Thailand etiquette.
Look first.
Then join in.

Do observe the setting, greet people calmly, dress for religious sites, ask before close-up photographs and solve problems without public humiliation. Do not touch heads casually, point your feet at people or Buddha images, climb sacred structures or treat every online etiquette rule as a law. Local instructions always take priority.

Shouting at someone in public, using your feet to point, touching a person’s head without permission and disrespecting religious spaces are commonly regarded as poor manners. Context varies by family, generation and place. If you make a mistake, a short apology and immediate adjustment are usually more helpful than a long defence.

Yes, touching another person’s head without permission is widely treated as disrespectful. The Thailand Foundation explains the cultural contrast between the high or sacred head and the low feet. Avoid ruffling a child’s hair as well; normal consent still matters more than trying to perform a cultural rule perfectly.

Visitors are not expected to master every level of the wai. When someone greets you with a wai, you can return it gently; a smile and nod is also reasonable when your hands are full or the situation is informal. Service staff may wai as part of their role, so do not turn every greeting into a status calculation.

Covered shoulders and knees, opaque fabric and clothing that is not extremely tight form a safe baseline. Exact rules differ by site. The Grand Palace has a stricter published list than many temple grounds, so check the specific attraction rather than relying on one universal dress code or assuming a loan sarong will be available.

Often outdoors, but not everywhere and not during every ritual. Check signs and staff instructions before photographing interiors, art, monks or worshippers. Avoid flash, tripods and drones unless expressly permitted, and never block a prayer route or climb a structure for a photograph.

It can be a generous tip for many everyday services, but there is no national amount that is correct for every bill or job. Check whether a service charge is already included, consider the total price and service, and tip voluntarily. A fixed internet number should not override the actual context.

Tipping is not a universal obligation in Thailand. In some tourist businesses it is common and appreciated; in other settings it is not expected. Check the bill for service charge and use your judgement. Treating a voluntary tip as a mandatory cultural fee creates false certainty.

Avoid pointing your feet at people, reaching across everyone when dishes are shared, taking large portions before others and ignoring serving utensils that have been provided. Many meals use a spoon and fork, but follow what the restaurant or host sets out instead of enforcing one rigid national table rule.

A brief, modest display of affection is seen in many tourist and urban settings, but intimate or prolonged behaviour can feel inappropriate in religious, formal or family spaces. Read the setting and keep physical affection discreet. This is a question of context and courtesy, not a claim that all Thai people share one preference.