Don’t raise your voice
In Thai culture, keeping calm and not raising your voice are qualities that are admired. Shouting and getting angry won’t do you any favours.
In Thailand, as in many other cultures, raising your voice is generally seen as impolite and can be interpreted as a loss of self-control. Thai society places a strong emphasis on maintaining a calm demeanor and showing respect to others, which is integral to the concept of "greng jai," which can be roughly translated to the English concepts of consideration, courtesy, and deference to others.
Thailand is known for its cultural emphasis on "jai yen" (cool heart), encouraging individuals to remain calm and composed, especially in conflict situations. This is contrast to "jai rawn" (hot heart), which implies anger and aggression. Raising your voice can disrupt the social harmony which Thai culture greatly values.
In a practical sense, if you find yourself in a challenging circumstance in Thailand, it's advisable to maintain a polite and quiet tone. This can help de-escalate the situation and is more likely to lead to a positive outcome than responding with a raised voice.
Raising your voice might be acceptable in certain situations, such as calling out to someone at a distance or in an emergency, but it's typically frowned upon in social interactions and disagreements. It can also be particularly disrespectful when done with elders or authority figures, and it may cause the other person to lose face, which is a concept that carries significant weight in Thai social interactions.
As a visitor or someone interacting with Thai culture, it's important to be aware of these nuances and expectations to communicate effectively and respectfully with Thai people.