Culture of Thailand - A Unique Cultural Blend of Many Asian Countries
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Loading... - Ndari Aisah
- 11 Aug 2022
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Thailand is famous for its mouth-watering food, monasteries, stunning landscapes, pristine beaches and tuk-tuks. Rightly known as the ‘Land of Smiles’, natives here are extremely friendly. The culture of Thailand is diverse with significant influences from Burma, India and China. With the tourist industry booming in here - the vibrant culture here guarantees you to carry on some unforgettable memories.
Thailand’s Customs and Traditions
Thailand’s fascinating history shows its influence on customs and traditions. The traditional Thai culture derives many of its practices from Theravada Buddhism. Though you can sense a perfect blend of traditions from countries like China, India, South Korea and many other South Asian and Southeast countries. The reason being the Ayutthaya kingdom that was extremely welcoming to foreign traders from Asia, letting them set up villages outside the capital. Later European countries like France, Denmark became their trading partners.
Some of the customs followed by the Thai people are:
· A gesture of saying ‘Goodbye’ is known as Wai. There are many versions of it. The specific type of Wai is performed according to one’s social status. Also, who will do it first is decided by the social standards.
· Visiting someone’s home without any gift or entering a home without taking off your shoes is considered as a sign of disrespect.
· Thai people are extremely touch-sensitive. Hugging and holding hands with them must be avoided. Also, touching their heads is a big no-no.
· Raising your voice at Thai people in public is extremely unwelcoming and is a sign of great disrespect.
Architecture of Thailand
Having influences from many foreign countries, Thailand has undergone major architectural reforms. The magnificence of the architecture there holds strong to the culture of Thailand and can be realized in the ruins of many temples and palaces. From temples in typical Buddhist fashion in Ayutthaya to sky-soaring skyscrapers in Bangkok, Thailand is bound to captivate you at every turn. Bamboo and wooden houses built on stilts with rivers and canals flowing alongside them are simply awe-inspiring. Many European influenced buildings shop houses are dotted throughout Thailand’s landscape. The capital city beautifully blends modern architecture with traditional ones. Read More…
