Tattooed People In Thailand

[Sarge]

some foreigners in Thailand are into tattoos, one can see few shops in tourist areas that cater for this fetish. I don't have any tattoos, never had but I'm curious to know how you define someone as "heavily tattooed". At what point does one become heavily tattooed? Sleeves? Backpiece? What we talking in skin estate, 40%, 80% or more of your skin covered in tattoos? Also were these people heavily tattooed in their own country or become so after emigrating to Thailand?

What is your opinion? It'd be also interesting to know if they face discrimination from Thai society, be it at work, socialising, dealing with landlords when searching for rented accommodation, dealing with bank managers, in restaurants, shopping malls etc...

[jdinasia]

some foreigners in Thailand are into tattoos, one can see few shops in tourist areas that cater for this fetish. I don't have any tattoos, never had but I'm curious to know how you define someone as "heavily tattooed". At what point does one become heavily tattooed? Sleeves? Backpiece? What we talking in skin estate, 40%, 80% or more of your skin covered in tattoos? Also were these people heavily tattooed in their own country or become so after emigrating to Thailand?

What is your opinion? It'd be also interesting to know if they face discrimination from Thai society, be it at work, socialising, dealing with landlords when searching for rented accommodation, dealing with bank managers, in restaurants, shopping malls etc...

While I assume some people could be aroused by having tattoos on them ... it is not a 'fetish' for most.

I am thinking you must not have been in Thailand if you have not noticed that there are tattoo shops all over Thailand and that they are not limited to 'tourist areas'.

[Sarge]

some foreigners in Thailand are into tattoos, one can see few shops in tourist areas that cater for this fetish. I don't have any tattoos, never had but I'm curious to know how you define someone as "heavily tattooed". At what point does one become heavily tattooed? Sleeves? Backpiece? What we talking in skin estate, 40%, 80% or more of your skin covered in tattoos? Also were these people heavily tattooed in their own country or become so after emigrating to Thailand?

What is your opinion? It'd be also interesting to know if they face discrimination from Thai society, be it at work, socialising, dealing with landlords when searching for rented accommodation, dealing with bank managers, in restaurants, shopping malls etc...

While I assume some people could be aroused by having tattoos on them ... it is not a 'fetish' for most.

can you expand on that?

[jdinasia]

any good dictionary can, just a bias in the questioning that is apparent .. I have made my last contribution to this thread

[Sarge]

ok, you stated clearly that was your last post here, let's then hear from others their take on this matter

[girlx]

I would say that over 30% of the body being tattoed was "heavily tattooed". Or if you can see them outside of normal every day clothes. Doesn't bother me, though it's not usually attractive unless the tattoos are really well done. There is one guy in Koh Phangan who has half his face tattooed and he seems to do ok. I think as with all things the Thais are tolerant, at least superficially. I remember going to the sideshow at Coney Island (in NY) and there was a guy with his whole face tattooed. He gave a speech explaining that he was a young punk when he got them and he regretted it totally as he was unable to find a decent job ever since. It was quite sad actually (especially because the Coney Island sideshow was rather pathetic to begin with).

[Scott]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

[RakJungTorlae]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

I tattooed "W" on eatch Butt cheek!!

[bravingbangkok]

I have a religious and cultural tatoo and I have never had any bad looks or been avoided.

Alot of Thais have religious tatoos from temples so I do not think the general polulation of Thailand frowns at tatoos.

Do not believe the old tale that just because a Thai girl has a tatoo she is whore....this just is not true anymore but it would not hurt to be suspicious

[Sarge]

@ RJT

yes Thais are polite and good at keeping up appearances in public, but they are a conservative society. They may not show it (unless you force the issue on them), but they'd do gossip and shun someone who has tattoos all over the face and other visible body parts. One get more or less the same reaction in Europe & Australia, so I guess in Thailand life can be harder if you are heavily tattooed and happen to live outside the farang ghettos.

[khunandy]

Tattoos dont worry me..it seems to be the done thing and I take my hat off to those who are not concerned about looking like a fool at 60 years of age.

It may even have the benefit of encouraging one to keep in good physical condition for as long as possible.

My own children included.

More immedietly threatening in appearasnce is the shaved head with 6 long dreadlocks down the back, combine the two and if the bearer is over 100 kilos and you have a person to cross the street for......unless you have a gut full of lao khao.

[Sarge]

I have a religious and cultural tatoo and I have never had any bad looks or been avoided.

Alot of Thais have religious tatoos from temples so I do not think the general polulation of Thailand frowns at tatoos.

Do not believe the old tale that just because a Thai girl has a tatoo she is whore....this just is not true anymore but it would not hurt to be suspicious

we're not talking about people who may have the odd tattoo but the heavy tattooed people whose tattoos are all over the place, face, neck, hands etc.. maybe 50/60% up skin covered in tattoos.

[AndyBlueEyes]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

I tattooed "W" on eatch Butt cheek!!

WOW--I'm impressed !

[popmybubble]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

I tattooed "W" on eatch Butt cheek!!

Was that for the benefit of your boyfriend?

[syd barrett]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

I tattooed "W" on eatch Butt cheek!!

Was that for the benefit of your boyfriend?

-'popmybubble' : I love the Laura Palmer avatar!

Some years ago, in the U.K. I was drunk and lost consciousness and some so called 'mates' tattooed my shaven head and face with a blue ink spiders web design.

As a consequence I found it difficult to find employment in the U.K. so I moved to Pattaya, where I am a well known tattooed 'celebrity' on the sois of 6,7, and 8 and often pose for photographs in return for a small Chang beer or a simple Thai rice dish.

[tattoodrob]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

I tattooed "W" on eatch Butt cheek!!

i tattooed M on each butt cheek,dad wasnt impressed.

[tattoodrob]

I have a religious and cultural tatoo and I have never had any bad looks or been avoided.

Alot of Thais have religious tatoos from temples so I do not think the general polulation of Thailand frowns at tatoos.

Do not believe the old tale that just because a Thai girl has a tatoo she is whore....this just is not true anymore but it would not hurt to be suspicious

what if he/she has steve on one arm,dave on the other and martin on his/her bum

[webtv]

Its the new world fashion from what I see. It used to be criminals or 'hard nuts", but now its anyone. Tv shows like Miami ink etc show some pretty weird and wonderful people getting ink done. It is not stereotypical anymore.

I dont like them myself to be honest, but as a young bloke I got a few and now i live with them.. Such is life.

[Sarge]

interesting replies guys, it seems that for some in Pattaya, being heavily tattooed can be a career path. But let's put flesh on the bones and try to visualise what is a heavily tattooed person:

what you call this man heavily tattooed?

if not, what would you call him?

[syd barrett]

interesting replies guys, it seems that for some in Pattaya, being heavily tattooed can be a career path. But let's put flesh on the bones and try to visualise what is a heavily tattooed person:

what you call this man heavily tattooed?

if not, what would you call him?

Thai girl would call him: "Handsome man, good heart, where you go"!

[tattoodrob]

Tattoos dont worry me..it seems to be the done thing and I take my hat off to those who are not concerned about looking like a fool at 60 years of age.

It may even have the benefit of encouraging one to keep in good physical condition for as long as possible.

My own children included.

More immedietly threatening in appearasnce is the shaved head with 6 long dreadlocks down the back, combine the two and if the bearer is over 100 kilos and you have a person to cross the street for......unless you have a gut full of lao khao.

a lot of guys at 60 have been known to start to have tattoos,maybe they will worry about looking a fool at 80

i guess you may be right about keeping in shape ,no one wants saggy tattoos

personally im not bothered if i look a fool(to you or other tattoo dislikers) now or at 60 , il be quite happy if i last till 60 ,seriously though everyone always asks what about when your older(when youre heavily tattood),to be honest what do i care,ive lived most of my life by then and wont be looking for a job, going discos or competing with 20 to 40 yr olds......il be more worried about arthritus,cancer,heart attack etc than to worry about general public opinions.

im heavily tattood and aint finished yet....to sarge i would say that i call someone heavily tattood when they have a lot...some people would say 4 or 5 tattoos is someone heavily tattood but i would say someone who has a lot of skin areas covered but in percentage

wise even 20 to 30 percent is quite a lot as there is a hel_l of a lot of skin on us.

by the way i dont like all tattoos on people even though i have a lot...it depends on design etc.some look good some look bad,same as everything in life.everyones welcome to their opinion and im not bothered if someone does or doesnt talk to me because i have tattoos

[tattoodrob]

interesting replies guys, it seems that for some in Pattaya, being heavily tattooed can be a career path. But let's put flesh on the bones and try to visualise what is a heavily tattooed person:

what you call this man heavily tattooed?

if not, what would you call him?

not my cup of tea but......

i would call him heavily tattood,who wouldnt??? whats your point???

i dont get/feel persecuted for having tattoos and dont care anyway......the prison stigma aint what it used to be.i would also say the younger generation accept it/like it more than the older,same as clothes ,music etc and to further go on i think i read that in younger people more people have than dont have

[dumball]

Let's see now , shaved head and 6 long dreadlocks hanging down his back mmmmmmmm

Pretty hairy ears i would say .

[Sarge]

Tattoos dont worry me..it seems to be the done thing and I take my hat off to those who are not concerned about looking like a fool at 60 years of age.

It may even have the benefit of encouraging one to keep in good physical condition for as long as possible.

My own children included.

More immedietly threatening in appearasnce is the shaved head with 6 long dreadlocks down the back, combine the two and if the bearer is over 100 kilos and you have a person to cross the street for......unless you have a gut full of lao khao.

a lot of guys at 60 have been known to start to have tattoos,maybe they will worry about looking a fool at 80

i guess you may be right about keeping in shape ,no one wants saggy tattoos

personally im not bothered if i look a fool(to you or other tattoo dislikers) now or at 60 , il be quite happy if i last till 60 ,seriously though everyone always asks what about when your older(when youre heavily tattood),to be honest what do i care,ive lived most of my life by then and wont be looking for a job, going discos or competing with 20 to 40 yr olds......il be more worried about arthritus,cancer,heart attack etc than to worry about general public opinions.

im heavily tattood and aint finished yet....to sarge i would say that i call someone heavily tattood when they have a lot...some people would say 4 or 5 tattoos is someone heavily tattood but i would say someone who has a lot of skin areas covered but in percentage

wise even 20 to 30 percent is quite a lot as there is a hel_l of a lot of skin on us.

by the way i dont like all tattoos on people even though i have a lot...it depends on design etc.some look good some look bad,same as everything in life.everyones welcome to their opinion and im not bothered if someone does or doesnt talk to me because i have tattoos

that's your experience and it's good you share it with us. One point worth expanding on, about people who heavily tattoo themselves, say at young age, and then regretting it later on in the years. Why is it? Could that be because they faced ostracism and prejudice for years? Dunno, just asking...

[smokeyjoe2008]

Tattoos dont worry me..it seems to be the done thing and I take my hat off to those who are not concerned about looking like a fool at 60 years of age.

It may even have the benefit of encouraging one to keep in good physical condition for as long as possible.

My own children included.

More immedietly threatening in appearasnce is the shaved head with 6 long dreadlocks down the back, combine the two and if the bearer is over 100 kilos and you have a person to cross the street for......unless you have a gut full of lao khao.

a lot of guys at 60 have been known to start to have tattoos,maybe they will worry about looking a fool at 80

i guess you may be right about keeping in shape ,no one wants saggy tattoos

personally im not bothered if i look a fool(to you or other tattoo dislikers) now or at 60 , il be quite happy if i last till 60 ,seriously though everyone always asks what about when your older(when youre heavily tattood),to be honest what do i care,ive lived most of my life by then and wont be looking for a job, going discos or competing with 20 to 40 yr olds......il be more worried about arthritus,cancer,heart attack etc than to worry about general public opinions.

im heavily tattood and aint finished yet....to sarge i would say that i call someone heavily tattood when they have a lot...some people would say 4 or 5 tattoos is someone heavily tattood but i would say someone who has a lot of skin areas covered but in percentage

wise even 20 to 30 percent is quite a lot as there is a hel_l of a lot of skin on us.

by the way i dont like all tattoos on people even though i have a lot...it depends on design etc.some look good some look bad,same as everything in life.everyones welcome to their opinion and im not bothered if someone does or doesnt talk to me because i have tattoos

that's your experience and it's good you share it with us. One point worth expanding on, about people who heavily tattoo themselves, say at young age, and then regretting it later on in the years. Why is it? Could that be because they faced ostracism and prejudice for years? Dunno, just asking...

right i have 2 full sleeves and some of my chest tattooed.would not class myself as heavily tattooed.i have been stopped many times in pattaya by thais.who have asked to look at my tattoos.my tattoos are mostly jap and mori they seem to like that style.many thais have tattoos and they will show me what tattoos they have.just because you have tattoos dosent make you a bad person.im polite well mannered and have no criminal record

[JimsKnight]

Tattoos dont worry me..it seems to be the done thing and I take my hat off to those who are not concerned about looking like a fool at 60 years of age.

It may even have the benefit of encouraging one to keep in good physical condition for as long as possible.

My own children included.

More immedietly threatening in appearasnce is the shaved head with 6 long dreadlocks down the back, combine the two and if the bearer is over 100 kilos and you have a person to cross the street for......unless you have a gut full of lao khao.

a lot of guys at 60 have been known to start to have tattoos,maybe they will worry about looking a fool at 80

i guess you may be right about keeping in shape ,no one wants saggy tattoos

personally im not bothered if i look a fool(to you or other tattoo dislikers) now or at 60 , il be quite happy if i last till 60 ,seriously though everyone always asks what about when your older(when youre heavily tattood),to be honest what do i care,ive lived most of my life by then and wont be looking for a job, going discos or competing with 20 to 40 yr olds......il be more worried about arthritus,cancer,heart attack etc than to worry about general public opinions.

im heavily tattood and aint finished yet....to sarge i would say that i call someone heavily tattood when they have a lot...some people would say 4 or 5 tattoos is someone heavily tattood but i would say someone who has a lot of skin areas covered but in percentage

wise even 20 to 30 percent is quite a lot as there is a hel_l of a lot of skin on us.

by the way i dont like all tattoos on people even though i have a lot...it depends on design etc.some look good some look bad,same as everything in life.everyones welcome to their opinion and im not bothered if someone does or doesnt talk to me because i have tattoos

that's your experience and it's good you share it with us. One point worth expanding on, about people who heavily tattoo themselves, say at young age, and then regretting it later on in the years. Why is it? Could that be because they faced ostracism and prejudice for years? Dunno, just asking...

The thing is, mentally most people are fickle when it comes to getting tattoos so what might feel a really good idea to start with, after a couple of years or more the 'novelty' wears thin.

The second thing is, nowadays, tattoos seem 'cool' for mainstreamers, but most seem to go for these daft 'novelty' ones that usually look sht and like something a child would get as a tranfer (temporary tat) at primary school.

Maybe a lot think the tattoos can just peel of after a year or so

[Neeranam]

Chinese bank managers and landlords don't like anyone who's doesn't have light skin and little eyes but that's another story.

I have a couple of Indian tattoes which Thai people always take lots of interest in. Strangely, my daughter's swimming teacher has two of the exact same tattoos as me in exactly the same place - arm and chest! The cosmic joker at work.

[Misplaced]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

I tattooed "W" on eatch Butt cheek!!

i tattooed M on each butt cheek,dad wasnt impressed.

What was you dad doing checking out your butt cheeks?

[Seapok]

Personally, I find them offensive--if I can see them. I avoid people with tattoos; I don't know why, but I do.

What a pretentious comment to make, you avoid someone simply for having a tattoo, what makes you a better person for not having any body art?

Tattoos are just another way of expressing yourself. I would admit tattoos on the face are a bit extreme but each to their own!

[Sarge]

mmhhh, so again how you define heavily tattooed person? some say that having tattoos on the face is extreme. so the two men, on the left, in the following pic can be classified as heavily tattooed and extreme:

in which case Thais may feel exactly same as Scott's