Cultural Points to Remember when Travelling through Thailand

Written By Ryan Biddulph

I’ve spent over two years in Thailand during my 6-year world tour, and here are my cultural points to remember when travelling through Thailand.

Thailand is my favourite country on earth for several reasons. The stunning beauty of the place, fantastic food, low living cost, and friendly locals make for a dream destination.

Before visiting the Land of Smiles, remember that Thai face-saving culture is likely quite different from how things are done in your home country.

Like all things, travel is not a good or bad thing. It is simply a group of people agreeing to live by a specific code you should learn if you decide to spend time in that area.

Culture is important within Thailand.

Cultural Points to Remember when Travelling through Thailand

It may seem like all coconuts and paradise. However, there are cultural points to remember when travelling through Thailand; let’s discuss those critical points.

1: Saving Face Is Critical

Thai culture is a face-saving culture. You should never intentionally demean, embarrass or humiliate anyone in a public setting. In a nutshell, be nice. Be courteous. Be polite even if you are waiting for 2 hours at immigration, smile.

When your patience is tested, is adjusting to a face-saving culture as a new traveller to Thailand easy? In most cases, heck no. Even if we don’t regularly abuse each other verbally in Western nations, we are accustomed to complaining, whining and starting a verbal tussle or two when we’re having a bad day.

I made the shift by choosing to smile – no matter what happens – and to say “thank you” or “kop khun krap” in all situations. Over time, the cheeriness of locals and acceptance of the culture grows on you. You will eventually live according to the Thai “mai pen rai” standard, or “whatever happens, happens.” No big deal. Accept and smile. Go with the flow.

Even when things don’t go your way, remember your manners when in Thailand.

2: The Customer Is Not Always Right

In face-saving culture, it is all about not offending or humiliating anybody. So if you huff and puff and throw a customer service-related hissy fit, you will receive a smile and apology at best. At worst, you will be ignored entirely.

You are probably used to the “the customer is always right” service in Western countries. In Thailand, the locals are kind, helpful and polite in all dealings, but the Customer is not always right beyond a certain point. I love this mindset. It helps you to face, embrace and let go of all business and service-related stuff that arises. Enlightening.

I recall one of the first times we flew Air Asia in Thailand. My vegetarian wife ordered a special meal. She received a meat-based meal. After pointing out the situation to the stewardess, the kindly woman said, “Oh, I am really sorry”, with a sheepish grin, then continued with her work.

Was she supposed to drop Halo 36,000 feet from a plane to prepare and deliver a vegetarian meal to my wife?

All she could do was apologize and move on, knowing how strict vegetarians rarely eat from dishes where the meat was removed/scraped off of the plate.

Thai customer service is pleasant, friendly and engaging. They will do their best to help, but in some situations where things don’t quite work out the way you want them to, be at peace with the fact that folks will not bend over backwards and contort themselves like a gymnast to make you happy.

The customer is not always correct, even in a Thai bar.

3: Don’t Be Offended by Heartfelt Lying

This point is about the toughest to accept for a Westerner like myself. Especially an American Westerner.

In the good old USA, we are more direct and honest. Factor in my New Jersey upbringing – where being honest and truthful is even more common – and I had a tough time understanding how Thai face-saving often involves lying to people to avoid disappointing individuals now, only delaying the inevitable disappointment.

Just accept it as not good or bad, but simply how it is in Thailand.

For example, someone may promise to meet you for drinks one evening, but they do not show up when the time arrives. After three subsequent reschedules and no-shows, you may think your alleged Thai friend is a real jerk, only to find out from a mutual friend that they hate to drink but don’t want to offend you by telling you this.

When you learn to see the lie is not meant to offend but rather to be friendly, it helps to embrace a custom you may see as weird, outright rude, or thoughtless in your culture so you can gracefully glide through the concept of “heartfelt lying” with a smile.

Related Content to Fair Dinkum Traveller!

Thailand is a tourist paradise, but it always resect the country’s cultural ways.

Your Turn

What cultural points can you add to this list?

How have you adjusted to the face-saving culture in Thailand?

Ryan Biddulph lives a life of Island hopping and is a travel blogger/Coach at Blogging From Paradise. Ryan is also an author of many E-books that can be found on amazon.