Thais still greet one another with the traditional wai, by bringing their hands together. The junior or inferior person always makes the gesture first. And the higher the hands are, the more the greeting conveys respect. Thailand's classical arts have developed almost exclusively in the service of Buddhism.The best showcase is the wat. There you will find many statues of the Buddha, splendid murals depicting Buddha's life and folk-tales, fine woodcarving and stucco, dazzling lacquerwork, intricate mosaics of glass and mother-of-pearl, and above all the crowning glory of the unique upswept and sweeping and multi-tiered roofs, lined with brilliant tiles and often trimmed with golden ornaments.

The gems of Thailand's literary tradition are classic tales, including the Ramakien, an ancient moral epic with its origins in the Indian Ramayana. These tales also provide the narrative for many performing arts, especially the elegant dance-dramas called khon and lakhon and various puppet dramas.Thailand 's most notable literary figure is the 19th-century poet Sunthorn Phu. On the sporting front, Thailand's world-renowned style of kick boxing draws big crowds. Another local sport is takraw, which is played rather like volleyball but with feet instead of hands, which requires some acrobatic skill. Kite-flying is a popular favourite. Festivals linked either to Buddhism or to the changing seasons, are celebrated with exuberance throughout the year.Whatever they are doing, Thais believe that life should be sanuk -"fun". Sanuk can be found in all things including eating (for which Thais have a passion) or simply going for a stroll with friends.