When in Thailand it's not always necessary to do as the Thais do, indeed certain customs such as resting on one's haunches or sleeping atop a motorcycle, might present some physical difficulties to the average Western visitor. There is however, a list of things to avoid doing and some you should remember always to do.

Never say anything which might be considered disrespecful of the King or Royal Family. In general, do not make direct criticisms of things not to your likeing, you may unwittingly offend your Thai listener.

The head is considered by Thais to be the most noble part of the body, so as a general rule, avoid touching people on the head, and certainly, on a beach for instance, never step over a person's head.

At the other extremily, the feet are considered less than noble, therefore do not point with foot. When sitting on a chair, it's more polite to literally keep both feet on the ground.

You can point at objects but never point at people. It's considered very rude. Public displays of affection are strictly toboo. The Tourist Authority of Thailand advises that holding hands is the accepted limit in this regard.

Prolonged staring at another person is also rude and risky. A quick smile and a friendly not are safer and more polite. Do remember to remove your shoes before entering a Thai house, especially up country where the custom of washing your feet with ladled water and rubbing one foot on the other, may still be in force.

Do dress appropriately which means not wandering around the city dressed for the beach. It is especially important at temples where the correct dress requires females not to wear shorts, slacks or short skirts. Males should also not wear shorts and will be more respected if they wear longsleeved shirts.