Dos And Don’ts in Myanmar ( Burma )

Typical Character

• Friendly, helpful, honest, but proud.
• Treat everyone with respect and you will be respected.

Speaking

• Be friendly, cooperative and sincere.
• As Myanmar people are delicate in nature treat everyone with respect and you will be respected.
• In Greeting use “Mingalarpar” which means “be auspicious”
• When address people, don’t omit U (which stands for Mr.) or Daw (which stands for Ms/Mrs.).
• Speak slowly and clearly.
• Don’t shout while speaking with people.

Eating

• For hygiene reasons, eat only in respectable restaurants. When not available, always eat warm food.
• Don’t eat food purchased from street vendors.
• Don’t drink tap water.
• Drink only sealed PH7 water and soft drinks bottles.
• Let the oldest be served first.
• Chinese food is common and suggested.
• Myanmar foods are sometimes oily.
• To try good Myanmar food, go to respectable restaurants, where they cook Myanmar food according to international standards.

Manners

• Not always required to shake hands.
• Don’t touch any adult’s head.
• Seek permission on retrieving an article above a person’s head
• Don’t step over any part of a person, as it is considered discourteous.
• Accept or give things with your right hand.
• Sit lower than a monk and elders
• Keep the feet on the ground, don’t point with feet. It is considered extremely rude.
• Don’t kiss in public.
• In Myanmar, unlike the Indian continent, nodding means YES, and shaking head means NO.
• Respect Culture and Tradition.

Shopping

• When buying gems, jewelry, sculptures, or any expensive souvenir, make sure it comes with an export permit.
• Buy arts from authorized dealers only and get a certified receipt.

Safety & Health

• Don’t leave expensive objects in your hotel room. Use safe deposit box.
• Beware of cheats, defrauders and imposters.
• Don’t go alone in the night time to desolate places.
• Stay away from narcotic drugs. It is illegal to possess them.
• If sick, don’t worry. All doctors in Myanmar are English literate.
• Most of the hotels in Myanmar have on-call doctors but carry some medicines and plasters while visiting country sides.
• Health insurance is not available here in Myanmar

Traveling

• Accept that facilities may not be the best.
• On trains, keep windows shut.
• Speed or distance descriptions are in miles, not kilometers.
• Carry toilet paper in your bag.
• Take off shoes when visiting home.

Visiting

• Most Myanmar do not wear shoes in their homes. Take off when visiting.

Religion

• At religious places, remove footwear, but headwear is not compulsory.
• Avoid shouting or laughing too loud.
• Avoid being a nuisance when taking photographs.
• Treat Buddha images with respect.
• Do not put Buddha statues or images on the floor or somewhere inappropriate.
• Don’t let and sit your back facing against Buddha Image
• Don’t let your foot direct to the Buddha image or pagoda
• Tuck away your feet. Don’t point it toward the pagoda or a monk.
• Don’t step on a monk’s shadow
• Don’t play loud music in religious areas. Note that Buddhist monks are not allowed to listen to music.
• Don’t touch sacred objects with disrespect.
• Hold them in your right-hand, or with both hands.
• Leave a donation when possible.
• Show respect to monks, nuns, and novices (even if they are children).
• Don’t offer your hand to shake hands with a monk.
• Sit lower than a monk and elders.
• Don’t offer food to a monk, nun, or a novice after noon time.
• A woman should not touch a monk.

Moving About

• Don’t jay walk. Watch where you walk and what you step on.
• If driving, city speed limit is 30 mph. Drive on the right side.

Dos in Myanmar

• Put of your footwear’s when you are entering religious edifies live the pagoda precincts and monasteries.
• When you pass through in front of an elder people lower your head a little bit to show respect.
• Give due respect to the monks although you are not Buddhist.
• When you are going to yawn or cough turn your face sideward.
• When you get to molest others involuntarily, say "gadows" twice, as a gesture of asking pardon.
• Try to suppress your anger towards a younger one.
• Make prior to admit what you don't know.
• Make ready to admit what you don't know.
• Say greeting words heartily.
• Pay respect to those people who are senior to you by age or by rank.
• Try to acknowledge the benevolence of others.
• Smile heartily when it needs you.
• Make friends with your neighbors.
• Take your meal only after elder person has taken first, or leave the top past of the food for him and then start taking.
• Keep the younger ones on the safe side when you walk together.
• If you are going to talk about inauspicious things, you should begin the sentence with "Powa! gold house, and silver house, ", to wipeout evils.
• If you are going to talk about or suggest possible mishap, you should begin the sentences with "Please may it not happen here."
• If you are going to talk about or suggest shameful thing you should request.

Don’ts in Myanmar

• Do not spit in front of the elderly people.
• Do not stride or cross over the elderly people who are sitting.
• Do not enter mop the covered floor wearing shoes or slippers.
• Do not wear the hat in the house, except gaungpaung.
• Do not snags nor use tooth-picks without covering with your palm.
• Do not criticize nor disgrace in front of the strangers.
• Do not meddle in the family matters.
• Do not try to borrow anything from a guest.
• Do not praise your own talent or wisdom.
• Do not give anything to the elder people with only one hand.
• Do not ask the income of the other person.
• Do not else blunter the age of a woman folly.
• Do not rap pass the private apartment of others.
• Do not look over the letter the other people are reading.
• Do not be so fussy when you are a guest.
• Do not touch the head of the older people.
• Do not reject any visiter at your door if he is not endangering you.
• Do not go abreast with the teacher; follow him.
• Do not accept what you are not deserved.
• Do not sit at the head of the place unless you are elder me among.
• Do not give the berive as a apresent; ask for the gatherings a tohen poies.