Grabii Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 bungie, You pronounce it neither way. It's more like 'y'. Regards, JEff quote: Originally posted by bungie6: Incidentally, do you pronounce it "way" or "why?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whosyourdaddy Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Ajarnski: It's pretty simple most of the time...if you've been in the military. The same rules applies betwwen Enlisted members and Officers. Except they don't wai each others, they salute. Not really!! A salute is a salute. A wai is not a wai. You will notice there is different kinds of wais. A wai of high repect of wai-ing at eye level and then rubbing back over the head. to brush there hair. Usually religious. A wai of respect for a teacher, monk , leader, royality. Low bow with a wai at eye level A wai of hello to a friend. Usually at chin level, and very quick A wai to a lower status or of a much lower age. Ie grandmother to grandchild. Wai at chest level. Every situation is different. You could really piss someone off by doing the wrong wai. I have a friend here who likes to piss off his religious girlfriend by wai=ing buddha at about belt buckle level. This really gets under her skin. And we crack up under her reaction. So with all these rules. I DO NOT WAI. I see it as a class sytem, which I dont believe in. So unless there is some outstanding reason. I will not wai. A hand shake or a friendly hello with do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pescator Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 quote: Originally posted by whosyourdaddy: Not really!! SNIP So with all these rules. I DO NOT WAI. I see it as a class sytem, which I dont believe in. So unless there is some outstanding reason. I will not wai. A hand shake or a friendly hello with do. Will do? That is right when moving in Bkk circles, but up country (or baan nork) if you like - I guess you will find that a "a hand shake or friendly hello" will rather meet with total lack of comprehension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 Whosyourdaddy!!?? Spoken like a true American. LOL You remind me of most arrogant foreigners I've meet in my travels. If they don't understand other countries' culture they just chose to ignore it or use their own. Again a “wai” is just a simple greeting!!! You don't have to make it difficult. If I met you and you offer me a hand shake in my country, I would think of you as an uneducated person or an ASS!!! I don't know which is worse. Look at Bungie6's original post. He just wanted to know what to do in that situation. And you turn it it to something complettely different. I still stand by what I said earlier. Unless you are "wai" to by the King or other royal members, just acknowledge it with a nod and a smile. There...has to get it off my chest YES!!!!! I'm now a regular member. [ September 15, 2001: Message edited by: Ajarnski ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 quote: Originally posted by whosyourdaddy: I DO NOT WAI. I see it as a class sytem, which I dont believe in. So unless there is some outstanding reason. I will not wai. A hand shake or a friendly hello with do. Okay, your point is taken. Thai society has class divisions. But the wai is a simple Thai custom of respect. Perhaps if you are really concerned about the implications of class you could start a trend of waiing all at a respectable and equal 'level'. They aren't gonna stop waiing over night and start shaking hands and I think you will find that you are denying yourself one of the little pleasures of sharing this custom. I really like waiing and being waied in the appropriate circumstances. It's nice. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 No one has mentioned that charming little dance that a Thai and a farang will perform together when the Thai wants to shake hands and the farang wants to wai or indeed vice versa. It's hysterical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 quote: Originally posted by whosyourdaddy: Nothing makes me laugh more when some guy in shorts arrives into NEP and starts waiing the bar staff. WYD I never wear shorts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CondomKing Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 quote: Originally posted by bungie6: Thanks to all for clarifying this. The situation this seems to happen most with me is checkout clerks at the supermarket. Really not necessary to wai check out clerks, hotel and restaurant staff, the guy you just tipped for parking your car, or the local beggar. A smile and a nod will do in most situations. In June my wife and I were married in her home village, upcountry, and I think I wai'ed more there in those four days than I have in all the time since I first set foot in Thailand! After first meetings there was little wai'ing with her family, but I did find my self grabbing my new male relatives by their right arms and giving them a vigorous "pump" style handshake whenever the mood struck me. I don't think these any of these guys had ever experienced a real handshake before and invariable I got the "dead fish". Of course when we went to visit or bumped into friends and relatives I would give them the nod of the head, tips of the fingers about chin level wai of respect that, I think, was appreciated, coming from a foreigner. However on the wedding day, I think I wai'ed everyone in the whole village who was over the age of 18, and a full faced, hands over the nose, finger tips between the eyebrows wai at that. It felt natural, it felt good, but I think it was a one time marathon wai'ing event for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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