"The Land of Smiles" is a place with a millenarian culture you will never finish to explore. Almost every aspect of daily life is influenced by Buddhism; Thai people want to be happy and respect every form of life.
Even though it is not a big country, Thailand is home to many different ethnicities, and this helped to create a varied nation with many different regional cuisines, and old customs that still hold up to these days.
Check our brief introduction to Thai culture to learn more about this amazing country!
Highlights
- With more than 70 ethnic groups, Thailand is a varied and charming country.
- Thai people cherish happiness and respect, two of the most important points of their culture.
- Thailand developed its own version of Buddhism, born from the Theravada school and influenced by Hinduism and folklore along the way.
- Rightfully famous all over the world, Thai food is complex and full of flavors.
- Thai festival, like Loy Krathong and Yi Peng, are a stunning sight that you will love.
7-Day Central Thailand Exploration:
People
In Thailand, we can find about 70 ethnic groups, the biggest one being the Thai (about 20 million people). Thai people, formerly known as Siamese, include people from all over Thailand, as well as Isan people. They probably originated in Southern China, in the province of Guangxi.
The Laotian live in the north of the country, and their culture has been preserved through the centuries thanks to their relative isolation. They live in a region characterized by multi-ethnicity: Vietnamese, Cham, Mon, and Khmer.
The Karen are the third largest ethnicity. Karen people live on the hills of northern Thailand, especially around Chiang Mai. They have adapted to Thai culture, but they still heavily rely on the forest for their survival.
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My husband and I are planning a 3 week…
Alisa was a great listener to all the things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. We discussed everything throughly, and when I had questions, she had answers the next day. I really appreciate her responsiveness and detail with me. I feel like we are in the best hands with Alisa and Asia Highlights. More
, Mar 2024
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Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling More
Rylan Coache, Feb 2024
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Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! More
Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024
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Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! More
Tricia, Feb 2024
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Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. More
Ashley White, Feb 2024
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Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect. Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. More
Virginia, Feb 2024
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Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in Phuket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. More
Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024
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What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. More
Rachel, Feb 2024
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Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! More
Sandy, Jan 2024
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Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip More
Carol Yeung, Jan 2024
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Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! More
Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024
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Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. More
David M. Kang, Jan 2024
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Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. More
Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024
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Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. More
Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024
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Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. More
Taylor Jones, Jan 2024
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Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. More
Tia, Dec 2023
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We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! More
Karen Rocque, Dec 2023
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Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). More
Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023
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Language
Thai is the official language of the country, but other languages (like Karen, Khmer, and Malay) are spoken as well. The second most common language is Lao, which is used by more than 15 million people.
The Thai language is used by 20 million people, and it is part of the Tai language family. Thai and Lao are so closely related to be mutually intelligible. The writing system of Thai derives from the Khmer language, and its spelling is quite complicated.
As many other Asian languages, Thai is a tonal language; it has six tones. Its vocabulary sees plenty of loanwords from Chinese, Pali, Sanskrit, and English.
4-Day Best of Chiang Mai Tour:
Religion
The most common religion in Thailand is Buddhism. Buddhism in Thailand is a particular version of the religion, derived from the Theravada school born in Sri Lanka, and influenced by Hinduism and folk religion.
Theravada Buddhism has conservative views of the doctrine, and its main belief is that insight must come from experience, using knowledge and critical reasoning. It also strives to give the most correct interpretation of Buddha's teachings.
For Thai people, Buddhism is a strong component of their daily life. Thai people will give offerings in shrines and leave small gifts in temples. Buddhists will behave well, help other people and observe the teachings of Buddha, in order to gain merit and then have a protective force that can help them in life.
Customs
The wai is one of the most peculiar Thai customs. It is a form of a salute, the hands are put together like when praying, and a slight bow is performed. The smile accompanying the gesture symbolizes a welcoming disposition.
Touching other people in public is not considered polite and touching someone on the head is seen as extremely rude. Feet are the dirtiest part of the body and pointing them towards someone is disrespectful.
The younger will always show their respect towards the elder, and everyone will respect Buddha images and the monks. When there is a conflict, it is good not to show one's anger. Instead, it is necessary to handle the dispute with a smile. For Thai people, sanuk is really important: life has to be fun.
Cuisine
Famous all over the world, the cuisine is the pride of Thai people. Thai dishes present a strong aromatic component and some spiciness. All Thai food is said to demonstrate intricacy, attention to detail, texture, color, and taste.
Every aspect of the dish is important, and dishes are never too simple; the goal is to create harmony between the ingredients. Some Thai dishes, like Green Papaya salad, present all the flavors: sour, sweet, spicy, and salty.
Thai cuisine can be divided into five regions: Bangkok, Central Thai, Isan, Northern Thai, and Southern Thai. Each region is characterized by its own flavors, with influences coming from the close neighbors like Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and China.
Dining Etiquette
In Thailand, families are quite big and it is common to share a meal all together. Families eat sitting on a mat on the floor. They eat their food using only the right hand (the left hand is considered impure).
When Rama V was educated by an English woman, he found out that knives are not suitable for Thai food, but he introduced the fork and the spoon, which are still used by everyone today (chopsticks are used only for some noodle soups). Thai people push the food on the spoon using the fork, and then put the spoon in the mouth; they never directly eat with the fork.
Weddings
There are two components of a Thai wedding: a Buddhist one where people pray and offer food to monks, and a laic part, coming from folk tradition.
Nowadays, people will visit the temple and the monks even during the non-Buddhist part (which was prohibited in the past), and some weddings are held within the temple.
During the Buddhist component, the couple pay their respects to Buddha, pray, and sing, lighting incense and candles before the images. Gifts and money are given to the temples and the monks, who bless the new couple. Sin sot is the Thai dowry system. The groom pays a sum to the family to compensate for the loss of a daughter and to demonstrate that he is able to take care of the bride.
Funerals
Funerals, lasting one week, see a lot of activities to make merit for the deceased. People will distribute copies of the Buddhist scriptures and give small gifts to the monks, who will chant prayers for the deceased. Crying is not well seen, as it might disturb the spirit of the departed.
The coffin is adorned with a picture, depicting the deceased during his/her best days, and often there is a thread connecting the chanting monks and the corpse. This way, merit will be transferred from the monks to the departed. Finally, the corpse is cremated and the urn is placed in a chedi inside the local temple.
Minorities will bury their dead, following the traditional customs of their own community.
5-day Highlights of Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai :
Arts
Visual arts in Thailand mostly come from Buddhism, being the creation of Buddha images. They are extremely important, and have been created during the centuries in many different styles. Temple art and architecture is important as well, displaying peculiar elements from Siamese architecture.
Two of the most notable works of literature in Thailand are the Ramakien and the poems of Sunthorn Phu. The Ramakien, written by Rama I and Rama II, is based on the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, and it is the subject of the khon, the traditional dance of Thailand.
Traditional paintings lack perspective; the bigger an element is painted, the more important it is. Main elements are isolated from each other by space transformers, using a technique called "apportioning areas".
Festivals
The most important festival is Songkran, the Thai New Year. It is celebrated with music, dances, and, more importantly, water games. People will wash Buddha images and the elderly as a sign of respect and to help them get rid of impurity.
One of the most visually stunning festivals is Loy Krathong, the Light Festival. People will let flow their small boats on rivers and canals at night. Every boat, a small tribute to Buddha, contains a candle, creating a unique sight you will hardly forget.
Another version of Loy Krathong is Yi Peng, held especially in Chiang Mai. During the festival, people will wait for sunset to launch their lanterns in the sky, a gesture symbolizing one's willingness to let go of hatred and anger.
Experience Thailand with Asia Highlights
The culture of the Land of Smiles is waiting for you! Start planning your next trip to Thailand now and get to know its fascinating and ancient culture. Asia Highlights can help plan the perfect trip for you and your loved ones, helping you with every aspect of the holiday and giving you 24-hour assistance, 7 days a week!
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Our guide lele is a wealth of information, Lele is very professional and very attentive to our needs. Lele is amazing. Lele got everything spot on. It probably helps that Guilin is a brilliant place to visit so Lele has great material to work with but that doesn't take anything away from how much Lele helped make it a great trip.
moreOur guide for Beijing was super knowledgeable and experienced and able to help us to achieve as much as we wanted within the time given. We had a fun time guided by him as he is also super humorous and you can see how he interacts with the vendors and people whom he comes by. Thank you for a very enjoyable time in Beijing and accommodating to all our needs!
moreOur China Highlight guide. Michael, was attentive, thoughtful and knowledgeable. He narrated many interesting historical events about Chengdu while touring around the city and having afternoon tea with us. He was thoughtful to provide us with snacks during long hikes at Leshan or walks around the city.
moreShe was very flexible and added extra time when we needed it and we felt extremely well taken care of. She also chose the best restaurants for us,
moreOur tour guide Helen, was excellent, she was very kind, professional and passionate for her work and she also loves Pandas! She will take you to take the best panda photos and to know more about Chengdu city. Our tour was great, she took us to all our destinations always with the best spots: Temples, pagodas, famous streets, theaters, pandas...you name it! Everything was great.
moreHe picked up our pre-booked boat/other excursions tickets so we were able to avoid all the long lines and chaos. He is knowledgeable of the places we visited, courteous, fun to travel with and well-versed in Chinese classics.
moreTom is the guide that will take you to where no other guide will. We pushed for the experience and Tom and the team delivered more than what we could have ever asked for. His English speaking ability and his Chinese history knowledge is second to none.
moreTom is the guide that will take you to where no other guide will. We pushed for the experience and Tom and the team delivered more than what we could have ever asked for. His English speaking ability and his Chinese history knowledge is second to none.
moreOur day trip to Hangzhou was phenomenal. Derek, our guide, was impeccable. By far the best guide we have had so far. He is extremely knowledgeable about the country’s history and geography and was always excited to share his insights.
moreXian es encantadora, el hotel Eastern house boutique muy buena elección por parte de la agencia, los desayunos muy completos para complacer todo tipo de gusto, lo recomiendo 100%, el itinerario fue muy acertado fueron 2 días en la ciudad xian, compartimos con la guía Susana, la atención, la amabilidad y sobre todo su profesionalismo fue lo que marcó la diferencia, sus detalles, estaba siempre en el lugar y momento correcto para hacer de xian un lugar inolvidable.
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