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The Culture of Thailand is heavily influenced by Buddhism. Other influences have included Hinduism, conflict and trade with Southeast Asian neighbors such as Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, and repeated influxes of Chinese immigrants. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Thai seafood curry Tom yam gung Thai cuisine is known for its balance of five fundamental flavors in each dish or the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional). ... Khon performance in 2006 in Germany. ... Thailands population is relatively homogeneous. ... The cinema of Thailand has a history that stretches back to early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorns 1897 visit to Berne, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. ... Public holidays in Thailand UN Thailand: Official Holidays in 2006 Thai Calendar of Events Categories: | | ... Literature in Thailand was traditionally heavily influenced by Indian culture. ... Thailand retains cultural connections with the two great centers of Asian civilizations, India and China. ... Click here to visit Thailand The politics of Thailand currently takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Anthem Kaba Ma Kyei Capital Naypyidaw Largest city Yangon Official languages Burmese Demonym Burmese Government Military junta  -  Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Than Shwe  -  Prime Minister Soe Win  -  Acting Prime Minister Thein Sein Establishment  -  Bagan 849–1287   -  Taungoo Dynasty 1486–1752   -  Konbaung Dynasty 1752–1885   -  Colonial rule...

Arts

Main article: Thai art

Thai visual art was traditionally primarily Buddhist. Thai Buddha images from different periods have a number of distinctive styles. Contemporary Thai art often combines traditional Thai elements with modern techniques. It has been suggested that Thai contemporary art be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Thai contemporary art be merged into this article or section. ... Footprint of the Buddha. ... Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Gautama Buddha, 6th to 5th century BCE, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world. ... Dejeuner sur lHerbe by Pablo Picasso At the Moulin Rouge: Two Women Waltzing by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1892 The Scream by Edvard Munch, 1893 I and the Village by Marc Chagall, 1911 Fountain by Marcel Duchamp, 1917 Campbells Soup Cans 1962 Synthetic polymer paint on thirty-two...

Literature in Thailand is heavily influenced by Indian culture. The most notable works of Thai literature are a version of the Ramayana called the Ramakien, written in part by Kings Rama I and Rama II, and the poetry of Sunthorn Phu. Literature in Thailand was traditionally heavily influenced by Indian culture. ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... Figure of a giant at the golden chedi in Wat Phra Kaew Ramakien is Thailands national epic, derived from the Indian Ramayana epic. ... His Majesty King Rama I of Siam (portrait in the National History Museum, Bangkok) Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke or Rama I the Great, was king of Thailand from 1782 to 1809. ... Phuttaloetla Nabhalai, Rama II, now known as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (February 24, 1767–July 21, 1824), was the son of King Rama I and Queen Amarindra. ... This article is about the art form. ... Sunthorn Phu (or Sunthon Phu, 1786–1855) is Thailands best-known poet. ...

There is no tradition of spoken drama in Thailand, the role instead being filled by Thai dance. This is divided into three categories- khon, lakhon and likay- khon being the most elaborate and likay the most populist. Nang drama, a form of shadow play, is found in the south. For other uses, see Drama (disambiguation). ... Thai dance is the main dramatic art form of Thailand. ... Nang drama is a form of shadow play found in Thailand. ... A shadow puppet is a puppet intended for performance at night or in a darkened interior space. ...

The music of Thailand includes classical and folk music traditions as well as string or pop music. Thailand retains cultural connections with the two great centers of Asian civilizations, India and China. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ...

Religion

Thailand is nearly 95% Theravada Buddhist, with minorities of Muslims (4.6%), Christians (0.7%), Mahayana Buddhists, and other religions.^[1] Thai Theravada Buddhism supported and overseen by the government, with monks receiving a number of government benefits, such as free use of the public transportation infrastructure. The Thai Sangha is divided into two main orders, the Thammayut Nikaya and the Maha Nikaya, and headed by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, currently Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera. A recent reformist group, Santi Asoke, is forbidden to describe itself as Buddhist. Buddhism in Thailand is strongly influenced by traditional beliefs regarding ancestral and natural spirits, which have been incorporated into Buddhist cosmology. Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school. ... Sangha (संघ saṃgha) is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as association or assembly or community. It is commonly used in several senses to refer to Buddhist or Jain groups. ... Thammayut Nikaya (Pali), literally Those adhering strictly to the monastic dicipline, also known in the West as the Thai Forest Tradition, is an order of Theravada Buddhist monks in Thailand. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For information on the patriarchs of the Western religions, see Patriarch. ... Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera is the 19th and current Supreme Patriarch of Thailand. ... The Santi Asoke [(Pali) (Thai: ) literally Peaceful Asoke] sect of Theravada Buddhism was established by a former television entertainer and songwriter Phra Bodhirak after he declared independence from the Ecclesiastical Council in 1975. [[1]]. He had originally ordained within a monastery recognized by the Thai Sangha, but soon left with...

Prior to the rise of Theravada Buddhism, both Indian Brahmanic religion and Mahayana Buddhism were present in Thailand. Influences from both these traditions can still be seen in the present day. Brahmanist shrines play an important role in Thai folk religion, and the Mahayana Buddhist influence is reflected in the presence of figures like Lokesvara, a form of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara sometimes incorporated into Thailand's iconography. Lands Bhutan â€¢ China â€¢ Korea Japan â€¢ Tibet â€¢ Vietnam Taiwan â€¢ Mongolia Doctrine Bodhisattva â€¢ Bodhicitta Karuna â€¢ Prajna Sunyata â€¢ Buddha Nature Trikaya â€¢ Eternal Buddha Scriptures Prajnaparamita Sutra Avatamsaka Sutra Lotus Sutra Nirvana Sutra VimalakÄ«rti Sutra Lankavatara Sutra History 4th Buddhist Council Silk Road â€¢ Nagarjuna Asanga â€¢ Vasubandhu Bodhidharma      A statue of a Bodhisattva, Akasagarbha. ... Avalokitesvara with a 1,000 arms, part of the Dazu Stone Carvings at Mount Baoding, Dazu County, Chongqing, China. ...

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Thailand

Thai cuisine is famous for the blending of four fundamental tastes: Thai seafood curry Tom yam gung Thai cuisine is known for its balance of five fundamental flavors in each dish or the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional). ... Thai seafood curry Tom yam gung Thai cuisine is known for its balance of five fundamental flavors in each dish or the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional). ...

• sweet (sugar, fruits, sweet peppers)
• spicy hot (chilies)
• sour (vinegar, lime juice, tamarind)
• salty (soy sauce, fish sauce)

Most of the dishes in Thai cuisine try to combine most, if not all, of these tastes. It is accomplished by using a host of herbs, spices and fruit, including: chili, cumin, garlic, ginger, basil, sweet basil, lime, lemongrass, coriander, pepper, turmeric, and shallots. This article is about the plants used in cooking and medicine. ... External links Wikibooks Cookbook has more about this subject: Spice Food Bacteria-Spice Survey Shows Why Some Cultures Like It Hot Citat: ...Garlic, onion, allspice and oregano, for example, were found to be the best all-around bacteria killers (they kill everything). ... The chile pepper, chili pepper, or chilli pepper, or simply chile, is the fruit of the plant Capsicum from the nightshade family, Solanaceae. ... Geerah redirects here. ... Binomial name L. Allium sativum L., commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. ... For other uses, see Ginger (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Basil (disambiguation). ... This article is about basil the plant and herb. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Species Over 50: see text Lemon Grass Lemon grass or lemongrass is a perennial herb used in Asian (particularly Thai, Khmer and Vietnamese) and Caribbean cooking. ... For other uses, see Coriander (disambiguation). ... Binomial name L. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. ... Binomial name Linnaeus Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia. ... Binomial name Allium oschaninii O. Fedtsch For other uses, see Shallot (disambiguation). ...

Sport

The most popular team sport in Thailand is football. However, the professional leagues Thai League and Pro League in Thailand are in their infancy. The English and Premiership have large followings. Muay Thai (Thai boxing) is probably the most popular spectator sport in Thailand. The other main indigenous sport is takraw, which is similar to volleyball, but played with the feet and a light rattan ball. There are several versions of the game with differing rules. Soccer redirects here. ... Thai League or currently the Thailand Premier League is Thailands football championships. ... Pro League is the first profession Football league in Thailand. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For the Scottish equivalent see Scottish Premier League The FA Premier League (often referred to as the Barclays Premiership in England and the Barclays English Premier League or just simply The EPL internationally) is a league competition for football clubs located at the top of the English football league system... For the drink with a similar-sounding name, see Mai Tai. ... A spectator sport is a sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sepak Takraw. ... For the ball used in this sport, see Volleyball (ball). ... Genera Calamus Calospatha Ceratolobus Daemonorops Eremospatha Eugeissonia Korthalsia Laccosperma Metroxylon Myrialepis Oncocalamus Pigafetta Plectocomia Plectomiopsis Raphia Zalacca Zalacella Rattan (from the Malay rotan), is the name for the roughly six hundred species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australasia. ...

There is a Swan Boat circuit where the villages field teams compete. The International invitational race is usually in November. Swan boat is a very long and narrow human powered boat used in the team paddling sport of swan boat racing. ...

Egg rolling once enjoyed national-pastime status, but famine and egg shortages around the middle of the last century caused it to retreat to rural villages, where it is still practised with traditional vigour.

Customs

One of the most distinctive Thai customs is the wai, which is similar to the Indian namaste gesture. Showing greeting, farewell, or acknowledgment, it comes in several forms reflecting the relative status of those involved, but generally it involves a prayer-like gesture with the hands and a bow of the head. Woman performing namaste gesture. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Physical demonstrations of affection in public are common between friends, but less so between lovers. It is thus common to see friends walking together holding hands, but couples rarely do so except in westernized areas. Arthur and Guinevere kiss before all the people. ...

A notable social norm holds that touching someone on the head may be considered rude. It is also considered rude to place one's feet at a level above someone else's head, especially if that person is of higher social standing. This is because the Thai people consider the foot to be the dirtiest and lowest part of the body, and the head the most respected and highest part of the body. This also influences how Thais sit when on the ground -- their feet always pointing away from others, tucked to the side or behind them. Pointing at or touching something with the feet is also considered rude. It has been suggested that Convention (norm) be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the study of touching behaviour in humans. ... For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). ...

It is also considered extremely rude to step on a Thai coin, because the king's head appears on the coin. When sitting in a temple, one is expected to point one's feet away from images of the Buddha. Shrines inside Thai residences are arranged so as to ensure that the feet are not pointed towards the religious icons -- such as placing the shrine on the same wall as the head of a bed, if a house is too small to remove the shrine from the bedroom entirely. For other uses, see Monarch (disambiguation). ...

It is also customary to remove one's footwear before entering a home or a temple, and not to step on the threshold. This article is about the Southeast Asian temple. ... Look up Threshold in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

There are a number of Thai customs relating to the special status of monks in Thai society. Because of their religious discipline, Thai monks are forbidden physical contact with women. Women are therefore expected to make way for passing monks to ensure that accidental contact does not occur. A variety of methods are employed to ensure that no incidental contact (or the appearance of such contact) between women and monks occurs. Women making offerings to monks place their donation at the feet of the monk, or on a cloth laid on the ground or a table. Powders or ungents intended to carry a blessing are applied to Thai women by monks using the end of a candle or stick. Lay people are expected to sit or stand with their heads at a lower level than that of a monk. Within a temple, monks may sit on a raised platform during ceremonies to make this easier to achieve.

Marriage

Thai marriage ceremonies between Buddhists are generally divided into two parts: a Buddhist component, which includes the recitation of prayers and the offering of food and other gifts to monks and images of the Buddha, and a non-Buddhist component rooted in folk traditions, which centers on the couple's family.

In former times, it was unknown for Buddhist monks to be present at any stage of the marriage ceremony itself. As monks were required to attend to the dead during funerals, their presence at a marriage (which was associated with fertility, and intended to produce children) was considered a bad omen. A couple would seek a blessing from their local temple before or after being married, and might consult a monk for astrological advice in setting an auspicious date for the wedding. The non-Buddhist portions of the wedding would take place away from the temple, and would often take place on a separate day. A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ...

In modern times, these prohibitions have been significantly relaxed. It is not uncommon for a visit to a temple to be made on the same day as the non-Buddhist portions of a wedding, or even for the wedding to take place within the temple. While a division is still commonly observed between the "religious" and "secular" portions of a wedding service, it may be as simple as the monks present for the Buddhist ceremony departing to take lunch once their role is complete.

During the Buddhist component of the wedding service, the couple first bow before the image of the Buddha. They then recite certain basic Buddhist prayers or chants (typically including taking the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts), and light incense and candles before the image. The parents of the couple may then be called upon to 'connect' them, by placing upon the heads of the bride and groom twin loops of string or thread that link the couple together. The couple may then make offerings of food, flowers, and medicine to the monks present. Cash gifts (usually placed in an envelope) may also be presented to the temple at this time. Media:Example. ... The Three Jewels, also rendered as Three Treasures, Three Refuges or Triple Gem (Sanskrit: Triratna, also Ratna-traya, Pali: Tiratana, Tisarana Chinese: 三寶 or 三宝, Sānbǎo, Japanese: Sambō or Sampō) are the three things that Buddhists give themselves to, and in return look toward for guidance, in the process known... This article is about the Buddhist concept; see Pancasila Indonesia for the Indonesian state philosophy. ...

The monks may then unwind a small length of thread that is held between the hands of the assembled monks. They begin a series of recitations of Pali scriptures intended to bring merit and blessings to the new couple. The string terminates with the lead monk, who may connect it to a container of water that will be 'sanctified' for the ceremony. Merit is said to travel through the string and be conveyed to the water; a similar arrangement is used to transfer merit to the dead at a funeral, further evidence of the weakening of the taboo on mixing funerary imagery and trappings with marriage ceremonies. Blessed water may be mixed with wax drippings from a candle lit before the Buddha image and other ungents and herbs to create a 'paste' that is then applied to the foreheads of the bride and groom to create a small 'dot', similar to the marking sometimes made with red ochre on Hindu devotees. The bride's mark is created with the butt end of the candle rather than the monk's thumb, in keeping with the Vinaya prohibition against touching women. Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Red ochre and yellow ochre (pronounced //, from the Greek ochros, yellow) are pigments made from naturally tinted clay. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Pali or Sanskrit word meaning discipline. The Vinaya is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ...

The highest-ranking monk present may elect to say a few words to the couple, offering advice or encouragement. The couple may then make offerings of food to the monks, at which point the Buddhist portion of the ceremony is concluded.

The Thai dowry system is known as the 'Sin Sodt'. Traditionally, the groom will be expected to pay a sum of money to the family, to compensate them and to demonstrate that the groom is financially capable of taking care of their daughter. Sometimes, this sum is purely symbolic, and will be returned to the bride and groom after the wedding has taken place. A dowry (also known as trousseau) is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage. ...

The religious component of marriage ceremonies between Thai Muslims are markedly different from that described above. The Imam of the local mosque, the groom, the father of the bride, men in the immediate family and important men in the community sit in a circle during the ceremony, conducted by the Imam. All the women, including the bride, sit in a separate room and do not have any direct participation in the ceremony. The secular component of the ceremony, however, is often nearly identical to the secular part of Thai Buddhist wedding ceremonies. The only notable difference here is the type of meat served to guests(goat and/or beef instead of pork). Thai muslims frequently, though not always, also follow the conventions of the Thai dowry system.

Funerals

Traditionally funerals last for a week. Crying is discouraged during the funeral, so as not to worry the spirit of the deceased. Many activities surrounding the funeral are intended to make merit for the deceased. Copies of Buddhist scriptures may be printed and distributed in the name of the deceased, and gifts are usually given to a local temple. Monks are invited to chant prayers that are intended to provide merit for the deceased, as well as to provide protection against the possibility of the dead relative returning as a malicious spirit. A picture of the deceased from his/her best days will often be displayed next to the coffin. Often, a thread is connected to the corpse or coffin which is held by the chanting monks during their recitation; this thread is intended to transfer the merit of the monks' recitation to the deceased. The corpse is cremated, and the urn with the ash is usually kept in a chedi in the local temple. The Chinese minority however buries the deceased. For other uses, see Funeral (disambiguation). ... The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. ... The Great Stupa at Sanchi. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Holidays

See also: Public holidays in Thailand

Important holidays in Thai culture include Thai New Year, or Songkran, which officially observed from April 13 to 15 each year. Falling at the end of the dry season and during the hot season in Thailand, the celebrations notoriously feature boisterous water throwing. The water throwing stemmed from washing Buddha images and lightly sprinkling scented water on the hands of elderly people. Small amounts of scented talcum powder were also used in the annual cleansing rite. But in recent decades the use of water has intensified with the use of hoses, barrels, squirt guns, high-pressure tubes and copious amounts of powder. Public holidays in Thailand UN Thailand: Official Holidays in 2006 Thai Calendar of Events Categories: | | ... New Year celebration near Khao Sarn Road The Thai New Year (Thai: Songkran) is celebrated every year on 13 April to 15 April. ... is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... Media:Example. ... A water pistol A squirt gun (or water pistol) is a type of toy designed to shoot water. ...

Another holiday is Loy Krathong, which is held on the 12 full moon of the Thai lunar calendar. While not a government-observed holiday, it is nonetheless an auspicious day in Thai culture, in which Thai people "loi", meaning "to float" a "krathong", a small raft traditionally made from a section of banana tree, decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, incense sticks etc. 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. Fireworks and large rafts on the Chao Phraya River, Loy Krathong Festival of Light, Bangkok, November 2004 Loy Krathong (or Loi Kratong, Thai ลอยกระทง) is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand. ... The Thai lunar calendar or Patitin Chantarakati (Thai: ปฏิทินจันทรคติ) was replaced by the Patitin Suriyakati (ปฎิทินสุริยคติ) Thai solar calendar in AD 1888 2431 BE for most purposes, but the Chantarakati still determines most Buddhist feast or holy days, as well as a day for the famous Loy Krathong festival. ...

Nicknames

See also: Thai names

Thais universally have one, or occasionally more, short nicknames (Thai: ชึ่อเล่น play-name) that they use with friends and family. Often first given by friends or an older family member, these nicknames are typically one syllable (or worn down from two syllables to one). Though they may be simply shortened versions of a full name, they quite frequently have no relation to the Thai’s full name and are often humorous and/or nonsense words. Some common nicknames (the non-nonsense ones, anyway) would translate into English as fatty, pig, little one, frog, banana, green, or girl/boy. Though rare, sometimes Thai children are given nicknames after the order they were born into the family (i.e. one, two, three, etc.). Nicknames are useful because official Thai names are often long, particularly among Thais of Chinese descent, whose lengthy names stem from an attempt to translate Chinese names into Thai equivalents, or among Thais with similarly lengthy Sanskrit derived names. Thai names follow the Western pattern in which the family name follows a first or given name. ... EXAMPLE:Laughbox,Blondie,BamBam,Pinkie,etc. ... The Chinese name is made up of a family name (姓), which is always placed first, followed by a generation name and personal name as part of the given name (名). ...

Notes

1. ^ CIA World Factbook: Thailand. Central Intelligence Agency (2007-2-8). Retrieved on 2007-3-7.

See also

• Cinema of Thailand
• Media of Thailand
• Thailand National Artist

The cinema of Thailand has a history that stretches back to early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorns 1897 visit to Berne, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. ... Thailand has a well-developed media sector, especially by Southeast Asian standards. ... Thailand National Artist (Thai: ) is a title given annually by the Office of the National Culture Commission, Thailand Ministry of Culture, recognizing notable Thai artists in literature, fine arts, visual arts, applied arts (architecture, design) and performing arts (Thai dance, international dance, puppetry, shadow play, Thai music, international music, drama...

External links

Learn Thai Culture.com

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