A UCSP Project

Material &
Non-Material
Thailand
Calvin Dylan C. Carillo
Andrei Benedict C. de Guzman
11-Christian (HUMSS)
Kingdom of Thailand
Historically known as Siam
Is a country in Southeast Asia on the
Indochinese Peninsula
Population (70 Million)
Land Area - 513, 120 km (198,120 sq mi)
 Br i e f
is t o r
H Of Thailand y
 4 Kingdoms
Sukhothai Thonburi Ayutthaya
Kingdom Kingdom Kingdom
Si Inthrathit Taksin Ramathibodi I
(1238-1348) (1767-1782) (1351-1767)

Rattanakosin
Kingdom
Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok
(1782-Present)
NON-MATERIAL
CULTURE OF
THAILAND
1. Family Pattern
Family is considered to be the foundation of
social life for most Thais. The Thai concept of
family is often wide and inclusive, and whilst the
nuclear family is the core of the domestic unit, it
may include members of the extended family or
close neighbours or friends.
 Patriarchal
The general structure of Thai families

-the household deferring to the oldest living man

-Often, several generations will live under the same roof, and
grandparents, aunts and older siblings will help raise a child.
-It is common for Thais to live in the home of their parents until
they are married, and some newlyweds live with their families
until they have children of their own.
-Moreover, a pregnant mother often moves back to her
mother's house or invites the future grandmothers to live with
them.
Thai Family
2. Language
Thai Language
-also called Siamese, belonging to the Tai language
family of Southeast Asia.

-largely on the dialect of Bangkok

Thai words are predominantly monosyllabic, but many
are polysyllabic
-Was thought to have originated from the region that is
today the border between Vietnam and China.

Dialects
-Northern Thai (6 Million people), Isan (15
Million people), Central Thai (20 Million
people).

Monosyllabic
(consisiting of one syllable)

Polysyllabic
(Having more than one syllable)
-Hundreds of elegant and literary words are taken from
Pāli and Sanskrit, and new words are also coined from
Sanskrit roots.

Sanskrit
-primary sacred language of Hinduism
3. Thai
Traditions &
Customs
 Traditions
1. Big Buddha

- Perched atop a 380 metre hilltop in Nakkerd Hills between

Chalong and Kata is Phuket’s newest man-made attraction,
Big Buddha or Ming Mongkol Buddha. This structure is
dedicated to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in honour
of his 80th birthday. There is also a smaller Brass Buddha that
is 12 metres high and is constructed of 22 tons of brass,
which is dedicated to HM Queen Sirikit.
 Traditions
1. Heroines Monument

- In 1785, sisters Chan and Mook led the local people of Phuket (many of
whom were women) to fight a Burmese invasion. Chan was the wife of the
governor of Thalang, the largest town in Phuket until the late 19th century.
After his death and upon the Burmese attacks that year, the two sisters
rose to defend Phuket and with their people, succeeded in winning the war.
King Rama I gave the two sisters the honorary titles of Thao Thepkasattri
and Thao Sri Sunthorn.
 Customs
1. Don’t touch the head - It is important that you don’t touch a
Thai person’s head or ruffle their hair. If you do accidentally
touch a person’s head, please apologize immediately. In
Thailand, the head is considered the scared part of the body and
not to be touched without permission.

2. Take off your shoes, always! - In Thailand, the feet are the
furthest removed away from the head and as such are the
lowest part of the body physically and spiritually. Shoes must be
taken off upon entering someone’s home, sometimes at
businesses and most certainly when visiting temples.

3. Ducking down when walking between two people - You’ll

see the majority of Thais duck down slightly when passing in
front of two people engaged in conversation. It’s a polite
gesture of respect to acknowledge the interruption. The same
gesutre applies if you walk past a person and block their vision
for even a split second.
4. Religion
 Religion
1. Buddhism
- is the largest religion in Thailand, practiced by roughly
94% of the population

-The Thai Constitution does not indicate any state

religion, but promotes Buddhism, while guaranteeing
religious freedom for all Thai citizens.

-most of those who follow Buddhism have been

integrated into the dominant Theravada tradition, with
only a small minority having retained Chinese Buddhism.
 Religion
A significant Muslim population, mostly constituted by Thai
Malays, is present especially in the southern regions.
Thai law officially recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Islam,
Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity.

2. Muslim
the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4% to 5% of the
population.
Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun, Trang, and part of Songkhla
-Thailand's southernmost provinces have large Muslim
populations, consisting of both ethnic Thai and Malay.
 Religion
3. Christianity
- Mainly Catholics, represent just over 1% of the population.

- There is also a small Jewish community in Thailand, dating back to

the 17th century.

How Religious are Thais?

-According to the 2015 Gallup International survey, Thailand was
the most religious country of the 65 countries polled, with 94% of
Thais identifying as religious.
Religion
5. Beliefs and
Rituals
 Beliefs
-Thai culture is deeply influenced by religion. With around 94%
of the country being Theravada Buddhist, the belief system and
values of Buddhism play a huge role in day-to-day life.

1. Reincarnation
-People in Thailand say they get reincarnated when
they die.

2. Animism
-best described as the worship of spirits, or ghosts.

-believe that almost everything possesses a spirit

including plants, animals, rocks, rivers, wind, sun,
and other inanimate natural objects and that the
physical world and spiritual world are intertwined.
 Beliefs
3. Brahamanism
-practices are focused on Theravada Buddhism, which is the belief in
angelic beings or gods.

-Apart from Animism and Buddhism, Brahmanism is another belief

system that is fused together with other practices by the Thai people.

-also known as Hinduism, all incorporate the worship of spirits and

gods who may or may not have merit or good karma.

-These are the core elements of Thai folk religion. Such beings are
used by the Thai people to ask for protection, luck, riches, health, and
help with moving on to the next life.

-Thai people look to these deities to ensure health, prosperity, and

good luck. Such gods as Bhrama and Indra are examples of popular
deities.
 Rituals
1. Songkran
-Thai New Year or Songkran

-is on 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April.

- a term derived from Sanskrit संक्रान्ति saṅ krānti meaning 'to move' or
'movement'.

-People clean their houses when Songkran approaches. All dress up in

colorful clothing or Thai dress. After offering food to the monks, people will
offer a requiem to their ancestors.

-People make merit offerings such as giving sand to the temple for
construction or repair. Other forms of merit include releasing birds and fish

- Phra Pradaeng hosts traditional ceremonies of Mon people such as

parades in the colourful traditional outfits and folklore performances.
 Rituals
2. Vishaka Bucha Day
-It is an important day for Buddhists, marking the birth, enlightenment and
death of the Lord Buddha. It falls on the full moon of the sixth lunar month.
On this day, the Thais make merit and take part in candlelit processions in
the monasteries.

-the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar. It is a day of threefold

significance for on this day, in the year 623 B.C., Lord Buddha was born a
prince, son of King Suddhodana and Queen Sirimahamaya at Lumpini Grove,
midway between Kapilavetthu and Devadaha, on the borders of Nepal.

-observed annually on the 15th day of the lunar month-a date chosen by
common agreement after World War II.

-Visakha is a Thai word and is the name for the month which coincides with
the 4th moon of the Chinese calendar.
 Rituals
3. Asalha Puja
-a Theravada Buddhist festival which typically takes place in July, on the full
moon of the Āsādha month.
-also known as Dharma Day, is one of Theravada Buddhism's most important
festivals, celebrating as it does the Buddha's first sermon, the Sermon in the
Deer Park at Sarnath, in which he set out to his five former associates the
doctrine that had come to him following his enlightenment.
-The day is observed by donating offerings to temples and listening to sermons.
The following day is known in Thailand as Wan Khao Phansa; it is the first day of
Vassa, the Theravada rains retreat.
 Rituals
2. Vishaka Bucha Day
Vien-Thian ceremony - in which the public make three rounds of the main
temple hall in a clock-wise direction with lighted candles, joss-sticks and
flowers in a gesture of respect to the Lord Buddha at temples and homes
with the five-coloured Buddhist flags and paper lanterns, and brightly at
night with miniature oil lamps and fairy lights.

“Vesak”
6. Norms
 Norms
1. DO’S

Dress Properly
-Thais dress modestly, and showing too much skin is considered
disrespectful. This is especially true when visiting temples. Rules in
Thailand state that before entering a temple, you should wear clothes
that fully cover your shoulders and knees. The more formal the attire,
the better. If you think the weather in Thailand is too hot to be covered
up, you can find markets selling loose and light clothing items that are
culturally appropriate.
 Norms
1. DO’S

Return a Wai Greeting

-Bowing in Thailand is called the wai (pronounced as ‘why’). It’s the
traditional way Thais greet one another and say hello. When one is
directed at you, you should always return it. Thais consider it
disrespectful if a wai is not returned. The proper way to wai is to
bring your hands together in front of your chest — make sure your
hands are pointing upwards. Then bow your head until your nose
touches your index fingers.
 Norms
1. DO’S

Respect The Monks

-You’ll encounter monks all over Thailand, and you should always
treat them with utmost respect. Always bow when you meet one
and never ask them overly personal questions. If you want to give
them something, place the item in front of them instead of handing
it directly. Women should be extra careful around monks because
it’s strictly forbidden for women to touch monks or even to brush
against their robes.
 Norms
1. DONT’S

Don’t disrespect the royal Family

-The Thai people have a deep reverence for their king and the royal
family. Insulting, disrespecting or talking ill of the king or images of
the king can land you a one-way ticket to prison.

Don’t point with your feet

-Pointing with your feet is just as rude as pointing with your fingers,
especially when you’re pointing at Buddha statues in and outside of
temples. You should also avoid showing the bottom of your feet
because they’re considered to be extremely dirty, so don’t put your
feet on top of tables and chairs.
 Norms
1. DONT’S

Don’t disrespect Buddhas

-Buddhism is the primary religion in Thailand, therefore you should
respect the status and images of the Buddha. Climbing on Buddha
statues in temples is highly offensive and is punishable by law. It’s
also illegal to take images of the Buddha out of the country without
special permission.
MATERIAL
CULTURE OF
THAILAND
Architecture
The architecture of Thailand is a major part of
the country's cultural legacy and reflects both
the challenges of living in Thailand's sometimes
extreme climate as well as, historically, the
importance of architecture to the Thai people's
sense of community and religious beliefs.
Influenced by the architectural traditions of
many of Thailand's neighbors, it has also
developed significant regional variation within
its vernacular and religious buildings.
Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, Lamphun.

Wat Phra Sing, Chiang Mai Wat Pho, Bangkok

Cuisine
Thai cooking is about the juggling of disparate
elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a
complex musical chord it's got to have a smooth
surface but it doesn't matter what's happening
underneath. Simplicity isn't the dictum here, at
all
Khanom Tokyo or Khanom Tokiao
Thai street snack
thin flat pancake filled
with sweet custard
cream. Some have a
savory filling, like pork
or sausage.
Khao niao sangkhaya
Thai street snack
It is prepared with
glutinous rice topped
with coconut custard
and coconut milk
Khao kha mu

It is prepared with
glutinous rice topped
with coconut custard
and coconut milk
It is always served with
a sweet spicy dipping
sauce, fresh bird's eye
chili peppers and cloves
of garlic on the side
Fashion
Traditional Thai clothing is called chut thai
which literally means 'Thai outfit'. It can be worn
by men, women, and children
Chut Thai for men
includes a pha chung
hang or pants, a Raj
pattern shirt, with
optional knee-length
white socks and a pha
biang
Chut Thai for women
consists of a pha nung
or a pha chung hang, a
blouse, and a pha biang