In Thailand and in Arab countries, never point your shoe/foot to another person. https://youtu.be/4nxUpRM78Lc
The shoe/foot is the unclean part of your body. Pointing your feet at someone, raising your feet higher than someone’s head, or putting your feet on a desk or chair are considered rude in Thailand.
The bottoms of the feet are dirty: don’t show them to people! Avoid pointing feet at Buddhas in and outside of temples. When sitting on the ground, try to sit in a way that doesn’t show others the bottoms of your feet.
In Thailand, they consider the head being the most sacred part of the body (NEVER touch a Thai person on their head), and they consider the feet to be the dirtiest. First, traditionally, people sit, sleep, eat, and entertain either on the ground or on cushions laid on the ground.
As a result, Thai people remove their shoes (don’t want to get the floor dirty!) before sitting in people’s homes or on raised platforms in restaurants or at the beach. They remove shoes before walking into temple buildings as a sign of respect. While they consider the feet the lowest and dirtiest parts of the body, they revere the head as the most sacred.
Never touch someone’s head or hair – this includes playfully ruffling a child’s hair. Don’t raise your feet above someone’s head; avoid stepping over people who are sitting or sleeping on the ground.
Pointing at someone is considered rude in many cultures, but particularly so in Thailand. If you must indicate a person, do so by lifting your chin in their direction. When motioning for someone to come over, don’t use fingers pointed upward; make a patting motion with your fingers straight and palm toward the ground.
Pointing at inanimate objects and animals is usually acceptable, but it’s more polite to point with your entire hand rather than a single finger.
Shouting, blowing your top, or displaying powerful emotions is generally frowned upon in Thailand. Always keep in mind the rules of saving face. Keep your cool even when things go wrong; you’ll be respected for doing so. Don’t lament that bus breakdown. Instead, laugh and say “Mai pen rai.”
Tossing an object or money in someone’s direction is rude. Hand things to people properly, face-up, preferably with your right hand. Unfold money when paying someone.
Never disrespect the king or images of the king, this includes currency his picture appears on the Thai baht. Although Thailand’s lese majeste laws are controversial, open disrespect toward the king can land you in prison! People have received lengthy sentences for Facebook posts that spoke out against the monarchy.
