Title: Your Complete Guide To Thai Gestures
Headings: Your Complete Guide To Thai Gestures
Your Complete Guide To Thai Gestures
The Thai greeting
The smile
The feet
The head
The hands
The “OK” sign
Walking
Come here
Thumbs up
Throwing things
Hunger Games salute

Content: As such, pointing your feet at another person or sacred item – such as a statue of the Buddha – is considered extremely disrespectful. This is something of added importance for foreigners, who are often accustomed to crossing their legs while seated and are not usually aware of the direction in which their crossed foot is pointed. It is also considered rude to put your feet up on a table or other surface, and like many Asian cultures it is nearly universally required to take your shoes off before entering a home, business, or even the local store. Putting your feet up on a table or pointing them at someone is considered very rude | © Lukas Horak / Pexels
The head
Conversely, the head is the most sacred place on the human body and like many cultures of Southeast Asia, it is forbidden to touch someone on their head. This is particularly true for children. A child’s “ kwan ,” or individual spirit, is not strong enough to be touched, and some Thais believe the child could become ill or experience nightmares if this taboo is broken. Because of this respect for the kwan, it is also considered rude to stand over someone older and therefore wiser than yourself. While a person may be physically taller and naturally have their head “over” another, Thais will lower their head when passing or interacting with those older or superior to themselves. Touching or patting someone's head, even affectionately, is extremely rude in Thai culture | © Sheila Sund / Flickr
The hands
When presenting or receiving things, like money, gifts, food, or business cards, it is respectful to exchange items using two hands, especially with someone you’ve just met or is older than you. In general, the left hand is considered unclean – traditionally the left was the “wiping hand” before the days of bum gums and toilet paper – and is not used to eat, receive gifts, or shake hands.