Sunglasses Not Popular Among "regular" Thais?

[glossolalia]

I noticed that all my taxi drivers seem to always be squinting. Then I noticed that none of them wear sunglasses. Then I noticed that no one, aside from women making a fashion statement, wears sunglasses. Then I noticed that despite the presumable availability of government-funded eyeglasses, regular folk don't seem to wear corrective lenses often either.

Am I just noticing the obvious? I was recently in Saigon, and everyone wears sunglasses there.

[tuky]

I think you are correct. My in laws both have terrible vision yet refuse to see the eye doctor. They have a single set of non prescription glasses that they share f they need to read something.

It is very scary if the old boy is driving at night, his eyesight is so bad he has to crawl along under 50kph...on the skyway!!!!

I think they just do not understand that a set of prescription glasses will change their worlds.

[pampal]

I see alot of Thais wearing sunglasses, including taxi drivers and police men. Although I don't notice as many people wearing corrective lenses.

[jbsears]

I always thought that was weird that almost no one wears sunglasses here. I see people at the beaches but never in Bangkok except for those making a fashion statement. With the strong sun here, their eyes must take a beating.

Although, I have seen Thais wear sunglasses when they drive.

[Robski]

The bridge of the nose is much less prominent on Thais than Westerners and this can make wearing sunglasses uncomfortable.

[jingjoe]

Friends of mine complain that sunnies make their eyes sore, and that'd be right considering the only readily available sunglasses in Thailand are the 199 baht fakes which must do some aweful eye damage.

I guess not many thai's think their eyes are worth spending 10000+ baht protecting, as opposed to a majority of farang.

Edited March 14, 2007 by jingjoe

[petecooper]

Sunglasses maybe, but the one that fascinates me is the vast number of guys on the high-rise building site next door to my apartment who I see day in day out doing arc welding without any eye protection! They look right at it! I'm just amazed that these guys can see a thing at the end of the day let alone do this for a career. Surely they must be doing some serious permanent damage?

[alexth]

I guess you're correct about corrective lenses, couldn't say the same about sunglasses.

[Upcountry]

According to my Thai wife, many Thais are too concerned about their looks to wear glasses that would look bad. Have you seen motorcyclists with umbrellas in one hand? Common in smaller towns, I suppose, but maybe not viable in Bangkok.

There is a notion among Thais that dark skin is "lower class", as if an otherwise attractive college student or office worker had been toiling in the fields or construction site.

If cheap eyeglasses are available, they may not be the most stylish. Naturally, the "underclass" may not even be able to afford the basic, and take that for granted, but those who may be able to get them will either not be aware enough of the advantages, or think they can't afford them.

My wife used to work part-time in at an optomitrist’s office in the states. She told me that many older people would come in to look at the sponsored frames and reject them because they were too ugly!

I've noticed welders and other workers exposing themselves to hazards (noise, etc.) without apparent care. I think it's lack of education and lack of governement will to demand safety equipment and knowledge about the risk of going without it. Actually, part of the problem is the well documented horrific income gap. Another aspect of this may be the sense of ‚’mai pen rai’. It may not be socially acceptable to complain about health risks.

I’ve noticed that people who try to protect their ears in some loud enviroments in the West (concerts?) are laughed at – it’s somehow cool to pretend to be impervious to the loud music three feet from the stage speakers. So that aspect of things might be universal.

I think that in more affluent countries a worker would be required to provide his own eye or ear protection unless he worked for a big company that could provide it to him. I could be wrong about that. Note that those poor souls who guard parking lots, etc., for a small income, have to buy their own uniforms!

Those that do wear sunglasses know how to take care of themsleves so that they can look good and still protect their eyes.

Edited March 14, 2007 by Upcountry

[meom]

I always thought that was weird that almost no one wears sunglasses here. I see people at the beaches but never in Bangkok except for those making a fashion statement. With the strong sun here, their eyes must take a beating.

Although, I have seen Thais wear sunglasses when they drive.

I notice that with all the high rises in Bangkok a lot of direct sun light is blocked out so no need really for sunglasses.

[Mighty Mouse]

Perhaps the Thais are realists and don't need to look at the world through rose coloured glasses.

[Cuban]

I think it's lack of education and lack of governement will to demand safety equipment and knowledge about the risk of going without it. Actually, part of the problem is the well documented horrific income gap.

I'm always amused by the big (huge) green bill boards at building sites proclaiming "Safety First" only in English, also sometimes seen on the back of trucks. Is this because farang cause so many accidents?

Some years ago we walked into a Top Chaoroen outlet while briefly passing through enroute somewhere, GF had lost one of the screws on the arm of her corrective glasses, the optician there spent some time looking for the right screws and correcting the problem. "Oh no charge sir, maybe you come back one day and buy something..." Wow, never happened before or since.

[h90]

I noticed that all my taxi drivers seem to always be squinting. Then I noticed that none of them wear sunglasses. Then I noticed that no one, aside from women making a fashion statement, wears sunglasses. Then I noticed that despite the presumable availability of government-funded eyeglasses, regular folk don't seem to wear corrective lenses often either.

Am I just noticing the obvious? I was recently in Saigon, and everyone wears sunglasses there.

I never wear sunglasses in my life as well my parents and my wife never did. I really don't see the point of using them. The human eye is made of that sun, I think, and can handle it.

[bendix]

I never wear sunglasses in my life as well my parents and my wife never did. I really don't see the point of using them. The human eye is made of that sun, I think, and can handle it.

Well, I'm off to buy some shares in Rutnin Hospital. I think it might be a good investment . . .

[andook]

Thais will not wear anything that might imply weakness, or detract from their overall "look".

Prescription glasses seemed to be popular a few years ago, to make people appear "clever", or because some flaky pop singer sported a pair.

Some of my staff at work are as blind as cave-fish, but will not entertain the thought of going to the opticians, as they might be derided as "old" or looking "too serious", or something. I hope contact lenses are popular here, because otherwise there must be some real "Colonel Blink's" on the roads out there.

[roblin]

people do look strange on me when i use my earplugs which i bring everywhere i go. you never know when the noise is gonna attack you.

another group of semi blind/deaf-people are the longtail-drivers. i really can understand how they can cope with the noise, smell and sun all day.

just bought a 8000baht pair of rayban sunglasses. polorised and dark. seems like a cheap investment for keeping something as important as my sight. a lot cheaper than LASEK for sure.

[phazey]

My missus will generally wear sunglasses (mainly to keep her hair back) but we've argued somewhat when it comes to me suggesting she goes to get an eye test.....

Both her sisters wear contacts, and will only wear eyeglasses in the house (unless visitors are around)...

[alexth]

I never wear sunglasses in my life as well my parents and my wife never did. I really don't see the point of using them. The human eye is made of that sun, I think, and can handle it.

Well, I'm off to buy some shares in Rutnin Hospital. I think it might be a good investment . . .

Wait for me, wait for me...

[Neeranam]

just bought a 8000baht pair of rayban sunglasses

I just bought a pair for 100 baht, copies of course.

Can they do any damage?

[bendix]

just bought a 8000baht pair of rayban sunglasses

I just bought a pair for 100 baht, copies of course.

Can they do any damage?

Depends on their protection levels. With fakes it can be hit and miss - some are good, some are worthless. I seem to recall reading a report in which some fakes on the streets of (I think it was) Kuala Lumpur actually had higher UV protection than the real mckoy in the optician's shops.

And some, on the same vendor's stall, offered zero protection.

[petecooper]

just bought a 8000baht pair of rayban sunglasses. polorised and dark. seems like a cheap investment for keeping something as important as my sight. a lot cheaper than LASEK for sure.

By the way, if you ever did damage your sight through excessive sunlight (which is an extremely remote possibility in the first place), no surgery (LASIK or otherwise) is likely to help you.