Mission Teams - Thailand

Please click on one of the topics below

• Society / Culture
• Buddhism
• Language
• City of Chiangmai

  

Society  /Culture

1. Thai people have a very tender ego and a deep sense of national independence, pride and dignity. When relating to them, it is best to avoid criticizing Thailand and Thai people. Thais refer to their dignity as "face." Contrary to the American belief that everyone is born with dignity, Thais have only the dignity that they receive from others. Do everything to avoid causing loss of face. The Western ego is focused on the self and its needs, leading us to believe that our thoughts, feelings, and needs at the moment have immediate priority and that we have a right to assert them. The Thai ego is focused on others and their needs. A Thai tends to think his thoughts, feelings, and needs at the moment can be deferred because he knows that perhaps in the future they are likely to be fulfilled.
    
2. It is very bad manners to raise your voice or express anger. Thais value a "cool heart" and a warm smile. This will get you much farther in a tough spot. In public settings, loud, gregarious behavior is frowned upon.
    
3. The hands-together, prayer-like gesture that the Thais make is called the "wai." It is the common respectful greeting, and is used as an apology for social mistakes or inconvenience. The wai is initiated by a status-inferior. It is done by moving the hands together just under the chin, and dipping the head to varying degrees depending on the status of the person being addressed. Thais may not expect tourists to initiate a wai, but you should always respond in kind to a wai offered to you.
    
4. Show respect to any Buddhist statues. It's the law. You must remove your shoes when entering a temple. In some temples, shorts are not allowed. Men must wear long pants, and women must wear skirts. It is also against the law to blaspheme the Buddhist religion.
     
5. Respect must also be shown to anything that bears the likeness of the King (money, stamps, etc.). Disrespecting the King can result in deportation or even severe prison sentences. A film clip of the King is shown before every movie played in a theatre. All persons must rise and remain standing until the end of the clip or you will be removed from the theatre. Do not say anything disrespectful about the King. Thais revere their King highly. The elderly in Thai culture are also to be respected. Try not to contradict them in word, deed, gesture or facial expression.
    
6. The head is considered the noblest part of the body, so avoid any gestures or movements in which any part of your body might touch, cross over, or approach the top of the head. If you are a tall person, keep in mind that to the Thai, a person whose head is highest is demanding respect. You may need to lean forward a little when speaking with Thais. Anyone passing directly in front of others should dip their head lower. If you must get up and leave a circle of people seated on the floor, keep your head low and move behind the backs of people (outside the circle).
     
7. Feet are considered the basest part of the body and are thought to be dirty. Pointing the sole of your foot at anyone is equivalent to giving them "the finger." The feet must never be used to point at anything or anyone. Don't allow them to touch anyone. Avoid the impulse to use furniture as foot rests or the open a door with the foot. No one should ever be stepped over, but instead, politely ask the person to move. Never stop over anything (boxes, bags, a coffee table, etc.) unless it is something that should be on the ground.
    
8. Remove your shoes before entering anyone's house or whenever you see shoes or sandals outside an entrance-way.
    
9. You can point at something but never at someone. When beckoning someone, keep the palm down and wave your fingers toward you. The palm up motion is used to call animals. Use your right hand (or both hands) to give and receive things. The left hand is generally considered dirty.
     
10. Thai people tend to dress modestly, although n recent years their dress code has been influenced by the West. Don't wear short shorts or tank tops. Women should wear dresses or skirts and blouses (not sleeveless) in church. Men should wear dress slacks or "Dockers" and collared shirts. During ministry, blue jeans and shorts are discouraged. If boarding with Thais, men should wear pajamas or shorts to bed.
      
11. Do not show physical affection in public. Dating between team members is not allowed. Male members must never meet with female Thais alone and vise versa.
     
12. Traditional Thai toilets are flush with the floor and are used by standing on the side "wings" and squatting. They are flushed by pouring water from a dipper into them until cleared. It is wise to carry toilet paper with you wherever you go, as it is not usually provided.

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Buddhism

Buddhism dates back to the fifth century before Christ in Northern India where its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, lived. Siddhartha grew up in an era when Hindu mythology with its numerous gods and spiritual beings were taken for granted as the foundation of any religious thought. Therefore, many similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism can be found. The belief in karma is one of these similarities. Karma assumes that life has neither beginning nor end, but repeats itself in a continual cycle of birth, death and rebirth. These rebirths are influenced by the good works one is able to accumulate during one's lifetime. If the amount of good works exceeds the amount of bad works, it is possible to reach a higher existence in the next life. The lowest level of existence is that of a demon in hell. From there one can work one's way up to an insect, then an animal, a human being, and ultimately as an enlightened one in the heavenly realms.

The goal of Buddhism is to find a way of escape from the endless cycle of birth and rebirth. One religious exercise is called "making merit." Merit can be earned in many ways. One may go to the temple and burn incense, meditate, be blessed by a monk, donate money, purchase and place gold leaf on Buddha statues, say prayers, ring temple bells, etc.

At the end of Siddhartha's search for the truth, he came to believe that all of life is suffering and that suffering is always connected with a variety of undesirable attachments to this world and its pleasures. Even love is undesirable because it also leads to suffering. While attempting to totally separate from all such attachments through the use of meditation and right living, Siddhartha had a mystical experience referred to as "enlightenment." He believed that through this experience he had escaped the cycle of karma and entered another realm known as "Nirvana." Nirvana is a state of non-existence in which all human attachments that cause suffering are cut off.

Siddhartha, now known as Buddha, meaning "the enlightened one," taught that salvation is achieved by following his "Eight-Fold Path" of right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right connection. Ultimately this path leads to the freeing of oneself from the evil attachments that cause suffering.

Most Buddhists (especially among Theravada Buddhism which is practiced in Thailand), realizing they have no chance of reaching Nirvana in their lifetime, resign themselves to avoiding a bad existence in the next life. They do this by trying to keep the five precepts, which Buddhism regards as basic morality. These precepts are:

1. Do not kill any living being
2. Do not steal or take things not given
3. Do not engage in sexual misbehavior
4. Do not lie or speak falsely
5. Do not take intoxicating drinks or drugs

The images of Buddha seen in temples and virtually every home and business in Thailand were originally meant as reminders and encouragements to follow the steps of Buddha. Later, however, people attributed supernatural powers to these images and began to worship them and pray to them.

Sources used:
Allyn, Eric. Thai Phrase Handbook. 1993. Bangkok: Bua Luang Publishing Company.

Wagner, Elisabeth. Tearing Down Strongholds. 1988. Hong Kong: Christian Literature Crusade.

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Language

Thai is a tonal language, which means that each syllable of every word must be pronounced in one of five tones. These tones or inflections are: high, mid, low, rising, and falling. You will not be expected to master these tones, but it will help you to know that if you seem unable to pronounce a word or someone's name properly, it's probably because you are saying the word in the wrong tone. Avoid extreme expressiveness in your voice and you may be more easily understood.

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City of Chiangmai

MONEY:
There are many currency exchangers in Chiangmai and the rates vary according to different banks. We recommend Bangkok Bank, Thai Farmers Bank, Bank of Asia, and other exchange banks located in Central Mall and around the Night Bazaar. Travelers checks and other foreign currencies (except RMB) can be exchanged at any bank money exchange branch; however, there is a transaction fee. For travelers checks, remember to bring your passport.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION:
The two forms of local transportation are the red trucks, "song taews", and the three-wheeled "tuk-tuks". With either of these, you'll need to bargain. Song taews start at 10 baht and prices increase depending on distance. To catch them, tell the driver where you want to go. If he is going that way, he will tell you to get in. If you have a big group, you can negotiate a price or rent the truck for longer periods of time. Tuk-tuks are more expensive than song taews. Tuk-tuks average around 30-50 baht.

You can rent motorcycles along the inner rim of the East Side of the moat. You'll need a passport and current driver's license and approximately 200 baht/24 hours. We recommend North Wheels for car rental. They are also located on the inner rim of the East Side of the moat, north of Tha Pae Gate. Or you can call for free pickup and delivery at 216-189 or 418-223-4. You'll need your passport, and the rate for a sedan is about 1,200 baht/24 hours.

TELEPHONE:
The "red" public pay phones are for local city calls, the "blue" ones are for long distance calls in Thailand and the "yellow" ones are for international calls. Local calls cost 5 baht. Card phones are available in major shopping areas, post offices, and other public locations. Phone cards are available at the post office and the airport.

MAILING:
Airmail letters to North America weighing 10 grams or less cost 19 baht and 15 grams or less cost 37 baht. (For those of us who do not think in grams, a postcard is usually 19 baht and a lightweight letter is usually 28 baht.) A great place to mail boxes is called Mail Box Express in the Night Bazaar.

GROCERY STORES:
Topps Grocery Stores are located at the bottom of Central Mall and Airport Plaza. There are two Rim Ping Superstores that carry a variety of western food items. One is located next to the Novotel Hotel on Chotana Road and the other is west of Chiang Mai Community Church along the river. Across the street from the Central Mall is a small store called Parker's. This is a small import food store. Chiangmai has several superstore/warehouse style stores along the north side of the Superhighway. They are called Carrefour, Makro and Auchan. A fourth store called Lotus is located on the Hang Dong Road (several kilometers south of Airport Plaza).

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