Why Wai?

Anyone who has travelled to Thailand will be familiar with the wai. This customary greeting is made by placing hands together in prayer position and gently bowing the head to show respect to an individual or to a divine representation like a Buddha statue. Often you will see people in hotels, banks and restaurants wai-ing you because their job requires them to do so, though you won’t likely get a hello or goodbye from your cab driver or the local noodle stall guy in this manner. Nevertheless, if you come to Thailand to train Muay Thai, it can be helpful to have a little insight into the subtleties of this welcoming gesture.

When meeting the trainers and fighters at your gym for the first time a nicely performed wai is a great way to show an intention of respect and/or thanks to them. In Thai Buddhism, wais are also used in a prayerful manner, and directed where there is any kind of sacred energy. You can often see Thais wai in the direction of the temple as they pass it, or give a little wai to household altars. Similarly, most trainers and fighters (if not all) will wai the ring before they step into it, and many will do the same to their bag after doing their rounds on it.

Former Thai Buddhist monk and muay boran master Aekapop Suprapaso explains the use of the wai in boxing culture like this:

“When you go into the ring you will remember everyone that help you get there. You will think about your mother, your father, your master and your grandmaster. This is the same with bag. But bag sometimes more important. You will see the bag as your master too, because it teaches you a lot.”

Just like the wai kru in which nak muays pay homage to their teachers, a simple wai can be a surprising expression of beauty and grace. I’ve seen wai’s by both men and women that can stop you in your tracks – a good wai will certainly leave its mark. Similarly a poorly executed wai will also leave an impression.

Here are a few general guidelines as to how to perform the wai. There are basically three levels of wai, depending on whom or what you are greeting. Remember to use your judgment – you needn’t be excessively formal or overly reverent but then you don’t your wai to look hasty, awkward or sloppy either. Your particular circumstances at any given time will determine what kind of greeting you choose.

The first type of wai is used to greet social peers, which would include friends and people in your age group. Perhaps the fighters at the gym you are training would fall into this category. According to Aekapop, this type of wai is most commonly used before entering the ring. In this variation, the hands are first held together just above the heart or so the tips of the fingers are in line with the tip of your nose. This gesture is then followed by a gentle bowing of the head.

In the second instance you are holding your hands slightly higher on your face – so that the tips of your fingers are in line with your eyebrows. This placement indicates you are greeting someone of a higher status than you – which usually relates to age. You would wai your friend’s mom like this or any elders that you meet. It might also be appropriate for you to greet your trainer or even a promoter in this way (if you feel he deserves your respect).

Finally the third and most reverent type of wai is reserved for monks and any representations of divine beings like the Buddha. In this particular wai the tips the thumbs would meet near the bridge of the nose so the tips of your fingers are around the top of your hairline or slightly above.

One last tip – after meeting everyone in the gym you might not feel the need to wai them every day. Again use your judgment. Often a nod or a smile and sawatdee (hello) will suffice. Or a less formal version will do — hands held together but without the head bow. This is how the young fighters greet me in the morning when I arrive at the gym and how I usually greet my Thai friends when I meet up with them. We wai once to say hello and then once to say goodbye.

If all else fails remember the Thai’s will always give you a lot of latitude – in a way they expect farang to be unacquainted with their cultural traditions. Showing the slightest interest is often received with disporportionate appreciation – all the more reason to make an effort, in my view.

This post is written by Abigail McCullough
Photo’s of Aekepop Suprapaso courtesy of Abigail McCullough

Born in Australia, training in martial arts since the age of 9. My first trip to Thailand was back in 2007. Since then i have made numerous visits back to the "land of smiles" to feed my addiction of Muay Thai. During the month of November in 2010 i had to decide between working a 9 to 5 job back home for the rest of my life, or sell all my worldly possessions and move to Thailand to live and train for the next few years. Thankfully i chose the latter. I now spend my time training Muay Thai, meeting new and interesting circles of people, sipping coconuts under palm trees on the beach and measuring the cost of everything on how much Pad Thai i could buy with that money.

Mike (Admin)

View all posts by Mike (Admin)
s website