Soft handshakes..

[ravip]

I can't recall any hand-shake with any Thai male. Everyone is wai-ing here.

Staff come wais...staff goes wais.....if my company gets bigger I need an extra staff who is doing all the waiing for me.....

You being the boss, you are not supposed to wai your 'inferior' staff. A visible nod of your head into their direction is absolutely sufficient

WOW! That's 'classy' and very superior.

[BradinAsia]

Possibly because shaking hands is not a Thai custom. Nor is the current craze for fist-bumping. You never know where those sweaty hands have been! Some Thais view a handshake as merely the symbolic touching of hands.

The 'wai' is both hygienic and respectful.

Very well said.

Handshakes are not part of the culture in most of East and Southeast Asia. Having lived a number of

years in Japan, I can say that limp handshakes are also very common there. The few Japanese guys

I met with a firm handshake had lived and worked in the U.S.

[ggt]

The "soft handshakes" could explain the Thais need for a 20 to 1 ratio whenever they want to kick a foreigners butt...

It takes 20 wet-noodle hands to equal one good fist...

[Alwyn]

why on earth would you want to shake hands with a Thai? Have you ever seen one wash their hands after visiting the loo? (blokes I mean)

[malt25]

It's not just Thai people that proffer a soft handshake. It's the same in many other places.

On the other "hand"...

Why do Americans, Brits, and Aussies shake hands like it's some kind of macho wrestling match?

Because they're insecure in their sexuality, so if they're forced to do something as potentially gay as touching another man, they must compensate with a display of manly strength.

For me a cool handshake is smooth and light, that's a cool handshake. Now you bikey, you might worry me, you little homo you.....................

Ohhhh, me thinks a yellow card coming for calling our resident biker a little homo....... prolly for me to coz I liked it.

[poweratradio]

Possibly because shaking hands is not a Thai custom. Nor is the current craze for fist-bumping. You never know where those sweaty hands have been! Some Thais view a handshake as merely the symbolic touching of hands.

The 'wai' is both hygienic and respectful.

>WAI<Not necessary and actually not something that is even expected or warranted from a foreigner I am told.

[poweratradio]

I can't recall any hand-shake with any Thai male. Everyone is wai-ing here.

Staff come wais...staff goes wais.....if my company gets bigger I need an extra staff who is doing all the waiing for me.....

You being the boss, you are not supposed to wai your 'inferior' staff. A visible nod of your head into their direction is absolutely sufficient

WOW! That's 'classy' and very superior.

The wai to staff is not required anywhere.

[casualthai]

we were taught to wai not to do handshake, deal with it

[tingtongtourist]

What if your a freemason? Is there a Wai freemason signal?

that is so secret i cant tell you ;0)

[mrlila]

Native Americans offer the same type of handshake where the hands just touch w/o any pressure. The purpose of the gesture is to offer a helpful hand if needed, not to prove his masculinity.?

[lust]

The handshake is only necessary upon meeting someone you haven't seen in a long time. Seeing my thai teachers wai about 100 times a day to other teachers and parents. It's kind of silly.

I think it's limp here as they only see it on tv and never practice what it should be like. Even my father taught me how to shake a hand proper like so I think we can give them some slack.

[lust]

Also... The handshake dates back to when the Greeks would offer their hand to show they are not carrying a weapon.

[ScarpoFongness4U]

I had the experience of being at a large table of all Thai musicians and friends after hours drinking and burning at a restaurant bar.....

As each one greeted the other upon arriving or departing, they all touched their own palms together and wished each other a safe ride home.

It was in no way unmanly, and in all ways good fellowship

[Thaijack2014]

One of the many reasons I like living here: no handshaking, except fellow Farangs and especially no kissing on the cheecks...whichever cheek...

[thehelmsman]

At the airport I see a foreigner give who I assume is his MIL a hug and kiss on both cheeks, So I asks me lady if her mama would like the same from me. She could only chuckle and tell me "up to you"

[Berkshire]

The handshake is one custom that should be done away with. It's the most common way of passing around germs and bacteria. The wai is much more sensible. But every time I meet a farang, they want to shake my hand. Nowadays, all I want to do is go wash my hands. And to the douchebags who always try to crush my hand, knock it off already!

[Muzarella]

I can't recall any hand-shake with any Thai male. Everyone is wai-ing here.

Staff come wais...staff goes wais.....if my company gets bigger I need an extra staff who is doing all the waiing for me.....

You being the boss, you are not supposed to wai your 'inferior' staff. A visible nod of your head into their direction is absolutely sufficient

True. I was teaching just for short time, and waiing back to students on my first day. A Thai teacher told me that I do not need to do that. I started responding with a smile or a gesture, but I noticed that most male Thai teachers "keep a distance" with its students...at least in that school.

[kerrysum]

It's not just Thai people that proffer a soft handshake. It's the same in many other places.

On the other "hand"...

Why do Americans, Brits, and Aussies shake hands like it's some kind of macho wrestling match?

Because they're insecure in their sexuality, so if they're forced to do something as potentially gay as touching another man, they must compensate with a display of manly strength.

Are you serious? Seen many strange replies on this website, concerning this topic...... Just maybe someone has to understand a bit more.... Why do men hold hands in Thailand?

Well I guess that depends.... Why do women hold hands in Thailand? Guess it is all just a sign of respect..... I really have never known where people come up with these ideals....

[Johnny S]

Possibly because shaking hands is not a Thai custom. Nor is the current craze for fist-bumping. You never know where those sweaty hands have been! Some Thais view a handshake as merely the symbolic touching of hands.

The 'wai' is both hygienic and respectful.

Shaking hands?.......Disgusting habit............

That's why I always give a soft kiss on the cheek of whoever I meet......Thai or farang...........

Looking forward meeting you people.....................

and a kiss is so hygenic ... wow

[2fishin2]

The handshake is one custom that should be done away with. It's the most common way of passing around germs and bacteria. The wai is much more sensible. But every time I meet a farang, they want to shake my hand. Nowadays, all I want to do is go wash my hands. And to the douchebags who always try to crush my hand, knock it off already!

There is much more bacteria on the flushing handle of a toilet and the water knob on the public bathroom toilet. Do you use them?

Shake like a man, problem solved.

Wai is just a show of respect from a "lesser" person to a person of higher stature....typical "class" type gesture.

Ill stick to shaking hands

[marko kok prong]

The handshake is one custom that should be done away with. It's the most common way of passing around germs and bacteria. The wai is much more sensible. But every time I meet a farang, they want to shake my hand. Nowadays, all I want to do is go wash my hands. And to the douchebags who always try to crush my hand, knock it off already!

Berkshire,you could always try my method;,as the hand is poffered for the shake ,i whip out a latex glove from my pocket,slip it on and give a good firm hand shake,upon finishing,i carefully remove the glove,drop it in a sealable plastic bag,this then go into a special portion of my bag[small backpack],marked with a bio hazard sign,i then liberally cleanse my hands with sanitiser,i do get some strange looks/ reactions,but it makes me feel more secure.

[marko kok prong]

The handshake is one custom that should be done away with. It's the most common way of passing around germs and bacteria. The wai is much more sensible. But every time I meet a farang, they want to shake my hand. Nowadays, all I want to do is go wash my hands. And to the douchebags who always try to crush my hand, knock it off already!

Berkshire,you could always try my method;,as the hand is poffered for the shake ,i whip out a latex glove from my pocket,slip it on and give a good firm hand shake,upon finishing,i carefully remove the glove,drop it in a sealable plastic bag,this then go into a special portion of my bag[small backpack],marked with a bio hazard sign,i then liberally cleanse my hands with sanitiser,i do get some strange looks/ reactions,but it makes me feel more secure.

[mikiea]

It's not just Thai people that proffer a soft handshake. It's the same in many other places.

On the other "hand"...

Why do Americans, Brits, and Aussies shake hands like it's some kind of macho wrestling match?

cus dats da way we roll. .....:-)

[daveAustin]

Shaking hands?.......Disgusting habit............

That's why I always give a soft kiss on the cheek of whoever I meet......Thai or farang...........

Looking forward meeting you people.....................

You've just confirmed the oft-talked about notion that Greeks are ass-kissers.

[daveAustin]

The handshake is one custom that should be done away with. It's the most common way of passing around germs and bacteria. The wai is much more sensible. But every time I meet a farang, they want to shake my hand. Nowadays, all I want to do is go wash my hands. And to the douchebags who always try to crush my hand, knock it off already!

What a poof.

[casualthai]

I can't recall any hand-shake with any Thai male. Everyone is wai-ing here.

Staff come wais...staff goes wais.....if my company gets bigger I need an extra staff who is doing all the waiing for me.....

You being the boss, you are not supposed to wai your 'inferior' staff. A visible nod of your head into their direction is absolutely sufficient

True. I was teaching just for short time, and waiing back to students on my first day. A Thai teacher told me that I do not need to do that. I started responding with a smile or a gesture, but I noticed that most male Thai teachers "keep a distance" with its students...at least in that school.

customly you should wai back it's not about being superior src I'm thai

[Baa_Mango]

Its usually means they have zero respect for you. Its really important in Thai culture to have firm handshakes.

[gawaterman]

Before I'd shake hands with a Thai man I'd want to know what was the last type of toilet he used.

1. With toilet paper

2. With bum gum

3. With neither

[sipi]

we were taught to wai not to do handshake, deal with it

When my Thai friends in Australia meet my Australian friends, they have to wai each other?

I don't think so. Deal with it.

[Xircal]

Thais don't shake hands, they Wai