Any 6 feet (180 cm) people finding themselves too tall in Thailand?

[NoshowJones]

On 3/5/2021 at 9:57 AM, bunnydrops said:

I saw a young man walking through the night market in ChiangMai once. I have no idea how tall he was but he was bent at the knees and waist to get though. The Thais just looked at him with eyes as big as saucers. I'm only 5'9'' and I fell tall here. The funny thing is even though there are some pretty big young women here, when I go to the States all the women look large.

Yes, side ways, not upways.

[jcmj]

Thais are getting taller and heavier each year. Before you’d rarely see an overweight Thai woman or man and few of height, but now it’s rampant. Height is probably from a lot of mixed couples and evolution, the weight we can thank the introduction to all those fast food chains and Foreigners introducing their eating habits. 

[Freddy42OZ]

On 3/5/2021 at 9:31 AM, RamenRaven said:

 

Note that I said: "Outside the major shopping centers and fancy condos"

"Excluding middle-class parts of Bangkok"

 

When you travel outside those areas, most of the infrastructure is built for people in the 140-170 cm height range.

 

 

Then stay away from those areas.  

I'm 185 and have never noticed any issue in Bangkok related to my height.

[Deli]

I'm 6 ft 1", so about the same. You need to lay the girls down, than they are more or less all the same. Just hard to find in the dark in a king size bed.

[IvorBiggun2]

It really hisses me off going to a rural market and keep getting those umbrellas sticking into my head and the stall owner laughing when I do it.

[DefaultName]

I'm 6'3 (188cm) and am used to ducking.  Feet are more of a problem; Thai stairs are often so short that I can only get half of my (UK size 12) feet on them.

[Maybole]

I am 1.7m. When I first visited Thailand 40 years ago, I was taller than almost all Thais. Thai people of my generation are general much shorter than I am, but later generations have caught up and passed me. My 40 year old nephew is 1.8m, My 18 year old granddaughter is 1.75. and there were 2 girls in her class at school taller than her. Half of the boys were much taller, at about 1.8m+. It seems to be a generation thing probably due to better health care and feeding.

[stereolab]

On 3/5/2021 at 10:05 AM, ezzra said:

Never mind too tall, i had few ladies quipping "Oh too big, too big" not much i can do about that is it now?...

Yes I get the “too big, too big” spiel, every time, it is becoming tiresome. Standing in a 7/11, a 4 year old Thai boy, looked up at me and shouted to his Mum, “Mum , a giant “, I am only 187cm, and about 69kg. 

[elgenon]

6' is definitely not average in America. I am 6'2". 

 

I have a problem with some umbrellas (vendors etc) in Thailand and mirrors in bathrooms being too low.

[JensenZ]

On 3/5/2021 at 10:08 AM, Fat is a type of crazy said:

At 6'5" I still get a few second looks but not like it was on my first trip with my blonde girlfriend in the 80's. Then it looked like I came from the land of the Giants. 

Giant and tall are two different things entirely. To be a giant, you need a lot of mass to go with your height.

 

Having been with a lady 12 inches shorter for many years, I don't feel tall and don't think of her as short. It all just feels normal.

 

I'm 183 cm (6 feet =72 inches = 182.88 cm) and never bump my head on anything and never feel tall around Thai people. Considering I live in Pattaya, everything is designed for taller people. It was quite a surprise to hear someone complaining about the problems of being only 6 feet tall.

[bkk6060]

I live in Pattaya and stupidly bump my head all the time.

Low doorways and stairwells walking from those back rooms or down the stairs in the massage shops always seems to be a problem.

Edited August 31, 2021 by bkk6060

[scorecard]

On 3/5/2021 at 3:07 PM, RamenRaven said:

Thanks, love your story Scorecard! Really enjoyable to read. You had mentioned that your Asian students were Thai, Burmese, Vietnamese.

 

But try taking a metro ride in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Taipei, or another one of those highly developed Asian cities. Many of the men, especially the younger ones, have European-level heights. I've walked around with some European (German, Swedish, Swiss) friends in those cities, and many of the local Asian youths were just as tall as the European boys.

 

Bangkok might be on its way there.

 

I started to visit Singapore round 1978 on short term projects.

 

I guess 30 years later I lead a consulting project with the S'pore gov't. In one of the discussion there was mention that the S'pore health ministry had, over many years, received strong recognition from the WHO and various countries in terms of how healthy the Singapore populace is. 

 

This led to a comment about the rapid rise in the average height of Singaporeans.

 

I forget the exact numbers but from around 1980 to 2005 - average height had increased by about 12 - 13 centimetres.

 

I asked 'why'. The minister asked one of their senior community health doctor expert/researchers to respond.

 

His response: The mass/serious adoption/daily intake of good quality fresh dairy products. Free in schools and inexpensive in supermarkets etc., and with excellent high impact TV etc., promotion.

[Hanuman2547]

I have a couple of friends in Bangkok that are between 198 and 203cm tall.  Yes, buses, MRT, and Skytrain really suck for them as do most minivans.  Off the rack clothes are difficult to find.  Luckily there are a lot of tailors in Bangkok and it is much cheaper than in the west.  Shoes are difficult to come by when looking for size US17/49.  They do better ordering online.

[Speedhump]

On 8/30/2021 at 10:44 AM, bronzedude said:

I find problems with clothes, shoes, and socks. XL doesn't mean XL here. Hard to find size 12 (USA) shoes and socks. I have to try on everything to make sure they are a good fit.

The ironing boards make me crease up. They're made for Lilliputians. 

[Speedhump]

4 hours ago, elgenon said:

6' is definitely not average in America. I am 6'2". 

 

I have a problem with some umbrellas (vendors etc) in Thailand and mirrors in bathrooms being too low.

So you're average? ????

[Sparktrader]

On 8/30/2021 at 4:42 PM, RichardColeman said:

As someone that is relatively short at 165cm, I find Thailand great for women. Most in my UK were about 3-4 inches more taller than me over average it seemed and I struggled find a woman.

 

My wife is only 150cm, so I feel like a giant now. 

 

This said, our adopted daughter is 123cm at just turned 5, is on schedule to be 178-180cm ish on the chart growths and will dwarf us both ! Her school photos are ridiculous of her being 6 inches taller than the rest of the class.

Steroids?

[Sparktrader]

10 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I live in Pattaya and stupidly bump my head all the time.

Low doorways and stairwells walking from those back rooms or down the stairs in the massage shops always seems to be a problem.

Back rooms 555

 

 

[LivinLOS]

On 3/5/2021 at 2:41 AM, nikmar said:

im 190cm - the only trouble i have is buying jeans. 

and shoes. 

 

walking in markets can be a challenge... Things set up for 5 10 and under.. 

[elgenon]

22 hours ago, Speedhump said:

So you're average? ????

I hope you are not calling me average! I am much more handsome than that!

[ifmu]

On 3/5/2021 at 9:27 AM, FritsSikkink said:

 Youth in Bangkok are bigger than you.

i call them the 7-11 generation

[Speedhump]

6 hours ago, elgenon said:

I hope you are not calling me average! I am much more handsome than that!

We were talking height! ????

Although I do think an average looking woman with charm is more attractive than one made up to the nines like Miss Thailand. If you can't stand seeing them honest (and giving you an instant morning glory) in the morning you're deluding yourself by going to bed with them in a ton of lippy and cake. ????

Edited September 1, 2021 by Speedhump

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

180cm = 5ft 11 ins. 6ft = 183 cm. 

I’m 179 cm ( 5 ‘ 10.5 ins) . nobody says I’m tall.

would not want to be any taller though, expecially here…….

require XL shirts here though ( XXL before losing 10kg, diet & exercise).

[elgenon]

On 9/1/2021 at 2:14 AM, Speedhump said:

We were talking height! ????

Although I do think an average looking woman with charm is more attractive than one made up to the nines like Miss Thailand. If you can't stand seeing them honest (and giving you an instant morning glory) in the morning you're deluding yourself by going to bed with them in a ton of lippy and cake. ????

Oh god, I couldn't agree with you more. I see guys with heavily made up women/girls and I shudder. I would much prefer an average looking woman and her natural self. Or a little accent.

 

 

[elgenon]

21 minutes ago, elgenon said:

Oh god, I couldn't agree with you more. I see guys with heavily made up women/girls and I shudder. I would much prefer an average looking woman and her natural self. Or a little accent.

 

 

I remember seeing a woman my friend was attracted to. I called her "Crusty" the caking was so thick. : )

[RamenRaven]

On 3/12/2021 at 8:13 PM, Kiujunn said:

 

Motorcycles, farangs on rented Honda Waves look just ridiculous.

 

Honda Waves are actually for big Thais. Smaller Thais ride those little motor scooters where you can put your feet down on the floor, typically for Thai women with shorter legs.

 

On 3/12/2021 at 8:13 PM, Kiujunn said:

 

BTW subways in the West aren't any higher than the BTS. Most men from a place like Amsterdam won't fit upright through Western subway doors. Furniture, cars etc in the West are made in Asia, by Asians, for Asians and according to Asian standards.

 

Just be glad that Mr. Wang is making your furnutire and cars, not Somchai, because the Chinese are a head taller than the Thais. It's common for taller Chinese and Koreans to be in the 180-185 cm range, so they will generally build things to accomodate people up to 190 cm or so.

 

But Somchai thinks that the maximum possible human height is 175-179 cm and builds everything accordingly.