The Thai Wai – And Why We Should Too

Every man to himself I suppose. I must admit I wai when it is appropiate but I still feel uncomfortable at being kissed on the cheek by the men in Italy .

Being kissed on the cheek in Italy is a far better than being bitten on the back of the neck at the Sydney Gay Mardi Gra

How's the crowd, tony?

You all behaving yourselves?

Thanks Jack,

Do you mind if l keep your stiletos and pink shawl. Thanks for the loan of them

That's fine - keep them for next year. I've gone straight.

I definitely agree A wai is better than having an italians "waps" lips on me

maaka wrote:heck what are you all scare of..making fools of yourself...its only alittle wah....heck my people press noses together and share each others breath when meeting old, or new friends. Before the whiteman came, we never sook hands..Some people tend to shy away from our type of greeting for fear of embarrassment, or getting the other persons flu, or some such thing. However, those who do not shy away, show us that they are respecting and recognizing our culture, and as such are accepted just that bit more friendlier....its up to you, but I will wah

Excellent post Maaka! I totally agree and again I do not understand those expats who just continue their strange (farang = stranger) habits and customs.
A wai is an easy greeting and if you do it wrongly nobody bothers, as long as you do it.
In my village I'm a guest at official happenings and always introduced (or announced) to important people. They and I wai each other and funny enough after the wai we shake hands as if they want to express their sympathy for farang ways of greeting. I like that as it shows the integration of farang into thai society. To me that's the way it should be!

Joe

Now, am I right in saying that there are different ways of Wai - ing someone. I think its something to do with how you hold your head whilst delivering the wai. I think you have to sort of bend a little bit as well when delivering a wai to an older person ?
OT tends to keep his Wai's to himself is case he gets it wrong.
As for kissing, I would consider any man trying to kiss me as a homo, however, the birds are welcome providing they are well fit.

OT..........

Im no expert but i think the wai and the kiss are two completely different things and shouldnt be thought of as anything else , the wai or rather the differing kind of wai depends on age and social status of the person being wai-ed and inturn you can get an indication as to the persons reaction wai back as too their feelings for ones status

now then the kiss , first of all anyone wishing to kiss OT (male or female) must be totally mental with heads full of porridge and secondly all of us know kissing is the bit you do after youve got shitfaced and before you get ya legover.... i do recall necking with my gran in my early years of practicing kissing tho she would never do tongues !! i got my own back by superglueing the lid on her cammode and slashing the tyres on her wheelchair.

sorry if a tadge off topic

If you read my last post gran wasnt me who didya cammode and chair was the jealous butler (i never kissed him)

the positioning of the hands is important in a wai, as to recognizing the other persons status..and from what I can gather, clapsed together just under the chin for those who are deemed lower class persons, in front of the face for those of middle class, and high on the forehead for those of upper class status..

and I take it the bow has a simliar degree of exercusion..small bow, medium bow, and down on your knees bow... from viewing the royal family, I note it is always a wai on the forehead, and a bow on your knees..the reverse opposite I believe applies to a taxi driver...

this is just my view of things, and will stand corrected if I am found to be talking thru a hole in my head.

Think the OP may have mentioned something about this?