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One of the most distinctive Thai customs is the Wai and say Sawaddee Ka or Krub which is showing greeting, farewell or acknowledgment, it comes in several forms reflecting the relative status of those involved, but generally it involves a prayer-like gesture with the hands and a bow of the head.

Anotable social norm holds that touching someone on the head may be considered rude. It is also considered rude to place one's feet at a level above someone else's head, especially if that person is of higher social standing. This is because the Thai people consider the foot to be the dirtiest and lowest part of the body, and the head the most respected and highest part of the body. This also influences how Thais sit when on the ground -- their feet always pointing away from others, tucked to the sior behind them. Pointing at or touching something with the feet is also considered rude.

It is also considered extremely rude to step on a Thai coin, because the king's head appears on the coin. When sitting in a temple, one is expected to point one's feet away from images of the Buddha. Shrines inside Thai residences are arranged so as to ensure that the feet are not pointed towards the religious icons -- such as placing the shrine on the same wall as the head of a bed if a house is too small to remove the shrine from the bedroom entirely.

It is also customary to remove one's footwear before entering a home or a temple and not to step on the threshold.

Thai marriage ceremonies are divided into two parts: a Buddhist component and non-Buddhist component rooted in folk traditions which centers on the couple's family. A couple would seek a blessing from their local temple before or afer being married and might consult a monk for astrological advice in setting an auspicious date for the wedding. The non-Buddhist portions of the wedding would take place away from the temple and would often take place on a separate day.

The Thai dowry system is known as the "Sin Sodt". Traditionally, the groom will be expected to pay a sum of money to the family to compensate them and to demonstrate that the groom is financially capable of taking core of their daughter. Sometimes, this sum is purely symbolic and will be returned to the bride and groom after the wedding has taken place.

Traditionally funerals last for a week. Crying is discouraged during the funeral so as not to worry the spirit of the deceased. Many activities surrounding the funeral are intended to make merit for the deceased. Copies of Buddhist scriptures may be printed and distributed in the name of the deceased and gifts are usually given to a local temple. Monks are invited to chant prayers that are intended to provide merit for the deceased as well as to provide protection against the possibility of the dead relative returning as a malicious spirit. Often, a thread is connected to the corpse or coffin which is held by the chanting monks during their recitation; this thread is intended to transfer the merit of the monks' recitation to the deceased. The corpse is cremated and the urn with the ash is usually kept in a chedi in the local temple. The Chinese minority however buries the deceased.