The magical power of a wai has limits

“Learn to wai” was a helpful suggestion by Somsak Pola on how we foreigners could defuse a potentially dangerous situation. I will admit it had never occurred to me before.

However, I think I’d be more than a little reluctant to try crossing a street armed with a wai, as Khun Somsak recommends. That’s assuming I could see far enough ahead to be sure the oncoming driver was a Thai and not a foreigner!

Somsak explains that being offered a wai makes Thais feel important and respected, which can help when police or immigration officers are giving you a hard time. Couldn’t this be seen as pandering to peoples’ egos for one’s own personal gain? Almost like prostituting your own moral standards – something for which, surely, the wai is not intended.

Ewan