Guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 Long time lurker here, leaving on 15th Jan for my second visit to LOS.. can't wait! So, here's today's cultural question: Should a farang return - or intiate - a wai? I've read contradictory statements in different travel guidebooks. Is this like the Japanese bow, when doing it wrong can give greater offense than not doing it at all? RD Nitrox divers get more bottom time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 Post deleted by DoxyBlue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 quote: Should a farang return - or intiate - a wai? Probably not. It's a complex issue where age, social status, etc. dictate not only who should initiate and whether one should respond, but also the height of your hand relative to your face and the body posture. No way you can get it right and if you do it wrong it can me merely amusing, but it can also be totally ridiculous or even insulting. A few examples where wai-ing would be totally out of place: wai-ing a younger person or even a child; a waitress or a taxi driver. If you get wai-d by staff (hotel, restaurant) the best response is not to acknowledge. When you get wai-d in a more personal situation, the best response is to smile back and slightly incline your head. [ December 30, 2001: Message edited by: Mad Max ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 Heres my 0.555653 Satang I agree with the above statements however.. Theres a few situations that I only a casual visitor do feel comfortable in even initiating a Wai. Very elderly people, Medical doctors and Police officers are held in high social esteem (the latter ?). Upon being introduced to elderly perons or the seeking the assistance of the latter profesionals I have Wai'd them at just bellow chin height with a slight bowing at the shoulders and nodding of the head. In some instances the response was slightly bemused but in every instance the Wai was reciprocated and if lightly amused seemed very appreciated. Like in everything else you will be viewed as a ferang and therefore given a good deal of proportional forgiveness for social inadequacies. Thai's will gigle at my attempt to speak their language and they may grin in my attempts to Wai but I am not the type of person who will be kept up at nights worying how correct my actions were. Thai's are very good natured and likely to read the intent. If your a first time visitor I wouldn't give it any thought really, during your stay learn more about its social norms and observe the actions of Thai's. Then on future forays you may feel comfortable to Wai and even then very minimalistic about it, Smiles go a Verrryy long way in the kingdom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 If you are wai-ing a superior or equal (and, as you say ,you shouldn't initiate a wai to an inferior), then the correct position is for the tips of the fingers to come to the level of the tip of the nose. If you were returing the wai of an inferior, then the correct position is tips of fingers to about chin level. If you are wai-ing a Buddha image, then it's tips of thumbs to eyebrows. The wai is a doddle compared to the graap (triple prostration before a Buddha image). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think_too_mut Posted December 31, 2001 Report Share Posted December 31, 2001 I was in one of the go-gos at CP, sitting with a BG who works in another bar at NEP. The owner, a farang, walked past and waied her. By all accounts, I would think she was the "inferior" side in this communication - 25yrs or so younger, a bar girl, etc... I don't know the guy but I would think he was aware of all that. Her reaction was a very positive comment about him so must have done something right and did not look stupid at all. [ January 08, 2002: Message edited by: Lazaro ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.