Opinion: When In Rome (Or Bangkok) – Dress The Part

By Tuptim Malakul Lane Na Ayutthaya

 

Image: World Traveler / Facebook

 

It’s hot. Very hot. One’s just come from Helsinki or Petersburg after a winter equally long, cold and miserable. The first day in Bangkok is to be spent discovering the city, so that means shorts, a wife-beater, flip-flops and the mandatory money-belt. It’s a holiday, so the daily shaving routine is out the window. Sweat that glorious sweat, all dripping down as you step onto the air-conditioned BTS Skytrain. It’s packed with immaculately dressed Thais. Why have the smiles have suddenly become unreal?

 

Unaware of the stares, dismissive disregard and derogatory remarks, one wonders why welcoming arms suddenly don’t feel so open.

 

Full story:  http://www.khaosodenglish.com/opinion/2018/05/11/opinion-when-in-rome-or-bangkok-dress-the-part/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-05-11

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Dress The Part

 

Be careful what you wish for.

 

20 minutes ago, Darcula said:

 

Be careful what you wish for.

 

 Sorry we dont want to see your selfies,,thank you.

Bangkok isn't a beach resort. It's a major metro capital city. 

 

But there's not a whole lot a farang snow bird can do about the body's normal reaction to a major change in climate. 

Another one of these office workers looking so smart in their black slacks ( 500 baht in the market ) pressed with a dry iron so often they're covered in shiny patches.  A white shirt

( 75 baht in the market ) with a collar size at least 4 sizes too big and sleeves either too short or too long.

Shoes that have never seen polish since the day they were bought.

However the sweaty expat looks just as bad especially in the feet department. So many have the toe-nails needing sheared with the seemingly obligatory black lines under the front edge. At least some of the expat females hide it with nail polish.

Often wondered as well if deoderant , under-arm, becomes a no-no for a lot of expats on holiday here. 

Got in a lift one morning in BKK to go down stairs for breakfast and few expats got in one floor down, the smell of stale sweat was amazing.

Anyway, rant over.

Have a nice day.

They should just turn the whole metropolitan BKK into one huge shopping mall with aircon set to 25 degrees C much less sweaty and no horrible UV rays to spoil the lilly white Bangkokian skin.

12 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Another one of these office workers looking so smart in their black slacks ( 500 baht in the market ) pressed with a dry iron so often they're covered in shiny patches.  A white shirt

( 75 baht in the market ) with a collar size at least 4 sizes too big and sleeves either too short or too long.

Shoes that have never seen polish since the day they were bought.

However the sweaty expat looks just as bad especially in the feet department. So many have the toe-nails needing sheared with the seemingly obligatory black lines under the front edge. At least some of the expat females hide it with nail polish.

Often wondered as well if deoderant , under-arm, becomes a no-no for a lot of expats on holiday here. 

Got in a lift one morning in BKK to go down stairs for breakfast and few expats got in one floor down, the smell of stale sweat was amazing.

Anyway, rant over.

Have a nice day.

 

 

You sound well informed about lack of  deodorant and  lack of general hygiene.

 

Speaking from experience no doubt?     

9 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

You sound well informed about lack of  deodorant and  lack of general hygiene.

 

Speaking from experience no doubt?     

??

 

Nope.

Advocate of sartorial elegance dear chap.

I'm one of the few people I know who can actually iron a shirt properly, never met any woman who could.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Tuptim Malakul Lane Na Ayutthaya

Pretentious Moi!

1 hour ago, johng said:

They should just turn the whole metropolitan BKK into one huge shopping mall with aircon set to 25 degrees C much less sweaty and no horrible UV rays to spoil the lilly white Bangkokian skin.

they're getting there, slowly but surely

19 hours ago, Darcula said:

 

Be careful what you wish for.

 

And here I was thinking we had never met