Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This doesn't mean that Thais are adverse to work. On the contrary, most offices
are typically open six, sometimes seven, days a week, and professionals from poor
farming families are expected to have side jobs to provide extra income to their par-
ents. But every chore has a social aspect to it that lightens the mood and keeps it
from being too 'serious' (a grave insult). Thais labour best as a group to avoid
loneliness and ensure an element of playfulness. The backbreaking work of rice
farming, the tedium of long-distance bus driving, the dangers of a construction site:
Thais often mix their work tasks with socialising. The famous Thai smile comes
from a genuine desire to enjoy life.
Thais in the tourism industry extend this attitude towards their guests and will often
describe foreign visitors as needing a rest after a year of hard work. This cultural
mindset reflects the agricultural calendar in which a farmer works from dawn to
dusk during the rice-planting and harvesting season then rests until the next year's
rains. That rest period involves a lot of hanging out, going to festivals and funerals
(which are more party than pity) and loading up family and friends into the back of a
pick-up truck for a
têe·o
(trip). Thais have been practising the art of a good time for
a long time.
Beloved Monarchs
Looking back through history, there have been other monarchs who have crossed into
national-hero status, including King Chulalongkorn (Rama V; 1868-1910), whose picture
often decorates residences and amulets. He travelled to Europe, built fine Victorian-style
palaces and is greatly revered, especially in Bangkok and by Thais who have travelled
abroad.
Status
Though Thai culture is famously nonconfrontational and fun-loving, it isn't a social
free-for-all. Thais are very conscious of status and the implicit rights and responsib-
ilities that go along with one's station in life. Buddhism plays a large part in defining
the social strata, with the heads of the family, religion and monarchy sitting at the
top of various tiers. A good indicator of status is the depth of the
wâi
(the traditional
prayerlike greeting motion). In most cases the fingertips will touch between the lips
