Bits and Pieces about Cambodian Culture - Part 2 (some interesting Do's & Don'ts - sourced from another website):

How to Greet

- Offer a traditional greeting with hands in front of face, palms together, in prayer-like fashion.

- Men can shake hands with men.

- Men should not shake hands with Khmer women unless they offer their hand.

- Men should not hug, kiss, or touch the body of women…

- Men should not look women directly in the eye. (They may become confused, feel uncomfortable, nervous, shy, and not respected.)

- Men should not give "strong" visual attention to other men.

How to Sleep

- You must wake up before sunrise or else you are lazy.

- Sleeping places in the home are determined according to status. Cambodian families often live in one or two rooms, and everyone sleeps on the same bed, a large slatted wooden platform of about eight- or ten-feet square. The parents sleep at the "head" end and the youngest children sleep at the "foot" end.


How to Walk

- Tell people where you are going and when you are coming back. This is important to show respect to others and to keep them from being embarrassed if someone asks and they don't know where you are.

- If someone of higher status is passing you, bend lower (from the waist) than that person. ◊Don't make sounds with your skirt when you walk.

- Don't wear shoes or hats when you enter a house or temple.

- Close doors softly when you go through them.

- When you meet someone on the street, ask where they are going.


How to Stand

- Stand with your arms crossed at the waist. (Arms at the side means you are signaling that you are strong. Hands on the hips or arms behind your back or across the chest means you are rich, powerful, threatening, or disrespectful of other people.)


How to Sit

- Sit with your legs straight down. Crossing your legs can be a sign of disrespect. Never put your feet on a table or show the soles of your feet to others as this is very rude.

- Men can sit on the floor in the lotus position while eating.

Women must sit on the floor with their legs to the side.


How to Speak

- You must speak softly and gently.

- Children have no right to speak unless spoken to.

- A guest is polite and doesn't talk unless spoken to.

- Let others talk more than you.

- There should be limited talking at meals.

- If you speak with anger or emotion or express feelings, you will not be respected. You are behaving like an immature and uneducated child.

- Patience is a virtue. (Parents make a comparison between a gasoline fire which ignites quickly and burns to nothing, and a charcoal fire which is difficult to start but cannot easily be extinguished and becomes more intense.)

- Do not make aggressive movements or gestures–such as making a fist, pounding the table, or throwing something–while speaking.

- Giving criticism or discussing an individual's problems must not be done in public. That person will lose face, want revenge, and will be unable to accept your idea.

How to Eat

- Men can eat a lot but must not eat fast.

- Women can eat only a small amount.

- Take food only when asked or directed to.

- Use the communal spoon. Not using it indicates you are insincere or not part of the group.

- People of high rank do not expect to have to get their own food (especially at a buffet). They are often seated in a private or special place and served by others to show status and respect.

- All guests must be served water or another drink even if they come for only a short visit. Give a drink rather than ask what they want which is impolite. If asked, they are obligated to choose the least expensive drink.

- If guests come during a meal, they must be invited to eat.

How to Dress

- The goal in dressing is to blend in with others, not to stand out.

- Formality is very important for respect in the office and at important occasions.

- Women should avoid skirts above the knees and sleeveless or low-cut blouses.

- Shorts are not appropriate in public or when a guest.

- Men's hair should be short.

How to Work

- Maintaining proper relationships in the office takes priority over the work.

- Proper behavior is more important than work performance.

- You will get honor if you show respect and politeness to those of higher status or power.

- Your performance will be evaluated based on allegiance to those in power.

- You will be rewarded with money or power or job security if you give respect and allegiance to your superiors.

- It is better to agree than to disagree, especially if the other person has a higher status. It is the responsibility of those in power to make decisions.