Sneeezing/coughing/spitting Openly -why?

[english_farang_lady]

While here posting about something else, I will let off steam about something which has bugged me about Asia in general and Thailand in particular, since we arrived here.

Gran, being a much feared and highly respected Matron of a teaching hospital in London, instilled in her daughters, and they into the next generation, that covering ones mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing was mandatory in their book. It was not just a do it or else, it was carefully explained that infection is spread by water droplet inhalation, so if one sneezes close to someone else, the tiny droplets of viral matter could be inhaled by that person, and the infection passed on to that person.

I rarely see a Thai person cover their face while sneezing or coughing. I wonder if this is a general lack of education on how these bugs spread, or perhaps the attitude is well I have it, so why should I care if you get it too? Or maybe it is tied up with Thai culture.

Recently on a long haul flight, the Thai child behind our seats constantly sneeezed, coughed and spluttered the entire journey. I felt sorry for the little thing, but also annoyed that it forced us to wear cotton anti-viral face masks (purchased in Fascino in Bangkok) for pretty much the whole journey.

Another habit, which I hesitate to mention because of it's pure grossness, is clearing the throat and then spitting. The projected green/yellow gobbet almost always looks contagious to me, but still I see people spitting. I also read that there is a new virulent strain of TB which resists treatment with antibiotics. If the cause of these two dangerous habits is lack of education, then it is incumbent upon the government to educate their people.

I also believe that the next pandemic due to wipe out millions of people is probably going to start in this region. From what I see here, this is no suprise to me.

What can be done?

[Jai Dee]

Another habit, which I hesitate to mention because of it's pure grossness, is clearing the throat and then spitting.

The Thais are nothing compared with Indonesians... ever been to Jakarta?

[backflip]

In China, it's a national sport. I used to think that only the poor and uneducated would do this. I work at Dell Computer in their Shanghai Design Center and, at the highest level, Chinese nationals hack, cough, and spit throughout the day. Walking in a men's room means negotiating the floor carefully, as these clods spit on every surface - walls, floor, mirrrors, without regard. China believes that the world will fall in love with them when people visit Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. I believe that all of the visiting foreigners will refuse to ever visit China again.

[steveromagnino]

China believes that the world will fall in love with them when people visit Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. I believe that all of the visiting foreigners will refuse to ever visit China again.

While disgusting, I believe the China are educating their public about it, probably won't fix it all, but may help. They managed to educate people in Singapore.

Each country has its own version of 'charm'. America, England, France, Italy, Australia and so on.

I am sure people will get on just fine in China. For all the things I don't like about the States, I still manage to enjoy the bits I like (and there are many) and ignore the ones i don't like. I am sure people can do the same for China. Not all of them, but at least some.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

The influenza pandemic of 1918 ended the use of spittoons and made spitting socially unacceptable - perhaps them same would happen if there were to be an avian flu pandemic.

[Maestro]

I rarely see a Thai person cover their face while sneezing or coughing. I wonder if this is a general lack of education on how these bugs spread..

Yes.

Another habit, which I hesitate to mention because of it's pure grossness, is clearing the throat and then spitting.

This, I would say, is mostly cultural, plus again a lack of education. And if you’re watching football on television you may have noticed that it is being popularised by football stars.

What can be done?

There is nothing you can do about it personally.

--

Maestro

[tutsiwarrior]

I hack, spit and cough a lot when waking up as there always seems to be an accumulation of mucous that has to be gotten rid of. Most of the time expectoration is part of daily ablution and I always use tissue when possible in public. However, in Asia expect to see stuff all over the place. In China in public areas the floor is covered in green slime...you got to be carefull where you put yer suitcases in airports. This contributes to the high TB infection rate in asian countries...

it's a cultural thing, I suppose...mucous is presumed to be the cause of disease and must be gotten rid of immediately. Not much that white folks can do about it...

[bina]

annoyed that it forced us to wear cotton anti-viral face masks (purchased in Fascino in Bangkok) for pretty much the whole journey.

youre kidding right????

thats sort of really extreme...

[english_farang_lady]

No bina, I am not kidding. As a pale skinned blonde I pick up all kinds of bugs and virus all the time. I am absolutely fed up being ill with flu or a cold ending in two weeks of a hacking cough, simply because someone cant be bothered to prevent the spread of a miserable illness which is easily avoidable with just a tiny bit of thought and consideration for other people. Perhaps if you picked up bugs easily fom being sneezed and coughed over repeatedly, yand had wasted months if not years of your life feeling ill for no good reason, you may resort to this 'extreme'. Walk in my shoes before you judge me.

[ThaiGoon]

In Bangkok, spitting in public has been made illegal for a while. I don't know how tough the police officers are enforcing the rule though. As for other parts of the country, I don't know if the same rule has been in place yet. I think passing a law and aggressively enforcing it, along with better education, would be a way to solve this problem.

I'm Thai and I agree that we need to rid of these unhealthy and pretty nasty behaviors.

[leisurely]

I read some research once about the passing on of colds etc. Seemingly there is a triangle with your eyes being the base and your mouth being the point. The broader the area the greater the entry route. It seems that your eyes and conjunctiva are a fabulous conduit for germs of all sorts. Covering your nose and mouth would have little impact. This article was emphasising the need to wash your hands after handling pens and door knobs etc. Virus' and bacteria could be depositted on them and then you rub your eyes. These nasties have a long life.

To win friends and influence people, wash YOUR hands after cougning and sneezing into them.

[taxexile]

I

am absolutely fed up being ill with flu or a cold ending in two weeks of a hacking cough, simply because someone cant be bothered to prevent the spread of a miserable illness which is easily avoidable with just a tiny bit of thought and consideration for other people.

coughing and spitting are common throughout asia , i doubt if the wearing of masks or covering the mouth when coughing will really prevent the spreading and contracting of airborne infections , or whether complaints by foriegners or initiatives by governments will do much to change things.

asians view the removal of a handkerchief from ones pocket , then coughing into it , blowing or wiping ones nose on it before returning it to ones pocket only to bring out the filthy thing again five minutes later to recieve another gob of snot as just as disgusting as we view spitting.

if it is really too much for your sensibilities then perhaps it's time to return to the infection free green and pleasant land that is blighty.

Edited February 20, 2007 by taxexile

[Boo]

if it is really too much for your sensibilities then perhaps it's time to return to the infection free green and pleasant land that is blighty.

Ridiculous, she has said she wears a face mask when in closed quarters with people who are coughing & sluttering around her. She is doing what she can to prevent other peoples lack of germ awareness to affect her. What is so hard to understand, if someone is on the bus or train next to me coughing or sneezing without covering their nose & mouth I use my scarf or coat to cover my face. Do I care if it bothers or offends them, no as they don't care they are bothering me.

She lives here too so should be able to express her opinion on this subject & from most replies, a lot of poeple agree with her. It is too easy to use the old "go home if you dont' like it" argument.

Edited February 20, 2007 by Boo

[taxexile]

english farang lady is , like every other member of this forum , entitled to express their opinion.

she sounds extremely paranoid that due to the penchant of uneducated thais for filthy practices and selfish behaviour , possibly in some way linked to their rich culture , she is in imminent danger of catching some dangerous or fatal respiratory disease , or at least slipping on some mucous on the floor and breaking a hip.

english farang lady.

I wonder if this is a general lack of education on how these bugs spread, or perhaps the attitude is well I have it, so why should I care if you get it too? Or maybe it is tied up with Thai culture.

and she goes on ...

I also believe that the next pandemic due to wipe out millions of people is probably going to start in this region. From what I see here, this is no suprise to me.

and asks....

What can be done?

well , surely the most sensible course of action would be to leave the area immediately.

its not so much a matter of "go home if you dont like it" , but more like " i feel my health is in great jeopardy , it might be better for me if i left."

[chuchok]

The people of Hong kong stopped their spitting really quickly when SARs was all over the show....

[rak sa_ngop]

I used to know an American who chewed tobacco in the office. By the end of the morning he would have a Coke bottle full of spit. It looked like Coke as well!

[ZEAK]

What about nose picking??

It seems to be a sport in S.E.A. that is enjoyed by one and all. It is not visually appealing and I am pretty sure that it is not the most hygienic activity to partake in.

[Phil Conners]

Just lack of education.

[davethailand]

Just lack of education.

And manners.

[junkofdavid2]

Ey, and while we're at it... how about the food ladies who receive and count money, and then use the same hand to touch the food. Money is one of the dirtiest bacteria and virus infected things in the world!

Even in first class Siam Paragon, the lady was so hygienic as to use gloves when holding food to serve... and then she used the same set of gloves to receive the money!

It was in that "upper classed" snazzy bread place serving cheese bread and stuff... Can't remember the name. Will post it here after I go back to Paragon and check on the place.

Yuck!

What puzzles me even more is that even the upper classed and educated Thais don't seem to mind when food (or fruit) is served to them that way.

I lived in the Philippines for several years and even the lower classed Filipinos will create hel_l and start world war 3 against a food lady who did that. (At least if the saleslady did it in front of them).

[tutsiwarrior]

What about nose picking??

It seems to be a sport in S.E.A. that is enjoyed by one and all. It is not visually appealing and I am pretty sure that it is not the most hygienic activity to partake in.

yeah...an' whaddayado wid de boogers? There was an american film about adolescents about 35 years ago called My Body Guard and in one scene a nerd/geek was complainin' about de boogers wiped underneath de desks at school. He exclaimed 'ye can get hepatitis from de fresh ones!' I never know what to do wid de boogers when I pick my nose except than to flick 'em and not look where dey land...

Edited February 26, 2007 by tutsiwarrior

[Maestro]

No As a pale skinned blonde I pick up all kinds of bugs and virus all the time

There are indeed people who are much more likely to catch certain airborne infections than others. It has to do with one’s immune system, although I doubt that it is directly correlated to one’s skin and hair colour.

Those who are not afflicted in this way should be grateful, those who are have learnt to take precautions and should not be belittled for doing so.

--

Maestro

[kayo]

nice one toots

[junkofdavid2]

I've never really been badly hit ever since I started getting the yearly flu vaccine 2 years ago, even if I just get the southern hemisphere one.

In the past, I would get hit very often (maybe 4 times a year) and really bad, like for 2 weeks easily.

Since the flu vaccine, i've been "hit" maybe twice, but it was extremely mild and went away in about 2 days.

I'm now thinking of getting the Hepatitis A vaccine but it's expensive (2 doses for about 4,500 Baht). Wonder if it's worth it...

[StickKettleOn]

I

am absolutely fed up being ill with flu or a cold ending in two weeks of a hacking cough, simply because someone cant be bothered to prevent the spread of a miserable illness which is easily avoidable with just a tiny bit of thought and consideration for other people.

coughing and spitting are common throughout asia , i doubt if the wearing of masks or covering the mouth when coughing will really prevent the spreading and contracting of airborne infections , or whether complaints by foriegners or initiatives by governments will do much to change things.

asians view the removal of a handkerchief from ones pocket , then coughing into it , blowing or wiping ones nose on it before returning it to ones pocket only to bring out the filthy thing again five minutes later to recieve another gob of snot as just as disgusting as we view spitting.

if it is really too much for your sensibilities then perhaps it's time to return to the infection free green and pleasant land that is blighty.

I have to say, I have never looked at it this way before. I suppose that could make sense.... much in the same way that Thai's feel wiping your bum with tissue is revolting compared to a hose. My ex GF just could not get her head around this. She used to ask 'I dont understand - you are wiping the stuff back into you bum, a bit like putting wax on a car'. I agree. Im strictly hose now and whenever i go back to blighty, i have to squat int he bath and use the shower.

Sorry if that is too much information.

On another note, while we are at it - sniffing. I used to get the bus most weekends from BKK to Kan. I could guarantee there would be a Thai sitting within range who would not stop sniffing, on every trip. Realy loud, repetative sniffing. The trouble is, in between sniffs you are holding your breath thinking 'ok, maybe he will stop now. Yep, all good. Nothing for 20 seconds now. Looking good.... I think i can sleep now and read my.... SNIIIIIIIFFFF!! Oh <deleted>! Shut the f__k up!!

Either way, I am with Ferang Lady on this. Given the choice of using a hanky or openly sneezing in your face, i would pick the hanky. It winds the hel_l out of me.

[Jared]

Another habit, which I hesitate to mention because of it's pure grossness, is clearing the throat and then spitting.

This, I would say, is mostly cultural, plus again a lack of education. And if you’re watching football on television you may have noticed that it is being popularised by football stars.

I take it you have never spent 90 minutes running your ass off all over a football pitch in the middle of winter in the UK. Give it ago and see if you can go 90 minutes without having a good old spit, or would you rather they left the mucus to run out of there noses and all over there faces. I know, every 10 minutes we can stop the game for a nose blowing session.