Unspoken rules in Thailand center on respecting the monarchy, religion, and hierarchy, summarized by maintaining a "cool heart" (avoiding public anger) and acting with humility. Key rules include: never touching someone’s head, not pointing with feet, removing shoes before entering homes/temples, dressing modestly at sacred sites, and returning a wai greeting.
Thailand is no different and the list of antiquated ways to stray foul of the law in Bangkok includes: It is illegal to leave the house without wearing underwear. It is illegal to drive a motorised vehicle bare-chested.
The Head is Sacred – The head is considered the highest part of the body in Thai culture. Avoid touching someone's head or even pointing your feet towards someone's head. The Power of the Feet – Similarly, the feet are considered the lowest part of the body. Don't point your feet at someone or a sacred object.
Pointing your feet toward others, particularly in temples, can be seen as highly disrespectful. This simple oversight may result in uncomfortable situations or, at worst, offense. Don't Touch People's Heads: Avoid touching anyone's head, even as a friendly gesture, including children.
In Thailand, the number five is pronounced “ha” (hâa), which sounds exactly like “ha.” Therefore, texting “555” is the common and quick way to say “hahaha” or “LOL” in digital conversations, making it a wonderful piece of Thai internet slang that reflects the country's cheerful nature.
When visiting Thailand, do respect the monarchy, dress modestly (especially at temples), remove shoes before entering homes/temples, use the wai greeting, keep voices down, and embrace the "mai pen rai" (no worries) attitude; don't touch people's heads, point feet at people or Buddha images, show public affection, raise your voice, disrespect Buddha images, or get into taxis without a meter.
In Thailand, the legal drinking age is 20. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of 2008 increased the drinking age in Thailand from 18 to 20, private drinking is not regulated in private locations.
Section 112 of Thai Criminal Code currently reads as follows: "Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years."
Yes, $1,000 (around 35,000-37,000 Thai Baht) can be enough for a budget traveler in Thailand for a month if you live like a local—eating street food, staying in hostels, using public transport, and minimizing paid tours/alcohol—but it's tight and requires strict budgeting; an extra $200-$500 provides much more comfort and flexibility for tourist activities and emergencies.
Drug use and corruption make up the majority of the crime in Thailand and due to this, many Thai administrations attempted to curtail the drug trade, most notably Thaksin Shinawatra with the 2003 War on Drugs.
Travellers may experience sexual assault, other assault and robbery. Be extra careful in tourist spots such as Khao San Road and Sukhumvit in Bangkok, as well as the night-time entertainment areas in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Don't leave food or drinks unattended.
Don't point to anything with your feet and don't place your feet on the table while sitting. If you accidentally drop some money, don't step on it to stop it blowing away. This would be insulting the King whose image is on Thai currency. Don't stand on the raised threshold of a house or temple.
Tourists should be aware that Thailand law prohibits drinking alcohol in temples, schools, and public parks. Public intoxication or offensive behavior toward religious or royal symbols can result in arrest. Respecting local customs is an important part of complying with law in Thailand.
Why can't you buy alcohol between 2 and 5 pm in Thailand?
The ban from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. will be lifted on a trial basis for 180 days, after which its effects will be evaluated. An afternoon ban on selling beer, spirits and wine was enacted in 1972, when Thailand was under military rule, though the original reasons for the measure are now obscure.
Not as strict as Singapore, where chewing gum is only available with a doctor's prescription, thailand still has strict laws regarding the disposal of chewed gum. Throwing your chewed gum on the street is prohibited and can get you a fine of about 20000 bath.
The Thai royal family are the head of the country's hierarchical society. They're a massive deal. Thailand pretty much puts things on hold every day at 8am and 6pm for the national anthem.
However, the number 9 ('kao') is the luckiest of them all: it is thought to be lucky because, when pronounced in Thai, it sounds like 'moving forward' ('kaw-nah' – while it doesn't look similar, it sounds similar!). Furthermore, 'kao' is the word for 'rice' and 'let's go eat' (gin kao!)
