TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Temples are among the tourist attractions that attract many visitors to Thailand. The White Elephant country has more than 33,000 temples, from the smallest ones to those owned by the royal family. Among the temples often visited are Wat Arun in Bangkok and the pale white Wat Rong Khun in the northern province of Chiang Rai.
Visiting temples is different from visiting a museum or a beach. Visitors need to adhere to the etiquette that applies there. Here are some etiquette rules that visitors need to know.
1. Do not wear revealing clothing
As reported by Bangkok Post, Uma Puacksumran, a tour guide in Thailand, suggests wearing covered clothing. The staff at Wat Kalayanamit are not strict with dress code rules, but the staff at Wat Pho requires visitors to dress modestly. Temple staff provide robes for tourists wearing revealing clothing. The general rule to follow is to cover the legs and shoulders.
2. Pay respect and make offerings
Puacksumran states that locals offer flowers and candles to pay respects at the temple, called wai phra. According to the local news site Inspire Bangkok, non-Buddhists are also welcome to perform wai phra. Visitors can bring their floral arrangements and place them on the altar and in appropriate places of worship. But if using the flowers and candles provided by the temple, do not forget to make a small donation.
3. Never step on the threshold
Removing shoes when entering the temple is a well-known rule for tourists, but not many know that visitors are prohibited from stepping on the threshold. Puacksumran explains that stepping on the threshold is considered to bring bad luck.
According to the local news site Thaizer, the threshold is a barrier to ward off evil spirits. Locals consider stepping on it to be impolite.
4. Ringing the bell
According to the Bangkok Post, Monks traditionally use bells to indicate time. Puacksumran mentions that the bell should ring loudly enough for humans and spirits to hear it, but visitors must be careful when ringing it. Bangkok Post wrote in an article in 2018 that Thais are very sensitive to noise. Therefore, as tourists, it is best to be considerate when ringing the bell.
5. Maintain composure
Behave politely while in the temple environment. The Thailand.go.th website writes that visitors should maintain composure, speech, and thoughts when entering the temple area. Turn off your mobile phone or switch it to silent mode, so it does not disturb others who come to pray, meditate, or engage in religious activities.
Also, do not speak or make loud noises while walking around the vihara or sitting in the chapel. Do not take photos in prohibited areas, only in permitted areas. If you want to photograph a Buddha statue, do so calmly and respectfully.
6. Obey temple prohibitions
There are several prohibitions that visitors must adhere to in the temple.
- Do not smoke, drink alcohol, or use narcotics, to respect the place and honor the Buddhist religion.
- Do not write, damage, destroy, or steal anything in the temple, such as walls, murals, Buddha statues, or artifacts.
- Do not point at people or objects, as it is impolite. If you want to point out parts of the temple, use gestures with the whole hand.
- Do not take photos of others engaging in religious activities.
- Do not take selfies with a Buddha image, as it is disrespectful.
- Do not sit or climb on historical sites within the temple, as this can damage the building.
- Do not sit with your feet pointing towards the Buddha or monks. Instead, bend your knees with your feet pointing backwards or sit cross-legged.
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