[Emunsesoxmete]

with all due respect, I work at a school, and adults DO wai young kids in order to prompt or teach them to wai. even up to the age of 5. children learn by copying so they get full wais from Thai staff at my school so that they can learn exactly how to hold their hands and how to bow - especially the little ones. and that's what I see when parents bring younger siblings along and ask them to wai other parents, the adults cooperate as well, they wai first and greet the child enthusiastically if the child is reluctant, etc. sometimes they go on and on with 'sawatdii krap' if the child is really reluctant but the parent really wants him/her to wai.

our Thai boss is a very proper lady, with younger staff, she waits for us to wai first, but with teachers of the same age as her or older, they usually wai at the same time and bow to the same level, they don't wait for the other to wai first.

FIP, I think if you don't wai back (apart from service staff and other obvious cases), I think it is the equivalent of not accepting someone's hand for a handshake. nodding is an appropriate reply only if you are driving or your hands are full or something like that. there are many things that are worth resisting and making your point clear, but why upset people about something simple like this? I don't get it,