Importance Of Thai Wai

Register to read the introduction… It is an action that is beautiful and graceful. "The Wai is not just a way of saying hello without using words, it is an action of respect."( 3 , p. 13 ) This is very true. When you see someone is older than you then wai because this shows great respect to him or her and they will appreciate it greatly. I got to learn this during last summer’s trip to Asia. When we were in Thailand, we always had to remember to wai. The people appreciated it because it is something they probably don’t see done often among farang (Thai word for foreigners). It shows that that we respect their culture and are willing to learn about them. The wai "is the most significant of the many social actions that reinforce Thai social structure. It does so through public literal demonstration of what we shall call the height rule. This basic rule is simple and clear: In any social encounter, the social inferior takes on a physically inferior position and the social superior assumes a posture of physical superiority. Height is right."( 3, p. 13) Now you are probably wondering how to wai. I am going to tell you how to do this. In order to wai you put the palms of your hands together with tips facing up, like prayer hands if you’ve seen this before. There are different degrees to the wai. First, if you are of equal status to the other person or if they are a stranger of unknown status you should place the wai close to your …show more content…
The first is about titles dealing with status. Since this is a society that has superior and inferior there are titles that go with it. "In general, when referring to individuals, the surname is not used. Rather the first name is used, preceded by Khun; sufficient for men or women, married or unmarried." (1) When I was in Thailand and I met my boyfriend’s parents I referred to them as such. It showed them that I respected them and it helps keep any insults out of the relationship. Another thing that is important in Thai, really most of Asian cultures, culture is having self-control. You should never get angry and yell at a Thai that would be very offensive. "Any display of bad temper (for example raising of the voice) is a reflection only of the lack of self control of the perpetrator. Bad temper will not win respect or, often, action." (1) This is very true and can be seen really in any culture. People without self-control can be seen as a big problem and can cause the problems sometimes too. One more thing to mention is about how Thais feel about the monarchy; Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. "Thais also have a deep respect for the monarchy. Negative comments about the King or royal family are unacceptable. At public events, including movie theaters, everyone is expected to stand for the royal anthem."(1)I have never actually been to a movie theater in Thailand or been there when the royal anthem is played,