Removing shoes going into a shop- selective hygiene?

[Scouse123]

This is a contentious issue, so before all the poison pen letters commence, read with an open mind.

 

It has always been a bit of a bugbear to me in Isaarn households.

 

I can understand a dwelling, family home and local customs where the family sleeps, eats and moves around on the floor, much as though it is alien to me., scurrying around on the floor.

 

It is their house and their rules. That is OK.

 

I'll even go along with the reasoning about bringing dirt, dust and grime from outside as the reason. It makes sense, even though these houses are usually untidy and in complete disarray, except that small square of linoleum they insist must be kept clean.

 

I don't get it when it is a shop selling products, services and goods, why do they want me to take my shoes off entering a doctor's/dentist surgery or similar?

 

I don't take my shoes off entering Lotus or going to the shopping mall etc

 

They claim it's a hygiene thing.

 

Well, my sensibilities get offended and go on high alert when I see these families all huddled together inside AND outside the dwelling, on a dirty mat eating food in the grime, then one trots off to the Thai-style toilet and returns, throwing the water off their hands, and drying them on an old shirt in front of you, to sit and eat from a communal bowl again.

 

You know full well without asking, that they haven't thoroughly washed their hands after toilet use.

 

That is far more unhygienic than not removing one's shoes.

 

I have seen the inside of too many Thai toilets in homes where there is no soap, hand cleanser, paper towels or anything to clean one's hands after a person has used the facilities, only to sit down and munch away with their hands communally.

 

When you are using the family bathroom, they are usually untidy, not clean, with a cup with toothbrushes sticking out all over the place and old bits of soap, here, there and everywhere.

 

Disorganised, and I've seen this in many homes, including those that are allegedly middle class with government jobs.

 

No, I am not contradicting myself regarding the soap issue. There are either tiny pieces scattered around or none at all.

 

And then the dreaded dirty holding tank where the stagnant water lingers that they use to flush the toilet.

 

It's not like the Vietnamese way of eating, where anything taken from a communal plate involves the use of chopsticks, placed in your bowl, and then separate utensils used for eating, to avoid cross-contamination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20 by Scouse123

[Crossy]

Their shop, their rules, you don't have to shop there.

 

I do admit to being a bit confused mind. Our local builder's merchant wants shoes off if you go in the shop itself (you have to in order to pay). But the electrical place a few doors down doesn't.

 

The vet wants shoes off (try that with a wriggling dog in your arms), but the dentist doesn't until you go in for torture treatment.

 

Consistently inconsistent!

 

Welcome to Thailand.

[Gsxrnz]

My understanding is that if it's a purely retail outlet, shoes on. But if the premises is a shop-house, where the staff or owner/s sleep and eat there, it's considered a residence, shoes off.

[2baht]

Antiquated culture/tradition!

[jollyhangmon]

... well, a good way to catch 'n' spread athlete's foot plus the related rotts ... 4 sure makes no sense at all in places where 'strangers' are randomley strolling around!

 

[mfd101]

My experience here in Surin province is that it's a fading practice for shops. Where 10 years ago I would remove my sandals before entering the barber's shop, now if you did that he would indicate to you not to bother.

 

Increasing population, pressures of work, old customs dying.

 

But still strictly applied on entering your house or someone else's. A nice custom, I think, in the tropics - bare feet on cool tiled floor. I impose it on any of my friends visiting from Oz and they enjoy it too.

[sungod]

31 minutes ago, Crossy said:

The vet wants shoes off

I've never worked that one out with scruffy mutts sprawled out on the floor.

[brewsterbudgen]

Great post.  It is of course completely ridiculous and contradictory.  But, hey, that's Thailand for you! 

[steven100]

the shop is sick of sweeping the floor every time a customer enters ....  they bring sand, dirt, gravel etc ....

 

so that's why they like to have no shoes inside.

[brewsterbudgen]

9 minutes ago, steven100 said:

the shop is sick of sweeping the floor every time a customer enters ....  they bring sand, dirt, gravel etc ....

 

so that's why they like to have no shoes inside.

 

I'm not sure I'd want to visit a shop where they are "sick" of cleaning the place!  Must be like a pigsty inside.  Surely cleanliness is essential when running a business for the public?

[steven100]

3 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

I'm not sure I'd want to visit a shop where they are "sick" of cleaning the place!  Must be like a pigsty inside.  Surely cleanliness is essential when running a business for the public?

 

when you have a shop with clean shiny floor tiles you don't want sand and grit and gravel coming in regularly,  also tiny gravel can scratch the floor,   hence minimize sweeping so it's not done every ten minutes.  But they still maintain a clean environment. 

[Scouse123]

26 minutes ago, steven100 said:

the shop is sick of sweeping the floor every time a customer enters ....  they bring sand, dirt, gravel etc ....

 

so that's why they like to have no shoes inside.

 

Well, how do shops feel in the UK where we have a rainy climate?

 

They seem to manage and the shops are always clean as a rule.

 

And there are no set rules to it in Thailand, as other posters have pointed out. In some places where you would expect the removal of shoes, they don't mind, and in places where you would think they wouldn't care, they do!

 

Keeping a clean floor is part of general housekeeping running a shop in any country, and it's not unique to Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20 by Scouse123

[Scouse123]

8 minutes ago, steven100 said:

 

when you have a shop with clean shiny floor tiles you don't want sand and grit and gravel coming in regularly,  also tiny gravel can scratch the floor,   hence minimize sweeping so it's not done every ten minutes.  But they still maintain a clean environment. 

 

 

I've seen and been in shops with chipped, dog-eared and broken lino that insist on the removal of shoes.

[steven100]

4 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

Well, how do shops feel in the UK where we have a rainy climate?

 

They seem to manage and the shops are always clean as a rule.

 

And there are no set rules to it in Thailand, as other posters have pointed out. In some places where you would expect the removal of shoes, they don't mind, and in places where you would think they wouldn't care, they do!

 

Keeping a clean floor is part of general housekeeping running a shop in any country, and it's not unique to Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hear ya '     I don't make the rules here ....  I guess some like no shoes and some don't care ...  

 

like everything here ... nothing consistent 

[ozimoron]

Pattaya is covered in a fine layer of black soot. Anytime I go outside wearing slippers I need to wash my feet when I get home. Shoes off is a practical necessity for cleanliness.

[Korat Kiwi]

I can understand the request for shoes off but what really gets my goat is when there are shoes all over the place directly in front of the door!

 

Why can't people put them to the side thus allowing easy access into the building/house/shop?

 

Or better yet have a shoe rack like they do at some temples. 

 

 I remember many years ago I got so wound up by bloody shoes in the way that I kick them all over the place.  Not really an appropriate response by damn I felt a lot better afterwards. 

[mfd101]

The problem at temples is that there can be so many pairs of shoes or sandals and the occasional problem of theft ... My b/f once told me his shoes were stolen outside a temple. I asked him what he did. He said he looked around for another pair that fitted him, put them on and walked away ...

[sirineou]

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

I don't get it when it is a shop selling products, services and goods, why do they want me to take my shoes off entering a doctor's/dentist surgery or similar?

You have to ask , why you should take your muddy shoes off before you enter a doctors office or a pharmacy? 

[Crossy]

18 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

The problem at temples is that there can be so many pairs of shoes or sandals and the occasional problem of theft ... My b/f once told me his shoes were stolen outside a temple. I asked him what he did. He said he looked around for another pair that fitted him, put them on and walked away ...

 

Yeah, colleagues on our Malaysian project told me "If you need new shoes, go to the mosque".

 

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

This is a contentious issue, so before all the poison pen letters commence, read with an open mind.

 

It has always been a bit of a bugbear to me in Isaarn households.

 

I can understand a dwelling, family home and local customs where the family sleeps, eats and moves around on the floor, much as though it is alien to me., scurrying around on the floor.

 

It is their house and their rules. That is OK.

 

I'll even go along with the reasoning about bringing dirt, dust and grime from outside as the reason. It makes sense, even though these houses are usually untidy and in complete disarray, except that small square of linoleum they insist must be kept clean.

 

I don't get it when it is a shop selling products, services and goods, why do they want me to take my shoes off entering a doctor's/dentist surgery or similar?

 

I don't take my shoes off entering Lotus or going to the shopping mall etc

 

They claim it's a hygiene thing.

 

Well, my sensibilities get offended and go on high alert when I see these families all huddled together inside AND outside the dwelling, on a dirty mat eating food in the grime, then one trots off to the Thai-style toilet and returns, throwing the water off their hands, and drying them on an old shirt in front of you, to sit and eat from a communal bowl again.

 

You know full well without asking, that they haven't thoroughly washed their hands after toilet use.

 

That is far more unhygienic than not removing one's shoes.

 

I have seen the inside of too many Thai toilets in homes where there is no soap, hand cleanser, paper towels or anything to clean one's hands after a person has used the facilities, only to sit down and munch away with their hands communally.

 

When you are using the family bathroom, they are usually untidy, not clean, with a cup with toothbrushes sticking out all over the place and old bits of soap, here, there and everywhere.

 

Disorganised, and I've seen this in many homes, including those that are allegedly middle class with government jobs.

 

No, I am not contradicting myself regarding the soap issue. There are either tiny pieces scattered around or none at all.

 

And then the dreaded dirty holding tank where the stagnant water lingers that they use to flush the toilet.

 

It's not like the Vietnamese way of eating, where anything taken from a communal plate involves the use of chopsticks, placed in your bowl, and then separate utensils used for eating, to avoid cross-contamination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 You are being very obtuse here. Have some respect.

[Neeranam]

Removing shoes signifies a gesture of politeness, cultural awareness, and respect for the local community. It's not so much about the cleanliness.

You sound like a Thai going to the UK and refusing to shake hands.

[freeworld]

A dentist near us wanted shoes off to enter. They also wanted to do a covid test.

 

We declined and told them we would find another dentist.

[ChipButty]

16 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Removing shoes signifies a gesture of politeness, cultural awareness, and respect for the local community. It's not so much about the cleanliness.

You sound like a Thai going to the UK and refusing to shake hands.

I dont shake hands with a Thai, they never wash their hands after a <deleted>, I'll stick to a wai

[ChipButty]

Same on a speed boat and that was on the quay side, I didn't realise I wasn't leaving these shoes 6000 baht a pair, fortunately I had a bag with me so I put them in there

[Old Croc]

38 minutes ago, Korat Kiwi said:

I can understand the request for shoes off but what really gets my goat is when there are shoes all over the place directly in front of the door!

 

Why can't people put them to the side thus allowing easy access into the building/house/shop?

 

Or better yet have a shoe rack like they do at some temples. 

 

 I remember many years ago I got so wound up by bloody shoes in the way that I kick them all over the place.  Not really an appropriate response by damn I felt a lot better afterwards. 

I react the same way.

When the wife's relations invade, the shoes scattered haphazardly in front of my own door can be infuriating for a wheelchair user as I get bogged down in all the plastic and rubber. We have a shoe rack nearby which I think they regard as decorative only.

 

I consider shoes off to be fair and reasonable for a dwelling, but not for a pure retail outlet. The onus in keeping the floors clean is part of operating a business. Using other peoples feet or socks to assist is not reasonable.

[ChipButty]

Imagine 7/11 implemented that rule, you would brake your neck going in and out, 

[GarryP]

10 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I dont shake hands with a Thai, they never wash their hands after a <deleted>, I'll stick to a wai

I never shook hands in the UK and I don't recall seeing anyone shaking hands, but maybe in my neck of the woods it wasn't a thing.  

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, GarryP said:

I never shook hands in the UK and I don't recall seeing anyone shaking hands, but maybe in my neck of the woods it wasn't a thing.  

Obviously meet the wrong people

[ChipButty]

What's them thingy's you get under your feet called? Never had them in my life until I came here, Years ago I asked the cleaner has she got them, she said yes, it's you bring them into the house, 

Edited March 20 by ChipButty

[lemonjelly]

Thai often sit together on the floor and eat, watch TV, etc.

Lots of dogs in Thailand, plus general dirt on the roads n paths. I think it’s a great idea. Take yer fekkin shoes off  ya dirty hippies. 🤣