Laos

Greetings

For Men greeting Men – The standard Lao greeting is, "Sabaideebor" which means "how are you?" or "are you well?" This is usually done with both hands pressed together in a prayer in front of your body and accompanied with a slight bow or nod. The response for "sabaideebor" is usually "sabaidee”. Some men will also use a standard handshake. These tend to be on light side. Always smile during greetings.

For Women greeting Women - The standard Lao greeting is, "Sabaideebor" which means "how are you?" or "are you well?" This is usually done with both hands pressed together in a prayer position just below the chin and accompanied with a slight bow. The response for "sabaideebor" is usually "sabaidee”. Always smile during greetings.

Greetings between Men and Women – The standard Lao greeting is, "Sabaideebor" which means "how are you?" or "are you well?" This is usually done with both hands pressed together in a prayer position just below the chin and accompanied with a slight bow. The response for "sabaideebor" is usually "sabaidee”. Always smile during greetings.

Notes: The person who is socially inferior or younger should be the first to bow, but it is considered polite for the older/socially superior person to respond quickly. The higher the hands are held and the lower the bow, the greater the degree of respect. When addressing a social equal, the hands are usually held at the level of the mouth; when addressing a person of higher social standing (this includes monks, regardless of age), the hands are usually held in front of the nose; and when addressing a younger/socially inferior person, they are usually held at the chin.

Communication Style

• Verbal communication tends to be non-confrontational and indirect.
• Many Laotians will offer you the response they assume you want to hear, regardless of their feelings or plans. Be prepared to receive seemingly contradictory information from different sources, and try to stay calm in these situations.
• Showing frustration with people in public does not usually win you any points. It may be more helpful to ask various simple yes/no questions of different people in order to put together a picture of the situation than to ask complicated how/why questions that may make someone uncomfortable.
• When there is a conflict, it is often resolved through an intermediary. Don’t expect to discuss the issue directly with the person who has taken offense. Once the problem has been resolved, the two parties can meet congenially without addressing the conflict.
• “Yes” does not always mean “yes” and “no” may be substituted for “maybe”, “possibly” or even “yes”. It’s best to pay attention to non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and body language.
• Laotians tend to have various types of smiles. Some indicate pleasure while others embarrassment or even anger.

Personal Space & Touch

• In most settings, an arm’s length of personal space is the norm.
• Touching during conversations is limited to non-existent. This is especially the case with members of the opposite sex.
• Avoid touching anybody’s head as it is considered very disrespectful. Note that it is usually acceptable for adults to touch children’s heads.
• Public displays of affection are usually culturally inappropriate and offensive. Handholding may be the exception in certain areas.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact tends to be the norm in most situations.
• When interacting with older or socially superior people, it’s best to follow their lead. For example, many people would not make direct eye contact with a boss or official unless they first established that contact.
• When a man speaks to a woman, especially a younger woman, she may avoid making direct eye contact and keep her eyes focused on the ground.

Gestures

• To beckon someone, hold your hand palm downwards with the fingers pointing towards the ground and waggle them loosely. Beckoning with the palm upwards (Western style) may be considered rude.
• Avoid pointing as it is considered rude.
• It is normally courteous and expected to remove one’s shoes before entering somebody’s home. It is required when entering a Buddhist temple.
• Showing the soles of your bare feet is considered a rude gesture and most Laotians sit in a way that hides the feet from view.

Views of Time

• The view of time tends to be quite relaxed throughout the country. People are often late and most things can take quite a bit of time to come to fruition. Patience is a major must.
• Most people give of their time freely and usually ask for the same in return.

Gender Roles

• Gender issues tend to differ a bit on the urban/rural divide, but women are still seen primarily as caretakers and homemakers. That being said, there are various opportunities for women and many do work and hold positions of power in various industries.
• Smoking is generally acceptable for men, but not for women. For women, smoking seems to be associated with prostitution or promiscuity

Taboos

• It is rude to point directly at a person, to touch somebody (other than a small child) on the head or hair, to point the soles of your feet at someone (especially a monk or a representation of the Buddha), to throw things, and in general to behave overtly aggressively or violently.
• When entering a temple, men should where long pants and a shirt. Women should avoid shirts, miniskirts, halter-tops, and strapless tops (anything exposing their shoulders).
• Showing the soles of your bare feet is considered a rude gesture and most Laotians sit in a way that hides the feet from view.

Law & Order

• There is no legal drinking age.
• Penalties for possession, acquisition, and trafficking of drugs are severe and include heavy fines, mandatory imprisonment in local jails or worse.