Telling the Time Thai Style
The Thai way of expressing the time can be confusing for Westerners who are used to a 12-hour clock divided between am and pm. That’s because …
Culture & Etiquette
Thai Numbers
Some of the most useful Thai words you can learn are those for numbers. I’ve written down a list below, but as with all Thai words given on this …
Thai Love Phrases
Valentine’s Day (Wan Valentine in Thai) is a day when couples can be expected to be ro-man-tik mak ma (very romantic). Those who are bpakwaan …
Superstitions in Thailand
In general, Thai people tend to be very superstitious and with today being Friday the 13th it’s as good a time as any to explore a few of these …
Thai Attitudes to Skin Colour
For many Western tourists to Thailand, at least part of the trip will be spent trying to get a tan. For those of us who come from colder climates, …
Thai Small Talk
When you meet a Thai person for the first time and engage in conversation you may be surprised by the directness of some of the questions. What may be …
How to Make a Buddhist Offering (Wai Phra)
When Thai Buddhists visit the temple they will normally make an offering. This act is known as wai phra; wai being the traditional greeting with palms …
Hearts and Minds
The Thai word for heart is ‘hua-jai’. The word ‘jai’ in isolation is also used for heart although in this context the nearest …
Thai Toilets
Most restaurants, bars and tourist areas in Thailand have modern and clean Western toilets so there is no need to worry if you are caught short when …
Respecting Buddha Images
Wherever you go in Thailand you will see Buddha images and it doesn’t matter how small, old or what state of disrepair it may be in, the image …
Introductions
Being polite is important in Thai society, but there are times when you may think a Thai person is being rude or ill-mannered simply because the Thai …
The Elephant in Thailand
Elephants have played an important part in Thailand’s history and today the Thai elephant (chang Thai,) remains as an enduring symbol of …
Theravada Buddhism in Thailand
There are various forms of Buddhism followed throughout the world, but in Thailand 95% of people are Theravada Buddhists. Theravada Buddhism Theravada …
The Life of Buddha
There is some debate about the exact date of birth of Gautama Buddha, but general consensus seems to put it at around 500 to 400 B.C. He was born as …
Ghosts, Spirits and Spirit Houses
Although Thailand is pre-dominantly Buddhist, there are many beliefs and customs which owe nothing to Buddhism, but instead have their roots in Hindu …
This is Thailand (T.I.T.)
There’s an expression that many expats use to sum up the bizarre, outrageous and confusing things that can happen in Thailand; T.I.T. (This is …
Kreng Jai
Kreng jai (also written as krengjai) is a distinctly Thai trait that can bewilder visitors to Thailand. So what is kreng jai? The direct translation …
9 Useful Thai Phrases
Even if you are only in Thailand for a few weeks, if you can learn a few words of the Thai language it can be amazing the difference it can make to …