This is probably every traveller's first lesson in Thailand, so I don't think there's any need to expound on this. The king is not only the head of state, but a revered and highly respected figure. Contrary to England's queen whose foibles are the nation's favorite pastime, the royal family in Thailand should never be anyone's subject of scrutiny or criticism. Under no circumstance are you to talk ill of him or any member of his family. Better yet, refrain from starting a conversation regarding the royal family.
7. Thou shalt control your anger
Rudyard Kipling succinctly put it. "It is no good for the Christian's health to hustle the Asian brown. For the Christian riles and Asian smiles and wears the Christian down. And the end of the fight is a tombstone white with the name of the late deceased. And the epitaph dear…"a fool lies here who tried to hurry the East."
These days could still well be Kipling's. Indeed, anger is considered an anathema to any situation in Thailand. "Jai yen yen," meaning cool heart is "supposedly" the way business is done in this country. Many foreigners say this isn't always the case, yet it is for your own good to exercise caution and refrain from any aggressive behavior even though the situation may totally call for it. This may sound easy, but this could be a challenge. Try calming down, for example, when you find out that your salary is B5000 baht short, or your contract has been changed and you haven't been informed, or your work permit has not been processed yet and your visa has expired….
8. Thou shalt be "sanuk"(fun)
Although daunting at first, this could be to your advantage in the long run. It isn't always easy to comprehend how one pays so much money to study yet expects fun and games in the classroom. I personally believe this is well overstated by many, but it is undoubtedly a good teaching technique when students are shy, sleepy, or bored. From personal observation, the higher the level of the student, the less they expect "sanuk" in the classroom. The lower levels, however, anticipate more.
During my course of teaching Thai students, many have expressed indifference towards studying English. Teachers hitting them in primary school with a long list of grammar rules to memorize have muted their interest in learning English. This could well be the reason why students welcome the fun element in studying. Having fun somehow convinces them that English teachers aren't as fiendish as they thought they were.
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