Thailand Culture

National Symbols

In 2001, a Scottish national made the nearly-fatal mistake of urinating on a picture of the king, an action that under Thai law, carries the death penalty. He got lucky and was only deported after substantial ...more

Customs And Etiquette

To show respect, put your palms together at chest level, pointing your fingers away from you, and gently bow your head: this is the Thai traditional greeting, called a wai. More than just a way to say ...more

Food

Hot Stuff. Thai cuisine’s fascination with the chili pepper has been known to cause stomach discomfort or other unsavory digestive problems for the unaccustomed traveler. To avoid potentially ...more

The Arts

History. Thai architecture encompasses a broad range of influences (including Burmese, Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan, and Khmer) and forms (including royal palaces, wooden houses, and its most common ...more

Sports And Recreation

Muay Thai is a martial art that was originally used as a way to keep Thai soldiers battle-ready during the 15th and 16th centuries. The first boxer to win historic recognition was Nai Khanom Tom. Captured ...more

Holidays And Festivals (2009)

The Thai, Buddhist, and international holidays listed below are current as of this book’s date of publication. Many of the religious days, whose dates are not determined by a lunar cycle, will be given ...more

By clicking submit you agree to the terms of the Let’s Go Privacy Policy

For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.