Hi everyone! I’m new here, so I’m not sure if this is the right place for this, but I’ve been curious about the wai tradition and have a few questions.
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Hi everyone! I’m new here, so I’m not sure if this is the right place for this, but I’ve been curious about the wai tradition and have a few questions.
1. When should you return a wai?
I didn’t grow up with this tradition, so I’m not entirely clear on the practice. For instance, if a cashier wais to you, should you wai back, or is it unnecessary? Or after receiving services, like at a bank or spa, when they wai to you, are you supposed to return the gesture? What’s the general practice among Thai people?
2. Is it rude to wai with just one hand or wai while holding an item in your hands?
I’ve noticed some people wai with one hand if they’re holding something, while others use both hands with the item between them. Which is considered more respectful or appropriate? Do people in Thailand pay attention to this detail?
3. An experience on the skytrain:
Once, I gave my seat to an older lady on the skytrain, and she wai-ed to me. Caught off guard, I just raised my hand as if to say, “It’s alright, no need to thank me.” But later, I felt uneasy for not returning her wai, as she was much older. Did I come off as disrespectful? What would most Thai people do in this situation—would they return the wai?
Sorry for the long post! I’ve been wondering about this for a while and didn’t know who to ask. Thanks in advance!
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