Introduction
In everyday conversation the word 'culture' may refer to activities
in such fields as art, literature, and music. Culturally determined
characteristics include the language spoken at home, religious observances,
customs including marriage customs that often accompany religious and other
beliefs, acceptable gender roles and occupations, dietary practices,
intellectual, artistic, leisure-time pursuits and other aspects of behaviour.
Culture is acquired by people because it consists of learned
patterns of behavior rather than the biologically determined ones that are
sometimes called instinctive. A trait may be a custom, such as burial of the
dead; a device, such as a plow; a gesture, such as a handshake; or and idea,
such as democracy. Meanwhile, culture is a powerful human tool for survival,
but it is a fragile phenomenon. It is
constantly changing and easily lost because it exists only in our minds.
The culture of Thailand has been greatly influenced by Buddhism. But
there have been dominating influences of Hinduism as well as influences from
its neighboring nations of Myanmar and Laos. Chinese and Indian culture has
also had influences on the Thai culture and cuisine. This is because, Thailand
is located at the meeting point of the two great cultural systems of Asia,
Chinese and Indian. In everyday life, Chinese culture has mixed very well with
the Thai, whereas in Thai court culture, which has been based mainly on
Buddhism and Brahmanism.
Thai culture needs to be understood from the ethnic traditions of
the various peoples who migrated to Thailand to form the Thai culture as we
understand it today, the influences from India of religion and mythology, the
origin myths of some of the minorities living in Thailand and animist
traditions which continue today. And the most importantly, Thai culture is
significant in the behaviour, customs and beliefs of the Thai people today.
In Thai society, Thai culture is such that people do not mix self
delusion in their thoughts and conversation. This is seen as foolish. Good
examples of self delusion include arrogance, superiority beliefs, social status
etc.
Thai culture also calls for detachment. In some societies if people
want something they have to have it
whatever, in fact they strive to become part of what they seek, be it a
status symbol object like a motor car or a position of social recognition. They
become in their minds what they seek to obtain, the delusion is over whelming.
In Thai culture such desire and
attachment for objects is regarded as weakness.
To this we add the need for respect of others also a concept not
really understood in western cultures. Examples of this respect are, not to
shout at others, not to talk at some one, rather talk to them, not to impose on
another with meaningless and convoluted talk [ thus wasting their time ], not
to defame someone and respect their property in their own good name. For
example, defamation is a crime in Thailand.
In this assignment, i will explain four culturally that determined
characteristics such as religious observances, customs including marrige
customs, gender roles and occupations and dietary practices in Thailand.
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
Religion plays a very important role in Thai life. Religion is
considered an essential pillar of society, it is not only the major moral force
of Thai family and community but has also contributed to the molding of freedom
loving, individualistic, and tolerant people for many centuries.
Theravada or Hinayana Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand
but there is total religious freedom and all major religions can be found in
practice. There is absolute freedom of religion - Islam, Christianity, Hinduism
and other faiths are practiced and protected by the constitution. Buddhism is
the faith of 95 percent of the population, 4 percent are Muslims, 0.5 percent
and Christians, and the remainder Hindus, Sikhs and other religion. Despite the
fact that Buddhism is the faith of majority, both the king and the government
uphold and support all the religions accepted by the people. Amidst rich
diversity of beliefs, people of Thailand have always lived together in peace
and harmony.
The Freedom of religion is protected through statutory means. The
law provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected
this right in practice; however, it does not register new religious groups that
have not been accepted into one of the existing religious governing bodies on
doctrinal or other grounds. In practice, unregistered religious organizations
operated freely, and the Government's practice of not recognizing any new
religious groups did not restrict the activities of unregistered religious
groups.
In addition, Buddhist monks also played an important role in the
religious activities of society. Buddhist monks have always been accorded great
respect for renouncing worldly pleasures and seriously undertaking study of the
Buddha's teaching to attain 'perfect manhood'.
Religious activities in Thailand are as Wesak, Loi Krathong,
Songkran, etc., that each of these religious festivals have specific purposes.
Wesak
The exact date of Wesak varies according to the various lunar
calendars used in different traditions. In Theravada countries following the
Buddhist calendar, it falls on the full moon Uposatha day (typically the 5th or
6th lunar month). The Day of Wesak was first celebrated during the Sukhothai
period. An extraordinary aspect of the occasion is that the three incidents
took place on the same day but different years.
Loi Krathong
Loi Krathong is a festival celebrated annually. Loi Krathong takes
place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai
lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November.
"Loi" means "to float" and a
"krathong" is traditionally made from a section of banana tree trunk.
During the night of the full moon, Thais will float their krathong on a river,
canal or a pond lake. The festival is believed to originate in an ancient
practice of paying respect to the spirit of the waters. Today it is simply a
time to have fun.
The origins of Loi Krathong are stated to be in Sukhothai, but
recently scholars have argued that it is in fact an invention from the Bangkok
period. Apart from venerating the Buddha with light (the candle on the raft),
the act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's
grudges, anger and defilements, so that one can start life afresh on a better
foot. People will also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the raft
as a symbol of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. Many Thai believe that
floating a raft will bring good luck, and they do it to honor and thank the
Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha.
Songkran
Of all the feasts and festivals in Thailand, which are many, the
Songkran Festival is the most striking. It begins on the 13th April and ends on
the 15th April, but occasionally in certain years on the 16th April.
The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water.
Thais roam the streets with containers of water or water guns (sometimes mixed
with mentholated talc), or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden
hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the
main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and
pay respects to elders, including family members, friends, neighbors, and
monks.
In my experience and understanding while i was there, the throwing
of water originated as a way to pay respect to people. The water is meant as a
symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant
herbs when celebrated in the traditional manner.
These are just some examples of the three major festivals that I
have explained above, where there are many religious celebrations and festivals
in Thailand, each was interesting and unique.
CUSTOMS INCLUDING MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
There is 10 Thai customs to know while
visiting Thailand such as Versatile Greeting, Absolute Reverence, National
Pride, Colorful Days, Never mind, Sexual Tolerance, Religious Objects, Bodily
Conduct, Nicknames and Bathroom Basics. But the most important customs is
wedding customs.
Marriage in Thailand can involve
following various customs and traditions along with two different wedding
ceremonies. Traditional Thai brides and their families may well want to follow
the local customs of Thong Mun and Sin Sod before or during the actual marriage
ceremony.
Tong Mun literally means “gold
engagement” and is the equivalent to the Western custom of giving your bride to
be an engagement ring. Sometimes the gold gifts are delivered at a betrothal
ceremony, where the groom is introduced to the family and promises them that he
will take care of their daughter. If all goes well the couple are considered
“engaged to be married” at the end of the ceremony.
Sin Sod on the other hand is what
might be called a dowry or bride price by a Westerner although this is not the
interpretation a Thai person would offer. Thai custom sees Sin Sod as a way of
compensating the family for the loss of their daughter who they have cared for from birth and who on
marriage will no longer contribute to the family wealth. It also provides an opportunity for the groom
to demonstrate his ability to care for the families daughter.
The Thai wedding ceremony is unique.
It used to be more complex with lots of steps such as door ceremony, wash feet
ceremony and shell ceremony. Presently,
it has been modified to be more modern and less complex. Usually, they have a
Monk Blessing as is the Buddhism custom at the house of the bride or the
bridegroom (which will be the place for the event) in the morning.
ACCEPTABLE GENDER ROLES AND OCCUPATIONS
Over the past few decades, Thais have
made great strides in accepting and adjusting to new definitions of gender
roles. Gender segregation abound in Thai society. One of the 227 monastic rules
of the monks dictates that in addition to being celibate, monks are not to have
any physical contact with women. Women, including the monks' family members,
are precluded from certain activities in religious ceremonies to prevent any
possibility of ritual purity violation, even accidental contact such as a
slight brush of hands.
Thai women participate actively in the
labour force constituting nearly half of the economically employed
population. Job opportunities are now
much more accessible to women whose potential and capabilities have been
recognized. In spite of the active roles played by Thai women in all spheres of
national development, traditional values and customs have somewhat ascribed a
subordinate position to them in social hierarchies. In politics and
administration, women’s representation is still negligible.
In fact, in the context of gender
mainstreaming approach, different institutional mechanisms have been installed
and many gender-sensitive activities launched by NGO advocates. These have
resulted in many gains for women and in the better integration of gender
perspectives in the development mainstream.
Among those include the emergence of government’s clear policies for women,
legislative changes, heightened public awareness on the contribution and
changing roles of women by annually rewarding outstanding women, and a larger
pool of trained women leaders through training to reshape the development
agenda at the national and local levels.
Meanwhile, the major employment
sectors of society Thais are agriculture, Manufacturing, Wholesale and Retail
Trade, followed by other services. Other services include financial sector,
education, hotels and restaurants, etc. Tourism also contributes significantly
to the Thai economy.
DIETARY PRACTICES
The uniqueness of dietary practices of
Thai cuisine has been mentioned worldwide and tempted people the world over to
experience Thai food, because of its exquisite savory flavors, colors, and
textures. It is certainly agreeable that eating Thai style will enhance the
body with appropriate nutrients, energy, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber
for preventing coronary heart disease, dyslipidaemia, strokes, obesity,
diabetes and some cancers.
The main food in Thailand is rice. Everyone
has eaten it since they were born. But we can't really eat rice alone so we
have to have something to go with it. There are many dishes of food to go with
rice. Most of them are hot and spicy and that is what Thai food is famous for.
Thai people are used to eating rice with their meal. Most Thai people can't
have sandwiches for their meal. They call sandwiches a snack. Also, most Thai
people do not sit down to eat a proper meal because they usually eat when they
are hungry, especially kids and teenagers.
The origin of the Thai diet begins
with the waterborne community. From information in King Ramkhamhaeng’s famous
stone inscription in the early 13th
century, it is clear that rice and fish were the major ingredients of Thai
cuisine. Aquatic animals, plants and herbs are still used a great deal in
preparing meals; large pieces of meat are rarely used in any dish. The common
cooking methods still widely practiced are stewing, grilling and baking; frying
is an influence of Chinese cuisine. Fresh spices and herbs are common, basic
ingredients in most Thai dishes. In a proper Thai meal, dishes are not served
in courses; instead, they are served at the same time allowing the various
dishes to complement and enhance each other.
The one thing the Thai’s most
definitely do right is eat, and when they eat they eat well. Dietary practices
of eating Thai style is a communal thing. The good thing about eating Thai
style in Thailand is that the food, with some exceptions, is always fresh and
usually very healthy for you with lots of vegetables and fish on offer.
INFLUENCES AND INTERACT
Example Of Religious Observances
Today, the social
role more clearly in the life of
monks rural villages
than in urban life of the capital, towns and cities. Thai society is respect for their Monks.
For them, the Monk is a very high on the
side of religion in which Monk plays in their
daily lives because he was said
to be reborn into a new life and the past
but said there is
no sin even though he was married.
A monk is not allowed to touch money, so if a man
wishes to give money to a monk, he must place it in the alms bowl or pouch.
Thailand society also believe that a
monk may leave the monk hood any time he wishes. The Thai ordination is a
public notice of a man's intention to follow the Buddha's teaching. He is not
obliged to remain a monk for life, nor does any stigma attach should he decide
to return to secular life. The monks follow a simple life a which starts early
in the morning. They walk around the
areas adjacent the temple to receive alms from the local community. This is
where practically all of their food comes from.
Example Of Customs Including Marriage Customs
Choice of a marriage mate is usually
based on the individual's preference. In Thai households today, men are
typically the main source of income in a married couple. Major decisions of
allocating resources thus remain in the hands of the men, whereas the women
often manage the finances on a day-to-day basis. It was customary for all
Thai people in
particular.
However, in the
tradition customs of Thailand felt that pointing at someone or touching someone with feet is
considered to be highly disrespectful. In other words, it
was quite rude.
In addition, it
is a tradition for the Thailand community that
women maintain strong connections with their mothers, even when
migration and poverty make contacts difficult. Women working in cities often
send money to their families upcountry, visit them annually, and most return to
the villages when their target income is achieved or when their employment or
marriage ends.
Example
of Acceptable Gender Roles And
Occupations
Although, women
have been known to play an important role no matter whether in life or in work,
society Thailand view this as the norm and not the oblique view, whereas men
often quite lazy in their work. This habit also makes this community helping
each other and cooperate with each other.
Interestingly, the name also influence a person to obtain
employment in the government sector in particular. This means, Thailand community regardless of
race whatsoever, must use the name in Thailand to make it easier to obtain
employment in the government sector.
Example Of Dietary Practices
Most young people in Thailand eat
meat. Meanwhile, vegetarianism is not common.
The Thai diet includes
rice/noodles, vegetables/fruits, meat and seafood. Special dietary practices
include the months of fasting for Muslims. For 10 days around October observers
of Chinese Buddhism fast. This activity is voluntary, and those who observe
this practice eat only vegetables and fruits for 10 days. Eating meat is
forbidden on some Holy days for some people. This has been the practice since generations. And it is
practiced today.
Buddhists also believe that humans can be reincarnated as
animals and vice versa; this is another reason for vegetarianism amongst
Buddhists. But it’s not just meat. Some Buddhists refrain from eating onion,
garlic and leeks as they are said to increase both sexual desire and anger.
Buddhists monks and nuns will, of course, be far stricter
in their adherence to dietary rules. They rely for their food on alms given to
them and at one time they were expected to eat anything that was put into their
begging bowl even if it were rotten.
Buddha himself advised monks to avoid eating ten kinds of
meat such as elephant, dog, horse, lion, tiger, boar, panther, hyena, snake and
also human.
CONCLUSION
Although there are many features of culture in society Thailand but each culture has a description and the uniqueness of its own.
The Thai people are renowned for their peaceful friendly
and softly spoken manner, and it’s difficult not to become endeared to this
mild natured national personality and its graceful ways. Even in the cities and
tourist areas where the ancient cultures and customs of the more remote
villages have blended with a more liberal and westernised way of life, Thai
people still practice and display many of the traditions and customs which make
this country and its people so unique.
Whilst the Thais are very tolerant with tourists, any
visitor should take the time to understand this unique culture and its customs
as there are many do’s and don’ts. Public displays of affection between men and
women are frowned upon in Thai culture, as is a woman showing too much skin
(especially shoulders and legs above the knee). The top of the head is
considered sacred, and patting a Thai on the head (even a child) is a big.
Feet, especially the soles of the feet are considered to be unclean, thus pointing
your feet at someone would be considered to be rude.
Thus, Thailand
culture has been practiced since generations. According to them, there is nothing better than having a culture
that values as well as respect for one another. With the cultural values in a society, we can
know that every
culture of the society is different and has unique features such as
people in Asia, Africa
and Europe where there is a
difference that is quite unique
and distinctive.
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ATTACHMENT
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