Greeting a Thai Lady, with a kiss.

[Jonmarleesco]

It seems to be catching on in England, usually with women expecting a kiss on the cheek, whether arriving or departing. But I've also had women here expect similar, on short acquaintance. Though that could be an ex-Thailand education influence. Personally, I avoid such contact with women whom I have only just met, usually settling for a wai.

[thaibeachlovers]

One does not have to be a "culture fanatic" to abide by the "rules" in Thailand, and one of them is that there is no hugging or kissing in public.

You wouldn't point the soles of your feet at a Thai, would you, so why would you indulge in western style greetings? Besides, when I grew up, a man didn't even shake an unknown woman's hand in greeting.

[thaibeachlovers]

Kissing is just not in the traditional Thai culture. In the backwaters of Thailand you never see any public displays of affection. People rarely hold hands. Although my wife has been giving and loving in every way only a few nights ago did she awkwardly experiment with kissing and did not allow it even in bed. I could kiss or orally please her but not her mouth. Just not in their culture. They consider the feet to be dirty and you should not touch anyone with your feet so there is likely a similar taboo with kissing. Also you should not touch anyones head. So I guess kissing is touching someones head. BIG TABOO !!

So you never kissed your wife before you got married? Crikey.

I never had a Thai GF that didn't kiss, so that "backwater" must be as far from mainstream Thailand as it's possible to get without being in another country.

Just sayin'.

I also never found a Thai woman that knows me to have a problem with the whole "not touching on the head" thing.

[trainman34014]

When i first met my wife to be one of the first things she wanted to discuss was how i would greet people when meeting her parents and other relatives. I knew the rules but listened and agreed out of respect for local culture. She told me she had seem many Western Movies with people kissing and hugging openly in public and understood our ways but said not to do such things here.

8 years on and her family now greet me with a hug and the odd cheek kiss comes from female relatives. My wife will hold my hand in the street but prefers to put her arm through mine and feels more comfortable that way.

These days i see many young Thai couples following the Western trends like holding hands and hanging on each others shoulders etc. Funny thing is my wife kinda likes it and says it's been too long since enough empathy and affection was shown, particularly between family members.

[casualposter]

Kissing is just not in the traditional Thai culture. In the backwaters of Thailand you never see any public displays of affection. People rarely hold hands. Although my wife has been giving and loving in every way only a few nights ago did she awkwardly experiment with kissing and did not allow it even in bed. I could kiss or orally please her but not her mouth. Just not in their culture. They consider the feet to be dirty and you should not touch anyone with your feet so there is likely a similar taboo with kissing. Also you should not touch anyones head. So I guess kissing is touching someones head. BIG TABOO !!

Your posts are outrageous.

Your wife doesn't want to kiss you because kissing isn't part of Thai culture and is a big taboo.

You're living on a different planet.

[transam]

Kissing is just not in the traditional Thai culture. In the backwaters of Thailand you never see any public displays of affection. People rarely hold hands. Although my wife has been giving and loving in every way only a few nights ago did she awkwardly experiment with kissing and did not allow it even in bed. I could kiss or orally please her but not her mouth. Just not in their culture. They consider the feet to be dirty and you should not touch anyone with your feet so there is likely a similar taboo with kissing. Also you should not touch anyones head. So I guess kissing is touching someones head. BIG TABOO !!

Try shaving that stubble off............. .....................

[55Jay]

There are degrees of intamacy but unless the Thai person has been indoctrinated to other cutlures outside LOS, they will most likely be uncomfortable with it in general. Maybe not your internet love interest because you had some pre-contact relation with her, but certainly her chastity entourage. 10 minutes on Google before arriving in KK would of sorted you out.

Edited May 7, 2014 by 55Jay

[Patsycat]

Switzerland it's three kisses. Some parts of France it's four.

You get used to it, and it's deemed rude if you don't do it. My friend's Thai wife and other Thai people i know here got used to it.

Mostly, men don't kiss. But us females kiss everyone, which by the time you've got round everyone at a drinks thing and it's time to go home and you have to start again you are usually dying of thirst!!!

I get a bit confused when i go to the UK, they go for the two kisses and i am sort of left in limbo going for the third.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Patsycat

[susan d]

Last time, I also ask my Thai friend, she told me that--Thai culture does not allow to kiss on the public. They don't know other cultures. So if people see a man kiss or hug girl on the street, they will think the girl is not good. That is terrible.

[cheeryble]

--Thai culture does not allow to kiss on the public.

Kiss on the where?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[raybal5]

Hey Costa, You say you’ve asked her, if she knows, why greeting with a kiss, is against, Thai culture. So I ask you, Why do Greeks kiss everyone including strangers?

[Patsycat]

In Switzerland we don't kiss strangers at a first meeting, we shake hands. Then at the end of the evening or lunch or whatever we give them the three kisses because we know them. It's polite here, as is looking someone in the eye when you clink glasses and say Cheers. If not you are deemed dodgy, or impolite.

I love learning about the little etiquette foibles from around the world!!

Edited May 8, 2014 by Patsycat

[Will2011]

To sum up, it's not the culture but it depends on people's knowledge and open-mindedness. I can easily do that with some thai friends as if it was entirely the norm.

Just as if you'd wai/namaste any westerners in your country, some would namaste you back, others would think you are crazy.

But I found 'it's the culture' answer quite meaningless that leads me to think the person who uses this reason as an explanation has little knowledge.

[Aforek]

Some parts of France it's four.

I did it many years, because I am French, I can tell you that I hate it now , too many kisses, and I am happy to see that it's not a thai tradition

I have met hundreds of Thai people, I have never seen them kiss each other, even touch each other .

last new year, I was with several thai women, and when I told them that in my country, when it's midnight, every body ( men and women ) kiss each other to say "happy new year ", they looked at me with horror; of course, when new year came, I didn't try anything ( I mean, no kiss, nothing ... )

[healthbkkbkk]

Some parts of France it's four.

I did it many years, because I am French, I can tell you that I hate it now , too many kisses, and I am happy to see that it's not a thai tradition

I have met hundreds of Thai people, I have never seen them kiss each other, even touch each other .

last new year, I was with several thai women, and when I told them that in my country, when it's midnight, every body ( men and women ) kiss each other to say "happy new year ", they looked at me with horror; of course, when new year came, I didn't try anything ( I mean, no kiss, nothing ... )

mais cher ami, this is life so take it with abandon.

[Will2011]

Some parts of France it's four.

I did it many years, because I am French, I can tell you that I hate it now , too many kisses, and I am happy to see that it's not a thai tradition

I have met hundreds of Thai people, I have never seen them kiss each other, even touch each other .

last new year, I was with several thai women, and when I told them that in my country, when it's midnight, every body ( men and women ) kiss each other to say "happy new year ", they looked at me with horror; of course, when new year came, I didn't try anything ( I mean, no kiss, nothing ... )

Your acquaintances seem to hold a high cognitive standard!

[Thaiberius]

Ok for luvvie actors but normal people should just leave it out.

[Thaiberius]

Oh dear, double post.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Thaiberius

[BSJ]

It's been 4 years for my wife to be comfortable with kissing in public. But only on the lips and hand!

[DrTuner]

Some parts of France it's four.

I did it many years, because I am French, I can tell you that I hate it now , too many kisses, and I am happy to see that it's not a thai tradition

I have met hundreds of Thai people, I have never seen them kiss each other, even touch each other .

last new year, I was with several thai women, and when I told them that in my country, when it's midnight, every body ( men and women ) kiss each other to say "happy new year ", they looked at me with horror; of course, when new year came, I didn't try anything ( I mean, no kiss, nothing ... )

If they had gone along with the kissing, next time tell it's a tradition in your country to hide the salami every midnight. Will be interesting to see how many remain at 23:59.

[Somtamnication]

My wife is greeted and greets with two pecks on the cheek by our Spanish friends. She is very used to it and loves it. But she has to know beforehand.

[fishbrando]

People are raised with differing customs.

There is no such thing called a 'correct custom' or a 'wrong custom' nor a 'superior custom' or an 'inferior custom'.

It is when one tries to enforce ones custom to another that it becomes 'wrong'.

Take a look at sharia law sometime and see if you still believe this.

There is such a thing as a wrong custom, and there is such a thing as a superior or inferior custom. Not all of them, but they exist. I believe that the sooner we start believing this, the sooner we can start getting rid of bad customs.

[fishbrando]

In some of the Nana and Cowboy bars a Thai guy will often drape a towel over your shoulders and start massaging you as you take a leak. I would have thought that's a very easy way of not getting a tip but a fat lip. Certainly not typically Thai and something I try to avoid like the plague.

I've never experienced this myself but I've heard of it. Who on earth thought that this would be a good idea?

This happened to my friend, and he said at first he was shocked and alarmed, then he got into it because the massage was a good one. He tipped the guy 20 baht.

[fishbrando]

I was sitting at a Starbucks in a big mall in Bangkok and watched as foreign men met up with local women, some for the first time. One young foreign man greeted a nice-looking fashionably-dressed woman and tried to kiss her on the cheek, and she recoiled backwards like she was doing the limbo. It was an incredibly awkward moment.

[somchaismith]

My wife is greeted and greets with two pecks on the cheek by our Spanish friends. She is very used to it and loves it. But she has to know beforehand.

That's what she tells you, anyway.