Society & Conduct in Campudia

 

SOCIETY & CONDUCT Greetings   Like the Thais, who have their wai, the Cambodian traditionally greet each other with the sompiah, which involves pressing the hands together in prayer and bowing. In general the higher the hands and the lower the bow the more respect is shown. In recent decades this custom has been partially replaced by the western practice of shaking hands. But, although men tend to shake hands with each other, women usually use the traditional greeting with both men and women. It is considered acceptable (or perhaps excusable) for foreigners to shake hands with Cambodians of both sexes.   Visiting Khmers  As is the case throughout Asia, a small token of gratitude in the form of a gift is always appreciated when you visit someone. Gifts should always be offered with the right hand. If you want to be particularly polite, support your right elbow with the fingers of your left hand as you do so. Before entering a Khmer home, always remove your shoes.   Dress Both men and women often wear sarongs (made of cotton, a cotton-synthetic blend or silk), especially at home. Men who can afford it usually prefer to wear silk sarongs. Most urban Khmer men dress in trousers and many women dress in western-style clothing.   On formal occasions such as religious festivals and family celebrations, women often wear hols (a type of shirt) during the day. At night they change into single-colour silk dresses called phamuongs, which are decorated along the hems. If the celebration is a wedding, the colours of such garments are stipulated by the day of the week on which the wedding is held.   Modesty The women of Cambodia are very modest in their dress - much more so than the Vietnamese. When eating at home, they sit on floor mats with their feet to the side rather than in the lotus position, as do the men. As in Thailand, nude bathing is unacceptable.   The Khmer are tolerant and may choose not to point out improper behaviour to their foreign guests, but you should dress and act with the utmost respect when visiting wats or other religious sites (such as some of the temples of Angkor). This is all the more important given the vital role Buddhism has played in the lives of many Cambodians in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge holocaust. Proper etiquette in pagodas is mostly a matter of common sense. Unlike Thailand, a woman may accept something from a monk, but she should be careful not to touch him as she does so. A few other tips include:   Don't wear shoos or tank tops. Take off your hat when entering the grounds of the wat. Take off your shoes before going into the vihara (sanctuary).   Never point your finger - or, nirvana forbid, the soles of your feet - towards a person or a figure of the Buddha.   Dos &  Don'ts There are some other rules that are worth remembering while you are in the country: Getting angry and showing it by shouting or becoming abusive is impolite and a poor reflection on you; in addition, it is unlikely to accomplish much. If things aren't being done as they should, remember that there is a critical shonage of trained people in the country because the vast majority of educated Cambodians either fled the country or were killed between 1975 and 1979. As in Thailand, it is improper to pat children on the head. If you would like someone to come over to you, motion with your whole hand held palm down signalling with your index finger and your palm pointed skyward may be interpreted as being sexually suggestive. When using a toothpick, it is considered polite to hold it in one hand and to cover your open mouth with the other. When handing things to other people, use both hands or your right hand only, never your left hand (reserved for toilet ablutions).