first. I have many Thais put out their hand to shake because they know this is how it's done where we're from, so that's respect. I always Wai to locals, and since no one on earth is superior to anyone else, I do it like I've seen it done, with a smile. Again you show a lack of restraint thinking you are somehow superior to anyone here, or anywhere else for that matter. Constantly showing this kind of behavior shows a lack of self esteem and an inferiority complex, making up for loss somewhere. Like you and others have said here, try and fit in with the rest of us. Even if you were a genius, and your comments show otherwise, you don't have to try and promote that to others. Smart people can recognize other smart people, and they don't think they are somehow superior because genetics and reading have attained them a degree of knowledge more than the average person.

[brewsterbudgen]

Wai away.  If you're not Thai it really doesn't matter whether you get it "right" or not.

[EVENKEEL]

I wai the cuties at KFC before ordering. On a more serious note I was at a foreigners funeral and saw so many other foreigners do the wai at his pic as they passed. I think it's odd but that's just me. Maybe I'll never fully integrate into full on Thai customs. 

[GammaGlobulin]

17 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

you know more than just a few foreigners

 

CORRECT!

 

Correct, again!

 

[Gsxrnz]

Slight nod and a Kap at the 7/11 or restaurant.

 

Slight Nod, a casual wat-dee-Kap, and a one-handed wai at chest height to friends of my missus. Although the really attractive ones might get two hands.

 

A sa-wat-dee-khrup (with the R) and a one-handed wai at chest height to the the missus' older relatives, a look of indignant scorn to the younger relations.

 

A sa-wat-dee-khrup tee-rak and a two-handed wai below the chin to my Mia.

 

A sa-wat-dee-khrup and a two-handed wai at forehead height to the boss of my regular bar - she allows me to rack up a weekly bin and gives me a frequent flyer discount.

[Neeranam]

In the tapestry of Thailand, there exists a thread of farang who resist assimilation into the fabric of their adopted homeland. They dwell in enclaves of familiarity, clinging to the echoes of their native tongue, traditions, and beliefs, while the rhythms of the new land swirl around them, unnoticed. These immigrants, bound by nostalgia and the comfort of the known, traverse the streets of their new country with a sense of detachment, cocooned in the safety of their own communities. Their journey becomes a delicate dance between preserving their identity and embracing the unfamiliar, a balance often tipped towards the former. Yet, in their isolation, they unwittingly erect barriers between themselves and the rich tapestry of experiences, opportunities, and diversity that their new home offers. Their reluctance to integrate, while rooted in the longing for familiarity, serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities inherent in the human experience of migration.

Edited February 24 by Neeranam

[transam]

4 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

In the tapestry of Thailand, there exists a thread of farang who resist assimilation into the fabric of their adopted homeland. They dwell in enclaves of familiarity, clinging to the echoes of their native tongue, traditions, and beliefs, while the rhythms of the new land swirl around them, unnoticed. These immigrants, bound by nostalgia and the comfort of the known, traverse the streets of their new country with a sense of detachment, cocooned in the safety of their own communities. Their journey becomes a delicate dance between preserving their identity and embracing the unfamiliar, a balance often tipped towards the former. Yet, in their isolation, they unwittingly erect barriers between themselves and the rich tapestry of experiences, opportunities, and diversity that their new home offers. Their reluctance to integrate, while rooted in the longing for familiarity, serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities inherent in the human experience of migration.

You speak for yourself..............

[Neeranam]

Living here most of my life, I now don't like shaking hands. Had reverse culture shock last year in Scotland, women I hardly knew or just me wanted to kiss me.

[transam]

9 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Living here most of my life, I now don't like shaking hands. Had reverse culture shock last year in Scotland, women I hardly knew or just me wanted to kiss me.

Should have told her you were gay...........😘