Guest Posted February 22, 2004 Report Share Posted February 22, 2004 Often, I see some "cultured" sexpat/sextourist eagerly wai-ing service staff and whores in gogos. Simply, just don't do it. They can wai you yes. But don't need to wai them back, a nod will suffice. Oh, and worse yet, don't fucking initiate the wai first. In general and outside of whoring establishments: No need to wai any service staff unless you're familiar with them. Don't initiate the wai. Only initiate if and when meeting someone new who is "perceived" to be in higher rank(kind of iffy) or obviously older than you are. Barring service staff, it's generally polite to wai back when wai-ed by meeting someone new. Not wai-ing back to khon tamada could either be passed off benign, since they figure you're a tourist if you look like a farang. But if you're with someone Thai when meeting that said person, they may think worse. Something along the lines of uncultured western barbarian or whatever... How to wai: on seeing some sex tourist wai, it's almost comical what they perceive is a wai... anyways, with your hands together as in some prayer form while keeping them straight. touch the tip of your nose with both your index fingers while slightly bowing your head. this is a generic version and there are many other methods depending on degree of importance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted February 22, 2004 Report Share Posted February 22, 2004 Something along the lines of uncultured western barbarian or whatever... -------------------------- hopefully, there are worse things that can happen to us in this life! :hubba: :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrX Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 Why do you worry about the wai?......I dont mind when someone shakes my hand vaguely out of tune Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 are you a Thai Cultural Xpert? who told you these rules or where did you read those? is that in your opinion just mainstream or fixed rules? i have seen many times Thais from higher social levels not following your rules... i guess most thais find the waiing tourists much more cute as the ones that grab the hand for a strong handshake... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 Hi Samak Quote from my Thai text book. A junior person should ""waay"" first,with the senior responding; not vice-versa. Also the junior makes a deeper waay,bowing the forehead down into the adjoined palms. Amoung equals the ""waays"" should be about simultaneous,with head-bows not so deep. The ""waay"" has other functions such as ""thank you for giving me that""or ""please forgive me"" Hope this is of some help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 the wai is a most complex matter. the higher you go the social strata the more difficult it gets. every tiny nuance counts there: how high your hands are, how deep your head bows who wai's first, how quick is the response. all is connected to the momentary position within the hirarchies. no mistakes allowed. i feel very comfortable with the average wais in the village and with my lower and lower middleclass mates here, but fuck me, in official upper class environs here i feel very misplaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 My wife tries to explaine from time to time..but how can you know/judge whom is older etc. As you know Thais look younger than thier ages..to hard for me. Ok at the temple and amoung friends that are Thai...follow my wifes lead..often kicks me in the ankle to get me to do the same as her. I think if you dont know dont waay Have seen falangs in LOS waay everything in sight..and touch the fore head with palms..again as you know is reserved for Monks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 hey samak... No, I'm no "Xpert". Nevertheless, I thought I would share/impart a little advice to some in the dark. Primarily my post was about wai-ing in the farang ghetto. As some have mentioned in this thread, wai-ing is extremely complicated and touches on the importance of acknowledging social place. If a sexpat/sextourist has no care for this formality, then why even attempt it? Novelty? Because, it's cute and makes the whores giggle with glee? Well, for the jovial ignorant tourist wai-ing whores in the ghetto, they are to a degree, saying that they are in lower standing... with the whores. Whores are pretty much down there in the Thai social totem pole, especially the farang ghetto whores(probably somewhere above street beggars). This whole respect social strata jibba jabba isn't just academic or message board banter. It affects how you get treated. Does anyone like being treated like a sucker? i have seen many times Thais from higher social levels not following your rules... Umm... well if they are as high up there as you say... then that's kinda self explanatory. Formalitites of respect and acknowledging social standing is upward. If you're on the top, you can do pretty much what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 People who wai bargirls or waitresses are simply uninformed. It would be like a Thai person going to farangland and offering high fives to people they meet because they saw someone else do it and figured it's the right cultural thing to do. These wai's are funny/cute/ridiculous to Thai's much the same way as a high five would be to us. Nothing to get bent out of shape about or make fun of others over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 ER, You're probably right. Still, if this post helps some dude to be informed, than I have done my altruistic whoremonger deed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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