| Thai culture, Thai custom & Thai tradition. | | | | person/people who receive the wai. There are |
| What is wai? | | | | three major groups of people of higher status in |
| Wai is a form of Thai culture which represents | | | | the traditional Thai society. |
| various aspects of Thai honorific system. For | | | | 1. Monks/priests/royal family |
| example, wai shows Thai politeness, respect, | | | | To wai people in this category, bow one's head |
| honor, and friendship. Thais wai when greeting or | | | | and raise one's hands until the thumbs touch the |
| leaving. Along with a wai, Thais usually say | | | | forehead. |
| "sawasdee," which means "hello" in English. The wai | | | | 2. Teachers/parents |
| tradition has been succeeded to the present | | | | To wai these people, do the same as in (1). |
| generation since Sukhotai Period, approximately | | | | However, the waier's index finger must touch the |
| A.D. 1238). Wai can also be used in articulating | | | | nose. This is similar to a culture in which people |
| apology or gratitude. For these purposes, a | | | | raise their index fingers to touch their nose when |
| person who wais usually says, "khor-thod" or | | | | paying respect to parents and touch their mouths |
| "khob-khun," respectively. | | | | when paying respect to the teacher. |
| How to wai | | | | 3. Ordinary people/acquaintances with older age. |
| 1. Put the palms together. According to Buddhism, | | | | To wai someone who is older, simply raise the |
| Thais call wai "pra-nom-mue" (keep waiing all the | | | | pressed palms to the lips/mouth. |
| time) or "unchalee". When waiing, put your palms | | | | For all these three types, keep your hands and |
| together, straighten and press your finger tips | | | | elbows close to the body. |
| together. Raise your palms to your chest and | | | | Do you know? |
| keep your elbows close to your body. When | | | | The most important thing when waiing somebody |
| talking to priests and the royal family, Thais | | | | is that the waier must wai from their whole |
| always "pra-nom-mue." When leaving these | | | | hearts. In other words, the waier should sincerely |
| respectful people, the younger usually "unchalee" | | | | pay respect to the waied or the wai receiver |
| them. | | | | both mentally and physically. |
| 2. Bow your head. Wai can be in the form of | | | | How to return/receive the wai? |
| "wan-ta." In so doing, Thais bow their heads and | | | | If somebody gives the other a wai, it usually |
| high their palms up until the index fingers touch | | | | means that they pay respect toward him or her. |
| their mouths or noses, depending on the person | | | | To return their good manner, the wai receiver |
| who they wai. | | | | usually wai back. That is, the wai receiver does |
| Tips | | | | the same to the waier (i.e. put their palms |
| There are many kinds of Thai wai, depending on | | | | together in front of their chests), but they do not |
| the social status, power, age, and prestige of a | | | | bow their heads. |