Thai Temple Etiquette: What to Wear and How to Behave

At a Thai temple (วัดwát), cover your shoulders and knees, take off your shoes before entering any building with a Buddha image, and never point your feet at the Buddha or at a monk. Temples are open to everyone and visitors are welcome. A few simple habits show respect and make you feel at ease.

What to wear

Cover your shoulders and knees: a T-shirt with sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt are perfect. Skip tight, see-through and very short clothes. The big Bangkok temples, such as Wat Phra Kaew at the Grand Palace, check at the gate and will turn you away; many temples lend or rent out sarongs. Signs often say แต่งกายสุภาพdtàeng-gaai sù-pâap, "dress politely".

Shoes off

Take off your shoes before you enter the ordination hall (โบสถ์bòot) or the main prayer hall (วิหารwí-hǎan). Look for the pile of shoes by the steps, or a sign saying ถอดรองเท้าtàwt rawng-táao. Socks are fine. Step over the raised doorstep rather than on it.

Inside the hall

• Sit on the floor with your feet tucked behind you or to one side, never stretched out towards a Buddha image (พระพุทธรูปprá-pút-tá-rûup) or a monk. Feet are the lowest part of the body, and pointing them at anything sacred is the classic mistake.
• Speak quietly, take off your hat and silence your phone.
• Don't touch or climb on Buddha images. Photos are usually fine unless a sign says ห้ามถ่ายรูปhâam tàai-rûup, but keep them respectful.
• Women should not touch a monk or hand him anything directly (see the lesson on monks and merit).
• Walk around a chedi (เจดีย์jee-dii) clockwise, keeping it on your right.

How to pay respect

Visitors who want to ไหว้พระwâai prá, "pay respect to the Buddha", are welcome to. At the temple stall, buy a candle (เทียนtian), three incense sticks (ธูปtûup) and a lotus or some flowers (ดอกไม้dàwk-máai). Light the candle, then the incense from the candle, and kneel in front of the Buddha image. Put your palms together, raise them to your forehead and bow down three times (กราบgràap): once each for the Buddha, his teaching and the monks. Place your flowers, and drop a donation in the box if you like.

Good to know

• Temples are busiest on วันพระwan prá, the Buddhist holy days that follow the moon, and at festivals like Songkran.
• The famous Bangkok temples charge foreigners an entrance fee; most others are free, with a donation box.
• In Chiang Mai, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, at the top of its long naga staircase, are good places to start.

You'll use these words in Unit 19 of the free course, set at Songkran in Chiang Mai.