The Kingdom of Thailand is the country in the central part of the Indochinese peninsula. The area of Thailand covers the space of somewhere about 513,000 km2. Its population is equal to 66 million people, what makes it the 20th country on the list of most populous. The ethnic Thai correspond to 75-95% of the population in Thailand, The other part consists of Chinese, Malaysians, and Khmers. The capital of Thailand is Bangkok, which represents the foundation of its industrial, cultural, economical and political spheres. It was said that “with its fertile plains, it has also long been the economic center of the country, producing the majority of Thailand’s rice” (“Reach to Teach: Culture in Thailand” par. 7). Religion in Thailand is Theravada Buddhism.
Culture and Traditions
While being influenced by numerous countries, such as China, India, Laos and Cambodia, Thailand had formed its culture and religion. The Thai religion, Theravada Buddhism, also includes the concepts of ancestors worshipping, as well as the elements of Hinduism. The numerous Thai traditions relate to respect towards each other. There is even a special gesture, which is being performed for the greeting between two people. A greeting should be started by the younger person, who needs to press his hands together in front of his chest and make a slight bow towards the personality that he meets. The greeting itself is called Wai, and it has a similar meaning as Indian Namaste. It was stated that Wai is the part of etiquette in Thailand and it means respect, as well as ritual reverence towards Buddha illustration, and it could be used as an expression of gratitude and greeting (“Matador Network: 10 Thai Customs to Know Before Visiting Thailand” par. 4). What is important, the attitude towards ancestors has a significant role, when it comes to traditions and religion. The elders and ancestors In Thailand have been highly respected. Thus, the opinion of older generation often appears to be decisive. It is required to mention that “The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation, along with a script that has Indian origins” (“Kwintessential: Thailand – Thai Language, Culture, Custom and Etiquette” par. 3). The interesting fact is that it is forbidden to point to someone or something with feet, or to touch someone’s head due to the spiritual vision in Thailand.
Features and Character
Thailand represents a collectivistic country. The loyalty inside of the groups (family, relatives, friends) has the essential character. Therefore, the indicator of individualism in Thailand is extremely low. According to the Hofstede Centre, Thailand reflects the country with Individualism score of 20 points (“The Hofstede Centre: What About Thailand?” par. 4). In this respect, it shows that the citizens of Thailand do not tend to take care of themselves on their own, but they more rely on the society and their corresponding groups.
The masculinity level in Thailand is low, what means that there is no actual concept of competition. Instead of that, there is a high feminine level, what stimulates the Thai citizens to care more about others. It is related more to their traditional and religion features of correlation between male and female.
Thailand also represents the country in which the inequality is well accepted. Unfortunately, the hidden side of Thailand also includes the issue, such as poverty.
It was stated that “Starting in 1990, the poverty level decreased from 27 percent to 9.8 percent, in just 12 years” (“The Borgen Project: Growing Inequality in Thailand” par. 2). The employees express respect towards their superiors, and in the exchange, they stay under their patronage and guidance. The country appears to be more paternalistic, with strictly controlled and defined hierarchy. The information spreads according to the social levels and ranks. It is stated that the Thais are more predisposed to accept, but not to challenge (“International Man: A Glimpse at Thai Culture” par. 1). Therefore, each employee in Thailand follows the strict protocol and fully obeys the commands of the superior.
Works Cited
International Man: A Glimpse at Thai Culture 2016. Web.
Kwintessential: Thailand – Thai Language, Culture and Etiquette 2016. Web.
Matador Network: 10 Thai Customs to Know Before Visiting Thailand 2009. Web.
Reach to Teach: Culture in Thailand 2016. Web.
The Borgen Project: Growing Inequality in Thailand 2013. Web.
The Hofstede Centre: What About Thailand? 2016. Web.