![Kinnon Wat Phra Kaew](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Kinnon_Wat_Phra_Kaew.jpeg)
The culture of Thailand has evolved greatly over time, from its relative isolation during the
Sukhothai era, to its more contemporary
Ayutthaya era
The Ayutthaya Kingdom (; th, อยุธยา, , IAST: or , ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is consi ...
, which absorbed influences from all over
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
.
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n,
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
,
Burmese,
Khmer and other
Southeast Asian
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
influences are still evident in traditional Thai culture.
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
,
Animism
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, Soul, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct Spirituality, spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—Animal, animals, Plant, plants, Ro ...
and
Westernization
Westernization (or Westernisation), also Europeanisation or occidentalization (from the ''Occident''), is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in areas such as industry, technology, science, education, politics, economi ...
also play a significant role in shaping the modern culture.
Thai national culture is identified differently throughout regions in Thailand where it also integrated different regional cultures such as the
Lanna
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
,
Dambro,
Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...
,
Karen
Karen may refer to:
* Karen (name), a given name and surname
* Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors
People
* Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand
** Karen languages or Karenic l ...
, as well
Chinese origin,
Malay origin,
Indian origin, European origin (),
Persian origin,
Arab origin, and in the reign of King
Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...
in the late 19th century, the European trend of nationalism began to insert greater influence into Thai culture. However, the promotion of civic culture reached its peak after the
Siamese revolution of 1932 where a series of authoritarian regimes began to insert greater control over people's culture and lifestyles, especially under the regime of Field Marshal
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram ( th, แปลก พิบูลสงคราม ; alternatively transcribed as ''Pibulsongkram'' or ''Pibulsonggram''; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. ( th, จอมพล ...
.
Present day Thailand has a culture that is a combination of various local rituals from different parts of the country, along with
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
values and oriental trends like in many parts of Asia. The monarchy and royal institutions of
Chakri dynasty
The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the ...
remain highly revered according to original Siamese culture, whereas societal values in Thailand tend to be more collectivist and religiously secular than in other Southeast Asian cultures which have undergone influences from western colonization.
History
Norms and lifestyle
Religion
![Buddhist worship](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Buddhist_worship.jpg)
Thailand is nearly 94.6 percent
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, 4.3% Muslim, and 1% Christian. Buddhist observance is mainly of the
Theravada school (which includes the
Thai Forest Tradition
The Kammaṭṭhāna Forest Tradition of Thailand (from pi, kammaṭṭhāna meaning "place of work"), commonly known in the West as the Thai Forest Tradition, is a lineage of Theravada Buddhist monasticism.
The Thai Forest Tradition sta ...
and the
Dhammayuttika Nikaya
Dhammayuttika Nikāya (Pali; th, ธรรมยุติกนิกาย; ; km, ធម្មយុត្តិកនិកាយ, ), or Dhammayut Order ( th, คณะธรรมยุต) is an order of Theravada Buddhist ''bhikkhus'' (monk ...
and
Santi Asoke
The Santi Asoke ( th, สันติอโศก (อะโศก) "Peaceful Ashoka") was established by a former television entertainer and songwriter Phra Bodhirak after he "declared independence from the Ecclesiastical Council in 1975". He h ...
sects) and an unknown minority belonging to the
Mahayana
''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing bra ...
school. In addition there are minorities of
Muslims in Thailand (5-6 percent),
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
(1 percent), and other religions.
Thai Theravada Buddhism is supported and overseen by the government, with monks receiving a number of government benefits, such as free use of public transportation.
Buddhism in Thailand is strongly influenced by traditional beliefs regarding ancestral and natural spirits, that have been incorporated into Buddhist cosmology. Most Thai people install spirit houses ( th, ศาลพระภูมิ; ), miniature houses outside their dwellings, where they believe household spirits live.
They present offerings of food and drink to these spirits to keep them happy. If these spirits aren't happy, it is believed that they will inhabit the household and cause chaos. These spirit houses can be found in public places and on the streets of Thailand, where the public make offerings.
Prior to the rise of Theravada Buddhism, both Indian Brahminical religion and Mahayana Buddhism were present in Thailand. Influences from both these traditions can still be seen in present-day
Thai folklore
Thai folklore is a diverse set of mythology and traditional beliefs held by the Thai people. Most Thai folklore has a regional background for it originated in rural Thailand. With the passing of time, and through the influence of the media, large ...
. Brahminical shrines play an important role in Thai
folk religion
In religious studies and folkloristics, folk religion, popular religion, traditional religion or vernacular religion comprises various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized re ...
, and the Mahayana Buddhist influence is reflected in the presence of figures like Lokesvara, a form of the
bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
Avalokitesvara sometimes incorporated into Thailand's iconography.
Customs
The traditional customs and the
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
of Thai people were gathered and described by
Phya Anuman Rajadhon
Phya Anuman Rajadhon ( th, พระยาอนุมานราชธน; , also spelled ''Phaya Anuman Rajadhon'' or ''Phrayā Anuman Rajadhon''; December 14, 1888 – July 12, 1969), was one of modern Thailand's most remarkable scholars. He ...
in the 20th century, at a time when modernity changed the face of Thailand, and a great number of traditions disappeared or became adapted to modern life. Still, the striving towards refinement, rooted in ancient Siamese culture, consisting of promoting that which is refined and avoiding coarseness, is a major focus of the daily life of Thai people and high on their
scale of values.
One of the most distinctive Thai customs is the ''
wai
Wai or WAI may refer to :
Places
* Wai, Maharashtra, a small town in India
** Wai (Vidhan Sabha constituency), a Maharashtra Legislative Assembly constituency centered around the town
* Wao State (Vav, Wai, Way), a former princely state in Banas K ...
''. Used in greetings, leave-taking, as an acknowledgement, or accompanying an apology, it comes in many forms, reflecting the relative status of those involved. Generally the salutation involves a prayer-like gesture with the hands, derived from the
Añjali Mudrā
Añjali Mudrā ( sa, अञ्जलि मुद्रा), is a hand gesture mainly associated with Indian religions and arts, encountered throughout Asia and beyond. It is a part of Indian classical dance postures such as Bharatanatyam, yoga p ...
of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
, and it also may include a slight
bow of the head. This salutation is often accompanied by a serene
smile
A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile.
Among humans, a smile expresses ...
symbolizing a welcoming disposition and a pleasant attitude. Thailand is often referred to as the "land of smiles" in tourist brochures.
Public displays of affection
Public displays of affection (PDA) are acts of physical intimacy in the view of others. What is an acceptable display of affection varies with respect to culture and context.
Some organizations have rules limiting or prohibiting public display ...
are not overly common in traditional Thai society, especially between lovers. Such actions are becoming more common, especially among the younger generation.
A notable
social norm
Social norms are shared standards of acceptance, acceptable behavior by groups. Social norms can both be informal understandings that govern the behavior of members of a society, as well as be codified into wikt:rule, rules and laws. Social normat ...
holds that
touching someone on the head may be considered rude. It is also considered rude to place one's feet at a level above someone else's head, especially if that person is of higher social standing. This is because the Thai people consider the foot to be the dirtiest and lowliest part of the body, and the head the most respected and highest part of the body. This also influences how Thais sit when on the ground—their feet always pointing away from others, tucked to the side or behind them. Pointing at or touching something with the feet is also considered rude. It was reported in the Thai press that pedestrians were prohibited from climbing stairs to the
Victory Monument BTS Station when a royal motorcade was due to pass on the road beneath because, according to Thai custom, feet cannot be at any point above the head of a royal family member.
![Candidate for the Buddhist novice in the Buddhist religion priesthood 05](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Candidate_for_the_Buddhist_novice_in_the_Buddhist_religion_priesthood_05.jpg)
Since a serene disposition is valued, conflict and sudden displays of anger are eschewed in Thai culture. For these reasons, visitors should take care not to create conflict or to display anger. Disagreements or disputes should be handled with a smile and no attempt should be made to assign blame to another. In everyday life in Thailand, there is a strong emphasis on the concept of ''sanuk'', the idea that life should be fun. Because of this, Thais can be quite playful at work and during day-to-day activities. Displaying positive emotions in social interactions is also important in Thai culture.
Often, Thais will deal with disagreements, minor mistakes, or misfortunes by using the phrase ''
mai pen rai'' ( th, ไม่ เป็น ไร), translated as "it doesn't matter". The ubiquitous use of this phrase in Thailand reflects a disposition towards minimizing conflict, disagreements or complaints. A smile and the sentence "mai pen rai" indicates that the incident is not important and therefore there is no conflict or shame involved.
Respect for
hierarchy
A hierarchy (from Greek: , from , 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) that are represented as being "above", "below", or "at the same level as" one another. Hierarchy is an important ...
is a very important value for Thai people. The custom of ''bun khun'' emphasizes the indebtedness towards parents, as well as towards guardians, teachers, and caretakers. It describes the feelings and practices involved in certain relationships organized around generalized reciprocity, the slow-acting accounting of an exchange calculated according to locally interpreted scales and measures. It is also considered rude to step on any type of Thai currency (
Thai coin or banknote), as they include a likeness of the
King of Thailand
The monarchy of Thailand (whose monarch is referred to as the king of Thailand; th, พระมหากษัตริย์ไทย, or historically, king of Siam; th, พระมหากษัตริย์สยาม) refers to the c ...
.
A number of Thai customs relate to the special status of
monks
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicat ...
in Thai society. Thai monks are forbidden physical contact with women. Women are therefore expected to make way for passing monks to ensure that accidental contact does not occur. A variety of methods are employed to ensure that no incidental contact (or the appearance of such contact) between women and monks occurs. Women making offerings to monks place their donation at the feet of the monk, or on a cloth laid on the ground or a table. Powders or unguents intended to carry a blessing are applied to Thai women by monks using the end of a candle or stick. Laypersons are expected to sit or stand with their heads at a lower level than that of a monk. Within a temple, monks may sit on a raised platform during ceremonies to make this easier to achieve.
When sitting in a temple, one is expected to point one's feet away from images of
Lord Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
. Shrines inside Thai residences are arranged so as to ensure that the feet are not pointed towards the religious icons, such as placing the shrine on the same wall as the head of a bed, if a house is too small to remove the shrine from the bedroom entirely.
It is also customary to remove one's footwear before entering a home or the sacred areas within a
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
, and not to step on the threshold.
In the rural areas of northeast Thailand, there are a set of customs revolving around the lunar calendar. Known as ''heet sip song'', each lunar month has a specific ''heet'' ("tradition" or "ritual") associated with it. These "merit-making" traditions are considered critical to an individuals life and afterlife, as well as important for community building. For example, during the first month of a lunar year, monks who have violated oaths perform penance.
Lay people are expected to provide additional supplies to temples to support the monks through this time. Other traditions include celebrations of the harvest, eating of specific foods, and the popular Thai "water festival" in the fifth lunar month.
Dress
Traditional clothing
![Silk Loom Jim Thompson House photo D Ramey Logan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Silk_Loom_Jim_Thompson_House_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg)
Traditional Thai clothing is called ''chut thai'' ( ) which literally means "Thai outfit". It can be worn by men, women, and children. Chut thai for women usually consists of a
pha nung
The panung ( th, ผ้านุ่ง, , ) is a traditional garment worn in Thailand. A long strip of cloth, described in 1921 by the US vice-consul, as "a piece of cotton cloth 3 by 10 feet" is wrapped around the waist, reaching below the knees ...
or a
chong kraben
''Sompot Chong Kben'' ( km, សំពត់ចងក្បិន, ; th, โจงกระเบน, ; lo, ຜ້າຫາງ, ''pha hang'') is a unisex, lower body, wraparound cloth worn in the countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. It is ...
, a blouse, and a
sabai
''Sbai'' ( km, ស្បៃ ; lo, ສະໄບ; Malay: ''Sebai''; Jawi: ''سباي''; th, สไบ, ) or ''phaa biang'' ( lo, ຜ້າບ່ຽງ; th, ผ้าเบี่ยง ) is a shawl-like garment or breast cloth worn in mainland ...
. Northern and northeastern women may wear a
sinh instead of a
pha nung
The panung ( th, ผ้านุ่ง, , ) is a traditional garment worn in Thailand. A long strip of cloth, described in 1921 by the US vice-consul, as "a piece of cotton cloth 3 by 10 feet" is wrapped around the waist, reaching below the knees ...
and a
chong kraben
''Sompot Chong Kben'' ( km, សំពត់ចងក្បិន, ; th, โจงกระเบน, ; lo, ຜ້າຫາງ, ''pha hang'') is a unisex, lower body, wraparound cloth worn in the countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. It is ...
with either a blouse or a
suea pat. Chut thai for men includes a
chong kraben
''Sompot Chong Kben'' ( km, សំពត់ចងក្បិន, ; th, โจงกระเบน, ; lo, ຜ້າຫາງ, ''pha hang'') is a unisex, lower body, wraparound cloth worn in the countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. It is ...
or pants, a
Raj pattern
''Raj pattern'' ( th, ราชปะแตน, , ) refers either to a Thai men's costume consisting of a white Nehru-style jacket with five buttons, a ''chong kraben'', knee-length socks and dress shoes, or to the specific form of the jacket it ...
shirt, with optional knee-length white socks, and a
sabai
''Sbai'' ( km, ស្បៃ ; lo, ສະໄບ; Malay: ''Sebai''; Jawi: ''سباي''; th, สไบ, ) or ''phaa biang'' ( lo, ຜ້າບ່ຽງ; th, ผ้าเบี่ยง ) is a shawl-like garment or breast cloth worn in mainland ...
. Chut thai for northern Thai men is composed of a
sado, a white Manchu styled jacket, and sometimes a
khian hua. In formal occasions, people may choose to wear a so-called
formal Thai national costume.
Uniforms
Thailand is a uniform-wearing society.
From elementary school to university,
school uniforms in Thailand are the norm, with few exceptions. Teachers at elementary and secondary levels wear uniforms, usually once a week. All civil servants up to ministerial level have uniforms appropriate to their organization and rank and wear them regularly.
Cuisine
Thai dining etiquette
Thai dining etiquette refers to the traditional and proper behaviors of Thai people while eating. Thai society has a lot of big families, so having a meal together and sharing the food between members of the family is Thai traditional dining style. Generally, Thais eat rice as the main food and share the rice side dishes with one another.
Traditionally, in Thailand, people have a meal on the floor mat and eat the food with their right hands. The rice dishes are on the outer circle while the shared dishes are in the center with shared spoons to transfer the side dish food to their own rice dish.
In the reign of King
Mongkut
Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibod ...
(Rama IV); King
Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V), Prince Chulalongkorn at that time, was educated by an English woman, courted Western diplomats and leaders and travelled abroad. Observed and learnt western dining and he found out the fork and knife are not suitable for Thai food (no need to chop anything). He introduced the fork and spoon and so began the use of cutlery in Thailand. Thais use the fork to push the food onto the spoon (right hand), which then goes into your mouth instead of making the meat stable for the knife function.
Nowadays, Thai dining is mixed with various countries’ dining cultures, so Thai people use a lot of styles to eat not only with spoon and fork one but also chopstick, knife and bare hand as well.
= Regional Thai dining
=
![Yam huapli thot 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Yam_huapli_thot_02.jpg)
* Central Thailand: In central Thailand, sitting on a chair, eating at a table and using a fork, spoon and shared spoon are longstanding customs (Rama IV). For Thai rich family dining, variously shaped napkins are added on the table and also employ waiters or waitresses to serve the food and beverages beside the table.
* Northern Thailand: Thai northern people still preserve their traditional culture by using small food bowls and putting them on a ''
kan tok'' (Thai northern small table). They are decorated with wood, pearl or yellowish gold. Sticky, glutinous rice is the main food eaten with shared dishes. It is contained in ''kratip song soong'', high-height container for sticky rice. Next to the ''kan tok'', there is ''kon tho din'', an earthenware jar, and a ''kan ngeaun'', a silver cup. After finishing the main course, the desserts are served and also ''buri chai yo''
* Northeastern Thailand, (
Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...
): Typically the food is served on a large flower-patterned circular zinc tray. The sticky rice contained in ''kra tip song taei'' (low-height container for sticky rice). Then the desserts are served.
* Southern Thailand: The local people eat on a floor mat. The dishes are placed on the center of it. They sit in the circle and traditionally eat with their bare hands. The drinking water is contained in ''kan'' or ''jok'', (a little cup). Nowadays, a fork and spoon are used instead of bare hands. Sitting on a chair and eating at a table now predominates. There are only few local people who still preserve the original dining style.
= Ways of serving food in Thailand
=
There are two main ways to serve Thai food, ''raad kao'', individual dishes, and ''gap kao'', separate dishes.
* Individual dishes: In the past, Thai people had large families. Due to the difficulty of eating together at the same time, placing the rice side dish and the rice on the same dish and serving individually is to some extent supplanting the traditional Thai dining style.
* Separated dishes: The rice side dishes are separately served with the rice (not same dish). Normally, this style is suitable for eating with others. The shared rice side dishes are in the center of the circle. Each has their own rice while the side dishes are shared by transferring them with the shared spoons to the individual rice dishes.
= Table settings
=
* Individual dishes: The spoon is on the right and the fork is on the left side of the dish.
* Shared dishes: For rice dishes, the spoon is on the right and the fork is on the left side of the dish. Shared dishes are placed in the center of the table with the serving spoons.
= Manners and customs
=
![Ban Huahat07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Ban_Huahat07.jpg)
* Ordering: For shared dishes, the senior of the group orders their rice side dish first and then another selects dishes which everyone can eat, trying to balance a full range of tastes, ordering seafood, pork, shrimp, chicken, and vegetarian dishes. Spicy, sweet, salty, and bitter will all be represented, often all in one dish. Dishes are served serially as they are prepared, not all coming at once.
* Dining: Thai people eat using a fork and spoon. The spoon acts as the main tool and the fork is the supporting tool pushing the food onto the spoon and a shared spoon is used to convey food from a shared dish to the diner's rice dish. Some people use their own spoon to scoop the food from the shared dish directly, but this is improper. If the shared dish is curry, it is transferred to an individual little cup first. Then they sip the soup from the spoon. Sipping it from the cup directly is improper. Making undue noise during eating and sipping is impolite in Thailand. Talking during the meal is ''de rigueur''. Thai foods contain inedible bits such as lemongrass stalks. They are put on the edge of the dish or on a dish provided for refuse. After finishing eating, placing the spoon and fork down close together on the bowl or plate, gathering any remainders to one side of the dish and stacking the empty plates at the side of the table is a signal to the server that the table may be cleared. To be polite when using a toothpick, hide the mouth with one hand as you wield the toothpick with the other.
* Bill: The bill is usually picked up and paid by the host or the wealthiest or most important or eldest person. If customers are friends the bills are usually paid separately.
Birth traditions and beliefs
Traditional principles concerning pregnancy and childbirth are largely influenced by
folk beliefs
In folkloristics, folk belief or folk-belief is a broad genre of folklore that is often expressed in narratives, customs, rituals, foodways, proverbs, and rhymes. It also includes a wide variety of behaviors, expressions, and beliefs. Examples of ...
, especially in rural areas of
central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
and
north Thailand
Northern Thailand, or more specifically Lanna, is geographically characterised by several mountain ranges, which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar to Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them. Though like most of Thailan ...
. Modern practices follow the Western medical model.
Nicknames
Thai people universally have one, or occasionally more, short
nicknames
A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
( th, ชื่อเล่น ''playing name'') that they use with friends and family. Often first given shortly after birth by friends or an older family member, these nicknames are overwhelmingly one syllable
(or worn down from two syllables to one). Though they may be simply shortened versions of a full name, they quite frequently have no relation to the person's full name and are often humorous and/or nonsense words. Babies may be given a nickname of a relative or named for a characteristic of birth, e.g., "little". Traditionally, nicknames would relate to things of low value, e.g., "dirt", which was to convince
evil spirits
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, anime, ...
lurking in the vicinity that the child was not worth their attention. Today this folk custom is on the decline.
Some common nicknames translate into English as "small", "fatty", "pig", "little", "frog", "banana", "green", or "girl/boy". Though rare, sometimes Thai children are given nicknames in the order they were born into the family (i.e., "one", "two", "three", etc.). Nicknames are useful because official Thai names are often long, particularly among Thais of Chinese descent, whose lengthy surnames stem from an attempt to translate
Chinese names
Chinese names or Chinese personal names are names used by individuals from Greater China and other parts of the Chinese-speaking world throughout East and Southeast Asia (ESEA). In addition, many names used in Japan, Korea and Vietnam are often ...
into Thai equivalents, or among Thai with similarly lengthy Sanskrit-derived names. In recent years, English language words have become popular nicknames. Examples include: "Ice" (ไอซ์); "Bank" (แบงค์); "New" (นิว); "Ball" (บอล), and even "Beer" (เบียร์).
Marriage
![Thai wedding - conch water](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Thai_wedding_-_conch_water.jpg)
Thai Buddhist marriage ceremonies are generally divided into two parts: a Buddhist component, which includes the recitation of prayers and the offering of food and other gifts to monks and images of the Buddha, and a non-Buddhist component rooted in folk traditions, which centers on the couple's families.
In former times, it was unknown for
Buddhist monks
A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist c ...
to be present at any stage of the marriage ceremony itself. As monks were invited to attend to the dead during funerals, their presence at a marriage (which was associated with fertility, and intended to produce children) was considered a bad omen. A couple would seek a blessing from their local temple before or after being married, and might consult some monks for
astrological
Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Dif ...
advice in setting an auspicious date for the wedding. The non-Buddhist portions of the wedding would take place away from the temple, and would often take place on a separate day.
In modern times, these prohibitions have been significantly relaxed. It is not uncommon for a visit to a temple to be made on the same day as the non-Buddhist portions of a wedding, or even for the wedding to take place within the temple. While a division is still commonly observed between the "religious" and "secular" portions of a wedding service, it may be as simple as the monks present for the Buddhist ceremony departing to take lunch once their role is complete.
During the Buddhist component of the wedding service, the couple first bow before the
image of Lord Buddha. They then recite certain basic Buddhist prayers or chants (typically including taking the
Three Refuges
In Buddhism, refuge or taking refuge refers to a religious practice, which often includes a prayer or recitation performed at the beginning of the day or of a practice session. Since the period of Early Buddhism until present time, all Theravada ...
and the
Five Precepts
The Five precepts ( sa, pañcaśīla, italic=yes; pi, pañcasīla, italic=yes) or five rules of training ( sa, pañcaśikṣapada, italic=yes; pi, pañcasikkhapada, italic=yes) is the most important system of morality for Buddhist lay peo ...
), and light incense and candles before the image. The parents of the couple may then be called upon to "connect" them, by placing upon the heads of the bride and groom twin loops of string or thread that link the couple together. The couple may then make offerings of food, flowers, and medicine to the monks present. Cash gifts (usually placed in an envelope) may also be presented to the temple at this time.
The monks may then unwind a small length of thread that is held between the hands of the assembled monks. They begin a series of recitations of
Pali scriptures intended to bring merit and blessings to the new couple. The string terminates with the lead monk, who may connect it to a container of water that will be "sanctified" for the ceremony. Merit is said to travel through the string and be conveyed to the water. A similar arrangement is used to transfer merit to the dead at a funeral, further evidence of the weakening of the taboo on mixing funerary imagery and trappings with marriage ceremonies. Blessed water may be mixed with wax drippings from a candle lit before the Buddha image and other unguents and herbs to create a paste that is then applied to the foreheads of the bride and groom to create a small dot, similar to the
marking made with
red ochre
Ochre ( ; , ), or ocher in American English, is a natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the colours produced ...
on Hindu devotees. The bride's mark is created with the butt end of the candle rather than the monk's thumb, in keeping with the
Vinaya
The Vinaya (Pali & Sanskrit: विनय) is the division of the Buddhist canon ('' Tripitaka'') containing the rules and procedures that govern the Buddhist Sangha (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). Three parallel Vinaya traditions remai ...
prohibition against touching women.
The highest-ranking monk present may elect to say a few words to the couple, offering advice or encouragement. The couple may then make offerings of food to the monks, at which point the Buddhist portion of the ceremony is concluded.
The Thai
bride price
Bride price, bride-dowry ( Mahr in Islam), bride-wealth, or bride token, is money, property, or other form of wealth paid by a groom or his family to the woman or the family of the woman he will be married to or is just about to marry. Bride dow ...
system is known as the ''sin sot'' ( th, สินสอด; ). It roughly translates to "bride price".
The groom will be expected to pay a sum of money to the family, to compensate them for the loss of a daughter and to demonstrate that the groom is financially capable of taking care of their daughter. Bride prices of 50,000 to 300,000 baht have been documented, but bride prices can sometimes run into the tens of millions of
baht
The baht (; th, บาท, ; sign: ฿; code: THB) is the official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 ''satang'' (, ). The issuance of currency is the responsibility of the Bank of Thailand. SWIFT ranked the Thai baht as the 10th-m ...
.
In many cases, the bride price is purely symbolic and will be returned to the bride and groom after the wedding has taken place. Whether the practice of sin sot is a tradition or a scam has been debated by critics. One observed, "All that talk of face and argument for cherished tradition? It's a thinly veiled con. Behind that gobbledygook, it's the same old forces of the material world and about the parents getting enough cash to buy a new pickup, pay outstanding debts or acquire something to elevate their status." Actually, in the Thai culture the sin sot is an essential part of the marriage and no man would refuse it to the bride's family.
Thailand outlawed marital rape in 2007.
Thai people of Chinese origin may opt to mix marriage traditions; typically, they also seek monks. Other might choose to follow
Chinese marriage
Traditional Chinese marriage () is a ceremonial ritual within Chinese societies that involves not only a union between spouses, but also a union between the two families of a man and a woman, sometimes established by pre-arrangement between fam ...
customs, often performed in a simpler manner.
The religious components of marriage ceremonies between Thai Muslims are markedly different from those described above. The Imam of the local mosque, the groom, the father of the bride, men in the immediate family, and important men in the community sit in a circle during the ceremony, conducted by the Imam. All the women, including the bride, sit in a separate room and do not have any direct participation in the ceremony. The secular component of the ceremony, however, is often nearly identical to the secular part of Thai Buddhist wedding ceremonies. The only notable difference here is the type of meat served to guests (goat and/or beef instead of pork). Thai Muslims frequently, though not always, also follow the conventions of the Thai dowry system.
Funerals
![Chan Kusalo cremation 04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Chan_Kusalo_cremation_04.jpg)
Traditionally,
funerals
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
last for at least one week. Crying is discouraged during the funeral, so as not to worry the spirit of the deceased. Many activities surrounding the funeral are intended to make merit for the deceased. Copies of Buddhist scriptures may be printed and distributed in the name of the deceased, and gifts are usually given to a local temple. Monks are invited to chant prayers that are intended to provide merit for the deceased, as well as to provide protection against the possibility of the dead relative returning as a malicious spirit. A picture of the deceased from their best days will often be displayed next to the coffin. Often, a thread is connected to the corpse or coffin which is held by the chanting monks during their recitation; this thread is intended to transfer the merit of the monks' recitation to the deceased. The corpse is
cremated
Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre i ...
, and the urn with the ash is usually kept in a
chedi in the local temple.
Thai Chinese
Thai Chinese (also known as Chinese Thais, Sino-Thais), Thais of Chinese origin ( th, ชาวไทยเชื้อสายจีน; ''exonym and also domestically''), endonym Thai people ( th, ชาวไทย), are Chinese descenda ...
and
Thai Muslim minorities
bury
Bury may refer to:
*The burial of human remains
*-bury, a suffix in English placenames
Places England
* Bury, Cambridgeshire, a village
* Bury, Greater Manchester, a town, historically in Lancashire
** Bury (UK Parliament constituency) (1832–19 ...
their deceased according to the rituals of their respective communities.
Funeral services are not restricted to humans. Funerals for pets, sometimes lavish, are not uncommon, particularly in Bangkok. One company that specializes in pet funerals cremates up to 400 animals per month. The owner says that, "Bangkok is an extremely religious city ... those beliefs extend to all parts of life. Most of our customers realise that their pets can't gain enough merit on their own in this life, so it is up to them to do for them. Funerals are an obvious choice."
National anthem and respect for the flag and king
Twice a day, at 08:00 and again at 18:00, the national anthem is played by all Thai media outlets. Thais stop what they are doing and stand at attention to pay homage to the flag during the anthem. Students in school stand in front of the raised flag and sing the national anthem at 08:00 every school day. The practice dates from 1935 when the regulations for the raising and lowering of the colours was published in the ''Royal Gazette''. The Flag Act of 1979 decreed that those who do not observe the custom by standing in silence during the anthem are subject to a fine of up to 2,000 baht and not more than one year in prison.
In a related practice, the royal anthem of the King of Thailand is played before movies, concerts, and sporting events. All are expected to stand.
Knowing one's place
''Bangkok Post'' columnist Paritta Wangkiat maintains that Thais are expected to "know their place" in society and to be submissive. A result is that those from the lower ranks of the social order are often treated dismissively. People of different social classes are never treated equally in her view. As people fear to speak out about their rights, or those of others, submissiveness and deference to authority make the behaviour a "perfect match for an authoritarian regime." Persons who stand up for their beliefs and challenge the status quo are scorned as people who don't know their proper place in society.
Thai culture places great emphasis on hierarchy and knowing one's place in it.
Writer and editor Wasant Techawongtham, seeking to explain governmental missteps, observed that, "As everybody in Thailand knows, we are a society of conformity. We conform to tradition, to authority, to power, to wealth. There is little room for people to think outside the box or to imagine the impossible. And what little window of opportunity exists for civilians, that window is forever closed for government workers."
Thai toilets
The "
bidet shower
A bidet shower —also known as a commode shower, toilet shower, bum shower, shatafa or bum gun— is a hand-held triggered nozzle that is placed near the toilet and delivers a spray of water used for anal cleansing and cleaning of the genitals ...
" is common in Thai toilets, as evidenced by an uproar by parliamentarians when it was disclosed that the new parliament building was not equipped with "bum guns".
Arts
Traditional arts
![Watpkaeoramakien0605](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Watpkaeoramakien0605.jpg)
Thai
visual arts
The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile arts al ...
were traditionally
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
only.
Thai Buddha images from different periods have a number of distinctive styles.
Thai temple art and architecture
Thai temple art and architecture is the art and architecture of Buddhist temples in Thailand. Temples are known as ''wat''s, from the Pāḷi ''vāṭa'', meaning "enclosure". A temple has an enclosing wall that divides it from the secular world. ...
form a unique combination of elements derived from ancient Siamese architectures.
Thai contemporary art
Traditional Thai art is primarily composed of Buddhist art and scenes from the Indian epics. Traditional Thai sculpture almost exclusively depicts images of the Buddha, being very similar with the other styles from Southeast Asia, such as Khmer. ...
often combines traditional Thai elements with
modern
Modern may refer to:
History
* Modern history
** Early Modern period
** Late Modern period
*** 18th century
*** 19th century
*** 20th century
** Contemporary history
* Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century
Phil ...
techniques.
Literature in Thailand is heavily influenced by
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
Hindu culture
Hinduism () is an Indian religions, Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the Major religious groups, world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion ...
. The most notable works of Thai literature are a version of the
Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
, a Hindu religious epic, called the
Ramakien
The ( th, รามเกียรติ์, , ; ; sometimes also spelled ) is one of Thailand's national epics, derived from the Buddhist Dasaratha Jataka. Fundamentally, it is a Thai version of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Ramakien is an importa ...
, written in part by Kings
Rama I
Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now Tha ...
and
Rama II
Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai ( th, พระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย, 24 February 1767 – 21 July 1824), personal name Chim ( th, ฉิม), also styled as Rama II, was the second monarch of Siam under the Chakri ...
, and the
poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...
of
Sunthorn Phu
Phra Sunthorn Vohara (Phu) ( th, พระสุนทรโวหาร (ภู่), , ; 26 June 1786 – 1855), known as Sunthorn Phu ( th, สุนทรภู่, , ), is Thailand's best-known royal poet. He wrote during the Rattanakosin pe ...
.
Traditional Thai paintings showed subjects in two
dimension
In physics and mathematics, the dimension of a Space (mathematics), mathematical space (or object) is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any Point (geometry), point within it. Thus, a Line (geometry), lin ...
s without
perspective. The size of each element in the picture reflected its degree of importance. The primary technique of
composition
Composition or Compositions may refer to:
Arts and literature
*Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography
*Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include v ...
is that of apportioning areas: the main elements are isolated from each other by space transformers. This eliminated the intermediate ground, which would otherwise imply perspective. Perspective was introduced only as a result of
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
influence in the mid-19th century. Monk artist
Khrua In Khong is well known as the first artist to introduce
linear perspective
Linear or point-projection perspective (from la, perspicere 'to see through') is one of two types of 3D projection, graphical projection perspective in the graphic arts; the other is parallel projection. Linear perspective is an approximate r ...
to Thai traditional art.
There is no tradition of spoken
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, the role instead being filled by
Thai dance
Dance in Thailand ( th, นาฏศิลป์, or th, นาฏกรรม, ) is the main dramatic art form in Thailand. Thai dance can be divided into two major categories, high art ( classical dance) and low art ( folk dance).
Overview ...
. This is divided into three categories:
Khon
Khon ( th, โขน, ) is a dance drama genre from Thailand. Khon has been performed since the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
It is traditionally performed solely in the royal court by men in masks accompanied by narrators and a traditional piphat ensembl ...
, '
Lakhon, and
Likay
Likay ( th, ลิเก, , ) is a form of popular folk theatre from Central Thailand (not in Bangkok, where Teochew opera are folk theatre.). Its uniqueness is found in the combination of extravagant costumes with barely equipped stages and va ...
, Khon being the most elaborate and Likay the most popular.
Nang drama
''Nang yai'' ( th, หนังใหญ่, ) is a form of shadow play found in Thailand. Puppets are made of painted buffalo hide, while the story is narrated by songs, chants and music.
'' Nang'' means "leather" ("leather puppet" in this cas ...
, a form of
shadow play
Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated cut-out figures (shadow puppets) which are held between a source of light and a translucent screen or scrim. The cut-o ...
, is found in the south.
There is also Thai folklore,
Sri Thanonchai as an example.
Dance
![Khon Dance Frankfurt Germany 2006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Khon_Dance_Frankfurt_Germany_2006.jpg)
The very first detailed European record of
khon
Khon ( th, โขน, ) is a dance drama genre from Thailand. Khon has been performed since the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
It is traditionally performed solely in the royal court by men in masks accompanied by narrators and a traditional piphat ensembl ...
and other classical Siamese dances was made during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It described a dramatic tradition and style that are almost identical to the Thai traditions we still see today. Historical evidence clearly establishes that the Thai art of stage plays must have already been perfected by the 17th century.
Louis XIV
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Vers ...
, the Sun King of France, had a formal diplomatic relation with Ayutthaya's
King Narai
King Narai the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช, , ) or Ramathibodi III ( th, รามาธิบดีที่ ๓ ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the ...
. In 1687, France sent the diplomat
Simon de la Loubère
Simon de la Loubère (; 21 April 1642 – 26 March 1729) was a French diplomat to Siam (Thailand), writer, mathematician and poet. He is credited with bringing back a document which introduced Europe to Indian astronomy, the "Siamese method" ...
to record all that he saw in the Siamese Kingdom and its traditions. In his account ''Du Royaume de Siam'', La Loubère carefully observed the classic 17th century theatre of Siam, including an epic battle scene from a khon performance, and recorded what he saw in great detail:
"The Siamese have three sorts of Stage Plays: That which they call Cone
hon
Hon or HON may refer to:
People
* Han (surname) (Chinese: 韩/韓), also romanized Hon
* Louis Hon (1924–2008), French footballer
* Priscilla Hon (born 1998), Australian tennis player
Other uses
* Hon (Baltimore), a cultural stereotype of ...
is a figure dance, to the sound of the violin and some other instruments. The dancers are masked and armed, and represent rather a combat than a dance. And though every one runs into high motions, and extravagant postures, they cease not continually to intermix some word. Most of their masks are hideous, and represent either monstrous Beasts, or kinds of Devils. The Show which they call Lacone is a poem intermix with Epic and Dramatic, which lasts three days, from eight in the morning till seven at night. They are histories in verse, serious, and sung by several actors always present, and which do only sing reciprocally.... The Rabam is a double dance of men and women, which is not martial, but gallant... they can perform it without much tying themselves, because their way of dancing is a simple march round, very slow, and without any high motion; but with a great many slow contortions of the body and arms."
[Simon de la Loubère, ''The Kingdom of Siam'' (1693), Oxford University Press, 1986]
Of the attires of Siamese khon dancers, La Loubère recorded that: "
ose that dance in Rabam, and Cone, have gilded paper-bonnets, high and pointed, like the Mandarins caps of ceremony, but which hang down at the sides below their ears, which are adorned with counterfeit stones, and with two pendants of gilded wood.
[
Today "ram Thai" ( th, รำไทย), 'Thai dance'. Thai dance, like many forms of traditional Asian dance, can be divided into two major categories that correspond roughly to the ]high art
High culture is a subculture that emphasizes and encompasses the cultural objects of aesthetic value, which a society collectively esteem as exemplary art, and the intellectual works of philosophy, history, art, and literature that a society con ...
( classical dance) and low art
In sociology, the term Low culture identifies the forms of popular culture that have Commoner, mass appeal, which is in contrast to High culture, which has a limited appeal to a smaller proportion of the populace. Culture theory proposes that b ...
( folk dance) distinction.
Although traditional Thai performing arts
The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...
are not as vibrant as they once were, suffering inroads from Western entertainment and generally changing tastes, Thai dance drama is not extinct. What survives displays the elegance of an art form refined over centuries and supported by regal patronage.
Aside from folk and regional dances (southern Thailand's Indian-influenced Menora dance, for example), the two major forms of Thai classical dance drama are khon and Lakhon nai
Lakhon nai ( th, ละครใน, ) is a Thai performing art originating in the royal court of Thailand (formerly Siam). It features slow choreography accompanied by a piphat
A ''piphat'' is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Th ...
. In the beginning both were exclusively court entertainments and it was not until much later that a popular style of dance theater, Likay, evolved as a diversion for the common folk who had no access to royal performances. Apart from Lakhon nai, Lakhon chatri is also one of the most important Thai dances.
Music
The Music of Thailand includes classical and folk music traditions, e.g., Piphat
A ''piphat'' is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the ...
and Mor lam, respectively, as well as Thai pop music
Thai pop or T-pop, is a genre of Thai music roughly equivalent to western pop. It emerged in the 1970s–80s, during which it was known as string music ( th, เพลงสตริง), before gaining mainstream popularity during the 1990s and ...
, e.g., "String". Thai classical music is synonymous with those stylized court ensembles and repertoires that emerged in its present form within the royal centers of Central Thailand some 800 years ago. These ensembles, while being slightly influenced by older practices and repertoires from India, are today uniquely Thai expressions. While the three primary classical ensembles, the Piphat
A ''piphat'' is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the ...
, Khrueang sai and Mahori differ in significant ways, they all share a basic instrumentation and theoretical approach. Each employ the small ''ching (instrument), ching'' hand cymbals and the ''krap'' wooden sticks to mark the primary beat reference.
Several kinds of small drums (''klong'') are employed in these ensembles to outline the basic rhythmic structure (''natab'') that is punctuated at the end by the striking of a suspended gong (''mong''). Seen in its most basic formulation, the classical Thai orchestras are very similar to the Cambodian (Khmer) pinpeat and mahori ensembles, and structurally similar to other orchestras found within the widespread Southeast Asian gong-chime musical culture, such as the large gamelan of Bali and Java, which most likely have their common roots in the diffusion of Vietnamese Dong-Son bronze drums beginning in the first century.
Traditional Thai classical repertoire is anonymous, handed down through an oral tradition of performance in which the names of composers (if, indeed, pieces were historically created by single authors) are not known. However, since the beginning of the modern Bangkok period, composers' names have been known and, since around the turn of the century, many major composers have recorded their works in notation. Musicians, however, imagine these compositions and notations as generic forms which are realized in full in idiosyncratic variations and improvisations in the context of performance.
Sports
Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, RTGS: Muai Thai, , lit. "Thai boxing") is a native form of kickboxing and Thailand's signature sport. It incorporates kicks, punches, knees and elbow strikes in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing and this has led to Thailand gaining medals at the Olympic Games in boxing.
Association football has overtaken muay Thai as the most widely followed sport in contemporary Thai society. Thailand national football team has played the AFC Asian Cup six times. The team reached the semifinals in 1972 AFC Asian Cup, 1972 and the round of 16 in 2019 AFC Asian Cup, 2019. The country has hosted the Asian Cup twice, in 1972 and in 2007 AFC Asian Cup, 2007. The 2007 edition was co-hosted together with Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. It is not uncommon to see Thais cheering their favourite English Premier League teams on television and walking around in replica kit. Another widely enjoyed pastime, and once a competitive sport, is kite flying.
Takraw (Thai: ตะกร้อ) is a sport native to Thailand, in which the players hit a rattan ball and are only allowed to use their feet, knees, chest, and head to touch the ball. Sepak takraw is a form of this sport which is similar to volleyball. The players must volley a ball over a net and force it to hit the ground on the opponent's side. It is also a popular sport in other countries in Southeast Asia. A rather similar game but played only with the feet is Buka ball.
Architecture
The Major part of the country's cultural legacy and reflects both the challenges of living in Thailand's sometimes extreme climate as well as, historically, the importance of architecture to the Thai people's sense of community and religious beliefs. Influenced by the architectural traditions of many of Thailand's neighbors, it has also developed significant regional variation within its vernacular and religious buildings.
Buddhist temples in Thailand are known as "wats", from the Pali, Pāḷi ''vāṭa'', meaning an enclosure. A temple has an enclosing wall that divides it from the secular world. Wat architecture has seen many changes in Thailand in the course of history. Although there are many differences in layout and style, they all adhere to the same principles.
As the phrase "Thai stilt house" suggests, one universal aspect of Thailand's traditional architecture is the elevation of its buildings on stilts, most commonly to around head height. The area beneath the house is used for storage, crafts, lounging in the daytime, and sometimes for livestock. The houses were raised due to heavy flooding during certain parts of the year, and in more ancient times, predators. Thai building and living habits are often based on superstitious and religious beliefs. Many other considerations such as locally available materials, climate, and agriculture have a lot to do with the style.
Traditional games
* One-legged rabbit ( th, กระต่ายขาเดียว; ) is a type of "catch-me" game. The catcher will call out the rabbit, and the rabbit must stand on one leg and jump or tiptoe to catch other players and switch to rabbit instead. This game will exercise your legs and practice balancing on one leg. The number of players are divided into two teams, or may not have a team at all. Normally, there are two or more players. At the first time, the player will select the rabbit or team by "rock-paper-scissors". The loser becomes a rabbit.
In the case of solo player, the rabbit must stand on one leg, then jump to chase and touch any part of the body of other children who have run away. Everyone must stay within the designated area. A player who runs out of space loses the game and must be switched to rabbit, but if the rabbit is exhausted and cannot stand on one leg, it was that defeated and must be punished.
In team play, the rules are similar to the solo player, but the rabbit team will send a representative to catch the other team to all the people. Those arrested will have to wait outside until the rabbit team can catch all of the rival teams. Rabbit team can switch to teammates to catch on until they are exhausted, and if the all of the members in rabbit team are exhausted and cannot stand on one leg, the rabbit team lose the game and must be punished too.
* Banana stalk hobby horse riding
Banana stalk hobby horse riding or "khee ma khan kluay" in Thai is a traditional game of Thailand that Thai kids frequently played in the past. They use a banana stalk to make the parts of a horse such as head, ear, and horsetail. The materials for making a banana rib hobby horse are banana stalk, knife, small bamboo pin, and string. First, find a banana stalk around 1.5 m long. Cut it in the form of the head, neck, and ears, then use a small bamboo pin to connect the ear to the head of a horse. The remaining part of the banana stalk becomes a horsetail. Attach a string between the head and the tail of this banana stalk horse and place on the shoulder of the rider.
Kids sit on the horse and pretend they are riding a real horse, shouting "hee hee" or "yee haaah", sounds typical of people on horseback. They may race with friends if they have more than two players. The team that runs faster is the winner.
Holidays
Important holidays in Thai culture include Thai New Year, or Songkran (Thailand), Songkran, which is officially observed from 13–15 April each year. Falling at the end of the dry season and during the hot season in Thailand, the celebrations notoriously feature boisterous water throwing. The water throwing stemmed from washing Buddha images and lightly sprinkling scented water on the hands of elderly people. Small amounts of scented talcum powder were also used in the annual cleansing rite. In recent decades, water fights have been increasingly industrialised with use of hoses, barrels, squirt guns, water-filled surgical tubing, and copious amounts of powder.
Loi Krathong is held on the 12th full moon of the Thai lunar calendar, usually early-November. While not a government-observed holiday, it is nonetheless an auspicious day in Thai culture, in which Thai people "loi", meaning "to float" a "krathong", a small raft traditionally made from elaborately folded banana leaves and including flowers, candles, incense sticks, and small offerings. The act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger, and defilements so that one can start life afresh on a better footing.
National Elephant Day (Thailand), National Elephant Day or Chang Thai Day is a holiday in Thailand, held on March 13, which celebrates the cultural and historical significance of the elephant in Thailand.
Pastimes
Reading and Internet
Eighty-eight percent of Thai people read books and spend an average of 28 minutes per day doing so, according to a poll conducted by the Thai Publishers and Booksellers Association (PUBAT) and Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Economics and Research Centre for Social and Business Development.
A total of 3,432 Thais aged 15–69 in 12 provinces, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thamarat, Nakhon Ratchsima, and Khon Kaen, were interviewed from December 2014 to January 2015. While 88% of Thai respondents said they read books, 12% said they did not. They cited as reasons lack of time, bad eyesight, and dislike of reading.
Averaged over the entire population, Thais spend 28 minutes a day reading books. The reading sub-set of the population averages 46 minutes a day. Of this group, those aged under 20 spend the most time reading books, 56 minutes a day. That figure shrinks as people age until they reach 61, when people tend to get back into reading.
By comparison, 71% of Thais use the Internet almost every day for an average of 92 minutes. Those who spend most time on the Internet are people under 20, on average 224 minutes a day, while those over 61 spend ten minutes a day on-line.
In 2013 the Thai National Statistical Office conducted a reading survey that found that Thais aged over six spent an average of 37 minutes a day reading. The survey was not focused specifically on reading books, but also reading journals, the Internet, tablet computers, and smart phones.
See also
* Betel Chewing In Thailand
* Buddhist temples in Thailand
* Cinema of Thailand
* Folklore of Thailand
* Ghosts in Thai culture
* List of museums in Thailand
* Media of Thailand
* Ministry of Culture (Thailand)
* Phya Anuman Rajadhon
Phya Anuman Rajadhon ( th, พระยาอนุมานราชธน; , also spelled ''Phaya Anuman Rajadhon'' or ''Phrayā Anuman Rajadhon''; December 14, 1888 – July 12, 1969), was one of modern Thailand's most remarkable scholars. He ...
* Racism in Thailand
* Royal Flags of Thailand
* Thai Buddhist sculpture
* Thai temple art and architecture
Thai temple art and architecture is the art and architecture of Buddhist temples in Thailand. Temples are known as ''wat''s, from the Pāḷi ''vāṭa'', meaning "enclosure". A temple has an enclosing wall that divides it from the secular world. ...
* Thailand National Artist
References
Further reading
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External links
Ministry of Culture
{{DEFAULTSORT:Culture Of Thailand
Thai culture,