Drunken Thais

[micksterbs]

Has anyone noticed that in a land that is so concerned about the availability of cheap spirits, drunk-driving and round-the-clock drinking where some men seem to practically clean their teeth with whiskey in the morning, that they get plastered at the drop of a hat? I've seen this time and again at weddings, funerals and just general parties. The men all make a big show of putting all the bottles on the table, grinning, rubbing their hands in anticipation, and then 30 minutes later, they're totally bladdered! And that's with half a ton of ice with beer and ice and water with whiskey. They make a big show of getting the dumb farang (me!) to sit down with them and lets show him some hard-drinking, boys. Then they're giggling like girlies and sliding off the bench. Perhaps it's because we're used to drinking pints in the UK. I don't know, but it always makes me laugh, bless 'em.

[Lilawadee]

A lot of them will have had an early start.

[soundman]

I don't know about that.

I watch my staff get stuck into the whisky & beer & they can give hard core farang alcoholics a run for their money.

Typical drinking sessions I have witnessed go for about 3 x 750ml bottles of "master blend" or "hong song" & a dozen 750ml bottles of chang or archa between six to eight individuals.

They then get on their motorbikes & go off to a Karaoke bar or where ever to drink more.

Soundman.

[sbk]

Alcohol flush reaction:

Alcohol, as a toxin, can result in cellular damage after prolonged effects. The first step toward metabolizing alcohol is to convert it to acetaldehyde. It has been found that 50% of the Pacific Rim Asian population (Chinese, Japanese, Koreans) possess an atypical alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) known as ADH2*2 that leads to rapid conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde. This atypical ADH is less frequently found in Caucasians, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Indians (Agarwal and Goedde, 1992). Since acetaldehyde is more toxic than alcohol, its increased accumulation causes flushing in the human body. Moreover, the normal aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2), synthesized in the liver, oxidizes acetaldehyde into a carboxylic acid, acetic acid.[3] Mutant ALDH2 enzyme (known as ALDH2*2) in 45 to 53 percent of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese population, however, is only 8% as effective as the normal, wild-type enzyme (ALDH*1). This mutant allele of ALDH2 is dominant, as it interferes with the formation of a fully functional ALDH2 tetramer [4].

Approximately half of people of Asian descent are considered to be sensitive to alcohol due to this condition.[5] Flushing, after consuming one or two alcoholic beverages, includes a range of symptoms: dizziness, nausea, headaches, an increased pulse, occasional extreme drowsiness, and occasional skin swelling and itchiness. These unpleasant side effects often prevent further drinking that may lead to further inebriation, but the symptoms can lead to misassumption that the people affected are more easily inebriated than others.

[micksterbs]

I've drunk many a Thai under the table.

Not met one yet that has had the staying power.

Well yeah, that's my experience too. I don't mean that in a "Wow, what a man I am" but just as I said earlier. They will drink as many glasses as I do but watered down instead of neat which is how I like it. But they still seem to be matressed within the hour.

[GuestHouse]

Its been my observation that most Thais I know don't drink on a day to day basis, rather they drink socially when they go out for a meal or at weekends. Whereas many foreigners, myself included, will drink a little most days. (Well when I'm not here in Saudi that is).

So I suspect that most foreigners have a higher background use due to constant exposure, whereas most Thais have infrequent exposure to alcohol and hence less ability to take the stuff without getting drunk.

I'd also add that when on R&R from Saudi, a get pretty merry on a lot less beer than I would have drunk when living full time in Thailand/Rome or any other place where I drink regularly.

[Neeranam]

I've drunk many a Thai under the table.

Not met one yet that has had the staying power.

Same here but I'm not boasting, it took years of of abuse and wasted life to build up a tolerance of 2 large bottles of whiskey a day PLUS up to 10 large bottles of chang. Haven't touched a drop for over 7 years and I'd be very happy if I never drink anyone under the tale again; it's a sign of alcoholism.

There's a lot more pissheads where I come from in Scotland than here.

[Ijustwannateach]

Try drinking with the gay disco crowd sometime...

[yorkman]

Try drinking with the gay disco crowd sometime...

I'd rather not.....

[Travel2003]

I've drunk many a Thai under the table.

Not met one yet that has had the staying power.

Well yeah, that's my experience too. I don't mean that in a "Wow, what a man I am" but just as I said earlier. They will drink as many glasses as I do but watered down instead of neat which is how I like it. But they still seem to be matressed within the hour.

Same here.

My friends always seem to get drunk long time before I do.

[micksterbs]

Try drinking with the gay disco crowd sometime...

I'd rather not.....

[DP25]

I think this difference in drinking ability is largely down to size. A 120 pound Thai dude isn't going to be able to keep up with a 220 pound farang. Anyway, I wish I could get drunk off of a couple beers too, it'd make the nights out a lot cheaper.

[legag]

Can't say much about it but I have seen the best way to learn Thai custom/culture is you have to get down and drunken with them. Don't know what the heck is going on until dawn with that whiskey, guitar, all music instrument they can find to entertain amoung each other but fun and lotta laugh I bet.

Edited January 10, 2008 by legag

[jackr]

Same as the Abos, their system can't handle it

[stiggy]

I consider myself able to sustain a drink or ten.

Met my match with some of the real old island women down south,seen some of them go solid for three days at festivals.

must be all the beatlenut.......

[tso310]

Same as the Abos, their system can't handle it

To be fair to Asian folk in general

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction

[peter991]

As a farang who spends time in both cultures (Australian and Thai) the biggest difference I have noticed is how people react when they are drunk. Thais seem to get very mellow after a few drinks - Aussies can be very obnoxious, loud and aggressive.

Peter

[jackr]

As a farang who spends time in both cultures (Australian and Thai) the biggest difference I have noticed is how people react when they are drunk. Thais seem to get very mellow after a few drinks - Aussies can be very obnoxious, loud and aggressive.

Peter

The latter are very loud and aggressive without the jungle juice

[girlx]

hm i think a lot of thais get more aggressive when drunk?!

[Sarge]

As a farang who spends time in both cultures (Australian and Thai) the biggest difference I have noticed is how people react when they are drunk. Thais seem to get very mellow after a few drinks - Aussies can be very obnoxious, loud and aggressive.

Peter

The latter are very loud and aggressive without the jungle juice

so so true, it must be their fine heritage (not!)

never understood why Thais make a big show in eating fierce spicy hot foods, sniggering at farang who don't like it, but then can only drink few drops of spirits diluted in tall glasses full of soda water and ice. You should see how they grimace when tasting whiskey straight up. That's where my fun begins ....

[micksterbs]

Thais seem to get very mellow after a few drinks -

Peter

Yes, I've noticed this too. Perhaps I've just been lucky so far but although they appear to become drunk sooner than the average Westerner, they behave a lot better. Sure, I realise that I've only been here 18 months and so have only just begun to scratch the surface. But when I think of how stroppy some people get back home when they've had a few and how they are here... Maybe it's the "losing face" scenario at work again.

[PattayaParent]

Its been my observation that most Thais I know don't drink on a day to day basis, rather they drink socially when they go out for a meal or at weekends. Whereas many foreigners, myself included, will drink a little most days. (Well when I'm not here in Saudi that is).

So I suspect that most foreigners have a higher background use due to constant exposure, whereas most Thais have infrequent exposure to alcohol and hence less ability to take the stuff without getting drunk.

I'd also add that when on R&R from Saudi, a get pretty merry on a lot less beer than I would have drunk when living full time in Thailand/Rome or any other place where I drink regularly.

You're hanging out with a bad crowd in Saudi if you're not getting p1ssed every day.

I met more alkies there than anywhere else I've been, especially the Sid drinkers.

[jackspratt]

Same as the Abos, their system can't handle it

Do you have a problem with spelling?

[Sarge]

Same as the Abos, their system can't handle it

Do you have a problem with spelling?

I guess he's a digger and referring to Aboriginals (aka abos)

[Sarge]

Thais seem to get very mellow after a few drinks -

Peter

Yes, I've noticed this too. Perhaps I've just been lucky so far but although they appear to become drunk sooner than the average Westerner, they behave a lot better. Sure, I realise that I've only been here 18 months and so have only just begun to scratch the surface. But when I think of how stroppy some people get back home when they've had a few and how they are here... Maybe it's the "losing face" scenario at work again.

I take it you guys never been to a morlum concert