Temple etiquette – No shoes allowed?!

In Thailand, Buddhists consider the feet to be the dirtiest part of the human body, and by proxy so are shoes. Walking around the temple grounds with your shoes on is acceptable, but you cannot enter a temple of worship with them on. Look for piles of shoes or shoe racks and add yours to the pile. Don’t worry, they should be there when you come back! It’s very rare that shoes are stolen at a temple as it’s a sacred place. If it does happen, likely another foreigner has mixed their shoes up with yours.

How to worship or pray at a temple

When you enter the worship temple, you will notice locals walking or shuffling forward on their knees. They may already be sitting in prayer position with their feet folded behind them. This is done out of respect. It is considered immensely rude to point your feet or toes in someone’s direction, especially at a monk. This is also the reason why you’ll notice Thai’s rarely sit crossed-legged.

Simply sit with your legs tucked behind you or off to the side, place your hands in a prayer-like position, and bend down until your forehead touches the ground, or sit like my daughter is here at a local kid friendly temple. Then make a silent wish, hope, or prayer!

How to get a monk’s blessing at a temple

Sometimes there will be a monk blessing people. Don’t be shy! He’ll bless foreigners too! Observe the people going before you, but the process generally goes like this:

• Get down on your knees and shuffle forward until you are in front of him.
• Then clasp your hands together as if in prayer and bow.
• He will then begin to chant and spray ‘holy’ water on you.
• The blessing is complete once he has tied a white string around your wrist. The white string is made from cotton and represents good luck.

The whole process takes about 2-3 minutes and the entire family can be blessed two at a time or sometimes all at the same time!

How long do you wear the white bracelet for?

Some people will wear it until it falls off, while others will remove it after a few days.

Are you expected to make a donation?

It is widely expected that you will make a donation while visiting a temple, especially if you’ve been blessed by a monk. It is a local custom to donate at minimum 20 baht. All around the temple you will see opportunities; pots, statues, boxes, to put money into. The best and most fun things to donate are coins, especially for the kids who just love pushing them through the coin slots. 1, 5, or 10 baht coins are fine, alternatively you can bring food to donate to the monks.

Don’t go exploring inside every building you see!

Some areas of a temple are off limits to locals and tourists. These areas are often obvious. If not a soul can be seen, you probably shouldn’t be there! These places are either private or sacred.

One such place is the monk house. Monks tend to live on temple grounds and their housing is off limits. Another place is out of bounds, but only to females. Thai Buddhism is very patriarchal. Women are not allowed access to all aspects of the religion. On many temple grounds, there are smaller versions of the larger worship or merit temples. These are often incredibly crafted and photogenic structures. They seem to have an energy around them that pulls you towards them. Inside, lies an entity or special representation of a deity that’s believed to get you one step closer to enlightenment. But because women are not allowed to reach so called enlightenment, they are not allowed to see the deity!

Temple etiquette – Can you take photos at a temple?

Yes! No worries! Camera use is widely accepted. Remember to use your flash sparingly and, if you can, turn off the beeping or clicking sound your camera makes when it snaps a shot. Always keep in mind, especially inside the prayer area, that you are capturing private moments; moments that strangers may not want to have taken.

Shhh! Be quiet!

The temples are a place of prayer and worship, so it’s always good to remind kids to be quieter than normal. Laughing is also a big no-no. Some of the Buddhist practices or sounds you may hear the monks make can seem out of this world. Your child’s reactions, although innocent, could be interpreted in an unseemly way. Let your curiosities get the best of you by talking with a monk instead!

Curious? Talk with a monk

A few temples offer Monk Chat. You can sit with a monk, or a table of them, and get into some pretty fantastic discussions. Often the monks are quite young and are very interested in the world they have yet to explore. Anyone can chat with a monk, although for women, only older monks are allowed to speak with you.

Don’t expect their English to be perfect. These chats also serve as a way for them to learn English.

Where and when can you chat with a monk?

• Wat Chedi Luang: Daily from 9am-6pm
• Wat Pra That Doi Suthep: Daily 1pm-3pm at the International Buddhism Centre
• Wat Suan Dok: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 5pm-7pm
• Wat Umong: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 5:30pm-7:30 pm

Don’t worry, smile!

Thai people are known for their friendliness and relaxed nature, especially those in the North. They are very understanding that not all visitors are aware of local cultural practices. The best way to ease any uncomfortable situation is to smile😊 More often than not, someone will try to help you or explain to you what you should do. Now it’s time to get your temple on!