>>>>And how human and understanding she was in returning the touch with her hand in Michelle's back. I think the last person to have made such a gaff was the last Ozzy prime minister who guided her into position with his hand in the small of her back.
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>>>>I unsuspectingly committed a similar gaff if Thailand by touching a Buddhist monk while we chatted.
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>>>I don't see why that should be taken as a gaff. Somehow you're supposed to know how to address everyone in every hierarchy, what to do and what not to do in every club imaginable, or else what?
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>>I later read that it is bad form to touch a bhuddist priest. Maybe he had to endure a cleansing ritual afterwards or something.
>
>Thais understand farang do not understand their customs. Showing the sole of the foot is incredibly offensive to a Thai - but it is an offense that is a passive aggressive way of showing contempt. Having one's head at the right height, the depth of a bow or position of the hands when performing the waay (palms together bow as greeting) is another example. Like the language itself which has completely different pronouns and even verbs depending on the rank of the speaker and the object of speech, it is a subtle way of communicating status within the society. That said, Thais are clear that farang are not players in their game, but there is a visceral reaction nonetheless, and it is noticed favorably when a farang conveys knowledge of their society by learning the customs - or the language with its subtleties - and playing the game can be a very useful tool for getting what one wants to a degree unimaginable in our culture where there are few rules and even less subtlety.

he was a young man, normal like any other, intelligent and educated. He'd explained that he was from "Kampuchia" and had joined the monks as a means of getting an education otherwise denied him by dint of poverty. Touching his arm as a friendly gesture did not elicit any obvious, outward reaction. He carried on smiling as normal.