2. Introduction
• A resident of India, Fabian Samuel currently serves as
chief operating officer of the manufacturing and
distributing company Indfrag Ltd. Fabian Samuel enjoys
traveling across Asia in his free time and has visited
Thailand as well as several nearby countries.
Visiting a new country most often involves learning
about a new culture and its customs, beliefs, and
policies. For Western visitors to Thailand, the learning
curve can be steep. For example, while Western
pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks, Thai
motor vehicles have priority everywhere and expect
walkers to cross at footbridges.
3. Tips
• In terms of the law, however, the most important thing to
remember is to always respect the King, as signs of disrespect
to him or any member of the Royal Family is illegal and can
result in imprisonment.
On a more spiritual level, travelers to Thailand should
understand that the head is sacred. Touching another adult on
the head is never acceptable, nor is standing over someone. By
contrast, the feet are considered low and base. One should
never show the soles of their feet to another in Thailand, nor
should one wear shoes in a person's home. Finally, one should
respect the Thai custom of helping one another “save face,”
which means never causing another person embarrassment or
shame regardless of intent.