FiscalFizz Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) I have read that if someone does a Wai ( the wai wais??), you should just smile and nod back. Is this true. I am more or less just wondering in what social situations should I Wai first and also when I should respons with a wai greeting? As a farang, should I always just smile and nod my head politely.. If it is my boss, do I Wai first and/or wai back I have tried the search function, but I am not that effecient with it yet I suppose. I also hit up Google. Sorry if this has been covered many times before. Mods, if this is in the wrong area, feel free to move. Thanks in advance to everyone at TV. Edited February 4, 2012 by FiscalFizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Oh no...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necronx99 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 As a Farang I wai when meeting people who I perceive or want to be perceived (in the context of others perceptions) as my social superiors. I have a good friend who is a judge, I wai when I haven't seen him in a while or when he is with other hi-so's who don't also know me. I don't wai everytime I see him. Return a wai to any equal or friend. Treat it the same as a handshake unless it is in a commercial situation (shop greeter etc) in which case a nod is enough. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Oh no...... Oh no here we go again.....OP....please use the search function...there must be thousands of threads on this subject on TV... when this question, along with questions on Sin Sot come up....every Thai wannabee jumps on the bandwagon trying to show how at one with their Thainess they are.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maiphedmaiaroi Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) As a Farang I wai when meeting people who I perceive or want to be perceived (in the context of others perceptions) as my social superiors. I have a good friend who is a judge, I wai when I haven't seen him in a while or when he is with other hi-so's who don't also know me. I don't wai everytime I see him. Return a wai to any equal or friend. Treat it the same as a handshake unless it is in a commercial situation (shop greeter etc) in which case a nod is enough. lol Edited February 4, 2012 by metisdead 30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 As a Farang I wai when meeting people who I perceive or want to be perceived (in the context of others perceptions) as my social superiors. I have a good friend who is a judge, I wai when I haven't seen him in a while or when he is with other hi-so's who don't also know me. I don't wai everytime I see him. Return a wai to any equal or friend. Treat it the same as a handshake unless it is in a commercial situation (shop greeter etc) in which case a nod is enough. You forgot to add the most important situation of when to wai.....always wai other Farang when greeting one another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelmsman Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 The Intellectual Gods of TV land have far grander concepts and ideas to ponder. Perhaps solve the mysteries of the universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necronx99 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 As a Farang I wai when meeting people who I perceive or want to be perceived (in the context of others perceptions) as my social superiors. I have a good friend who is a judge, I wai when I haven't seen him in a while or when he is with other hi-so's who don't also know me. I don't wai everytime I see him. Return a wai to any equal or friend. Treat it the same as a handshake unless it is in a commercial situation (shop greeter etc) in which case a nod is enough. You forgot to add the most important situation of when to wai.....always wai other Farang when greeting one another. Only when he ends a sentence with "maak maak" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necronx99 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 As a Farang I wai when meeting people who I perceive or want to be perceived (in the context of others perceptions) as my social superiors. I have a good friend who is a judge, I wai when I haven't seen him in a while or when he is with other hi-so's who don't also know me. I don't wai everytime I see him. Return a wai to any equal or friend. Treat it the same as a handshake unless it is in a commercial situation (shop greeter etc) in which case a nod is enough. lol back at yah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 As a Farang I wai when meeting people who I perceive or want to be perceived (in the context of others perceptions) as my social superiors. I have a good friend who is a judge, I wai when I haven't seen him in a while or when he is with other hi-so's who don't also know me. I don't wai everytime I see him. Return a wai to any equal or friend. Treat it the same as a handshake unless it is in a commercial situation (shop greeter etc) in which case a nod is enough. You forgot to add the most important situation of when to wai.....always wai other Farang when greeting one another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Why wai? (aloy took chai) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 As a Farang I wai when meeting people who I perceive or want to be perceived (in the context of others perceptions) as my social superiors. I have a good friend who is a judge, I wai when I haven't seen him in a while or when he is with other hi-so's who don't also know me. I don't wai everytime I see him. Return a wai to any equal or friend. Treat it the same as a handshake unless it is in a commercial situation (shop greeter etc) in which case a nod is enough. You forgot to add the most important situation of when to wai.....always wai other Farang when greeting one another. And lest not we forget....that it is mandatory to wai every waitress, parking attendent and security guard who crosses your path, if you dont...you obviously dont understand the Thai culture and you should leave the country immediately... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Rule of thumb, is to never wai. I am farang, and with it goes the dispensation on the need to wai. That does not mean tossing manners and politeness aside. I suggest that one watch some youtube showing public functions where foreign diplomat and senior business execs are exchanging greetings with Thais. The diplomatic style bow is the preferred means of greeting. I have given a proper 45 degree bow to esteemed professors and a minister or two along with the greeting Good Afternoon Professor, the mention of title ensures that the object of the bow's hierarchal position is acknowledged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) As a non Thai you're not really expected to know all the protocol on who Wais to who, who Wais first, and so on. Just use the general rules that you: 1. Wai to those senior to you. 2. To those who you want to show respect to (perhaps your Thai Girlfriends's mother?) 3. And in a shop if they have gone out of their way to help you...to thank them for their effort (as you leave). 4. And when greeting a Buddhist monk. Basically, just do what you think is right and be repectful. But don't worry to much, as a foriegner you're not supposed to know all the rules. Edited February 4, 2012 by IMA_FARANG 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red1green0 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Wai'ing a Thai. lol. Don't think so. It's only for people you consider to be superior to you. They wai me. I may give a small nod of recognition from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mugg Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 There is an excellent article written on this forum in Thailandmusings http://thailandmusings.thaivisa.com/when-and-how-to-wai-properly/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattayadingo Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I wai to the girlfriends mother only when I have not seen her before or for a while as that is respectful and good manners. I have to laugh at the men who wai to the ladies working in the bar, the bar staff and all and sundry. They look so pathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elwood Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Wai'ing a Thai. lol. Don't think so. It's only for people you consider to be superior to you. They wai me. I may give a small nod of recognition from time to time. Fancy yourself don't you? Great White Man must be superior to any Thai eh? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post transam Posted February 4, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2012 Wai'ing a Thai. lol. Don't think so. It's only for people you consider to be superior to you. They wai me. I may give a small nod of recognition from time to time. BUT, they think your a moron, even when they smile. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tywais Posted February 4, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2012 I posted this several years ago so will repost it here. The full topic is here > Wai Oh Wai ----------------------------------------------------------------- Pretty much every time this topic pops up it gets the same crowd. 1. Those who don't wai at anything 2. Those that only wai a certain category of people 3. The backpacker wai - wais everything, even the local soi dog. 4. The culturally aware, which appears to be a small minority. I have been coming to Thailand for over 35 years, working here nearly 16 years and 99.9% of my interactions are with Thai, from the lowest class to the highest class you can imagine. I made/make an effort to know the culture and its' meaning to make my daily life more pleasant. I'm at a point where I instinctively know when, where and how to wai. Not to say that I don't occasionally make a faux pax, but when I do I usually realize it immediately and kick myself for a while for doing it (in other words, I should have known better). I talked to a Thai ajarn friend of mine at the university regarding his thoughts on farangs and waiing or not waiing. First I asked if it was a tourist or a visiting professor and he did not return a wai, what would he think. His comment was he wouldn't think anything of it knowing the person is culturally unaware. Now he made a point though and used me as an example (as an analogy for the opposite farang group). He said if he was standing somewhere out of sight and saw a Thai approach me and waied me but I didn't return the wai, he would be quite upset. The reason is he knows me, that I have been here a long time and understand the culture, I speak the language and have a Thai wife. In other words, there is no excuse for my behavior with this person. Same with some other Thais at the university, if you refuse to wai then you do not respect the culture or the people (again, if you have been here for an extended period and not the casual visitor). Now these are highly educated Thais who make a distinction between the various farang categories. Now try to think of lessor educated Thais and I suspect their thoughts are a little less forgiving. One last thing and that is waiing children. Some think it is never appropriate. My ajarn friend explained that he will return a wai to a child (he will not initiate it), his reasoning is if he doesn't the child will grow up thinking it is not important. In other words, he leads by example. Funny enough, seems I see more higher class Thais returning wais to kids then others. Handshake vs wai. Yes, not the same thing in either meaning or effect. Though having said that, it seems I remember reading that the wai originated in the same fashion as the handshake. That is, it was to show your enemy you were not holding a weapon. I'm still trying to find the history and the where and why of how the wai started. My colleague believes it originated in India. My 2 satangs. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) I wai every Thai person who wais me other than small children. It is a heck of a lot easier than trying figure out who I am supposedly superior to.. Edited February 4, 2012 by Ulysses G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwasaki Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 India is apparently where the Wai comes from when most of Asia was known as Greater India. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) Handshake vs wai. Yes, not the same thing in either meaning or effect. Though having said that, it seems I remember reading that the wai originated in the same fashion as the handshake. That is, it was to show your enemy you were not holding a weapon. I'm still trying to find the history and the where and why of how the wai started. My colleague believes it originated in India. I wai those who wai me in one on one meetings because this you mention here. I would never be so rude as to ignore someone who extended their hand to me for a handshake greeting. Of course when entering restaurants etc & the staff wai I smile & nod because in that situation it just seems more a business welcome/thanks. Also again vs handshake those folks are out of reach & in my mind waving Edited February 4, 2012 by flying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiscalFizz Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 sorry! I typed a few things into the search function. Thanks for the responses everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elwood Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I wai every Thai person who wais me other than small children. It is a heck of a lot easier than trying figure out who I am supposedly superior to.. If all expats followed this straightforward method, there wouldn't be any need for this subject to come up time and time again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 The only person I'm likely to wai will be a prison guard if I'm the wrong side of the fence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onionluke Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Rule of thumb, is to never wai. I am farang, and with it goes the dispensation on the need to wai. That does not mean tossing manners and politeness aside. I suggest that one watch some youtube showing public functions where foreign diplomat and senior business execs are exchanging greetings with Thais. The diplomatic style bow is the preferred means of greeting. I have given a proper 45 degree bow to esteemed professors and a minister or two along with the greeting Good Afternoon Professor, the mention of title ensures that the object of the bow's hierarchal position is acknowledged. Bowing only realy works , in my lowly opinion , when the the bower is wearing a smock and green leggings and delivers the "Good Afternoon M'lord " with a lisp and hand flutter . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necronx99 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Bowing only realy works , in my lowly opinion , when the the bower is wearing a smock and green leggings and delivers the "Good Afternoon M'lord " with a lisp and hand flutter . Funny, I don't recall having you as a guest at the manor before... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattaniMan Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Wai'ing a Thai. lol. Don't think so. It's only for people you consider to be superior to you. They wai me. I may give a small nod of recognition from time to time. I find that mooning them often elicits respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gers1873 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 My wife rarely even does it now. In her opinion the 'wai' has become equal to the North American 'have a nice day' == Mostly meaningless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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