|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
wai- the
raising of the hands, palms joined and placed in a
position lightly touching the body somewhere between the
chest and the forehead- is an important social custom that
reinforces both social structure and religious observance..
The graceful gesture is a combination of greeting, display
of respect and statement of a person's rank in the social
hierarchy. The Thai wai [pronounced "wye"] is
not just " hello." Who wais whom, who wais first,
and exactly how one places the hands in relation to other
person are all involved in the act of wai-ing. |
|
|
|
Drivers
passing the Erawan Shrine, at one of the busiest
intersections in central Bangkok, will take both hands
off the steering wheel to wai the image of Brahma housed
there. A younger person wais an older; a Buddhist monk
never wais a layman, not even the King. |
|
|
The
lower the inclination of the head over the joined hands,
the greater the amount of respect shown. Those of lower
status always initiate the wai, and the gesture may or
may not be retured by the person of higher status.
Social equals will wai each other, and it is age that
counts, not sex. Thus a younger man will wai an older
woman first if she is of the same social status. It is
inappropriate for an older person to wai a younger
person first. Such an action is supposed to take seven
years off the younger person's life. |
|
|
The
shape formed by the hands in making the wai is like the
closed lotus bud, which is often offered to the Lord
Buddha as a symbol of purity. |
|
|
|
|
|
Contents
taken from Sawasdee Magazine.
Contents Copyright © by Thai Airways International
Public Co. Ltd
Design Copyright © 2002 by Mahidol University
Last updated : November 1, 2002
|
To
Contact us, please mail to Web maintainer,
The current Local time is 09:24:52 AM (GMT+0700+07)
|
|
|
