One of the many appealing things about Thailand is the greeting gesture that is very common throughout the tourism world here.   In hotels and restaurants it is typical for the server, waitress, or owner to clasp their hands in a prayer-like gesture to greet you or to say goodbye.  Sometimes this is accompanied with the word “Sawasdee” for both hello and goodbye, a term coined some time ago by a university professor during efforts to “modernize” Thailand.

Travel providers throughout the world could learn a lot from the wonderful hospitality of the Thai tourism industry – in my experience the best in the world where helpfulness is not only considered the norm, but generally given without any expectation of a tip (although tips are very much appreciated).