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GENERAL ADVICE
How respect and use your head; Eyes and common sense will guide you
well in navigating Laos's culture safely. When in Laos, try and do as
the Laos do and remember: don't touch heads, don't lose cool with
people, and don't flash your flesh. The rest about manners: Shoes left
outside, accepting host's greeting; not upsetting religious feeling.
The Laos are friendly and hospitable. A minimum of effort will make
your trip smooth and memorable.
Respect the
culture and will earn its respect in turn. How to "nop"? Raise your
hands in a playing gesture. The higher you go, the more respect you
show, but don't be over the top!
WELCOME
A kiss or
embrace from a stranger is insulting and humiliating. Traditionally,
Laos's people use the Nop on meeting and using it will win you instant
friends if performed sincerely.
A handshake
will suffice, but try to use the Laos greeting of "sabai dee"
FOOT AND HEAD
In Buddhism and
general Asian society, the head is very important to the soul and is
purity, while the feet walk the earth and all that posited on it.
Biasing your feet to headlight, putting them on furniture or pointing
with them is taken as a deliberate insult or sign of barbarism.
Don't
gesture with your feet on touch an Asian head. You be asking for
trouble. Here, as in all things, check out what local people does with
feet and shoes and try to follow suit.
APPEARANCE
Bodily hygiene and cleanliness are of the highest standard in Laos and
a visitor's failure to meet these standard is nit well received. Wash
your self and your clothes daily or prepare to the laughed at and
avoided!
RELIGION
Religion is the major part of daily life and remains the practice of
the massive majority.
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Show respect in temples
and shrines, watching how locals behave in such places. The basic
rules
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No shoes in temple
buildings
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Keep your head lower than
Buddha and monks
-
Don't touch the Buddha
Don't turn your back on the Buddha or touch him.
And ladies… If touch a
monk, he'll have to spend days ritually cleansing the disgrace away…
ENVIRONMENT
You will rarely
be alone in Laos, even when you to be, and pollution is not well
received. Bins are scarce, so use your plastic bags.
DRUGS
Penalties
- May be severe for you
- And even worse for the Laos society. |
Information provided by Laos National Tourism Authority.
