Culture of Thailand

The culture of Thailand can be categorized into two types. They are mainly the intangibles such as the values and attitudes, as well as tangible items like buildings and artefacts.

The Emerald Buddha

Thailand’s architecture has been shaped by a blend of diverse cultures, leading to a fusion of Western, Chinese, Cambodian, Burmese designs. Much of the rich architectural heritage is found in temples and palaces. Also, the four main Eras in the history of Thailand, namely the Srivijaya, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin period depicts architectures differently, through the use of buildings’ materials and structure. Architectures in each period are influenced greatly by the different kinds of cultures. Kings earned displayed power of their kingdoms by building temples as it is regarded as one of the important buildings in the land, leading to permanent materials used in the construction only.

One of the famous palaces in Thailand would be The Grand Palace. It is a must see attraction that no visit to Bangkok would be complete without it. It is located on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River and it was built around Thailand’s most important temple, Wat Phra Kaew, where The Emerald Buddha is placed. It is a complex of buildings constructed in 1785 by King Rama I to announce the beginning of the Chakri Dynasty. It served as the official residence for the kings of Thailand until 1932 when monarchy comes to an end. The Pra Thinang Dusit Maha Prasat (throne hall) has a Greek-styled floor plan, while the most noticeable Western influences are found in the Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat (Great Hall) as it was designed by a British architect. Since it looks Western in appearance, a Thai-styled roof was given to appease conservative voices of the people. However, there is one truly “Thai” building located in there, which is the Sanam Chan Pavilion where the Kings used to relax at.

Ban Chiang prehistoric pottery

Ban Chiang Archaeological Site is one of the oldest archaeological sites in the world, dating back to the Bronze Age. It was granted the title of a heritage site in 1992 by UNESCO. It was discovered by an American college student, who fell in the road of the Ban Chiang and thus, found ceramics eroding out of the road bed. Excavations were conducted in 1967, revealing evidence of prehistoric occupation as early as 3600 B.C. It provides us a glimpse of the peaceful village life of a bygone age, making it the most important sites in Southeast Asia.
Now, let us look at the intangible forms of culture, the attitudes and values of the Thai, which are mostly shaped by their strong Buddhism faith.

Firstly, Thai people will always know where they stand in the society. They will accept their position in life unquestioningly, with their Buddhism belief as the contributing factor. If they have a low status in life, it must be because of misdeeds committed in previous life, and vice versa if they lead a virtuous life. This belief was built on the moral law of Karma in Buddhism.

Secondly, positions in the civil service are relatively preferred though the pay is low as it gives one prestige and status. Office ladies will keep long fingernails to prove that they don’t perform menial tasks. Thai women will shield themselves from the sun because pale complexion depicts a high status. It is considered shameful if the Thais do something others view as dishonourable. Thailand was one of the biggest markets for Mercedes Benz cars in 1990s because status is shown by the clothes they wear and the cars they drive. This clearly explains the importance of status and face in a Thai’s eyes.

Thirdly, Thais regard people of different nationalities as equals since they had never been colonized before. Since young, they were instilled with the fact that Thailand is “Buddha’s own country”. They make it a point to be clean and well dressed because a smart appearance reflects self-confidence. Do not criticise anything about their monarchy and religion as it is considered disrespectful.

Since Thailand is a close-knitted society, it is important to maintain social harmony. They believe one should live harmoniously with one’s neighbours and follow the Buddhist middle path that urges followers to avoid extremes. There is also a history on how positive social harmony comes about. In the past, rural communities often cooperate with one another to survive. They work together in the rice fields; reap their sow together and meet up for traditional celebrations. This explains why Thais will always keep their cool, avoid arguments and strengthen links by doing people favours.

Lastly, the top of the head is the most important part of one’s body because they believe this is where the spirit (kwan) resides. Apologies must be said if you accidentally touch a Thai’s head. However, patting a child’s head is acceptable. Thai kings used to sit on a high throne so that their subjects’ heads were below the level of royal feet. If the head is the most important part of a body, then the feet of one would be the least important. Do not point anything with your foot, or even leaving it on a table. This is regarded as height of rudeness. The only exception made is Thai boxing where one’s feet are allowed to touch the opponent’s head.