Why Do Thai Girls Love Getting Tattoos?

[Acharn]

Thai culture has a long history of tattoos. Almost every Thai guy I know is like a billboard, tattoos on back and chest. Often they are long religious texts or prayers. Some kinds are against disease. In Ayutthaya, they were used to prove citizenship -- and prevent people from evading taxes.

[Acharn]

On 12/4/2024 at 10:02 AM, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

20 odd years ago not so many of them had tattoos. They were still taboo for Thais even among bar-girls and go-go dancers. 
 

There were a few that had sak yant, small designs, baby coverups and a few even had tats on their naughty bits. 

 

How times have changed.

You should get out more. I see it the other way around -- nowadays fewer men get tattooed, but more women, and they're less religious in nature.  In the book Khun Chang, Khun Paen, a monk warns Khun Chang that if he lives in a town they will put a tattoo on him and he will be treated like a dog (i.e., a citrizen).

[JoeRan]

They do it so you fat , bald , out of touch farangs have something to talk about. Your lives are so boring and racist that you have nothing to do but drink and judge others. 

[thrilled]

The average Thai woman will never think about getting one. Those that are what you would call a little wild then yes. Go to a shopping mall in Thailand and you won’t see many visible tats on women. Possibly a few but not many. Go to a bar and that’s all together different

[Gandtee]

More to the point. Why does anyone want to get a tattoo that disfigures their bodies for life? Female or male. A pair of Blue Tits tattooed on a nineteen-year-old girl's breasts will look like a pair of vultures perched over dead meat when sixty years old.😉

[DarthChuckler]

Oh my god! The level of stupidity and contempt so many replies show is pathetic. Tying tattoos to mental illness? Or degrading them for the "job" or lack of intelligence. Shows the lack of intellegence and character of the posters. look around the world. Tattooing is a subculture of life. Why do you have long hair or  short hair? Why do people wear beards? Why do girls wear makeup? Why do guys wear makeup? Why do guys wear suits? Why don't guys wear suits? It's a way of expressing themselves. A look they choose to have.  They're using art on their body. Its's not just girls, as one mentioned for centuries sailors git tattoos.  In some areas it's cultural. For some it's a symbol

 I have a tat. Symbolic of my daughter. Am I stupid? Mentally ill? A p4p girl? No I have it because I wanted it. I like the way it looks

 

 

[maxcorrigan]

On 12/2/2024 at 9:23 PM, BangkokReady said:

 

I heard a theory about issues with self-image leading to tattoos.  It's something like they want their outside to look like how they feel inside.  Maybe they want people to see them as dirty, as they fear surprise or disappointment when people find out what they do.

Youmean like Avatars (sp) then!

[newbee2022]

Not all. Those with brain think first how it looks when 70, or how to remove it if necessary or how to get a job - except as a bar girl or prostitute - if looking so ugly, or see health problems.

Unfortunately this is not only a matter of girls.

But alcohol and drugs stop your brain working properly.

Fact is that nobody looks nicer with an tattoo than without.

[Thingamabob]

In case you hadn't noticed not only Thai girls or night workers have tattoos. No deep reason. It's a fashion thing world-wide. 

[BJM1950]

Not only Thai girls! Add Aussie, Kiwi, European and Yanks to the list.

[kingstonkid]

25 minutes ago, BJM1950 said:

Not only Thai girls! Add Aussie, Kiwi, European and Yanks to the list.

 

Tats are a fashion statement. It's not my idea, but then again!  

[Sandboxer]

I have Mighty Mouse inked on my arm. Always gets a chuckle from folks and kind of disarms my rather imposing, somewhat intimidating Polynesian physical features and natural facial expressions.

[connda]

It's a generational thing.  Guys and gals both.  Guys my age normally got what tats they have in the military.  I opted out.  Of the tats, not the military.  Personally I think every man should do at least 2 years in the military, active duty.  Gals too, just not in combat roles other than perhaps pilots. 

[NoshowJones]

On 12/2/2024 at 9:28 AM, SoCal1990 said:

When you spend time out in Thailand’s ex-pat nightlife districts, you do notice one thing: tattoos are everywhere. It seems like every other girl who is on the game has ink, whether it’s a delicate floral design, bold tribal pattern, some mysterious Thai script or Buddhist icons, or just a messy mountain of ink. So, what’s behind it all? Is it fashion, or is there something deeper at play?

 

Some say tattoos are tied to personal childhood histories. Could it be that many of these girls, coming from tough backgrounds, broken homes, or rural poverty, use tattoos to express themselves or take greater ownership of their bodies? For some, could tattoos act as a kind of emotional shield, a way to visibly display their stories, struggles and psychological wounds for the world to see?

 

Or maybe it’s less about pain and more about standing out within the nightlife culture? Tattoos are more trendy now in Thailand, especially among some groups of younger people. For sex workers, working in an industry where appearance matters, is it possible that tattoos are just another way to stay fashionable or attract customers who find ink sexually intriguing?

 

There’s also the question of freedom. Could tattoos be a form of class rebellion in a society that often judges women harshly? These girls seem to face some stigma already because of their work or circumstances, so is getting a tattoo their way of saying they don’t care what anyone thinks? Maybe it gives them a sense of control in an otherwise unwelcoming world.

 

Of course, not every tattoo is a sign of something deep. Maybe some of them just like the designs they choose. After all, tattoos can be seen as a status symbol for some too. For a girl who has moved from a small, poor village to the city and started earning some money, maybe getting a tattoo is simply a way to show off all of her success.

 

Are tattoos about fashion, rebellion, personal expression, trying to seek more attention or something else? Or are they no more than a blatant marker of emotional scarring of someone from a rough background who is now working out in the nightlife?

People with tattoos and not just bargirls, men as well, are people who have low IQ's disfiguring themselves and following people like sheep, then they always say "cheers" when they clink glasses for a toast, then they forget the marmalade.

[oslooskar]

Both my son and his girlfriend came by our home all covered in tattoos and gave me quite a fright. Fortunately they were fake tattoos and were washed off after the beach party they had attended was over.