The locals are mainly in the state of “Sanuk”, “Sabai-Sabai” and “Mai Pen Rai”, although they themselves do not say so.
"Sanuk" is translated as "pleasure", "fun". Usually their “sanuk” is accompanied by loud music with karaoke, drinking and other fun. Most of the time, Thais keep their emotions in check, so sometimes they really need "sanuk". So, if during this very “sanuk” a Thai bothers others, then you should not pay attention to this, that is, “mai pen rai”, since the Thai has every right to do so, sometimes you need to “let off steam.”
“Sabay-Sabay” can be translated roughly as “pleasant”, “convenient”. Naturally, the translation does not convey the meaning that the Thais themselves put into these words. This is what they say when they want to emphasize how good everything is. Sabai-sabai - everything is super, everything is great! Well, “Mai Sabai” - when something sad happened - he got sick or something went wrong.
“Mai Pen Rai” can be roughly translated as “forget about everything, don’t strain yourself.”
Even if your employee has messed up completely, then it seems that it is not customary to swear at him, he will simply be offended by you, and an offended Thai will most likely stop working altogether. That is, it looks like this - he broke something / forgot to do something / forgot to come to work on time and so on, and instead of “your mother...!”, you say “it’s bad, however, but “MAY PEN PARADISE!”
If you hear from a Thai an exclamation like “mmmmmm” with increasing intonation, like “oooh how!”, then. Most likely, he either doesn’t understand you, or he’s just too lazy to delve into what you’re telling him, since he arrives in a state of sabai - sabai, and then a farang comes and wants something from him. To your questions, he will say “Yes” with a smile and happily nod his head.
In general, when talking to locals, it is better not to ask questions that can be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No”. Also, you should not ask more than one question in one sentence, or give more than one instruction, otherwise the Thai may get stuck. This doesn’t mean that they are stupid, nooo, they’re great with intelligence and intelligence - they just think completely differently.
Thai “tomorrow” usually lasts for several days, or even weeks, in special cases for several months. Well, they're in no hurry! It took us almost 6 months to get insurance for our motorbike, they took the money immediately upon registration, but they didn’t manage to issue insurance right away - at first they did it for a month, then they lost it and looked for it for a couple of months, then they made a new one... and so on for six months. If the farang begins to be indignant about this, then they sincerely do not understand what the problem is, they said that they will do it, so they will do it, which is what they say. The same goes for times - if a Thai said that he would arrive in 5 minutes, then... well, you understand
For me, this is the most difficult thing in communicating with them, well, I don’t like to wait and have not yet learned to completely relax.
The Thais also have the concept of “Tam Bun” - doing good deeds, this is how they “earn pluses” for their karma. The most common "Tam Bun" is an offering to monks. If you messed up in life, you went and made “Tam Bun” and everything will be fine, but you gave money to build a new temple, so the number of “pluses” will begin to go off scale. An acquaintance jokes about this and says that Bangkok has the largest concentration of people who screw up - there are so many temples there and new ones are built every year. But Tam Bun is not only an offering to the monks, it is, in general, good deeds. The Russians have an expression “what goes around comes around”, and the Thais “Tam Bun - Dai Bun” - “if you do good, you get good.”
By doing something good for another person, a Thai person shows "Naam Jai". “Naam Jai” can be translated as “generosity,” the desire to give one’s time, resources, and attention to another. Both will feel good. The one who demonstrates Naam Jai does not ask for money or any other payment for it. It will not be easy for Thais to accept payment for something they have done of their own free will. Once upon a time, when we had just arrived in Thailand, we experienced this for ourselves - being on the mainland late in the evening, we caught a car to get from the railway station to the pier and not be late for the last boat to the island. When they tried to give money to the “savior,” he flatly refused.
When Thais show generosity, they do not expect an immediate response from those they help, but they believe that Naam Jai will pay off in the future. If one person helped another in some way, then the one who was helped should respond in kind, not necessarily immediately, but if he is asked for some kind of service, then it is impossible to refuse. This is already a debt of honor - “Sam Nook Bun Koon.” This commitment to give back “guarantees” those who are generous that they will receive something in return. In fact, the opportunity to pay may never arise, but, nevertheless, the very existence of this obligation is very important for a Thai. For this reason, parents can rest assured that their children will support them in old age. A Thai who has received a favor will constantly remind himself that he is obliged. For example, he will speak very politely and respectfully to the one who helped, give him the best seat at the table, be tolerant of his mistakes, try not to upset him, not argue with him, especially in public, and so on. Thais don't see this as a negative thing. Because Thais prefer to perceive the world as a “web of interdependencies” rather than as a world of individuals. They consider it normal for a person to have a ton of unpaid debts from the moment he was born. Most Thais respect this system and “pay their bills”; there are, of course, exceptions, but as they say in Russia, “every family has its black sheep.” If you have done a good deed towards a Thai, his internal scales will begin to tip in your direction, he needs to restore his balance. The Thai is obliged to return to you part of the goods spent on him. I repeat, it is not at all necessary that this will happen right away. But he will remember. Those who do not follow these rules are not condemned in any way, but no favors will be done to them in the future. They will simply very soon find themselves completely alone, and for a Thai this is a disaster. There is only one exception to this rule - children will always take care of their parents, no matter how decent they are.
Thai society is hierarchical. From a very young age, Thais are taught to show respect to someone of higher rank. For example, making “Wai” (a gesture of joined hands and bowing) to parents and elder family members, teachers, monks, etc. Usually “Wai” is not used between people of equal status. It is used to show respect for people of higher status, and also as a thank you to those who have shown a favor.
Even body parts vary in rank. The most important part of the body is the head, which is also the holy part. And a Thai may not like it if you touch his head or sit on a pillow meant for his head. The lowest part is the feet, pointing them at people or things is offensive, although I think pointing at people with the feet is not accepted anywhere. Thais will never place a pair of shoes on a stack of books, as books are ranked higher than shoes. Also, most Thais will not allow themselves to walk under hanging socks or underwear drying on a line, as this would place their head lower than these items, and the head has a higher status.
For a long time we could not understand why in Thailand it is not customary to let pedestrians pass on the road, it turned out to be simple - the pedestrian has a lower status than the driver.
Another very important point in etiquette: someone with a lower status will try to keep his head so that it is not higher than the head of someone with a higher status. To achieve this, he may sit down, sit on the floor, or simply slouch. If you want to “get closer” to the Thais, you should at least try to comply with all this. The gesture of trying to show respect is important. If they see that you are trying to show this, for example, by sitting on the floor or simply bowing your head, they will appreciate it, even if your head remains higher than theirs due to the difference in height (Thais are generally small). Whatever you do, if you are tall, never stand very close to them or look down on them. If they are forced to look at you with their head up, they will feel offended, although they will try not to show it.
Thais place great importance on calm communication and avoiding conflict to “save face.” Saving face is always more important than telling the truth.
Often Thais express their displeasure not directly, but by gossiping or complaining about the person to others. As a result, if everything goes according to plan, the third party will hint to the offender (the Thais call this “soft talk”) that he did something wrong. Sometimes Thais prefer not to express dissatisfaction at all. They believe that sometimes it is easier to accept things as they are, and all problems will disappear on their own.

One of the main difficulties when mastering the Thai language as a foreigner is tones. There are about five tones in the language, which are quite difficult for a European to reproduce, much less to distinguish them by ear. In addition, in a relatively small country like Thailand, there are many dialects, which makes understanding even more difficult.

Below is a mini phrasebook of the Thai language, based on the central dialect (phasaa klang), with the help of which you can easily communicate with local residents in ordinary situations. The tourist also needs to know about the “politeness endings”: “khrap” and “kha”. The first of them is used by men, and the second by women in relation to all people. Such additions, placed at the end of any sentence, make your speech more polite and respectful to the interlocutor. Relationships and communication between people are at the core of Thai culture, so you can only get discounts on goods and services for being friendly, understanding and respectful of the traditions of the country you are in. Pronouncing these particles separately from any context means agreement, an affirmative answer, a more polite analogue of the Russian “aha.” Therefore, do not forget to use these particles at the end of an address or sentence, and you are guaranteed even more smiles and goodwill in the kingdom of Thailand.

Another note. Women, when saying “I” and referring to themselves, pronounce “shan”, and men - “phom”. For example, a man says “I’m already full” - “phom im leo.” In the basic Thai phrasebook below, we have listed the basic phrases and expressions you may need when visiting Thailand. Let's hope that your communication with local residents will leave you with only pleasant memories, including thanks to the material given below.

RUSSIAN PHRASE	ENGLISH	THAI	PRONUNCIATION
Hello	Hello/Hi	Sawat-dee khrap/kha	Savat-di khrap/kha
Thank you	Thank you/Thanks	Khop khun khrap/kha	Kop khun khrap/kha
Thanks a lot	Thanks a lot	Khop khun maak maak	Kop khun maak maak
Please	Please	Ga:ru:nah	Ga:ru:na
Goodbye	Good bye/ Bye	Larn gawn	La goun
Sorry	Excuse me	Whoa toht	Koo tod
I do not remember	I don't remember	Jam mai dai	Jam may dai
Not really	Yes/No	Chai/Mai chai	Tea/Mei tea
How are you?	How are you?	Sabai:dee mai?	Sabai:di mai?
Everything is fine	Good/OK	Sabai:dee	Sabai:di
See you	See you later	Pop kan mai	Pop kan may
What is this?	What is it?	Nee arai?	No aray?
Doesn't matter	Doesn't matter / Never mind	Mai pen rai	May pen rai
I don't understand	I don't understand	Mai khou jai	May khou tai
I understand	I understand	Kou jai	Khou chai
Do you want to eat?	Do you want to eat?	Kin khao mai?	Kin kao mai?
Let's eat together	Let's eat together	What about duai mai?	Kin duai mai?
I am hungry	I'm hungry	Hew	Hugh
I'm full	I'm full	Im	Them
Tasty	Delicious	Arroi	Arroy
It's not tasty	Not delicious	Mai arroi	May arroy
Not hot	Not spicy	Mai pad	May pad
How much does it cost?	How much is it?	Rakaa thaorai?	Rakaa tao:rai?
I like it	I like it	Chob maak	Chob maak
I do not like it	I dislike/don't like it	Mai chob	May Chob
Too expensive	It is too expensive	Pang pai	Peng Pai
Can you sell it cheaper?	Can you sell it cheaper?	Lot dai mai?	Lot give me?
Too small/big	It's too small/ big	Lek pai/ Yai pai	Lek Pai / Yai Pai
I'll come back	I will come back	Ja-ma-mai	Ja-ma-may
A little	A little bit	Nid noi	Nit noi
A lot of	A lot	Maak maak	Poppy poppy
Where are you from?	Where are you from?	Khun maa jaak tee:nai?	Khun maa jak ti:nai?
I'm from Russia	I am from Russia	Phom maa jak Russia	Phom maa jak Russia
What is your name?	What is your name?	Khun chue arai?	Khun chy aray?
My name is Sasha	My name is Sasha	Phom chue Sasha	Phom chy Sasa
Why?	Why?	Thammai?	There: May?
What?	What?	Arai na?	Arai na?
Who?	Who?	Krai?	Edge?
When?	When?	Mue-arai?	We: aray?
Where?	Where?	Teenai?	T: nay?
Where to go?	Which way?	Pai taang nai	Pai ta:ang nai
0, 1, 2	Zero, one, two	Soon, nueng, song	Song, Nyng, Song
3, 4, 5	Three, four, five	Sam, see, haa	Sam, sii, haa
6, 7, 8	Six, seven, eight	Hok, jet, bpet	Hawk, jet, bpet
9, 10, 11	Nine, ten, eleven	Gao, sip, sip-et	Gao, sip, sip-et
12, 13, 14	Twelve, thirteen, fourteen	Sip-song, sip-sam, sip-see	Sip-song, sip-sam, sip-sii
15, 16, 17	Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen	Sip-haa, sip-hok, sip-jet	Sip-haa, sip-hok, sip-jet
18, 19, 20	Eighteen, nineteen, twenty	Sip-bpet, sip-gao, yee-sip	Sip-bpet, sip-gao, ii-sip
100, 200	One hundred, two hundred	Nueng roi, song roi	Nung Roy, Song Roy
1000	One thousand	Nueng phan	Nung Pan

EtcNote: 1. Most of these phrases do not contain the ending kkhrap/kha. You can say it or not, but in reality, the more often you add it to your speeches, the more Thais will like you. 2. If you want to indicate that the action has “already” been completed, then add the ending “laeow” (“leo”). For example: “already left” - “pay leo”, “already full” - “im leo”, etc. 3. The grammar of the Thai language is very simple; there are no cases, genders or articles, which somewhat simplifies mutual understanding with Thais. So, if you want to say that you have already eaten and are not hungry, it is enough to use two words: “kin leo”, which literally means “to eat already” - and they will really understand you.

Ignore the numbering of facts. I wrote what came to mind, so, for example, information about 7/11 supermarkets is adjacent to recommendations on behavior, etc.

Bangkok. Thailand.

108 facts about Thailand

1. Thailand is not a third world country.

Thailand is not an underdeveloped or underdeveloped country. Siam is one of the new Asian dragons, along with Malaysia and Singapore, a country that surpasses Ukraine in terms of living standards.

2. Farangs - this is what Thais call white-skinned foreigners.

This is not a disparaging or derogatory name. The vast majority of Thais treat farangs with respect. The fact that a farang came to Thailand means that he has money, and from the Thai point of view, this is a consequence of good karma.

3. Backpackers.

In Thailand you can meet many foreign backpackers (backpackers) - independent travelers whose budget is quite limited. They stay in the cheapest guesthouses and travel by the cheapest transport. The size of their backpacks can cause awe in the average tourist.

4. Thais are extremely religious.

They absorb the basics of Buddhism with their mother's milk and are guided by them throughout their lives. Moreover, every man is obliged to spend some time as a monk at least once in his life. Usually they go to the monastery for several weeks, a month, two months, sometimes a year or more. After this, some remain a monk for life, and the majority return to everyday life, but at the same time already having experience in meditative practices and certain knowledge.

5. Hello!– Savatdi kkhrap (women say not kkhrap, but kha).

6. How are you doing?– Sabai dii may khrap (women say not khrap, but kha).

7. Thank you!– Khop khun khrap (women say not khop, but kha)

8. A word of courtesy.

Snoring(or khap in some regions and when you are too lazy to pronounce the letter “r”) - men say. Kha - say the women. This is a polite word used to end a sentence.

9. Thai is a tonal language. Depending on the tone, the meaning of what is said may change.

10. Strategic system "CCS"

It is the basis of the Thai worldview. Sanuk, Sabai and Suay (suey).

Children-monks.

11. This world was created for joy. And therefore, everything in life (if possible, of course) should be Sanuk, i.e. joyful, pleasant, cheerful, comfortable for the soul.

12. But at the same time, we must not forget about the body. It, too, is simply obliged to receive its portion of pleasure (Sabai).

13. As for Suai, this word is translated as “beauty”. The Thais have a pronounced desire to cultivate space everywhere, without causing damage to Nature (the latter, however, does not always work out). Once upon a time, one person, very respected by me, now, alas, deceased, said that a cultured person is not the one who cleans up after himself, but the one who cleans up around himself. In this regard, Thais are much more cultured than residents of Ukraine and Russia.

28. Thais and the king.

Thais truly love and revere the royal family. In the eyes of the people, King Bhumibol (Guardian of Peace) Adulyadej Rama the Ninth is not only a traditionally unattainable divine ruler, but also a man who has earned the deepest reverence and respect through his deeds and his entire life.

29. Any public display of disrespect for the King and the royal family may be perceived as an insult to His Majesty and is a criminal offense. There is a known case when a Western tourist, cheated in a restaurant, trampled on Thai banknotes with the image of the King, was arrested for this and spent a long time in prison until he was pardoned by the same King.

30. Almost all Thais practice Theravada Buddhism. There are more than 30 thousand monasteries and more than 300,000 monks in Thailand. It is advisable for tourists to avoid making critical remarks about Buddhism and not engaging in theological disputes.

31. Women should never touch a monk, otherwise he will be “defiled” and will have to undergo a complex purification ritual.

32. Rules of behavior in temples

Almost all Buddhist temples are open to the public. The rules of conduct are the simplest: take off your shoes before entering, don’t make noise, don’t sit feet first near monks or Buddha statues (feet are considered “unclean”), treat monks and religious objects with respect. Women should dress to cover their shoulders, chest and knees.

33. It’s better not to do the traditional Thai greeting “wai” (palms cupped, “namaste”) without knowing the subtleties. A slight bow and a smile is enough. Wai is not given to children and service personnel.

34. There are many subtleties to the traditional Thai greeting. For example, when greeting monks, the thumbs are placed between the eyebrows. In relation to those higher in the hierarchy or senior in age - thumbs at lip level. Equals are greeted by holding the thumbs under the chin.

35. In Asia, white skin color is a sign of high origin and high status, and is simply considered beautiful. To avoid sunbathing, Thai women wear long-sleeved blouses even on a hot day, and when they swim in the sea, they usually do so with their clothes on (and also because they consider swimsuits traditional for Western women to be too revealing).

36. Thailand is a conservative country in matters of sex. The sexual chaos of Pattaya and some other tourist places does not mean that this is typical for the whole country.

37. Thais believe that head and hair- the purest of all parts of the body. Therefore, you should not pat either adults or children on the head.

38. Giving something (for example, giving money) should be done with the right hand, since the left hand is considered unclean (including because it is used for hygienic purposes).

39. Tenderness and affection between men and women in public is generally considered unacceptable throughout the country.

40. 7/11 (SevenEleven)

A chain of small supermarkets covering the whole of Thailand. Very comfortably. A basic set of groceries, phone top-ups, essentials, coffee, tea, quick snacks.

Tuk-tuk and its driver.

41. The warmth and hospitality of the Thais does not mean that no one is cheating the farangs out of money. In tourist areas, many people do this. Most often these are tuk-tuk drivers. You should be careful and negotiate the price right away. In Bangkok there is no particular point in driving tuk-tuks, because taxi fares are not high. You should immediately agree with taxi drivers that you are driving according to the meter (“maitre”).

42. In general, Thailand is a safe country for tourists. It makes sense to be afraid of robbers, pickpockets and other representatives of the world of crime in Pattaya, Phuket, and in some areas of Bangkok. In general, the degree of criminal threat is not significant.

43. You can and should bargain at clothing markets. The price can be reduced by a quarter or even a third.

44. Don't point your fingers at anyone. This is perceived as extreme disrespect. It is better to nod your head towards the person you want to point to.

45. Men who want to spend time with Thai women should be careful not to make the mistake of “what gender is your neighbor” (Vysotsky). Some ladyboys or, as the Thais call them, katoeys are so similar to girls that even seasoned farangs cannot distinguish them. In Thailand, classic transsexuals (a woman’s soul lives in a man’s body), classic transvestists (those who enjoy wearing women’s clothing), and homosexuals who emphasize their femininity are called katoys or ladyboys. Sometimes you can hear the opinion that katoi are a man completely converted into a woman, and ladyboys are partially converted. This is wrong. Katoi and ladyboys - these words mean the same thing (as well as, for example, lobsters and lobsters). The word “katoy” is of Khmer origin, while “lady boy”, as you might guess, is of English origin. Thais often use the first word, farangs - the second.

46.How to recognize katoya.

This is indicated by a number of signs (usually a combination of them):

1. Protruding Adam's apple (“Adam's apple”).

2. Tall.

3. High cheekbones and elongated face.

4. Long and knobby fingers, large hands.

6. Too feminine behavior (precisely, too much. Those katoi whom I observed clearly overplayed their game of being a woman).

7. Great obsession even compared to girls from go-go bars.

47. There are a lot of massage parlors in tourist places. As a rule, the level of most massage therapists is not the highest, but at the same time quite acceptable. According to personal observations, the best massages are given by strong women aged 35-40. Let me remind you that we are talking about classic Thai massage.

Only massage!

48. Erotic massage

What about erotic massage? , then, of course, it is also available in Thailand. Usually such a massage (or rather something else) is disguised under the sign of an ordinary massage or “body massage” or “sauna massage”, but, as a rule, you can already determine from the sign what kind of establishment it is. If you go inside, the room usually contains something like an aquarium, i.e. Girls with number plates are sitting behind a glass partition. If a visitor takes a fancy to someone, he calls the number “mama-san” (to the receptionist), pays a certain amount and goes to the room. Depending on the establishment, there may be a different continuation. Often this is just sex after taking a bath together, but in some establishments the program also includes a body massage in soapy foam on rubber mattresses.

49. An attempt to learn, even to a small extent, the Thai language is met with a bang by the Thais. They like it when foreigners speak to them in Thai.

50. Don't worry if you unknowingly did something wrong.

Thais are lenient towards tourists, understanding that the latter are not required to know their customs and traditions. But if a farang shows interest in this, then he will certainly receive cordiality and respect.

51.Thais do not eat white and fluffy kittens. And among them there are all sorts of people who are not at all Buddhist-minded. True, tourists often mistake for Thais those who are not Thais (and who most often end up in crime reports) - illegal immigrants from Burma, Laos, and Cambodia.

52. The most tourist places in the country - Pattaya, Phuket and some areas of Bangkok (for example, Phat Pong) are at the same time the greatest risk areas for tourists. Pickpocketing, chain snatching, purse snatching and simple robberies are not uncommon here.

53. There are especially many cases when, in the same Pattaya and Phuket, tourists who want to ride jet skis are scammed out of their money. At the end of the ride, the tourist is billed for the damage he allegedly caused to the jet ski. Attempts to turn to the police for help end, as a rule, in vain (because it is the police who protect these rental companies). There is only one piece of advice - when in Thailand, do not ride these jet skis, unless, of course, you are a fan of this business :)

54. In these same tourist places, when you rent a motorbike, leave money as a deposit, not your passport. Without a small amount of money, in the event of an unforeseen showdown over a motorbike, you will be able to fly away, but without a passport you will not be able to. Again, I remind you that all disputes should be resolved without raising your voice or making threats. If possible, it is better to involve someone who has lived in Thailand for a long time and knows the Thai language.

55. By default, in controversial situations between farangs and Thais, the following rule applies: “ Thais support their X". This does not mean that everything is so hopeless, but it should be taken into account.

Walking Street in Pattaya is a high-risk area.

56. Sorry - Kho thot kkhrap (women say not kkhrap, but kha).

57. If you are traveling away from tourist areas, then do not be surprised when you encounter a completely disinterested desire of the local population to help you. In those distant times, when I still traveled around the country not on a motorbike, but on buses in different cities, I was faced with the fact that Thais, when asked how to get somewhere, simply put me in their car or on a motorbike and took me to this place. Once in the town of Lampang, three high school girls even seriously argued over which of them would take me.

58. Thais are very superstitious. In fact, Thai everyday Buddhism is a mixture of Buddhism, animism, shamanism and the Buddhism that preceded it in these parts, Hinduism.

59. In Bangkok, not far from the Royal Palace, there is an Amulet Market, where they sell amulets that supposedly have saksi (supernatural energy). A popular means of protecting against misfortune and attracting good luck are clicks– wooden images of the reproductive organ.

60. Magic tattoos.

Magic tattoos are very popular among men (read the story “Magic Tattoo”) - sak-yant. The faith in them is such that it sometimes leads to sad results. So, not so long ago, one Thai man, who believed in his tattoo that protected him from knife wounds, persuaded his friend to stab him with a knife. Result: one corpse, one prisoner.

61. Thais are sure that the world around is full of spirits, many of which are malicious. In particular, such spirits include the spirits of the earth (phi), therefore, when a house is built, a separate house is built for the spirits who lived in this place, so that they do not feel discriminated against. They are regularly appeased with offerings (flowers, food, drinks).

62. It is traditionally believed that Thai statehood is based on three pillars: the monarchy (blue stripe of the Thai flag), the people (red stripe) and religion (white stripe). I would still distribute the whales differently. I would leave the monarchy and the sangha (Buddhist community). And I would add, firstly, the army (whose influence on politics in Thailand has always been very high). Secondly, the police (in my opinion, their influence has recently increased greatly). And thirdly, large capital. In the modern world, money is a great force, and this force is gaining strength in Thailand, sorry. And the people? And the people, like everywhere else... Wherever they lead, they will go.

63. Tham bun

For Buddhist-minded Thais (95 percent of them), tham bun - doing good deeds (accumulating merit) - is important. Important because it ensures good karma in a future birth. Sometimes this can take grotesque forms: he took an old lady across the road - plus 10 points in karma, cursed - minus five points...

64. In temples you can often see how thin gold leaves are applied to various statues. This is the same tham bun - gaining merit for good karma. And these leaves are often applied by patients to that part of the statue that hurts them. Luang Pho (respected monk) statues, which are credited with special spiritual powers, are believed to be especially helpful.

65. The Thai word "sawatdiy" comes from the Sanskrit word "swasthata" (health) and is related to the word "swastika" (sun sign).

66. And one more thing about greetings. The Thai traditional wai has already been discussed. As for the European greeting with a handshake, it should be understood that the Thais, especially in the provinces, do not understand such a greeting, and therefore the general rule is this: if a Thai extends his hand first, then, of course, we shake it, but if he does not If they don’t, then you shouldn’t impose this custom on them. And, especially, there is no need to reach out to women. Public touching (if it is not Nana Plaza in Bangkok or Woking Street in Pattaya) is taboo - only allowed to close relatives.

67. Thais, as a rule, are aesthetes. They consider dirt ugly and unpleasant. They judge a person by their appearance and sincerely do not understand how Europeans, who are a priori considered rich, can wear the same clothes for the second day in a row. They are even more bewildered by Europeans in sloppy clothes, dirty T-shirts, with greasy hair and the smell of sweat (the Thais themselves take showers several times a day).

68. No problem - Mai pi panha. In the nineties, one prime minister of the country was nicknamed this because he constantly repeated this at a time when economic problems were becoming more and more, and nothing was being done to solve them.

House for perfumes in high-tech style. Chiang Mai.

69. One of the ways to “lose face” is to quarrel publicly (especially loudly) with your companions. Or scold children. And, especially, beating children.

70. Many (it seems even the vast majority) of Thais are characterized by topographical cretinism. That is, they can look at the cards with a smart look, but not understand anything. And when you ask to show how to get somewhere, they will, of course, show you (so as not to “lose face”), but it’s not a fact that they will go where you need to go.

71. Useful phrases.

What is your name - Khun chy aray kkhrap (women say not kkhrap, but kha)

How old are you? - Ayu thaurai khrap? (women say not kkhrap, but kha).

Do you speak English? – Khun phud phasa angkrit dai mai? (women say not kkhrap, but kha)

Do you speak Thai? – Khun phud phasa tai dai mai? (women say not kkhrap, but kha)

72. Thais hate stinginess. Generosity at the same time inspires respect. If you find yourself in a group of Thais in a restaurant, then be prepared that you will have to pay for everyone, since all Europeans are considered rich. To refuse in this situation means to “lose face” and be known as khinyou (greedy, stingy) or cruel – taidam (literally “dark-hearted”).

73. Tips e

In restaurants, massage parlors, hairdressers and other similar places, tips are, of course, welcome. Approximately 10 percent of the invoice amount. 1-2-3-4-5 baht on top when the bill is more than 100 baht can be perceived as an insult; it is better not to tip at all. The farang will also perceive it as a loss of face if he argues loudly about the amount of the bill, especially if it is about five to ten baht.

74. In Thailand, politeness is a sign of a respectable, respected person. By the way, from the Thai point of view, it is considered impolite to show off parts of the body (especially for women) - this confuses other people and puts them in an awkward position. The Thais have a name for such situations - na tek - the face shatters into pieces. Foreign tourists walking the streets and even going into shops with their torsos naked (and on the island of Koh Chang, Russian package tourists even go to Seven Eleven in their swimming trunks) are perceived as extremely ill-mannered rude people.

75. There are many holidays in Thailand. But two of them are something special. The first is Thai New Year - Songkran. It is officially celebrated from April 13 to April 15 (and does not officially begin on April 11, but ends in some places on the 19th). During the celebration, there is a massive dousing of water on everyone and everything, as well as smearing those they meet with scented talc (sometimes white clay or chalk).

The second special festival is Loy Khrathong, celebrated on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. An incredibly beautiful holiday. Sky lanterns are launched into the sky, and khratongs are launched and set afloat - baskets made of palm leaves, inside of which are donations to the spirits - a burning candle, a coin, smoking sticks. Thais “put” everything unpleasant that happened to them into these khrathongs and give it to the water. Water, like during Songkran, cleanses. Loy Khrathong in Chiang Mai is especially beautiful when the whole sky is filled with sky lanterns and khrathongs float along the river.

76. When you check into a hotel in a city you are unfamiliar with, the first thing you should do is take the hotel’s business card. If you get lost somewhere, this will be your pass home.

77. After paying for the hotel, do not forget to take a receipt for payment. It’s very rare, but there are times when for some reason they don’t remember about your payment...

79. The Thai word wat does not mean temple. It is rather a temple complex. It has many rooms. The most important thing is the bot. An additional room for prayers and meditation is the vihan. Chedis are the same as stupas in Mahayana Buddhism - reliquaries. Mondop is a repository of sacred texts and relics. Kuti are the rooms where monks live. Prang is a tower-type stupa (resembling a corn stupa) - a prime example is Wat Arun in Bangkok.

80. Catfish there.

If you want to try something really spicy, order catfish there. This papaya salad is sometimes also called bok-bok. These sounds are made when the pestle hits the mortar and mixes the ingredients: finely chopped green papaya, garlic, beans, small dried shrimp, tomatoes and, of course, chili peppers. All this is flavored with fish sauce, lemon juice and honey.

81. Do not forget that in Thailand the propaganda of communism is prohibited by law. It’s better not to quote Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and even more so, Putin :) A joke (about quotes)... But in every joke...

82. How they eat in Thailand.

In authentic restaurants and cafes, spoons and forks are served as cutlery. They usually eat with a spoon, and use a fork to push food onto it. Usually everything is already chopped fine enough that a knife is not needed.

83. Treat Thai shrines with respect, even if you do not share the Thai attitude towards religion. Western tourists sometimes strive to take pictures hugging a Buddha statue or climbing on a chedi. Such things are perceived by Thais as savagery and an insult.

Buddha. Nakhon Sawan.

84. You can speak English perfectly, but it’s not a fact that you will be understood, especially if you flaunt complex sentences. Speak clearly, simply and briefly, then you will have a better chance of being understood.

85. Most of those Thais who do speak English communicate in Taiglish. The result is meowing speech, words without pauses and stress in somewhat unusual variations.

Funny examples: kilometer - kilomeow; tomorrow - tumolou; disco - disyko, iscus mi - kiss mi.

But in fact, it’s okay, over time you get used to it.

86. In a restaurant or cafe, you can ask for the bill with the phrase: check bin, please.

87. Along with “Mai pen rai”, in a potentially conflict situation, “Mai mi aray” is also used - nothing happened, nothing happened (terrible).

88. When using Thai, be careful. Carefully learn and memorize the pronunciation so as not to “lose your face in the dirt.” A classic example is the word “suai” (beauty), pronounced in a descending tone, meaning “loser, loser.” A more curious example is the phrase kho thoot (sorry). If you say it a little differently - kho tot - it will turn out to be “permit (sorry, sorry) to fart.” Another funny example. The phrase "sai nom" means "with milk" and the phrase "saai nom" means "to shake the bust."

89. When you go shopping, treat it like a game. Remember sanuk and sabai. Trading should be comfortable for everyone. A great place to practice this attitude towards shopping is the Chatu Chak market in Bangkok (Saturday-Sunday), where almost everything is sold.

Chedi in Lamphun.

90. In general, Thais have a positive attitude towards being photographed. But, judge for yourself, you personally will like it when some visiting black man proudly walks down the street of a Russian or Ukrainian city and takes pictures of everyone, including you. Honestly, will you like this? When in India, natives blatantly try to photograph me without asking, I forbid them to do so, sometimes with threats of physical violence :) (just kidding). Why not ask permission? It seems to me that you need to respect other people's privacy.

91. In Thailand, no tourist is safe from meeting snakes. The main thing here is to understand that the snake is more afraid of you than you are of it. I have seen snakes in Thailand many, many times, although most often on asphalt roads (and never in the jungle) and they have never been aggressive.

92. Thais usually call each other by name, reserving the surname for official purposes. Surnames were officially introduced into use by King Vachiravut by special decree in 1913. During this time, the Thais are not yet quite used to them, and sometimes it is difficult for them to pronounce their surnames :)

93. Every day at 8.00. and 18.00 in public places the Thai Anthem is broadcast on radio and TV. If you remain seated, most likely no one will say a word to you, but it seems to me that it is better to still show respect for the country in which you are.

94. According to Thai etiquette, bad manners include keeping your hands in your pockets, sitting cross-legged, and intertwined hands.

95. In tourist areas people have long been accustomed to farangs. But if you find yourself in places where whites are rare, don’t be surprised that children will try to touch you (there is a belief that a foreigner can be an omen of happiness and good luck. In such places, farangs are often called out “Hey, you”... This is not rude , the speaker just doesn’t know how to call you again. Often this is all his knowledge of English :) However, many Russian-speaking tourists have about the same knowledge of English.

96. In the Thai language there is such a thing as Kreng Jai (“kreng chai”). Direct translation is difficult to do. Roughly, it means the following: the desire to respect the privacy of another person, his personal sanuk and sabai, his thoughts, emotions and feelings.

“CLICK” for good luck.

97. If in our country the concept of “warm heart” has rather a positive connotation, then in Thailand it is the opposite. Tyai ron (hot heart) refers to a person who is easily excited, angry, and angry. And this is far from ideal.

At the same time, Tiy Yen (cold heart) - balance, calm, patience - is an ideal model of behavior - this is how a person like Buddha behaves. It is believed that white blood flowed in the Buddha's veins, which was a sign of absolute dispassion and the highest degree of Tiai Yen.

98. In Northern Thailand, in small towns and villages, water vessels (tum sai nam) are placed on the streets so that anyone can refresh themselves. This is a visible embodiment of the Buddhist principle of helping other people.

99. In Thai wats you can often find women in white robes and with shaved heads. They are called Maci(white mothers). This word is often translated as “nuns.” This is not a completely accurate translation. Full-fledged monasticism in Thailand is possible only for men. And meichs are laywomen who have a special status, leading an almost monastic lifestyle. There are approximately 10-20 thousand of them in Thailand.

100. A few more common phrases.

Goodbye - Laa kon khrap (women say not kkhrap, but kha).

What price? (How much does it cost?) – Raakha thaurai khrap (women say kha, not khrap).

I don’t want – phom (women – chan) may au khrap (women say not khrap, but kha).

Delicious - Aroy kkhrap (women say not kkhrap, but kha).

I don’t understand - phom (women - chan) mai khau tai khrap (women say not khrap, but kha).

Good luck! – Chok dii kkhrap (women say not kkhrap, but kha).

101. If a Thai person did something wrong before your eyes, you shouldn’t prove it to him, especially in front of other people. It’s better to gently smile and ask him to do the same again. A few years ago I came across a minibus driver who didn’t know much about an area that I knew well (Chiang Mai and Pai). And I completely in vain criticized him for this, and my group witnessed this. He never forgave me for this. This, to put it mildly, did not have the best effect on the trip.

102. Foreigners who often use gestures a lot surprise Thais. Previously, Thais saw this only in those of their compatriots who were mentally ill. Restraint in gestures can only be welcomed.

103. From my very first arrival in Thailand, I realized that in the countries of Southeast Asia no one is in a hurry. Of course, I’m exaggerating somewhat, but haste in general is not typical for Thais. Hasty movements, according to Thais, are ugly and not aesthetically pleasing.

By the way, Thai mothers carefully ensure that their daughters walk gracefully (to be honest, this does not always work out). Little girls who stomp too much are often frightened by the goddess Mae Thorani (Mother Earth), who may be offended by such a rough gait.

104. If a man has such a financial opportunity, then he can afford a mia noi (little wife) - a semi-legal second wife. Legally, of course, she is not a spouse, but she receives financial support. For a man, this is not only allowed, but also increases his social status. Naturally, Thai women cannot even think about any second husband.

Meichi meditating on the water. Kanchanaburi.

105. For men. As a rule, tourists associate closely with those Thai women who have the lowest social status. I don’t want to say anything bad about them, but trying to build long-term relationships with such ladies is not a good idea. There is a saying: you can take the girl from the bar, but it is almost impossible to take the bar from the girl.

106. Thais, to put it mildly, are not very punctual. At the same time, they value punctuality in foreigners. There is even a division into two types of agreements: “nat farang” - when punctuality is necessary and “nat thai”, when the agreement can be treated more freely.

107 Personal questions asked even by people you don’t know very well are not reprehensible. For example, you may be asked about your marital status, age, salary. All this is not idle curiosity, but just a manifestation of interest in the interlocutor.

108. We are different.

Thais are very, and sometimes even very different from us. But if we do not “mess up into their monastery with our own rules” and respect their customs, culture, and traditions, then they are ready to meet us with the greatest cordiality and hospitality in the world. And then Sanuk, Sabai and Suai will always be with us on Thai soil.

Date of writing: 2554.

Publication date: 2556.

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When I was leaving Pattaya towards Bangkok, my room was robbed. They robbed me quietly, intelligently, nothing was touched except $200 for light evening shopping before being sent home. Actually, there was nothing to touch. You could touch the phone. But the benefit from its sale does not pay for the efforts spent on logistics to the point of sale. The good thief also did not steal my shorts, a bottle of rum and several stale T-shirts. Perhaps in his entire biography there was no greater failure than my guesthouse number. I even imagined how he would complain to his friends in the evening over a cup of sangsom

No, well, fucking Buddha. When will it end. Yesterday Surakapork climbed up to the farang. This guy is apparently not rich, but he has 3 iPhones, 4 thousand in cash and a box of chocolates for dessert. Why is Surakaporka so excited like a monkey, and the most I can pull out is a Nokia 3310 and half a packet of Viagra. Tired of it!

And his friends

Don't piss, kun Guwanakang. May pen heaven. Soon a tuk tuk will pass on your street. You will pull out pearls, diamonds and mobile phones. Distance will return everything!

I imagined this on the way in the taxi and even Surakapork somehow became closer and warmer to me. I actually didn’t intend to buy anything worthwhile. So, all sorts of authentic little things for gifts.

Oh, oh, bring a magnet, bring sumets, bring this and that.

Yes ok. I'm happy to. There's one thing I don't understand. But no one ever brings me unexpected souvenirs, but everyone is offended that I don’t always bring them?

In general, we were driving with a Thai driver of about forty on the way to the airport. I practiced my Thai with all the power of my tongue. The driver with great pleasure told me where he was from, what his son was doing in the rice field, where in Bangkok you can eat Orthodox tom yam for only 15 baht, etc.. In general, he gave out all the useful information that he himself possessed. I answered everything

Drip, drip, drip.

It means something like "ok". Like, I understand. When I stopped understanding, I spoke twice as fast, as if turning this part of the conversation to an understandable page.

After an hour and a half, we managed to go around all the toll roads on the highway and get to the airport through some kind of military training ground, where the driver had his “ends”. He was saluted and we saved 50 baht after spending 20 minutes.

I had about 700 baht in small bills in my wallet at that time. I had already paid for the taxi and my consumerism craved nothing but a bottle of beer in the waiting room. We said goodbye to the taxi driver. I took my suitcase and trudged to the registration desk. There was just over an hour left before takeoff, which under normal conditions is enough to avoid feeling like a Soviet tourist who arrived “just in case” 4 hours in advance.

The Thai woman looked at my passport for a long time, leafing through it back and forth like a glossy magazine. Then she went to another Thai girl and began to show him off. Of course, I understood that my passport photographs could ruin the psyche of a seven-year-old child, but mockery of the imperfection of light and face at the moment went beyond all limits.

Finally she returned to me and the angry caterpillar line that had gathered behind me.

Sser, yu have overstey 4 days. Yu have to pay fain 2 thousand baht.

Which in translation meant “I am staying in Thailand for 4 days beyond the visa period. I need to pay 2k baht, ask for forgiveness from my conscience and the policeman and move on.”
I took a piece of paper with directions to the airport-policy office and, with the air of a poor student trying to get into an expensive party with chicks and drugs, I wandered to passport control.

I was escorted to a room with a policeman, a man of about 45, expressively unflinching and stern.

Savadi cap,” I decided to begin diplomatically.

“Cap,” he said dryly and pointed to the chair.

I sat down.

I don’t even know how to start, your legality, my money was stolen right before my trip here, this is the first time this has happened. I actually love Thailand very much, I even have a Thai girlfriend, but this is such stupidity, maybe you will forgive me for my irresponsibility and come to terms with it.

Words poured out of me, lining up in the most idiotic chains, despite my desire to show off provincial NLP.
The policeman was impressed by my speech as a very poorly staged attempt by a young party guy, who had spent all his money on cocaine and karaoke, to ride like a hare. He saw about 426 of them here.

You have (he looked at his watch) about 15 minutes to borrow money from someone who is on your flight. If you don't make it in time, you will be given luggage and a return ticket. Yeah?

He said this so affirmatively that there was not even a small niche in his intonation for “getting into the situation.”

Well, okay, I’ll play by your rules, I thought and left the room.

I can’t say that shame was eating me up from the inside, but it was very uncomfortable even to think through schemes for extracting 40 bucks from a compatriot. I stood rooted to the spot, dividing the stream into two ribbons and peering into the faces of people, trying to identify them as Ukrainians.

Excuse me, but do you speak Russian? - I turned to a gloomy old man in a leather jacket with a wheeled bag.

Yes! - he answered and simply continued to roll further with his bag.

Ahh... Well, it’s cool what you say, I didn’t expect it. - I thought.

I spent another 7 minutes like this, but all the Bangkok-Kyiv passengers had already been sitting in the waiting room for a long time.

Finally, a slight panic began to overtake me. There were 40 minutes left before departure.

The plan came to mind unexpectedly.

Listen, I ran up to the policeman.
- How about you buy something from me?

I said this and remembered Surakapoka, who, even despite his great desire, did not find anything worthy of stealing in my material world.

The Thai tried to wave it off, but I noticed that he was looking closely at his watch.

The watch was given to me by Daa for Valentine's Day. I saved a month for them. I didn’t go to the beauty salon for 4 days in a row and didn’t buy cosmetics for a whole week. In general, I went into strict asceticism. The watches are certainly not expensive. Casio. They probably cost 40 bucks.

I caught his interest, but really didn’t want to give the gift away.

Now, I’ll call the boss and talk to him! - he told me and walked away.
I ran and began to dump all the junk out of my bag in a row, looking for help from the Almighty.

The help received two silver earrings, a leather wallet and a phone worn down to the chips on the asphalt.

An athletic-looking young Thai boy, well dressed and in civilian clothes, entered the room. With a pistol on his belt.

I got up from my chair and, like a mistress at a bazaar, carefully laid out all my “goods” in front of him, praising them.

Excellent wallet, cow leather. This one doesn’t burn in the fire, and there is a compartment for small items and it looks good! Take it!
- Or here, a mobile phone. - Yes, she is old. But it contains a card and there is as much as 100 baht for calls to all Thai numbers. Plus exciting games in the games folder. Sudoku, O lucky one. Take it, please!

But the boy pointed to his watch. I took them off my hand and felt what people in a pawn shop probably feel.


- Bro, this is a gift from a girl. Please take a wallet, or a fawn, or both. Do you want a jacket or a bag, but bro, I just can’t give it to this Chinese slag. Here ah gona say that may Gelfrend?

The Thai thought for one second after listening to my performance. And when I was just a moment away from saying “take the watch,” thinking that it’s a stupid piece of hardware, that I’ll buy myself a better one and be able to explain everything, yeah, the young Thai man said something to the adult. Then he smiled at me slightly with a stretch, took his wallet out of his pocket and put 2,000 baht on the table.

What are you taking? I asked him
“May, May, May (no, no, no),” he said.
- May pen paradise - no problems.

I'm like - aray na? (I'm sorry, what?)

The one that the adult tried to translate for me.

My boss said that he doesn’t need anything, he gave you 2000 baht to pay the fine, so fill it out here and run to the waiting room.
- But I don’t need 2000. I need 1300 baht. I have 700.
- Keep it for yourself just in case, maybe you can drink coffee for 5 minutes.

There was a very contradictory expression on the young man's face. I understood that the action was pure spontaneity, and perhaps he already regretted it.
There was not a moment to express my gratitude to him and I only managed to ask him to write down his Facebook name on a piece of paper so that I could contact him.

Good luck to you and your family, thank you! - I told him, made a wai (thai bow of gratitude) and then shook his hand...


8 minutes later I was standing in the waiting room drinking coffee. The passengers were already actively loading into the “gut”, but I was in no particular hurry, stood and finished smoking a cigarette 10 meters away from them.

There is no morality here. It’s just very joyful at such moments.

Today I bought some perfume for a Thai girl or wife, tomorrow I’ll think about what I can bring him personally from Ukraine that is clear and unusual.

So much for the Thais. So much for “ours”.

One blood, one hundred thousand vessels.

Coming to Thailand, many experience discomfort and constraint from not knowing Thai or English. Today we will present to your attention a Thai phrasebook of the most popular words and phrases that will help you communicate with the locals.

1. Mai bpen rai, mai mee bpunhaa - Mai pen rai, mai mi panha

The first phrase roughly translates to "it doesn't matter", the second to "no problem". Together they embody the Thai approach to life, or more precisely, to not stop at small obstacles, not to worry and to calm down. Much to the dismay of the West, Thais use these phrases in situations that are often very difficult and even life-threatening. In the West they say: “The house is not on fire!”, and in Thailand: “No problem.” If a Thai citizen protests against something, he will quickly pronounce “jai yen” (see #4 below).

2. Sabai - Sabai

This word is usually translated as “happy,” but some of its meaning is closer to “calm,” “peace,” or “good.” For Thais, happiness is not the opposite of sadness and sadness. Rather, it is more like a state of calm. Here you are sitting on the seashore, and a fresh wind is blowing your hair - this is the real “Sabai”. Winning the lottery and other joys of life are not a reason to pronounce “Sabai”.

This difference is emphasized by the fact that the saying "Mai Sabai" means "sick", "bad", and can even be used as a euphemism for "hangover".

By adding the suffix "dee" to the word "good", you get the standard Thai greeting: sabai dee mai? - "Are you alright?"
The Thai language offers many techniques for activating adjectives. One way is to repeat it. Thus, the statement “Sabai Sabai” can be translated into Russian slang as “a mess in the country.”

3. Ruk - Hand

It so happens that the Thais are perceived as a sentimental people who live by emotions rather than by reason. They treat Westerners with some disdain, condemning them for being too cold and stiff. The main linguistic element of this worldview is the word “Ruk”, or “love”. Almost every Thai pop song features "Ruk", often using the phrase "pom ruk ter" (Pom ruk ter) or "I love you" (ter translates to "you", in French sounds like "Tu") ).

Additionally, "Ruk" is the common root of the word "naruk". The prefix "on" is the equivalent of an English suffix denoting state - thus "naruk" means "sweet", "adorable", or "pretty". Show a Thai girl a photo of a lion cub, a live puppy, or a soft toy, and she is guaranteed to start touching it, poking her nose at it, and squealing “naruk” at the same time. (Our sincere apologies to Thai girls who don't do this.)
"Ruk" is a derivative of the word "suttiruk", which expresses "tenderness" and means something like the word "sweetheart". (Note: Don't use it indiscriminately, especially since the phrase "suttiruk ja" literally means "sweet pie.")

4. Jai - Jai

In the case of Thai sentimentalism, the closed etymological connection between words carries “heart” and “mind”. “Jai” - Jai - “mind”, gives rise to the word “Hua jai - “heart”.

The word "jai" produces a number of compounds that describe human emotions. In fact, my pocket dictionary contains exactly sixty-seven such jai words.

The most common ones are:
jai rorn (jai rorn) - hot-tempered (hot mind), jai yen (jai yen) - calm (cold mind), jai lai (jai lai) - cruel, cunning mind, jai dee (jai di) - smart, Kao jai ( kao jai) - intelligent, etc.

Since the Thai language is fundamentally economical, it would be at least unreasonable not to use the “mind”.

5. Kin - Kin

Thais take what they eat very seriously, and there is no doubt that this is partly due to the significant Chinese influence on Thai culture. I know a Thai woman of Chinese descent who, instead of asking me: “How are you?”, asks: “Have you eaten anything yet?”

Kin can mean “to eat,” but the word literally translates to “swallow”: You can say kin nam (drink water), kin kao (eat rice), or kin ya (take medicine). Additionally, the word "kin" is also used to describe a chess piece.

Since rice is an ingredient in almost every Thai dish, kin khao is commonly used to mean "to eat." Therefore, it is quite acceptable to say “kin kao” while, for example, eating a good portion of dumplings.

6. Aroy - Aroy

Let's look at the Thai passion for food and look at the word Aroy, which means "delicious". Hence, it is not even surprising that many Thai restaurants use Aroy in the names of their establishments. The general experience gathered among newcomers to the Kingdom confirms that food they have never seen before is always offered to them along with the announcement of "Aroy". Thais take great pride in their cuisine, so the follow-up question is Aroy mai? (delicious?), as a rule, you don’t have to wait long. And, don’t forget, Thais are very scrupulous, so the suggested answer should sound like: “Aroi di” - “yummy!” - when making a statement, you need to raise your index finger up.

7. Sanook - Sanuk

Sanook, which means "fun", is the guiding principle of Thai social life. If you have recently returned from a long trip, or simply from the Shopping Center, then you will definitely be asked Sanook mai? - "It was fun?" From experience, which is purely educational, this question will most likely be answered with a quick and short Thai answer - "beau" or "boring". In general, if it's not Sanook, then you shouldn't bother. Thus, Sanook and Sabai are common names for many drinking establishments in Thailand.

8. Ba - Ba

Westerners often get—and deserve—the charge of “ba!”, which means “crazy,” “crazy,” or “mad,” which is basically the same thing. You go “boo” if you do something stupid or unexpected, such as driving poorly or suddenly spontaneously starting to dance. Interestingly, the Thai phrase also used for methamphetamine, the country's most destructive drug, is ya ba, or "crazy medicine."

9. Pai - Pai

We have already become familiar with two forms of Thai greeting: “Are you okay” and “Have you already eaten?” But in the third form the word “pay” (to go) or “pay nae mach” (where have you been) is used. Just like the phrase “have you eaten,” many in the West are confused by the apparent simplicity of this question, and the first thought that comes to mind is “it’s none of your business.” But, in fact, this question really has little to do with the question of interest - “What is happening?” In other words, “I was in the bathroom,” and I’ll leave the details of what exactly I was doing there, sorry, to myself.

Plus, the word "Pai" refers to incentive actions, such as "let's go" or "go away", although Thais often say "Pa" a hundred times in the hour leading up to the actual action.

10. Sawatdee, Chohk dee - Sawatdee, Chok di

A collection of popular Thai phrases would not be complete without the universal Thai greeting - Sawatdee. Very convenient, no need to worry about the difference between "good morning" and "good evening", "hello" and "goodbye": Sawatdee covers them all. But there are alternatives for breakup phrases, for example - chohk dee, which means "good luck". Chohk dee is also fair to use as “hurray”, and not in the evolved British sense of “thanks”, but in the old-fashioned “may the road rise to meet you, may the wind always be at your back!”