| Before we get into the whys and wherefores of | | | | and his dog! Complex it may be, but there are |
| waiing we need to understand the meaning of the | | | | some rules. |
| word “farang”. In this and other diatribes | | | | Rule no.1: The younger always wais before the |
| with which I hope to inform and amuse you about | | | | elder. In other words when you feel that it’s |
| the delights of Thailand, you will come across | | | | a proper time to wai consider, is this person |
| farang frequently. | | | | younger than, or older than me? If he/she is |
| If you’re Caucasian and not Oriental, then, in | | | | younger you must wait for them to wai first. At |
| Thailand you’re farang. Thais, as with other | | | | the age of 64 I very rarely wai first and most |
| natives in this part of the world, juxtapose the l | | | | Thais I meet for the first time feel that it’s |
| and r when speaking, so farang becomes falang, | | | | not necessary to wai a farang. |
| lobster becomes robster and they have an awful | | | | Rule no.2: It’s not necessary to wai Thais |
| problem saying library! | | | | who are offering a service. At the restaurant you |
| Its derivative is the Thai word for the French; | | | | will be welcomed with a wai. Don’t return it. |
| farangset, and goes all the way back to the 17th | | | | If, however, at the end of your meal you |
| century. | | | | consider the service to have been outstanding |
| How to wai. | | | | then you can return the wai as a mark of |
| Place the palms of your hands together with | | | | respect. |
| fingertips touching as you might adopt in prayer. | | | | Rule no.3: With the exception of rule 2 above, you |
| Now lift your hands so that the tips of your | | | | should always return a wai. Why? Imagine |
| fingers touch the bridge of your nose. | | | | meeting someone in your own country, he |
| Simple, you might agree. Then why do so many | | | | proffers his hand to shake, and you ignore it. It |
| backpackers get it so wrong? I saw one young | | | | would be considered an affront, as not returning a |
| backpacker here in Ayutthaya with his hands | | | | wai would be. |
| compressed in the region of his navel with a grin | | | | One can regularly see Thais waiing at Buddha |
| on his face suggesting that he had reached | | | | images. It’s fundamental to Buddhism but it |
| nirvana. Not that the Thais mind at all. They | | | | really is up to you whether you wish to wai or |
| laughed along with the rest of us, which is | | | | not. Should you choose to, then do it respectfully |
| something important to remember about the | | | | and try to remember that, where possible, you |
| Thais; they laugh with you, not at you. | | | | should not have your head above the Buddha. |
| Another mistake made by farang is to wai and | | | | That’s one of the few things the Thais can |
| bow at the same time. There’s no need to | | | | get rather cross about. |
| bow, although one sees Thais bowing occasionally | | | | Essentially just go with the flow. Thais are very |
| it’s usually done to someone they consider to | | | | laid back and they don’t expect farang to |
| be greatly superior to themselves. | | | | know Thai customs, but at those moments when |
| When to wai. | | | | you wai in the correct manner and at the right |
| The when is considerably more complex than the | | | | time the famous Thai smile will be witness to his |
| why. I’ve seen farang waiing at every man | | | | or her delight. |