The wai

[harrry]

I am putting this in the language forum as I consider the Wai as a form of communication.

I am generaly aware that correct wais vary in height but all are in relation to the head.

Recently my browser has been giving me adds for a thai teacher with the photo of a very atractive and well presented young lady. She is giving a wai. This wai reaches round the level of her breasts.

Is that a correct way to wai a potential student or is it acceptible to do so because he is a foreigner.

Edited August 26, 2014 by harrry

[SlyAnimal]

When someone is below you in status, you don't need to give a high level wai, and in some cases even just a nod of the head is appropriate. This is particularly the case for children / younger people and for teachers with their students. Although if giving a low wai, your fingertips still wouldn't usually go as low as your chest.

From memory, holding their hands in a wai motion close to their chest is more of something which a Thai person will hold, after giving a high wai, while speaking to someone of much higher status e.g. while sitting on the ground infront of a monk.

Although in this case, I think that this is a result of marketing, to emphasise Thai culture etc while not obstructing her face, particularly as the advertisement is targeted at foreigners rather than Thai people, so they are likely trying to conform to foreign expectations rather than Thai.

[Gsxrnz]

When someone is below you in status, you don't need to give a high level wai, and in some cases even just a nod of the head is appropriate. This is particularly the case for children / younger people and for teachers with their students. Although if giving a low wai, your fingertips still wouldn't usually go as low as your chest.

From memory, holding their hands in a wai motion close to their chest is more of something which a Thai person will hold, after giving a high wai, while speaking to someone of much higher status e.g. while sitting on the ground infront of a monk.

Although in this case, I think that this is a result of marketing, to emphasise Thai culture etc while not obstructing her face, particularly as the advertisement is targeted at foreigners rather than Thai people, so they are likely trying to conform to foreign expectations rather than Thai.

Additionally to your high wai, an alternative is that they may also continue to hold their hands low at chest level, but after lowering their head to their lowered hands in the initial wai (seen often by newsreaders and presenters on TV).

I think you're right - these public announcement/advertising style wais have become more commercially focused rather than traditional Thai practice.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Gsxrnz

[Mole]

Wai at only breast level can be considered the lowest position of your hands. This type of wai is more like a standard polite greeting, for example when staff greet guests at hotel or flight attendants greeting passengers.

Also during certain ceremonies where you are required to keep your wai over a period of time, it will be situated at breast level.

Thai wikipedia has description of where your hands are supposed to be positioned depending on who you wai.

When wai monks, your thumbs must be between your eyebrows, you are also required to bow neck (not back) about half way.

When you wai somebody more senior, tip of your thumbs should touch tip of your nose, and also bow your neck slightly.

When you wai somebody about equal status or lower status, the tip of your thumbs should be touching tip of your chin and you bow with your back and not your neck.

Most of the error that I see foreigners do is the angle of your arms. Look at the top pic in the wikipedia page. Your elbow must be touching your waist and not spread out like a wing. Another error I see often is that you tend to press your hands too tightly together. The hands are not supposed to be pressed totally flat against each other. You press your fingers and thumbs and heels of your hands together, but there should be some space in-between your palms.

Also another common error is that you farangs tends to wai everybody. Taxi drivers, your local somtum cart lady, hotel receptionist, etc etc. There will be an awkward moment when Thai people will as reflex wai back when they receive an unexpected wai from a farang.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Mole

[Morakot]

[harrry]

When someone is below you in status, you don't need to give a high level wai, and in some cases even just a nod of the head is appropriate. This is particularly the case for children / younger people and for teachers with their students. Although if giving a low wai, your fingertips still wouldn't usually go as low as your chest.

From memory, holding their hands in a wai motion close to their chest is more of something which a Thai person will hold, after giving a high wai, while speaking to someone of much higher status e.g. while sitting on the ground infront of a monk.

Although in this case, I think that this is a result of marketing, to emphasise Thai culture etc while not obstructing her face, particularly as the advertisement is targeted at foreigners rather than Thai people, so they are likely trying to conform to foreign expectations rather than Thai.

So what we have is the person who wants to have people study thai with her or her partners is saying that she is way above those who would be her customers. Not a good way to promote business I would think.

[Mole]

No, her wai gesture is just a standard wai greeting, like that McDonalds doll.

How to wai is very ingrained in Thai people and there's no way they would "do it wrong".

Google image search การไหว้ and you'll see pics of all kinds of wai.

As you can see, many of them are of the neutral wai pose where hands are at breast level and not touching your chin or face. Also notice that only the neck is bent and not the back.

This is example of farang doing it wrong. The angle of his arms and elbow is wrong and his hands also appears to be too tightly pressed, which is a result of the near 90 degree angle of his elbows.

This too is incorrect, where she's supposed to bow only her neck and not her back like that as well as her wai is too low, only at chest level, where they should be higher, her thumbs should be touching her chin, like that Thai athlete to the left.

But Thai people are very forgiving when farang does it wrong, and the mere attempt of doing a wai is much more appreciated, so please do continue wai.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Mole

[harrry]

No, her wai gesture is just a standard wai greeting, like that McDonalds doll.

How to wai is very ingrained in Thai people and there's no way they would "do it wrong".

Google image search การไหว้ and you'll see pics of all kinds of wai.

As you can see, many of them are of the neutral wai pose where hands are at breast level and not touching your chin or face. Also notice that only the neck is bent and not the back.

waithaiair.jpg waiedu.jpg

This is example of farang doing it wrong. The angle of his arms and elbow is wrong and his hands also appears to be too tightly pressed, which is a result of the near 90 degree angle of his elbows.

waifarang.jpg

This too is incorrect, where she's supposed to bow only her neck and not her back like that as well as her wai is too low, only at chest level, where they should be higher, her thumbs should be touching her chin, like that Thai athlete to the left.

waifarang2.jpg

But Thai people are very forgiving when farang does it wrong, and the mere attempt of doing a wai is much more appreciated, so please do continue wai.

All the hand in these photos are at least a hands width higher that the one mentioned.

[Mole]

You better provide pic then. Because you said "wai reaches round the level of her breasts" and on those pics, the wai is definitely around breast level.

If you say it's a hand width lower than those pics, then it's not gonna be breast level, but belly level, and there's really no such wai that low. Would actually be kinda hard to do such low wai even because one arms and elbow must be in a 90 degree similar to that farang dude in the pic, except position the wai even lower.

[harrry]

You better provide pic then. Because you said "wai reaches round the level of her breasts" and on those pics, the wai is definitely around breast level.

If you say it's a hand width lower than those pics, then it's not gonna be breast level, but belly level, and there's really no such wai that low. Would actually be kinda hard to do such low wai even because one arms and elbow must be in a 90 degree similar to that farang dude in the pic, except position the wai even lower.

Your wish is my command Mole.

I am sure she is a nice girl and quite competent but I was wondering if this was normal now. Maybe I am getting old.

[Mole]

That's also a standard breast level wai. As you can see it isn't that much different than from the other pics above or for example the pose of the McDonald's doll.

She's obviously not bowing her head in order to make her face show properly in the pic, but there's really nothing wrong with that wai.

As I said earlier, most common error foreigners do is having the arms and elbow in wrong angle. Nevertheless, you should not really worry about whether you're doing it right or not. Thais always appreciate when farangs does it.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Mole