- Travel vlogger shares top tips for things you should never do when in Thailand
From Bangkok to Phuket, Thailand has long had a reputation as one of the most desirable countries to visit in the world.
With a wonderfully varied cuisine from pork krapow to Tom yum soup and Thai green curry, the country has a lot to offer beside its idyllic beaches and full moon parties.
However, just like any country in the world, there are certain traps that anyone unfamiliar with their surroundings may fall into or not be aware of.
Thankfully for anyone wishing to travel to the Far East country, a travel vlogger has taken to TikTok to share the four things you should never do when in Thailand.
The video, which has over 12,000 views on TikTok, had many people in agreement with Casey’s advice
Casey said tourists should steer clear of touching anyone on their head as it is ‘the most holy part of the body and is seen as disrespectful’
Posting to her channel @howtotravelfulltime, travel vlogger Casey’s first tip concerned taking selfies with tigers, which is a popular practice among tourists in Thailand.
She said: ‘Please don’t take pictures with the tigers because many of them are being mistreated, used and abused for entertainment purposes’.
Continuing on an animal-related tangent, her second tip concerned the exploitation of elephants in the country, which saw her warn: ‘Don’t go to elephant shows or on an elephant ride because they are not made for riding, which can cause them to develop spinal injuries’.
However, she did say there were ‘some ethical elephant sanctuaries’ in Thailand, urging tourists to ‘make sure they do their research’ responsibly.
Next up, Casey said tourists should steer clear of touching anyone on their head as it is ‘the most holy part of the body and is seen as disrespectful’.
Indeed, in the country, the head is considered sacred and the cleanest part of the body, so it’s deemed offensive to touch people’s heads or hair.
Just make sure that If you slip up and do this accidently, that you apologise as soon as you can and you might find most Thais will quickly forgive you for your error but it is of course best avoided in the first place.
Finally, she advised that tourists visiting Thailand should never ‘use their feet for anything other than walking’ because ‘pointing with your feet is seen as impolite’.
Feet are considered to be the dirtiest part of the body in Thailand, and shoes even more so. Therefore, it’s considered a big no-no to point at anything with your feet, put your feet up on the table, or touch anyone with your feet.
Pictured: File image of Beach of Koh Rok Island, Krabi Province, Thailand
A baby elephant playing at Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. Casey’s second tip concerned the exploitation of elephants in the country, which saw her warn: ‘Don’t go to elephant shows or on an elephant ride because they are not made for riding, which can cause them to develop spinal injuries’
The video, which has over 12,000 views on TikTok, had many people in agreement with Casey’s advice.
Reacting, one user posted: ‘Thank you for sharing about animals- so important! Highly recommend Elephant Nature Park as an ethical sanctuary.’
Another added: ‘And don’t go walking around without a top on if you are a guy, if you go and drive without one on a scooter or a car etc. You will get a heavy fine if you’re seen’.
A third wrote: ‘The feet is just to the older generation or monks. sit with your feet flat on the floor.’
