zondag 14 april 2013

Thailand - Culture


Hello everyone


This week we are in Thailand in the city Khon Kaen and this is the place to be for people who are interested in culture.

Religion in Thailand consists of more than 90% of Theravada Buddhist. Thai Theravada Buddhism is supported and overseen by the government and the monks receive some government benefits. They can use the public transportation infrastructure for free.
                                                                  Monks praying

The most Thai people own spirit houses and miniature wooden houses in which they believe household spirits live.  They offer food and drinks to these household spirits to keep them happy because when they aren’t happy they will inhabit the larger households of the Thai and they will cause chaos. We’ve already seen a lot of these spirit houses because you can find them in public places and in the streets of Thailand.
                                                         Spirit house

There are also some customs here in Thailand. A custom that you see a lot in Thailand is the wai. This is showing greeting, farewell or acknowledgement, it comes in several forms and each forms reflects the relative status of those involved. The salutation involves a prayer-like gesture with the hands and it may include a slight bow of the head. The salutation is often accompanied by a serene smile that’s why Thailand is often referred to as the “ Land of Smiles”.
 
                                                                   Thai wai
                                                                          Thai wai
Now the customs that you have to keep in mind are: public display of affection is not common, especially between lovers, touching someone on the head is rude, pointing at or touching something with your feet is also rude. This is because the head is the most respected and highest part of the body and the foot is the dirtiest and lowliest part of the body.
In Thai culture when they have disagreements or minor mistakes with someone  they will smile and say “ mai pen rai” or “ it doesn’t matter”.  Disagreements and disputes are handled with a smile because the Thai have the idea that life should be fun.

In Thailand they have a lot of respect for hierarchy, this is a very important value for Thai people. They have a lot of respect towards parents, guardians, teachers and caretakers. It’s also very rude to step on a Thai Coin because the king’s head appears on the coin.

There are also a lot of customs relating to the special status of monks. Thai monks are forbidden to have physical contact with women. Women are expected to make way for passing monks so that there can’t be accidental contact. When you visit a temple here in Thailand you are expected to point your feet away from the images of the Buddha. You also have to remove your footwear before you enter a home or sacred areas within a temple.
The funerals here in Thailand last for at least one week and crying is discouraged during the funeral, so as not to worry the spirit of the deceased.
This week it’s Thai New Year, it’s from April 13 to 15. Elephants spray water over tourists and residents in Ayutthaya, marking the first day of the Thai new year. They painted drawings on the animals before getting involved in a water fight. The three-day festival, also known as Songkran, symbolises washing away bad luck while beckoning in a new beginning . You can find the video below.
 


So that was it for this week, talk to you soon!

Xoxo

Mieke

Geen opmerkingen:

Een reactie posten