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.
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
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
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