Social And Cultural Aspects Of Thailand Cultural Studies Essay

Social And Cultural Aspects Of Thailand Cultural Studies Essay Historical background: Thailand has a wide variety of fauna and flora and boasts wide ethnic diversity as well. Thanks to its abundant resources and fertile land, it has attracted peoples of many countrys, who have settled and thrived here. The origin of the Thais is not agreed on amongst academics. Three decades ago it could be said with presumed certainty that the Thais originated in northwestern Szechuan in China about 4,500 years ago and later migrated south to their present homeland. However, this theory has been altered by the discovery of remarkable prehistoric artifacts in the village of Ban Chiang in the Nong Han District of Udon Thani Province in the Northeast of Thailand. These include evidence of bronze metallurgy dating back 3,500 years, as well as other indications of a culture far more sophisticated than previously believed by archaeologists. It now appears that Thais might have originated here in Thailand and later scattered to various parts of Asia, including some parts of China. Siam is the name by which the country was known to the world until 1939 and again between 1945 and 1949. On May 11, 1949, an official proclamation declared that the country would henceforth be known as Thailand. The word Thai means Free, and therefore Thailand means Land of the Free. The Monarchy: The words of the Thai Royal Anthem, performed at most official ceremonies and before the start of every movie, may strike a Western ear as somewhat archaic. After all, the system of absolute monarchy ended in 1932, following a revolution staged by a small group of disaffected civil servants and military men. Since then, Thai kings have ruled under a constitution; their powers theoretically no greater than those of European monarchs. Yet, since he was officially crowned in 1946, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has assumed the role of constitutional monarch and has worked tirelessly on behalf of his people, gaining a measure of personal devotion that is probably more intense than that felt for any of his all-powerful ancestors. It has been said that Their Majesties King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit are the hardest working royal couple in the world with a work load once estimated to be equal to at least one function every day of the year. Of the several institutions that form the foun dation of modern Thai life, the one His Majesty represents is not only the most visible but also the most revered. His Majesty has devoted himself to public service and made enduring contributions to Thailands development, initiating vital royally-suggested projects such as crop rotation, fish breeding, irrigation, natural watershed programs, dairy farming, reforestation, road building, and the establishment of self-help villages. His Majesty has traveled countrywide by helicopter, jeep, train, boat and on foot, often to the remotest corners of his Kingdom, in pursuit of his projects. He is held in high esteem nationwide for his profound interest in his peoples welfare. Her Majesty Queen Sirikit frequently accompanies His Majesty and shares a close interest in the welfare of rural Thais. Her Majesty has wholeheartedly helped establish foundations such as SUPPORT which assists Thailands rural population to produce and sell traditional craft products for supplementary income. The Thai monarchy is revered and regarded as the central, unifying element in the pillars of the nation. King Bhumibol was born on December 5, 1927, ascended the throne on June 9, 1946, and married Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on April 28, 1950. Their Majesties have four children; Their Royal Highnesses Princess Ubol Ratana, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and Princess Chulabhorn. The Royal Couple are conscientiously assisted by their children, who frequently accompany them and represent Their Majesties at official functions and ceremonies. The Flag: Thailands national flag, ceremoniously raised each morning at 08.00 and lowered at 18.00 in every town and village. The flag is composed of five horizontal bands of red, white, and blue. Outer bands of red representing the nation enclose equal inner bands of white evoking religion. The blue band, occupying the central one-third of the total area, symbolizes the monarchy. The harmony of design expresses the complementary nature of these three pillars of the Thai nation. The tri-colored flag, first introduced by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1917, replaced an earlier design which featured a white elephant on a red background. Public Hollidays: Most national holidays and festivals are of a religious nature and serve to evoke a sense of devotion to the monarchy, the religion, and the nation. Some are celebrated by the lunar calendar and thus vary in date from year to year, while others are celebrated according to the solar calendar. Bank Holidays for 2010 are: Thai culture and customs Informality and general friendliness in relationships of all age, economic and social groups characterize the Thai culture and people. Thai people are tolerant of almost all kinds of behaviour and never expect foreigners to understand the intricacies of Thai social customs. A Thai greeting In Thailand people do not normally say good morning, good afternoon, good evening or good night. They greet each other with the word Sawadee, and instead of shaking hands, they put their palms together in a prayer-like gesture and bow slightly. It is customary for the younger or lower in status to begin the greeting. When taking leave, the same word and procedure is repeated. This gesture is called a Wai. If you are greeted with a Wai you should reply with the same gesture, though it is not necessary to return a Wai to a child. Think of a Wai as you would a handshake. Initiate a Wai because of sincere pleasure at an introduction. You will not cause offence if you Wai inappropriately in Thailand, but you may create confusion. Dont return a Wai from waiting staff, drivers or other help. You might hope to strike a blow for equality, but will in fact cause embarrassment. A Wai to your teacher (any kind of teacher) is definately appropriate; any smiles you receive in return are of appreci ation. Sanuk means fun One of the first things you will notice when you visit Thailand is the Thai peoples inherent sense of playfulness and light heartedness. Sanuk is the Thai word for fun, and in Thailand anything worth doing, even work, should have some element of Sanuk. This doesnt mean Thai people dont want to work or strive. It is just that they live more in the moment, and do their best to enjoy it. The famous Thai smile stems partly from this desire to make Sanuk. The concept of saving face Thai people have a refined sense of public image and believe strongly in the concept of saving face. That is, they will go to great lengths to avoid confrontation and endeavour not to embarrass either themselves or other people (unless of course it is Sanuk to do so!). The ideal face saver does not bring up negative topics in conversation, or talk in an argumentative, judgemental or aggressive manner. Raising your voice or losing your temper will never be constructive in Thailand. It will result in loss of face for everyone involved, and you may be ignored as a result. You may notice Thai people smiling in the face of anothers misfortune. This is not a sign of callousness, but an attempt to save face for the person suffering misfortune. Saving face is the major source of the famous Thai smile. It is the best possible face to ease almost any situation. Social status in Thailand According to simple lines of social rank defined by age, wealth, and personal and political power all relationships in Thai society are governed by connections between Phu Yai (big people) and Phu Noi (little people). When meeting someone new a Thai person will automatically make an assessment regarding their Phu Yai or Phu Noi status. They may ask quite probing questions in order to place them. A set of mutual obligations requires Phu Noi to defer to Phu Yai through demonstrations of obedience and respect. In return Phu Yai are obligated to care for and offer assistance to Phu Noi they have regular contact with. Phu Noi may ask Phu Yai for favours such as financial help or assistance securing employment. It would cause Phu Yai some loss of face to refuse these favours. When eating out in restaurants, Phu Yai will normally settle the bill. Examples of automatic Phu Yai status include: adults over children, bosses over employees, elder classmates over younger classmates, elder sibling s over younger siblings, teachers over students, military over civilian, Thai over non-Thai. As a visitor to Thailand you may be assigned Phu Yai status as a sign of courtesy, stemming somewhat from assumptions regarding your wealth and education. Do not be offended by these assumptions. If you are lucky enough that Thai people hold you in high regard, take it as a compliment. Mai Pen Rai never mind Mai Pen Rai means never mind (or more literally its nothing). Symbolising Thailands unofficial national philosophy these three little words help to calm the heart of a nation. Mai Pen Rai enables the Thai people to retain their composure, keep smiling and be happy in everything they do. Thai people care little about trifling things. If they are frustrated, instead of getting angry they simply say Mai Pen Rai and solve the problem by some other means. Thai people believe strongly in avoiding confrontation, which is one of the reasons travel in Thailand is such a pleasure. To the Thais, foreigners over-worry, see trouble where there is none, and are constantly fretting over the future. When Thai people think about their future, they are optimistic. If they are not so happy now, they believe they are sure to be in their next life! Concept of time in Thailand The Mai Pen Rai philosophy is well demonstrated by the Thai concept of time. Estimates of time, in terms of the past or the future, can be vague or even wildly inaccurate in Thailand. Thais are often late for appointments, but nobody seems to mind waiting. Traffic jams are common, restaurant service, and hotel check-in procedures can seem slow and inefficient, but you wont see Thai people getting upset about it. In fact, most Thai people find it pathetic to see a person childishly expressing their irritation. Such behaviour will set you apart as someone less than properly evolved. The best thing to do is to relax and let things proceed at their natural pace. Trying to pin Thai people down about times will generally get you nowhere. If you must ask when will we be ready to leave? or when will this job be done? go ahead. But be prepared for an answer that proves wrong, not because of bad planning, but simply a different attitude towards time. Thai business customs In business circles some Thai people will have a reasonable command of English. However, most Thais do not feel comfortable speaking English. Address a Thai man or woman by their first name, not their surname, using the prefix Khun instead of Mr or Mrs. It is not considered informal or familiar to call Thais by their first name. Although Thai people appreciate punctuality when conducting business, there is a differentconceptHYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO7ma2LQ HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO7ma2LQofHYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO7ma2LQ HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO 7ma2LQtimeHYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO7ma2LQ HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO7ma2LQinHYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO7ma2LQ HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/culture.html#timesa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGM8gGK4onIOzD8qdDEh5sO7ma2LQThailand. Deadlines are often overlooked and it is necessary to allow for this when scheduling meetings. Dont contradict or criticise people in public. An essential tool for success in Thailand is patience. A person who lets inconveniences pass and forgives easily is respected. Dos and donts in Thailand Loud voices, calling attention to yourself, pointing at people or things, throwing or dropping things, and making big hand gestures all seem graceless to the Thai sensibility. Preferred modes of comportment are those that reflect the quiet, subtle and indirect as opposed to the loud, obvious and direct. Although the southernHYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Koh%20Phangan/people.htmlsa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNFO_U149i3qhoxZw4kCnw5vfMHhwQ HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Koh%20Phangan/people.htmlsa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNFO_U149i3qhoxZw4kCnw5vfMHhwQThais can at times be alarmingly direct in their interactions with others. The monarchy remains highly respected throughout Thailand and visitors to the country must be respectful also. Avoid disparaging remarks or jokes about the royal family; they will not be appreciated. All Thai people love their king, HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/monarchy.htmlsa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGHxdr0A9teNyRnx41X2lBm06yLSwHMHYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/monarchy.htmlsa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGHxdr0A9teNyRnx41X2lBm06yLSw HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/monarchy.htmlsa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGHxdr0A9teNyRnx41X2lBm06yLSwKingHYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/monarchy.htmlsa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGHxdr0A9teNyRnx41X2lBm06yLSw HYPERLINK http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/Thailand/monarchy.htmlsa=Dsntz=1usg=AFQjCNGHxdr0A9teNyRnx41X2lBm06yLSwBhumibol; if you want to know why, ask them politely. Public displays of sexual affection are not acceptable in Thailand, although this may be changing with the younger generation in some areas. Thai people are extremely offended by public nudity, along with just about everyone else in the world. Thai people are modest in this respect and it should not be the visitors intention to reform them. A polite man in Thailand will not touch a woman. The feet in Thailand are considered spiritually as well as physically the lowest part of the body. Dont step over peoples legs, even in a crowded place such as on a train; wait politely for them to move out of the way. Do not point things out or pick things up with your feet. And do not wave your feet around peoples heads! If you accidentally touch someone with your foot, apologise. Food in Thailand is often eaten on the floor. Stepping over food is really a bad thing in Thailand. Shoes are not worn inside peoples houses, or in some guest houses and shops. If you are not sure watch other people. A pile of shoes at the entrance is your clue to remove yours (socks are OK). To Thai people wearing shoes indoors is disgusting. Show respect for religious symbols and rituals, and avoid touching spirit houses and household alters. Thai people, particularly those in rural areas, can be highly superstitious and may feel the need for lengthy ritual should you contaminate their sacred areas. Do not stare at Thai people. They may be smiling, but still do not look into their eyes too long. Particularly in rural areas young and old may react violently to such a gesture, which is considered a rude insult. During normal conversation most Thai people do not look directly at one another, and will avoid anything but the briefest eye-to-eye contact. Phu Nawy (little people) often keep their head bowed when conversing with Phu Yai(big people) as a sign of respect. As a foreigner it can be hard to know if you have a persons attention. And it is difficult to hear what people are saying if they speak with their back to you. Laundry and bathing Modest dress and a clean, neat appearance will create a very good impression in Thailand. Keep up with your laundry and you will receive better treatment everywhere. Most Thai people bathe in cold water. This is not a problem, as it is almost always hot enough for you to feel the need to cool down. Most Thais shower and put on fresh clothes at least twice a day. You will be more comfortable and sleep more soundly in the hot and humid climate if you do likewise. Many washrooms in Thailand do not have showerheads fitted to the wall. There is a cement trough or other kind of water reservoir provided for use. A plastic or metal bowl is used to sluice water over the body. This water is meant for cleaning and should remain clean for other peoples use. Do not contaminate this water. And do not climb into the reservoir in order to bathe! In rural areas many Thai people still use rivers and streams, or will bathe from an outdoor reservoir at home. When bathing in view of others men wear underpants. Women should wear a Pha Sing (cotton wraparound). Nude bathing in public view is not acceptable. In Thailand the squat toilet is the norm except in hotels and guesthouses geared towards foreigners. If you have never used one before it may take a bit of getting used to. Contrary to what some people seem to think, these are flushing toilets. They are flushed in the same way as western toilets, i.e. by dropping water through the hole. The difference from Western-style toilets being, you must scoop water with a bowl from a nearby reservoir and drop water through yourself, rather than release water from a tank using a lever. You can chuck water all over the place in a Thai toilet, so when you are finished it is a good idea to rinse the floor of any sand or mud you may have brought in on your feet. Thai people do not normally use toilet paper, prefering to rinse themselves thoroughly with soap and water. If you absolutely must use paper dont drop it down the toilet. Place it in the bin provided. If there is no bin provided, find another facility. Plumbing in Thailand simply isnt desig ned to handle paper, and in most places you will cause a great deal of inconvenience if you drop anything other than your natural waste through the toilet.

“Politics and the English language” by George Orwell Essay

This is a statement from the â€Å"Politics and the English language† written by George Orwell. He says, † A bad usage can spread by tradition and imitation†. The whole essay is mocking other writers on their language usage. He claims that the language is not used to its full extent. People use words the size of continents and in the end those big words say the same thing as a three-letter word. Those people also end up confusing them selves in the end. I do believe that language is changed by thought. After all it is the mind that is the one that thinks of the sentences and it’s thought that may corrupt the language. After all language does not write it self on a paper. The mind can basically create any thing with language. This is why every thing works in theory. But practically it doesn’t. I do believe that man creates language to express our selves. Some might use it to corrupt other thoughts but isn’t that why language is there. So we can understand each other and express our feelings, thoughts and to claim things, even though they are not true. Language according to the oxford dictionary is defined as: Language noun 1.Words and their use. 2.The words used in a particular country or by a particular group of people [from the Latin lingua=tongue] In a different dictionary it says that language is the system of human expression by means of words. Human language, as expressed by the voice, depends for its production on certain physical characteristics, which are not possessed by the apes. The left hemisphere of the human brain dominates comprehension and expression of written and spoken language. This might be  far searched but maybe this is why communists who believe in all things are equal are called the left wings usually. They are the ones who want to control every thing in life so maybe that is why they are called the left wings. There are more than 5000 languages, or dialects, which are classified in families, though the relationships are not all well established. For example, with a few exceptions, e.g. Basque, Finnish, and Tamil, all the languages of Europe and India belong to a single much diversified Indo-European family. Computers (using rules of language structure) can now translate technical documents with an 80%accuracy. This just shows the diversity of the modern technology. One problem with translating is that different people interpret the text differently. There have been experiments in Nevada USA to see if chimps have the same ability of creating languages that we understand, the scientist figured that since we where related that this could be possible, they found that chimps are not able to produce the human sounds. So at the moment humans are the only ones that have a language. It might be that other animals have languages as well. But the humans have yet to discover this. It has been discovered that animals do have some sort of communication but we cant yet speak dog or cat. Language can corrupt thought as well. A great example is the novel nineteen eighty-four. As part of a great totalitarian state the government creates one language, newspeak, where no emotion words are in the dictionary. With newspeak there is no way of expressing the true emotions, like hate towards Big Brother or love towards one and other. It is possible to disagree with the party by using double negation, or making up words. But the characters in the novel are to scared to do so, because if they do they are committing the act of thought crime, and for that they could be vaporized or worse. Communists set up the whole idea of Big Brother. So as mentioned before this might have to do with the fact that those people want to restrict the growth of the left hemisphere of the brain, as this is the part that lets us speak and write language. They probably want to restrict all things because that  would cause opposition to the party. This might lead to the political party to loose their power or sharing their power. This is something they want to avoid if they want to become a totalitarian state. The opposition might spoil that for them. I wonder in the future if the world will in a way become some thing like Big Brother. One language, every one alike and no one is allowed to be different. What a boring place that would be. I can imagine that one day the world would have one language so would avoid confusions in politics and this would make traveling much easier. Also a student’s life in high school would be so much easier if you did not have to learn three or four different languages. But language comes along with identity. Going to a different country and hearing a different language is something that might not be any more in the future. We might all be speaking English or a new language like newspeak might be introduced. Maybe the countries might keep their own language but that every country might have that universal language as a second language. But coming back to the point if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought, I do think that language can easily corrupt thought. Not to one self but if lets say, I tell you that the word believe has been taken out of the dictionary and you believe me and immediately tell all your companions this might cause a great confusion about language. I would be the one who spoilt the language, because what word could you use to replace believe? Synonyms of believe are: (according to oxfords Thesaurus.) accept, be certain of, be convinced of, count on, assume, conjecture, consider, gather, and guess. All of these words might be the same, but they cant really replace believe, because as all words, believe has a unique meaning that cant exactly be replaced. In conclusion to ascertain as to if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought, I totally agree. But I don’t take the statement as serious as George Orwell does. He gives many examples of bad writing in the essay Politics and the English language, but I think I speak for everyone that one of those examples we use in our language every day. Does this make  us bad writers? According to Orwell we are. I know it’s just his opinion but he defiantly takes extremes and basically says that all essays, novels, political speeches that don’t look like his own style of writing, are bad language.

Marriage in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice Essay

Marriage in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice The key theme of pride and prejudice is marriage. This is indicated in the opening of the novel, when Jane Austen muses, somewhat sardonically, that it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. This sets the tone appropriately for the rest of the novel, as all Austens core plots centre around marriage. It was an institute of paramount importance to people of Austens time. As a young lady, marriage was not only for love, but also for fortune, convenience, stature and respect. Elizabeth Bennet is the heroine of Pride and Prejudice, who finds her self in the marrying market, having†¦show more content†¦In loneliness and boredom Mrs Bennet has alternatively chosen to live her life through her daughters. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news. As a result of their personal discontent neither husband nor wife is a proficient parent. Mr Bennets lack of resp onsibility combined with Mrs Bennets indulgence gives their younger daughters freedom to act without consequence, with disastrous results. Mr Bennet disapproved of his wifes shallow disposition, and derived great pleasure from mocking his wifes shallow nature, feigning ignorance to her insinuations. On one occasion when his wife implores him to visit a rich new male neighbour, for the sake of his daughters, he questions How so, how can it affect them? to which Mrs Bennet responds impatiently, fuelling his sardonic mockery. Their relationship orbits around these petty jokes, and they otherwise lead separate existences. Clearly Austen disapproves of marrying for lust, as the Bennets have, and believes that there must be substance to a marriage for it to be successful. 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Pride and Prejudice takes place in a town outside of London called Hertfordshire, where the reader follows Elizabeth, her friends, and her family as they search for love in the nineteenth century. The author writes of Elizabeths

The Role of Quiting in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales Essay

The Role of Quiting in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales In Chaucer’s, The Canterbury Tales, many characters express the desire to pay back some other pilgrim for their tale. The function of quiting gives us insights into the ways in which Chaucer painted the social fabric of his world. The characters of the Knight, the Miller, and the Reeve, all seem to take part in a tournament of speech. The role of quiting in The Canterbury Tales serves to allow the characters themselves to transcend their own social class, and class-based moral expectations, in order to gain power over people of higher social strata.(Hallissy 41) Throughout each prologue of the first three tales, we can see a clear description of the social rank†¦show more content†¦The Miller says,I have a wyf, pardee, as wel as thow;/Yet nolde I, for the oxen in my plogh/...An housbonde shal nat been inquisityf/Of Goddes pryvetee, nor of his wyf. (I, 3159-64) In these lines, the Miller says that he has a wife, but he stays out of his wife’s business, just as he stays out of God’s business The Miller goes on to say,So he may fynde Goddes foyson there,/Of the remenant nedeth nat enquere. (I, 3165-6) Continuing his thoughts about marriage, the Miller says that he does not meddle in his wife’s affairs just as long as she provides him the conventional things all wives should provide their husbands. The Goddes foyson referred to in line 3165 talks about the sexual duty the wife owes to the husband. This portrayal of marriage is the central way by which the Miller quits the Knight’s Tale. By having to work for money and food, the Miller exists on a very different social level than the Knight. Members of the first estate did not need to work to obtain the essential things like food and shelter. Partly based upon their land-holdings, the nobility had servants under their power who were often attached to a particular building, or specific piece of land. Even though the Miller is a free-man allowed to make his own money and profit, his life is filled with the constant realization that no matter how much money he earned, he could not break into the inner circles of the nobility. This frustration is one