Below is a list of Thailand do’s and don’t's to help you navigate the cultural differences between Thailand and the West.

It is easy to have good manners in Thailand with a few simple steps. Try the do’s and don’t's below to ensure success in your trip.

• Avoid conflict. Thais appreciate a soft tone of voice and are very averse to conflict. Find a deferential way out of tense situations.
• Avoid pointing or other confrontational behavior
• Don’t point at anything with your foot
• Treat images of Buddha like you would a respected person
• If you’re sitting not on a chair, sit so your feet are not in front of you
• Do not stare at people.
• When greeted with a wai, the traditional greeting, do not lower your head to acknowledge the wai
• If you pass an older person, dip your head slightly to appear more like their height
• Do not speak ill of the king, discuss politics or mention that the King was born in America
• At 8 AM and 6 PM in public, stand quietly for the national anthem.

Thailand banned smoking publically a few years ago.

Thailand, as of Dec 29, 2006, banned smoking in all public places in the country.

Be warned, if you’re a smoker, you’re going to be confined to treatment like you’ll receive if you try to smoke in New York City!

Thailand is quite the trendsetter for Southeast Asia in the matter of smoking publically, as most countries haven’t done so.

In very few countries in Asia are there such stringent anti-smoking policies as there are in Thailand.

The Thailand coup on September 19, 2006 left many people confused about whether it is safe to visit Thailand after the coup.

Since that time, protests in Bangkok have made the city less appealing to visitors as well.

Here is some information about safety while visiting Thailand.

For more recent updates, click here.

1) This coup was bloodless and almost a bureaucratic affair. There was no violence and no civil unrest. Except for the holiday granted the day after the coup, nothing really changed that much.

Protests have become frequent and sometimes violent in recent years, so make sure to take precautions when visiting Bangkok.

2) Flights are unaffected. Flights are all operating on the same schedules.

A new airport opened in Bangkok the week of 28 September 2006. See this link for more info.

3) Things might be even cheaper!

Due to some kneejerk reactions (especially in the Australian press) there have been a lot of holidays in Thailand cancelled, including those to Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

As such, things are less expensive for those that do visit Thailand.

Check out the usuals like Kayak, Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, and others to see whether rates have dropped.

Recently supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have been protesting in Bangkok and other areas of Thailand.

While some of the protests have been peaceful, recent bombings and explosions as well as military attacks on protesters in central Bangkok have killed a number of people and the situation is volatile.

The Silom business district in Bangkok along Thanon Ratchadamnoen Nok is the most severely affected area and it is advisable to avoid going there.

If you plan to visit Thailand, make sure to keep informed about the situation and avoid protest areas if demonstrations take place.

Make sure to check your country’s Thai embassy website for full updates on travel advisory warnings for visiting Thailand before you travel.