NAME: JUSTINE MARIAH N.

RACCA SUBJECT: Psy RC11 Culture and Psychology

COURSE/YEAR: AB- PSYCHOLOGY III SUBJECT PROFESSOR: Ms. Edilyn Salamanca RPM.

What is the difference between the culture of other Southeast Asia Country and the culture of the
Philippines.
THAILAND

 Religion - Filipinos are majority Catholic and Christian while Thailand is a majority Theravada
Buddhist. The predominant religion in Thailand is Buddhism, specifically Theravada Buddhism.
The religion practiced in Thailand is somewhat unique to other Buddhist nations, having been
infused with many outside elements. 
 Culture- Very different. Most Thais are Buddhists which probably explain their gentle nature.
Filipinos on the other hand have a very Catholic upbringing that’s why many foreigners think that
Filipinos are much more similar to Latinos than Asians. Thais are more relax and they don’t like
to be stressed but Filipinos, due to the American and Spanish influences, are a little bit more
Westernized in their attitude.
 Superstitions are rife- Often connected to the belief of ghosts and spirits, Thailand is a land of
superstitions. It is customary for people to consult a fortune teller or monk for an auspicious date
before arranging a wedding, buying a home, test driving a car, and other situations. The tradition
of giving newborn babies a nickname originated from a desire to trick malevolent spirits who
may want to steal the baby away. Traditionally, people avoided complimenting parents on their
new baby too, fearing making the
 child seem too desirable to the spirits. There are superstitions related to spirits housed inside
the body of dolls, not cutting children’s hair if they are sick as a baby, male and female twins,
animals, dreams, and more.
 Body awareness- Thais place importance and significance to different parts of the body. The
head is seen as the most spiritual part of the body and you should never touch a person’s head.
This goes for children too—an affectionate ruffling of the hair could cause offence to Thai
parents. Thais are not overly touchy-feely in general. It’s not so common to see Thais holding
hands, hugging, or otherwise touching in public, and kissing and other public displays of
affection are a big no.
 Smiles can have many meanings- Connected to above, many people think Thailand a warm,
happy, and welcoming nation because of the constant smiles. Indeed, Thailand is known as being
the Land of Smiles! Smiles don’t always show happiness, though, and are sometimes used as a
mask. That’s not to detract from the fact that many Thai people are, in fact, kind, welcoming,
hospitable, and lovely, but to show that a smile may not be quite what you think it is.

MALAYSIA

One of the biggest cultural differences between Malaysia and the Philippines is Religion. Malaysia is
largely a Muslim country, whereas the main religion in the Philippines is Catholicism. You’ll notice
much more modest clothing in Malaysia, more expensive and harder to find alcohol, and almost no PDA.
On the other hand, in the Philippines, locals wear western clothing, and there’s much less taboo around
alcohol and PDA.
PDA not encouraged-If you want to get intimate with your beau, it’s best to keep it to your room. Public
displays of affection, such as kissing and fondling, may be followed up by a visit from the police. Holding
hands is fine, as is a quick peck on the cheek, but “amorous embraces” are suspect.
No shoes indoors- If you wear your shoes indoors, what difference is there between your home and the
freeway? Wearing shoes indoors is rude, offensive, and just plain dirty. Don’t do it.
Festival in Malaysia- Malaysian festivals are a delight to participate in – the celebrations are
colourful, vibrant, noisy, and dynamic. The Mooncake Festival (August/September) is a must-visit
to sample the delicious cakes and pray to the Chinese moon goddess for love and prosperity, while
the Chinese New Year (January/February) is a week-long celebration with delicious food, dances,
and music.
Hindu festivals like Thaipusam (January/February) and Diwali (November) are best enjoyed
at temples like the Batu Murugan temple, while the Dragon Boat Festival (December) and Malaysia
Water Festival (April) see long snake boat races and dragon dances as a vital part of the culture in
Malaysia. Eid (May) and Milad Un Nabi (October) promise lip-smacking biryani and kebabs with
music performances and merrymaking. Music festivals like Urbanscapes and the Good Vibes
Festival draw younger crowds.

SINGAPORE

SINGLISH- One glaring legacy of British colonial rule has been the sprouting of the local
creole language Singlish. Historically degraded as inferior to English, there has been some pushback
with it now being seen as part of the unique heritage of Singapore. Musicians such as Shigga Shay have
used it and we even see it in literary works. One interesting tidbit about it is how the multi-cultural
element has imbued Singlish with its unique vocabulary and grammar, being influenced by Malay,
Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Tamil and other languages found across South, East and Southeast Asia.
HBD-Short for the Housing Development Board, HDB blocks are found dotted across the island,
sometimes new ones are constructed and old ones torn down. They come in various shades, designs and
shapes, but one thing that is key to understanding this is how much of the relationship between
Singaporeans and the multi-cultural society is influenced by HDBs. For a small island with limited space,
HDB blocks pack a lot of people in, creating this suburban environment that allows a communal space for
people to interact with each other and build ties that constantly forges the Singaporean identity.
Fine City: General Offences- Singapore has its own set of rules and regulations, which heavily
criminalizes many actions which are considered petty crimes or no-offence acts in most other
countries. The general offences of Singapore ire:

 Possession of chewing gum or trying to bring them into the country without a doctor’s
prescription.
 Committing affray or a fight between two or more people in a public place, such as bar
brawls or street commotions.

RELIGION- Chinese Buddhism happens to be the major religion in Singapore, owing to the large
population of Southern Chinese immigrants and their descendants. Hinduism is also prevalent, being
the faith of those with South Indian heritage. Christianity is growing quite exponentially as a belief
system, and many young Singaporeans are leaning towards it.

CAMBODIA

Khmer culture is a culture that influenced its neighboring countries like Thai and Lao cultures. It was
influenced deeply by Indian culture in terms of values, religions, language, fashion, arts, literature, and
architecture. There is Chinese influence as well, but very little (bits and pieces in cuisines, for example),
but Khmer culture is right in the Indosphere.
Religion- Cambodia is predominantly Buddhist with 80% of the population being Theravada Buddhist,
1% Christian and the majority of the remaining population follow Islam, atheism, or animism.

MYANMAR (BURMA)

Religion- Buddhism has been a part of Myanmar’s culture since the 1st century CE and has blended with
non-Buddhist beliefs. The most conspicuous manifestation of Buddhist culture is the magnificent
architecture and sculpture of Myanmar’s many temples and monasteries, notably those
at Yangon, Mandalay, and Pagan (Bagan), the site of the ancient kingdom of west-central Myanmar. 
Language- Burmese is the official language of Myanmar, linguistically related to Tibetan and Chinese. It
is written in circular and semi-circular letters, derived from the Mon character.
Dance/Music- Dance in Burma can be divided into several forms: dramatic, folk, village, and nat dances.
Each form has distinct characteristics. Although Burmese dance was influenced by its neighbours, it
retains unique qualities including angular, fast-paced and energetic movements and emphasis on pose, not
movement.
Naming- Myanmar people do not have surnames or family names. Burmese name typically includes two
to three syllables with spaces in between. Traditionally, one name starts with a letter that corresponds to
the person’s time and date of birth. Some families consult an astrologer to choose an appropriate name for
their child. Most of words in Burmese name have a pleasant meaning: e.g. Hla (pretty) or Aung
(successful).

What is the similarity of the Philippine (Filipino) culture in other Southeast Asia Country?

 Respect for elders. Like adding ‘po’ to a sentence to make it polite and saying ‘opo’ instead
of ‘oo’, the whole ‘mano po’ thing, or having honorifics for people older than you like ‘ate’
and ‘kuya’
 Acceptable for adults to live with their parents. In the Western world, a grown man or
woman still living in their parents’ home would probably be called a bum or something. I
guess this can be connected to respect for elders too because one reason might be to take care
of their parents.
 Food, some of it. The Philippines has a lot of Spanish-inspired dishes, but we also have foods
that are common all throughout Asia, as in almost every East Asian country has
 their own version, like siomai, siopai, lugaw, and pancit.
 People are polite, friendly, and hospitable- Don’t be afraid to ask for directions or to start
making friends if you’re in a social environment. People in southeast Asia are known to place a
high value on community and social harmony which manifests in their disposition. They’re
mostly easy-going and non-confrontational. Much of it is based on strong values passed on from
shared high regard for tradition and religion, which brings us to our next section. 
 Rain or shine type of weather-Much like it is here in the Philippines, our neighboring countries
have two seasons: wet and dry. Or as the locals like to joke, “Hot and hotter.” It’s pretty
predictable since we’re all located near the equator. So pack light—but, depending on your
location, pack modest clothes! No need for fluffy coats here. Though you’ll definitely need a
raincoat and boots. There’s no escape from monsoon and typhoon season. You can always bank
on the balmy or blustery weather to start a conversation.
With influences from both the Catholic religion and
neighbouring countries, here are six traditions you
might see or experience in a Filipino household.
 The Christmas Star and lights (all the time)
 Christmas Celebration & Masses.
 12 (or more) round fruits.
 Have a cash stash and make it rain.
 Keep the windows open and the music lou