Bangkok etiquette: temple dress, monks, the monarchy law, the vape ban and the rules visitors break by accident

💡 The Short Version: Cover shoulders and knees at every temple, and take your shoes off before a hall of worship. The Grand Palace refuses sleeveless shirts, shorts, tight trousers, mini skirts and bike pants; Wat Pho asks for polite dress with women’s shorts below the knee. Women must not touch monks or hand them things directly. Never step on a Buddha image, and never climb one. Criticising the king or the royal family is illegal. Vapes are illegal for everyone. Do not kiss in public, do not touch a head, and do not point with a foot. The sources are the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the Royal Thai Embassy, the UK Foreign Office and the Government of Canada.

⚠️ Dress for the Grand Palace before you leave the hotel. The palace lists what it will not admit: sleeveless shirts, vests, short tops, see-through tops, shorts, torn pants, tight pants, bike pants, mini skirts, pants skirts and sleepwear. (Grand Palace). The Grand Palace tickets page has the opening hours and the gate.

Temples and the palace

The Rattanakosin old city walk and the Chinatown and Talat Noi walk pass several temples, so dress for the stricter rule all day.

Monks at Wat Pho. Photo: Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Monks and Buddha images

• Women and monks: women must not touch a monk or give things directly to one or take things directly from one. Women may not enter areas set aside for monks’ rites (Wat Pho, Royal Thai Embassy).
• Buddha images: never step on one. Only authorised officers may climb a Buddha image, to clean it or place offerings (Wat Pho).
• The law on images: Buddha images are sacred, and sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even when committed by foreign visitors (Royal Thai Embassy).
• Photographs: allowed in temples and ancient monuments at Wat Pho. The Grand Palace has its own filming regulation, linked from its practical information page.
• Manner: stay calm and polite, because the temple is a sacred place, and speak and act gently towards monks (Wat Pho).

The monarchy

Criticising the Thai monarchy, known as lese-majeste, is illegal. The law can be interpreted broadly and carries a long prison sentence, and it covers accusations about members of the Royal Family, past and present. People have been charged for political comments or for sharing articles online (UK Foreign Office). The Government of Canada advises against any public statement, including online, that could be seen as critical of the monarchy, the political situation or the army (Government of Canada). The Royal Thai Embassy says Thai people hold the King, the Queen and the Royal Family in the highest regard and will not tolerate foreigners showing disrespect.

Everyday customs

• The wai: Thais greet with a wai, pressing the palms together at the chest. If someone wais you, wai back, except when a child wais you.
• Heads: do not touch a person’s head or ruffle their hair. The head is the noblest part of the body.
• Feet: do not put your feet on a table, and never use a foot to point at things or to touch anyone.
• Public affection: intimacies between a man and a woman should not be shown in public. Nude sunbathing is prohibited.
• Touching: Thai women are generally conservative; do not touch them without consent.
• Smiling: Thais smile to show gladness, to say thank you for a small service, to return a child’s wai and to excuse small inconveniences, so a smile is the normal reply to a mistake.

The source for all of these is the Royal Thai Embassy.

Taking a Buddha image home

Buddha images, religious and ancient art and antiques need a permit from Thailand’s Department of Fine Arts before they can be taken out of the country, and the Royal Thai Embassy lists them among the restricted goods at customs (Royal Thai Embassy). Ask the seller who arranges the permit before you pay.

Smoking, vapes and drink

• Vapes: illegal to possess or use any vape, e-cigarette, pod, e-liquid or heat-not-burn device, with fines typically of 5,000 to 30,000 THB, detention and court proceedings. There are no exceptions for tourists or for personal use (UK Foreign Office).
• Smoking: illegal in public places, with a fine of up to 5,000 THB.
• Alcohol: sales are restricted between midnight and 11:00, apart from licensed hotels, international airport terminals and authorised entertainment venues.
• Photos online: posting images of people drinking alcohol or wearing clothing considered inappropriate can be illegal. Both the person who posted and the people in the picture could be fined or imprisoned.

Next

Is Bangkok safe covers scams and the rest of the law, and money in Bangkok covers tipping and cash. The Bangkok guide has the ticket table and the entry rules, and Wat Pho tickets has the massage school and the opening hours.