Travel Tips
Religion :Thailand is a devoutly Buddhist country in which more than 90% of the population professes and practices the faith. Due to respect to Buddhism and its symbols, most especially Buddha statues, should be shown as a matter of simple good manners regardless of one's own religious persuasion. The Thais themselves are respectful of other religions and Thai law has several special sections concerning religious offences. It is, for example, unlawful to cause any offence to a religion within Thailand. Similarly, any person causing a disturbance at a religious assembly or gathering is liable to prosecution. For practical purposes, here are a few tips of what to do and what not to do when visiting religious places:
* Remove your shoes when entering a Buddhist chapel where religious images are enshrined. Do likewise when entering a mosque, for which permission should be asked, and do not enter when there is a religious gathering.
* Dress neatly and appropriately. Unsuitable attire includes sleeveless shirts and blouses, short skirts, shorts above the knee and hot pants. At a mosque, women should be well covered in a long skirt or trousers, long sleeved blouse buttoned to the neck and a head scarf.
* Don't touch a Buddhist monk if you are a woman, monks are sworn to celibacy and are forbidden from even the slightest physical contact with a woman. Should a woman wish to pass something to a monk, it should first be handed to a man for him to pass on. Alternatively, a monk may spread a piece of cloth in front of him on which a woman may place her gift.
* Don't climb up on a Buddha stature to take a photograph, or do anything that might show lack of respect. Every Buddha image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded as a scared object.
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