Wai wai

If you paid enough attention to what I said.. *ahem* (imagine: me pushing up my spectacles, holding a cane, standing next to a black board with a plunging neckline blouse and super tight very professional above knee office skirt )

This is NOT the image I have in mind. Like I care.. Go imagine yourself. I don't have time to search for the perfect image. Teehee..

So where was I? No wonder you don't pay attention to me.. cos I digress too much. Tsk .. tsk..

So uhm.. yes...

I have on numerous occasions wrote about giving 'wais'. It is a form of greeting or respect given in Thailand, where you clasp two palms (in GG's case, three) and place them near your chest, chin or nose while bowing your head slightly. No one has given me formal lessons on "the art of giving "wais" but thru my own observation and initiative, I found out that the placement of palms very much depends on who is receiving the 'wai.'



Giving the 'wai' is a very gentle mannerism. It is one of the many Thai cultures that I adore. It shows gratitude and respect. Once, an old man helped me to fix a leaking pipe, voluntarily under the hot blazing sun (read here). If not for a 'wai', I would have felt that I didn't thank him enough.

Sometimes I meet people whom I like. And it's a bit mengada-ngada to offer squeezy hugs to show our affection. There are times I appreciate the help I get. And it's a bit silly to smell his/her feet as a gesture of appreciation. Hence, a 'wai' is apt.

However, no matter how many times we do it, we still can't perfect the art of giving 'wais'. Maybe our movements are too stiff, our hands - too rough, and our smiles -too fake.

Once, I was picked up at the airport by papah's driver. I was carrying my luggage. Upon seeing us, he quickly gave us a 'wai'. I reciprocrated immediately, forgetting that I didn't have two hands. So, imagine.. I had one hand (upright) on chest level while bowing slightly. I must have looked like a Taoist nun! (Sinjoy~ sinjoy~). What a faux pas!

I have always encouraged Gooly to give 'wais' to elderly people. The way he does it, albeit still unnatural to compare with the locals, it is still awfully cute.

When he was younger, he bowed way toooo low. Almost like someone suffering from Osteoporosis.

And then, he progressed. But he sniffed his palms while saying, "Sawadeekap" *sniff sniff*

And now he does it almost automatically when addressing a local.

I tried loading a picture of him giving a 'wai', but.. I got this disturbing message:

Sorry, the web site you are accessing has been closed by Royal Thai Police due to inappropriateness such as pornography, gambling or contain any information which is deemed to violate national security.

This is not the first time. Everytime I try loading pictures, I get that intimidating message. Anyone else being slapped by the same message, my dear Bangkok comrades?

Ok, so back to 'wais'..

Err... nothing else to add.

Adious! How crappy..

Wai wai, wan pin wai? Ah Wai ng hai.. (sing to the tune of Barney's I love you. I don't care the words don't jive with the tune)