Krabi Hotels Thailand

Thailand’s culture is influenced by China, India, Cambodia and other neighboring ancient cultures of Southeast Asia. Buddhism, Hinduism and Animism are considered as the primary influences. If you are planning to spend your well-deserved vacation in the country, it is good to have a basic background about Thailand’s rich culture.

Art

In terms of visual art, Thai art is traditionally Buddhist. This means that images of the Thai Buddha is dominant in temple art, architecture and other artworks. On the other hand, literature is very much influenced by Indian Hindu. Music includes folk and classical such as the mor lam and piphat.

Cuisine

All around the world, Thai cuisine is known for blending the four fundamental tastes—sweet, sour, salty and spicy. A number of Thai dishes try to incorporate most of these flavors to create a unique taste. Thais also use a lot of herbs and condiments when cooking. Chili, garlic, lime, basil, lemongrass, coriander, turmeric, pepper and shallot are just a few of the herbs and spices you can find in the kitchen.

Religion

Majority of the people in the country are Theravada Buddhist but other minority groups include the Muslims, Christians, Mahayana Buddhists and other religions as well.

Marriage

There are two parts in a Buddhist marriage: the first one is the Buddhist component and the other is the non-Buddhist component. The first part is composed of prayer recitations and food offerings to the monks as well as Buddha images. The last part revolves in folk traditions and the couple’s families.

Funeral

In Thailand, funerals traditionally last for an entire week. You will never hear anybody crying at the funeral because Thais believe this practice would only worry the spirit of the deceased person. To provide merit for the dead, monks are invited to lead and chant prayers and to give protection against the return of the dead as a malevolent spirit.

Holidays and celebrations

Songkran (Thai New Year) is one of the most important holidays in the country. This is celebrated from April 13 to 15 every year. The Thais celebrate the occasion with water throwing which is believed to have originated from washing the images of Buddha.

Beliefs and Customs

People believe that the head is very sacred so they do not touch it. If you need to step on to get to another spot, do not step over anyone but walk around them instead. Thai people also consider the upper body as sacred while the bottom part is unclean. You need to wash your upper and lower garments separately. When bathing, use separate towels as well for the upper and lower body.