Uniquely Thai Habits / Customs

[cognos]

There are habits / customs perhaps unique to Thailand, but I only know a few, or perhaps none. One that comes to mind is the habit of Thai women sniffing babies/ and / or their lovers prior to kissing them, or just giving them a sniff or two. Is this "custom" uniquely Thai? Mai Loo ( don't know )..care to add ( for my "Thai" education and yours ) to the list ???

[LivinLOS]

Foot prints on the toilet seat ??

[Harcourt]

Sniffing prior to, or more often in place of, a greeting kiss, is not uniquely Thai. Pacific islanders, Polynesian and Melanesian do that.

[cognos]

my bpen rai attitude

[Harcourt]

my bpen rai attitude

Nahh. Fijian's have "kua ni lega", South Africans have "hakuna matata", and Bobby McFerrin has "Don't worry be happy".....all basically the same.

[cognos]

yes, so are there any? perhaps that LOS was not COLONIZED ( exploited yes) by the Europeans ??

[JimmyTheMook]

Openly picking your nose in public and coughing all over people.

[Meridian007]

Ya-dom stuck firmly up a nostril?

[cognos]

how about... millions of farang seeking ( and meeting ) mostly beautiful, ( or not so much) (mostly jai dee and sanook) women, that will go to the ends of the earth with them to "escape"??

[LivinLOS]

5 baht coin in the ear.

[Lite Beer]

Banks of loud speakers blasting out distorted music at funerals from 6 am for a few days.

Got one 2 doors away and have got a headache

[cognos]

Banks of loud speakers blasting out distorted music at funerals from 6 am for a few days.

Got one 2 doors away and have got a headache

9 day funerals?

[Latindancer]

5 baht coin in the ear.

Banks of loud speakers blasting out distorted music at funerals from 6 am for a few days.

Got one 2 doors away and have got a headache

9 day funerals?

Sorry to disappoint, but coins in the ear are common in India, and week-long funerals ( with loud music ) are done in Taiwan.

[bkkjames]

Flips flops while wearing a dark pin-striped suit.

[TallForeigner]

Flips flops while wearing a dark pin-striped suit.

I've seen that many times in China too and even in Korea.

First I thought it might be Thai:never lifting their feet off the ground and dragging those flip flops and also other shoes on the floor - but actually Chinese, Koreans, Thais, Malaysians and certainly other East-Asians do it too. Maybe that's typical East Asian; Caucasians usually do that only at age 80 and up.

[ArthurPewty]

Typical ideas spring to mind, but truely unique is a tough one.

How about adding sugar to savory dishes? I have never seen that before.

[Lite Beer]

Off topic post deleted.

[bkkjames]

Stating in repetition that they are either:

Hungry again at 2pm (not that i would eat any of their snacks)

The Need to pee. (Just do it)

[yabaaaa]

Foot prints on the toilet seat ??

Twisting babies caused by washing machines that has to be uniquely Thai?

[surayu]

Something unusual for me is when i shop at the bakery of Big C, every tray got a paper sheet with lots of jams, sweet cream, etc, nobody cares to change it and expect you to put on it salty baked stuff too...also something that at first i tought was very rude are people that never reply to a salute, they didn't meant to be rude but are just not accustomised to good manners somehow, back home even the scummiest of the people would reply to an "hello" but here often seems to be an optional.....not a big deal, but strange...

Edit: ohh and anybody noticed the boat crews in Bangkok wearing a helmet but not life jackets? that's unique!

[Lagoud]

The "Wai", hands together greeting. And the rules that go with it, younger to older, not returned to young children, how high up the head etc......

the 'smile' (LOS). Which seems to be used to cover up any mistake or ignorance and for many other things.

Buddhism, monks confining themselves to the temple in the rainy season; water levels are high, insects are driven from the ground and they do not wish to be responsible for stepping on them.

Custom "no-no's": touching a Thai man on the face or head.

pointing or doing anything with the feet. Soles of feet pointing at anyone or religious or

royal images.

The Wai or car horn used when passing certain temples, religious sites or spirit houses.

[bkkexplorer]

Not being able to read road maps...

Also, when you ask for directions, they will guess the route instead of saying "i don't know".

[zzaa09]

Sniffing prior to, or more often in place of, a greeting kiss, is not uniquely Thai. Pacific islanders, Polynesian and Melanesian do that.

This character trait could even lend itself within the Pan-Asian world.

[zzaa09]

Blatantly interrupting others conversation {though, not altogether a Thai mannerism}

[BangRon]

Thai wedding dowry custom?

Families at wedding adding in their own savings, also stuffing small notes between big ones to impress guests?

[wintermute]

how about... millions of farang seeking ( and meeting ) mostly beautiful, ( or not so much) (mostly jai dee and sanook) women, that will go to the ends of the earth with them to "escape"??

"ends" as defined by the bank account maximum transfer and "earth" as defined by some place in Thailand to settle down.

[WaiWai]

There are some interesting "rules" about how underwear should be hung after washing (men's above women's?) and not walking beneath it.

According to this site, business.wsu.edu/StudyAbroad/Pages/Thai_Customs.aspx, (though it seems a little out of date on some issues), "Clothing from the lower parts of the body should never be left anywhere in a high position. This applies particularly to socks and underwear, but also to shorts and skirts. This is the case even when washing and drying clothes. Thais have two clothes lines - a high one for most clothes and a low one for underwear and socks."

Some Thais turn the clothes inside out when hanging to dry -- any idea why? I suggested to another foreigner that the reason might be to avoid gheecko poo but he said, "why would you want the poo on the inside?"

Some of the ghosties are surely unique.

[wintermute]

Some Thais turn the clothes inside out when hanging to dry -- any idea why? I suggested to another foreigner that the reason might be to avoid gheecko poo but he said, "why would you want the poo on the inside?"

This is to prevent clothes from wearing out on the outside from the sun. It's a pretty good practice and prevents fading.

[WaiWai]

Some Thais turn the clothes inside out when hanging to dry -- any idea why? I suggested to another foreigner that the reason might be to avoid gheecko poo but he said, "why would you want the poo on the inside?"

This is to prevent clothes from wearing out on the outside from the sun. It's a pretty good practice and prevents fading.

Fair enough -- thanks for the info!

[Insight]

Can't believe pointing with perforated lips has yet to get a mention.

Or the single quick nod of the head, when the real response is "buggered if I know".