THAILAND

Maha Vajiralongkorn is the king of

Thailand
 Has a total area that measures
514,000 square kilometers
(198,455 square miles). The length
of its coastline measures 3,219
kilometers (2,000 miles).
 Currency: Thai Baht
 Its capital city, Bangkok, is the most
populated city in Thailand.
 FLAG OF
THAILAND
Geographical Background
 A Buddhist Kingdom
 Known as Siam for centuries

 it means “Land of Free”

 Has a Tropical climate

 Has six main regions:

1. Central Region

2. North

3. Northeast

4. Eastern region

5. West

6. South
Demography
 Its population is estimated to be 69,428,453
 Classified by UN as “aging society”
 Thailand contains more than 30 ethnic groups varying
in history, language, religion, appearance, and patterns
of livelihood.
LANGUAGE
 The main language spoken is the central thai • Khorat
Thai is spoken by about 400,000 people in Nakhon
Ratchasima.
 The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32
vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation, along with
a script that has Indian origins.
Religion
 The largest religious group in Thailand is
the Buddhist of the Theravada tradition.
• The second largest group is Muslim
• The other religious groups include
Catholics, Hindus, Malays and Jewish
 Also known as Land of Temples

• has a total 40,717 Buddhist temples

• 34,000 are currently in use
• 95% of the people are Buddhists.
Food Culture
• The Thai food culture is very social.
• There is no specific meal for Breakfast, Lunch
or Dinner.
• They Always Make an Effort About Presentation
• Thai people never waste food.
• A typical Thai meal includes four main
seasonings: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy.
• They do not use chopsticks instead they use
Thai cutlery.cutlery.
Tom Yum
Goong

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai

Gaeng Daeng
 Thai
Exotic
Foods
ROD DUAN (bamboo
worms)
LUU MUN(raw pig's blood)
MOK HUAK (developing tadpoles)
CHUT THAI

MUAY THAI
ELEPHANT

MANGOSTEEN
Festivals

SONKRAN (WATER FESTIVAL)

YI PENG (PAPER LANTERN FESTIVAL)
MONKEY BUFFET
Famous
Places
 The Grand Doi Suthep
Palace

Historic City of Wild Elephants at Khao Yai

National Park
Ayutthaya
Customs and Etiquette
 Courtesy is very important to Thais.
 Thai people are very conservative regarding

members of the opposite sex.

 There is a strong hierarchy in Thai society

• HEAD- considered as sacred

• FEET- unclean
• Never wave your hand around as you talk
 Thai greetings often involve a wai
(pronounced why).
 Appearance is very important to Thai people

and care should be taken to dress smartly

and appropriately.
 Body language is important in Thai

communication and respect and politeness

should always be shown.
GIFT GIVING
 If invited to a Thai's home, a gift is not expected,
although it will be appreciated.
 Appropriate gifts are flowers, good quality chocolates or
fruit.
 Do not give marigolds or carnations, as they are
associated with funerals.
 Try to avoid wrapping a gift in green, black or blue
 Gold and yellow are considered royal colours, so they
make good wrapping paper.
 Only use red wrapping paper if giving a gift to a Chinese
Thai.
 Gifts are not opened when received.
 Money is the usual gift for weddings and ordination
parties.
VISITING A HOME
If you are invited to a Thai's house:
 Arrive close to the appointed time, although

being a few minutes late will not cause offense.

 Check to see if the host is wearing shoes. If not,

remove yours before entering the house.

 Ask another guest to confirm the dress code.

 Step over the threshold rather than on it. This is

an old custom that may be dying out with

younger Thais, but erring on the side of
conservatism is always a good idea.
WHAT TO WEAR in BUSINESS WORLD
 Business attire is conservative.
 Men should wear dark coloured conservative

business suits.
 Women should wear conservative business

suits or dresses. Women need not wear

hosiery.
 Since Thai's judge you on your clothing and

accessories, ensure that your shoes are

always highly polished.
MEETINGS
 Appointments are necessary and should be made one month
in advance.
 You should arrive at meetings on time as it signifies respect
for the person you are meeting. PUNCTUALITY IS A MUST.
 Always send an agenda and material about your company as
well as data to substantiate your position prior to the
meeting. Allow sufficient time for the material to be reviewed
and digested.
 Remain standing until told where to sit. The hierarchical
culture has strict rules about rank and position in the group.
 Written material should be available in both English and Thai.
 You have to be patient.
Khaawp-khun!