Thais are exceptionally polite people who can go the extra mile to greet one another. If you are just coming into Thailand, you might be interested in integrating seamlessly into the country by greeting other people like the locals. Therefore, you need to learn how Thais greet each other.
Generally, the people of Thailand use the word “Sawatdi” when greeting each other and may have to perform a Wai to accompany it. They can use this particular word any time of the day and for anyone. In most cases, a female would add “kha” to “Sawatdi” whereas a male would rather use the word “khrap”. In other situations, you may need to add another word to “Sawatdi”.
You should note that greeting in Thailand is not usually straightforward as it is usually determined by who you are greeting and the setting. For instance, greeting in a formal setting will be different from greeting in an informal setting. Below, we will consider ways through which Thais greet each other.
How to get others in Thailand
In Western countries, people often greet each other with a handshake, hug, or bow. But in Thailand, people greet one another by performing a Wai. Basically, a Wai refers to the Thai traditional process of greeting someone through your gesture. Traditionally, a Wai is given by a younger individual or a person of lower status to the elderly or someone of a higher status. It requires you to place the palms of your hands together and put your hands around your face.
However, the placement of hands differs depending on the individual that you are greeting. According to the Thai social etiquette on Study in Thailand, these are the 3 levels of performing a Wai for different people.
- For anyone of higher status than you
Do you want to greet a respected individual with a higher status than you? This type of Wai is for such a person. Sometimes, it may be extended to someone of the same status. To perform a Wai, you have to start by placing your two palms together while the fingers are kept around the chest near your body. As you bow, your thumbs should touch the tip of your chin whereas your index fingers must be kept close to your nose.
- For the elderly, senior relatives, parents, and teachers
If you want to perform a Wai for any of the aforementioned individuals, you need to press your palms together. Afterward, raise them till the tip of your nose is touched by your thumbs. At the same time, the space between your eyebrows should be touched by your fingertips.
- For monks or Buddha images
To greet a monk or Buddha statue in Thailand, you need to perform a special form of Wai created for religious purposes. This Wai is slightly different from the first two described above. Here, you need to lift your pressed palms until the space between your eyebrows is touched by your thumbs.
As you perform a Wai in any of the three ways above, you have to bow slightly.
While performing a Wai, it is equally essential to say “Sawatdi” along with “Kha” and khrap” if you are female or male respectively. It should be noted that performing a Wai can be interpreted to mean different things including “Hi”, “I am sorry”, “Thank you”, “Bye”, “See you soon”, etc.
Who should perform a Wai?
Simply put, a Wai should be done by a person of lower status to someone of a higher status. For instance, a student can perform a Wai to his teacher, a servant can do a Wai to his master, and so on. The person of higher status is expected to respond to the greetings in most cases by also performing a Wai. But the pressed hands should only be raised to the chest level. However, a person of a higher status must not be the first person to perform a Wai to a subordinate
Nevertheless, it is unusual for Thais of the higher status to respond to a Wai from street vendors, waiters, servants, and laborers with only a smile. Additionally, you should not greet a kid with a Wai in Thailand as it is considered culturally inappropriate.
Important things to know about greeting and performing a Wai in Thailand
Based on the information available on Cultural Atlas and other websites, these are the important things you must know about performing a Wai.
- You can perform a Wai while you are standing, sitting, or walking.
- If the social distance between two individuals is too huge, the higher person doesn’t need to return a Wai.
- Close friends or people of the same age or status don’t have to do a Wai when greeting each other. They can use Western greeting gestures such as a handshake or hug.
- If you are invited into a Thai house, your host has to introduce you to the other people in the house. This allows the people to know your status so that they can perform the appropriate Wai for you.
Should a foreigner be worried about performing a Wai in Thailand?
If you are a foreigner in Thailand, you don’t have to be bothered too much about doing a Wai. No one will expect you to perform a Wai; hence, Thais will likely initiate it. However, you need to return the gesture if you don’t want to appear impolite.
Nevertheless, some individuals may not offer you a Wai. Instead, they may just shake your hands especially if you are meeting in an official setting. It is considered inappropriate for a man to initiate a handshake when greeting a woman. You should just nod your head when greeting a woman if you don’t want to perform or return a Wai. However, if a woman initiates a handshake, don’t hesitate to accept it.
Conclusively, Thais usually greet each other by doing a Wai. This gesture is often accompanied by Sawatdi Kha or Sawatdi khrab. You should master this simple greeting etiquette and enjoy your stay in Thailand.
