Wai - A Thai Greeting

Thailand has a rich heritage of traditions and customs that date back to several centuries. Many of the ancient Thai traditions are present till date. During your trip to Thailand you are sure to see many of those amazing traditions and customs. There are some rituals, customs and traditions that are still used by the common people of Thailand. You will be amazed to see some of these traditions of Thailand. These traditions are an integral part of the culture of Thailand and they reflect the richness of Thai cultures as well as traditions.

No matter where you go during your trip to Thailand, you will be greeted by the Thai people. The greeting is known as Wai. Wai is an age old tradition of Thailand and it has its roots in to the culture of the land. The Thai people perform wai with both their hands folded near their chests. The palms of the hands are pressed together in a prayer like gesture. While performing a wai the Thai people bend their body a little with their head bent near their chest. This ritual for greetings is known as wai. It is an age old tradition and an important part of Thai culture. Through wai the Thai people greet each other and convey simple messages like thank you, sorry, good morning , good day and good night. Wai is also used for showing one’s respect towards the elders. However, there are several forms of wai depending on the cast, gender and age. 

There are two different speculations about the origin of wai. According to one speculation this ritual was performed in ancient times to show that a person does not have any weapons in their hands. Other speculation is that wai has a direct connection with Buddhism. In Buddhism after certain prayer you need to bow your head down with a prayer like gesture of hands – this, according to some is the true origin of wai.