13 Countries Where Travel Shaming Might Surprise You

8. Thailand: Sacred Spaces, Sacred Behavior

In Thailand, Buddhism shapes daily life, and temples are not tourist props—they are sacred ground. Tourists who pose inappropriately with statues, enter without proper dress, or touch monks (especially as women) can be seen as deeply disrespectful. Even seemingly innocent behaviors, like stepping on money (which bears the king’s face) or touching someone on the head, can be considered offensive. Thailand may be easygoing on the surface, but its spiritual backbone is firm.