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Showing results for tags 'gifts'.
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I am going back to visit fam and friends and wanted to share a bit of Thailand with them. Since I cant bring Som Tam, I'd really like some tips from you guys. The last time I did a cheap cop-out and bought lots of silk and handmade items that were cool but not necessarily Thai. One of my friends had a kid so I'd love to get something for the baby. My grandma asked me about black pearls which I couldn't find the last time. My mom wanted traditional Thai music, and I'm not 100% whether I want to get her Thai country, pop rock or the older traditional stuff. When it comes to the other friends and family I have no idea what to get them. Something that is uniquely Thai but very cool. Anyone care to throw some suggestions? Thanks \V
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Are there any Thai holidays such as Christmas or Chinese New Year where gifts are commonly exchanged? What gift giving protocol needs to be followed? What are common gift giving mistakes?
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Gift giving, at least in the Thai Tradition, revolves around the concept of Nam-Jai (spelling may be incorrect). Nam-Jai in farang terms means (in approximation), generosity. The concept Nam-Jai is one of the central themes in Thai culture. The Dowry and the idea of giving money to your girlfriend or wife's parents comes from this precept and is deeply embedded in the Thai psyche. If you don't take the time to understand Nam-Jai, you do so at your own peril. In the beginning, I found some of the requests irritating and I still do today, but in a different degree.I considered it showing-off and the funny thing, now that I understand Nam-Jai..... too a bit, is that it is showing-off! Now before any of you jump down my throat, It's not so much showing off, in fact, it's showing me off!. I still find all this face-saving-prestige-inspired stuff as mostly bullshit, but at least I am trying to understand it. On the other hand, when done properly, Nam-Jai works. The bottom line concerning gifts is this: any gift is a good gift, but the best gifts are those that show the highest degree of Nam-Jai. Giving money and/or gold are probably the highest on the list for the average Thai, but anything that gives the recipient a high degree of face will do. I still don?t like the whole concept too much because many Thai girls like to stir up jealousy and waaaaaaay too much envy by showing-off the things they receive from their boyfriend. It is similar to the farang way of showing wealth with expensive cars and/or clothes. You all know the saying, ?He who dies with the most toys wins?, right? In my opinion, ?he who dies with no regrets? is a much better slogan for success in life, but hey, that?s just me. I can tell you from my personal experience that since I?ve learned about Nam-Jai in a short time, I am still trying to suck it up and accept it for what it is. A word of caution is needed concerning Nam-Jai. Do not think that because you give a lady/boyfriend a gift that you are going to get something back in return. If you do this you are bound to be disappointed. Also, don?t be stupid and buy gold necklaces for a girl/BF until you have a good idea that she actually likes you. If you buy an expensive gift too early, a Thai lady will think you are an idiot and properly label you as a **** or a buffalo. Mr.DM