How to Wai properly - as suggested by a Thai.

[MyFriend You]

I wai to the immigration bloke doing me visa,that's about it,i have done it at the temple the few times i have gone,but otherwise i don't,the most pathetic thing is westerners wai-ing to other westererners.

The immigration bloke and elders I will initiate the wai,

I have been taught to always reply to a wai with a wai..... however I was taught 3 levels, not 2 as Miss Mod said. The chest one without bowing the head to respond to kids wais, thumbs about at your chin for most people, and the thumbs to eyebrows for monks.

For those that don't wai, how do you feel back home when you extend your hand for a handshake and it is brushed aside or coldly ignored?

I don't shake hands with anyone I don't know - if not being introduced - especially strangers on Sukumvitt that are of Arab or African extraction, who knows where their hands have been. Oh, I do wai in response to a wai or a wave but always with a head nod to youngsters.

[tingtongteesood]

You are supposed to wai to people you respect. I respect all my friends and wai to them. Maybe I do it wrong but they appreciate the sentiment and they do it to me too. I dont care about the rules, screw all that 'face' and social class crap etc. And yes, if kids wai to me I wai back too, why the heck not ? It's polite.....

[Sandman77]

When my wife wai in Europe the people irritates and ask why she cannot give the hand

[thailiketoo]

Ah no. She was born in Bangkok and moved to Nakhon Si Tamarat. So now would be a good time to admit you don't have a clue about how people from different parts of Thailand sound.

Try to understand this is not my first day in Thailand.

So you just phoned her? Just because she was born in Bangkok doesn't mean her parents weren't from Issan. Off topic here. If you want to wai like her go ahead.

From her website.

I was born here in Bangkok but I moved to Nakhon Si Tamarat with my family, it’s a town next to Suratthani.

I’ve been in Bangkok for over 10 years. I moved here when I was 18 to attend the University. But every two months I visit my hometown; my family still lives there.

http://learnthaiwithmod.com/about-mod/

Now don't you feel like you should apologize and just admit you don't know what you are talking about.

Born in BKK moved to Surat Thani with family. Hometown should be BKK if she was born there.

You wrote, "This is a load of BS. Two ugly Issan girls teaching you how to wai like an Issan girl. Great post."

You were 100% wrong. Admit it and go away instead of trying some misdirection.

You wrote, "Born in BKK moved to Surat Thani with family. Hometown should be BKK if she was born there."

She wrote, "I was born here in Bangkok but I moved to Nakhon Si Tamarat with my family, it’s a town next to Suratthani. I’ve been in Bangkok for over 10 years. I moved here when I was 18 to attend the University. But every two months I visit my hometown; my family still lives there."

You are a know nothing who attempts to stereotype Thai women. Anyone who deals in ethnic stereotypes will eventually be proved wrong. The argument was over in 1945. Our side won.

[marko kok prong]

Wow! Such a great video. Thanks so much. Can't believe saying hello could be sexy. I can watch her all day

Yeah,i had to ask my wife why she was doing the video,, when she got home,she just told me 'i like to help peppen'.

[thailiketoo]

Wow! Such a great video. Thanks so much. Can't believe saying hello could be sexy. I can watch her all day

Yeah,i had to ask my wife why she was doing the video,, when she got home,she just told me 'i like to help peppen'.

Kruu Mod (Teacher Mod) is a famous internet celebrity in Thailand. She started to create videos for both foreigners inside and outside Thailand to make learning Thai fun and easy.

http://learnthaiwithmod.com/about-mod/

[ATF]

You wrote, "This is a load of BS. Two ugly Issan girls teaching you how to wai like an Issan girl. Great post."

You were 100% wrong. Admit it and go away instead of trying some misdirection.

You wrote, "Born in BKK moved to Surat Thani with family. Hometown should be BKK if she was born there."

She wrote, "I was born here in Bangkok but I moved to Nakhon Si Tamarat with my family, it’s a town next to Suratthani. I’ve been in Bangkok for over 10 years. I moved here when I was 18 to attend the University. But every two months I visit my hometown; my family still lives there."

You are a know nothing who attempts to stereotype Thai women. Anyone who deals in ethnic stereotypes will eventually be proved wrong. The argument was over in 1945. Our side won.

Ok I'll say I'm wrong if you can get the "Hitler Fried Chicken" thread going again. I lived for that thread. Where's Publicus?

[arjunadawn]

Wow! Such a great video. Thanks so much. Can't believe saying hello could be sexy. I can watch her all day

Yeah,i had to ask my wife why she was doing the video,, when she got home,she just told me 'i like to help peppen'.

If that lady on the left is your wife, very nice score- be good to her. If she is not but reminds you of your wife, still great for you. If she is neither and you are feeling blue and sarcastic, my sympathies for you. This girl could be a standard by which other women are measured. That girl is just... So darn cute. The OP said she has other posts. I will look for them. She could be teaching me underwater basket weaving and I would pay attention!

[arjunadawn]

Wow! Such a great video. Thanks so much. Can't believe saying hello could be sexy. I can watch her all day

Yeah,i had to ask my wife why she was doing the video,, when she got home,she just told me 'i like to help peppen'.

Kruu Mod (Teacher Mod) is a famous internet celebrity in Thailand. She started to create videos for both foreigners inside and outside Thailand to make learning Thai fun and easy.

http://learnthaiwithmod.com/about-mod/

Thank you. Besides her being cute, it actually was a refresher and helpful. I really would watch other useful videos like this. Doesn't surprise me that she is a "made woman" in this culture. She seems to have a lot going on for her- mind, charm, smarts, and the good sense to seat herself beside a woman who at first glance has none of these qualities, magnifying her further.

[Gringogazzer]

When my wife wai in Europe the people irritates and ask why she cannot give the hand

Chomping at the bit to bite, but I ain't going to.

Excellent...

[connda]

I wai some people, some people I don't. Some people get a socially correct wai, some people don't. Sometime I just feel like an old farang and nobody gets a wai (leveraging both my age and foreign status) and instead get a "What-Up?"

Bottom line: It depends.

[connda]

I do not wai now or ever.

I don't either. I do not believe in cultural etiquette. I believe that it is over rated, over used, as well as not used properly by most thai's and foreigners. I was first told about wai-ing when I came to Thailand. I was told that you wai "out of respect"....however, I don't see any respect in the act. Students wai their teachers, but they have no respect for them. Employees wai their boss, but the speak ill of him behind his back. So why be a fraud? I just say hello....that's my way of greeting. I think we should respect each other for how they choose to communicate, but I don't believe in hypocrisy.

Dear Mr Rimjob, it's an interesting thought you suggest.

But, to reverse the situation, how do you feel when you offer your hand to shake and the other person declines the polite Western custom.

Haley, the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. After the Broncos thrashed the Chiefs yesterday, Haley refused to shake hands with Denver head coach.

Not a nice feeling?

.

That's just being a poor loser. If I was Denver Head Coach, I'd shrug it off.

[IsaanUSA]

Question:

If I want to properly wai and have some bags in my hands, is it ok to wai whilst holding the bags?

[balo]

I only wai if I'm drunk , otherwise I just wai with my head and the locals seem to appreciate it.

[muchogra]

Do it like this: with your upper body bent a bit.

It has taken me a long, long time to feel comfortable waiing! However, my wife wai like a farang who's trying hard to wai properly, though she's not a farang. Very funny looking!

[CryWolf]

After I started wai-ing my family I rarely get invited to the gatherings anymore, so for me it worked out just fine

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ChiangMike]

Ours is not to learn the Wai, ours is but to do and...ummmm....

oh nevermind.

Enjoyed the video and learned a little, thanks.

[David48]

But, to reverse the situation, how do you feel when you offer your hand to shake and the other person declines the polite Western custom.

Haley, the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. After the Broncos thrashed the Chiefs yesterday, Haley refused to shake hands with Denver head coach.

Not a nice feeling?

That's just being a poor loser. If I was Denver Head Coach, I'd shrug it off.

connda, I agree.

But I looked and searched the net net for an appropiate image af a handshake refusal, and that was the closest fit I could find.

Maybe 'hand shaking' is so ingrained in 'our' Culture ... don't know.

.

[David48]

Here is a Cultural challenge ... 'why' or what is the origin of the 'Hand Shake' ?

... no looking on the net though!

.

[Tywais]

Here is a Cultural challenge ... 'why' or what is the origin of the 'Hand Shake' ?

... no looking on the net though!

.

To show you had no weapon in your hand. The wai has similar roots from India and with the same purpose.

[sdanielmcev]

I wai whoever my gf tells me to wai.

No one knows where handshaking comes from. Unless you believe everything you read on the web.

[David48]

Question:

If I want to properly wai and have some bags in my hands, is it ok to wai whilst holding the bags?

Mate ... I tried it once.

Just out of TESCO and walked into KFC where the nieces and nephews were munching away.

The Father of the nephew saw me, popped up, and gave me a quite respectful wai.

All the kids stopped eating and looked at me. They all waied, but you almost never return their wai, just acknowledge, a smile.

Was one of those slow motion moments as he walked towards me wai-ing away.

I'm thinking F F F what to do.

Hands came up, shopping came up, shopping bags clashed.

He smiled (the child's father) smiled, put one hand on my shoulder asked in his best broken English, could he help with the bags and proceeded to take them off me and walked me to the table.

He handled it with aplomb ... I learnt from that.

If it's difficult to wai ... it's not expected and don't try to ... but that was years ago that story.

.

[David48]

Here is a Cultural challenge ... 'why' or what is the origin of the 'Hand Shake' ?

... no looking on the net though!

.

To show you had no weapon in your hand. The wai has similar roots from India and with the same purpose.

Hand that man a sword ...

I would have just 'liked' it but have ran out them (cough, cough)

[David48]

Wow! Such a great video. Thanks so much. Can't believe saying hello could be sexy. I can watch her all day

She's changed a bit over the years.

This is one from her early days and sort of helped me with the concept of tones in Thai.

In the early days ... I ate a lot of fried egg on rice!

[Dreamseeker]

If someone wai to you what is the correct response?

[cobra]

... ,the most pathetic thing is westerners wai-ing to other westererners.

and to children, to fast food employees, to street vendors,

the horror,

[socksy01]

Have a visit to the Wai bone cafe - much more pleasurable

[Somtamnication]

Nothing wrong with doing a wai to people you respect. I refuse, and my wife has backed me up, on doing wais to people I do not respect (older coworkers, her older sister 40ish, younger than me).

When I do the 90 day bullcrap at immigration, I do a hello wai and thank you wai. Wai not?

[Naam]

Do you Wai?

yes, but only the three year old daughter of my assistant/handyman because she wais me in a most cute way with a courtsey.

[JSPS]

Now, explain the differences between the high wai, the low wai and the really high wai.