Thai Womens Swimsuit Styles

[Birdman]

Should you wish to preserve your dignity , may I suggest you do not frequent nudist habitats , having toured a lot of north America , I did not find nudism as prevalent as you espouse , in fact , I never saw a nud_e on any beach i visited , from Nova Scotia down to Florida . During my 35 years in Europe , I never espied one there either , mind you , I never went to a beach in Holland .

Some European metropolises have huge nudist areas. E.g. on a hot summer day 10.000s of nudists are everywhere, in restaurants, on the lawns, riding bicycles, walking through forests, picnicking...in a wide area along the river Danube in Vienna.

[Tod Daniels]

I think the real point in this post is;

It is NOT so much thai women are reticent to wear revealing swimwear, (although in some touristy areas they may not want to be confused with "time-share" or the "rental" variety of girls who populate areas like that). ALL thais have a brainwashed mentality which states; if they go out in the sun exposed to a large degree (even with layers of sunscreen) they will tan and look dark(er) than they already are.

Few people (other than one's who fall into the category of a mindless foreign sock-puppets) would dispute the incredibly pervasive racism which the ever smiling, yet diminutive natives here in the glorious "Land 'O Thais" exhibit concerning dark skin. One only need watch television for a few minutes to see yet another skin whitening product. Even their deodorants have whitening agents in them to reduce dark armpits.

The associated negative stigma attached to being dark, i.e.; being a 'farmer' or coming from Issan, is not likely to change in either ours or the lifetimes of our children. I believe that is the driving fact which plays a far more an important role in their willingness or unwillingness to wear revealing swimwear.

Then again, not being able to swim, loathing big bodies of water, having never set foot on a thai beach, other than glancing at them as I've driven by, I can't comment first hand with factual observations of what thais wear or do not wear at a beach. As you might gather I am not particularly endeared to, enchanted by, or enamored with these people or this country..

[eggomaniac]

As you might gather I am not particularly endeared to, enchanted by, or enamored with these people or this country..

head to the beach on Ko Chang, it might change your mind about beaches.

[Kf6vci]

In Germany, saunas tend to be mixed and folks are naked. Bathing topless is normal, too... Maybe another 20 years and global customs diverge less than now?

in Farangland, many ladies wear see through swim suits. Do they notice?

[yabaaaa]

Linking to another thread here (rape case) my wife is careful not to show alot of flesh for fear of getting unwanted and maybe dangerous advances.

[yabaaaa]

As you might gather I am not particularly endeared to, enchanted by, or enamored with these people or this country..

head to the beach on Ko Chang, it might change your mind about beaches.

All very nice for us but maybe not for the Thais, their country etc etc Maybe akin to slitting a goats throat in a UK street by some religious groups.

[bkkjames]

I think the real point in this post is;

It is NOT so much thai women are reticent to wear revealing swimwear, (although in some touristy areas they may not want to be confused with "time-share" or the "rental" variety of girls who populate areas like that). ALL thais have a brainwashed mentality which states; if they go out in the sun exposed to a large degree (even with layers of sunscreen) they will tan and look dark(er) than they already are.

Few people (other than one's who fall into the category of a mindless foreign sock-puppets) would dispute the incredibly pervasive racism which the ever smiling, yet diminutive natives here in the glorious "Land 'O Thais" exhibit concerning dark skin. One only need watch television for a few minutes to see yet another skin whitening product. Even their deodorants have whitening agents in them to reduce dark armpits.

The associated negative stigma attached to being dark, i.e.; being a 'farmer' or coming from Issan, is not likely to change in either ours or the lifetimes of our children. I believe that is the driving fact which plays a far more an important role in their willingness or unwillingness to wear revealing swimwear.

Then again, not being able to swim, loathing big bodies of water, having never set foot on a thai beach, other than glancing at them as I've driven by, I can't comment first hand with factual observations of what thais wear or do not wear at a beach. As you might gather I am not particularly endeared to, enchanted by, or enamored with these people or this country..

We are aware of your feelings regarding the locals TD. No need to qualify them in future posts - but why comment at all about something you care so little about?

[Tod Daniels]

I commented on this thread because I believe the true point may not so much be the unwillingness by the fairer sex to wear revealing swimwear, but the overpowering urge to not get a dark(er) complexion by doing so.

Point taken about my tolerance, or perceived lack there of for the thais. No further dialog is necessary, thanx. ..

[bkkjames]

I commented on this thread because I believe the true point may not so much be the unwillingness by the fairer sex to wear revealing swimwear, but the overpowering urge to not get a dark(er) complexion by doing so.

Point taken about my tolerance, or perceived lack there of for the thais. No further dialog is necessary, thanx. ..

But you would agree that this phenom is not unique to Thailand - it's Asia-wide - a cultural norm. And the fact that many from the west find it odd does in some way make it wrong.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[BygonKeaw]

I don't know any local woman where I live, young or old, who would wear a bikini on the beach. To assume that the girls you see wearing skimpy clothes in Phuket is somehow indicative of Thai women as a whole is either extremely naive, blinkered or ignorant.

If you bothered reading my post you'd see that I said that even the Thai women on Phuket stick to shorts and T-shirts on the beach! As for the rest of your post, I suspect that most people on TV live in tourist areas or Isaan. Either way, to suggest that the Thai women in these areas are very shy and virtuous is extremely naive, blinkered or ignorant.

I believe the term I used was modest. Suggest you take your prejudices out for an airing every now and then.

Seems I am not the only one who doesn't read people's posts in their entirety.

F1finatics husband of 20 odd years ran off with a BG after they made there dream move to phuket? Need i say more?

OP best thing for you is to ask your wife rather than ask a bunch of people who think they know more about thai culture than thai people!

Far closer to 30 years, but what's your point? Do you disagree with what I said??

Please stop 'stalking' me on TV. I can't believe you haven't got better things to do! Or then again, perhaps you haven't! Very sad.

I just like making fun of you F!finatic as you tar every thai women the same as obviously it has affected you very bad.

Ok your point is about BGs wearing next to nothing? Yes your right but were not talking about BGs.

Your obbession isnt healthty. I suggest chill out and enjoy the rest of your life. forgive and forget.

Good luck

[GuestHouse]

Ok your point is about BGs wearing next to nothing? Yes your right but were not talking about BGs.

Indeed we are not specifically discussing BGs (though if they are Thai BGs then they are also Thai women) - However, it seems clear that the BG/Sex Worker immage has played a part in the reversion of Thai attitudes towards displaying their bodies that the beach. Bikinis were OK and then all of a sudden where not.

[Travel2003]

Not that many years ago actually when rude northerners discovered southern Europes beaches, and invaded them with what was then looked upon as pure sin by the local female population.

That was over 40 years ago. And since that first shock Southern Europeans made a huge industry out of that...

In many European countries the weather is cold without sun for weeks or months. Even summer can be cold. Human beings need light and warmth. So they are longing for that in their holidays. Easy understandable.

The big tourist explosion to South Europe, I believe started in the 70s.

The big topless/g-string invasion came in the 80s.

The big invasion to Turkey (as a muslim country) in late 80s?

Not that long ago actually.

That is, not that long ago for some of us.

[bonobo]

Ok your point is about BGs wearing next to nothing? Yes your right but were not talking about BGs.

Indeed we are not specifically discussing BGs (though if they are Thai BGs then they are also Thai women) - However, it seems clear that the BG/Sex Worker immage has played a part in the reversion of Thai attitudes towards displaying their bodies that the beach. Bikinis were OK and then all of a sudden where not.

I am not specifically disagreeing with what you have posted.  But I have been coming to Thailand since 1982, and I remember always seeing Thai women using street clothes as swimming attire. When were bikinis generally accepted as OK?

[Arkady]

Mine used to refuse to wear bikinis but when we were going on a foreign trip the sight of the sexy bikinis in The Emporium got too much for her and she had to have one. Wearing it on a foreign beach without other Thais looking on seemed oddly no problem for her and she now doesn't mind wearing one in Thailand.

A friend of mine who had lived in Japan took his Thai wife there and they went to a bath house with another farang male friend. My friend didn't bother to tell his wife the customs of Japanese bath houses as he knew she would refuse to go but thought she be OK when got there. His wife got to the bath first when there were no men in there and a Japanese woman told her to take off her swimming costume. Then she was shocked when her husband, his friend and some Japanese men arrived and got into the bath with her naked. As it was pretty hot the two farang guys soon decided they had had enough and my friend invited his wife to get out with them. She claimed to be still enjoying it but was actually mortified at the idea of standing up naked in front of men. In the end she fainted from the heat and the Japanese women dragged her out and revived her. Modesty can be dangerous in certain situations.

Recently I revisited some beaches in Greece I had been to in the 70s when, although it was illegal, at least half of the sunbathers were usually naked at the risk of being hauled off by police to cells to await transportation to trial on another island and subsequent fine and deportation. Strangely these days I think it is no longer illegal but no one was naked. Perhaps we are now living in more puritanical times and fashions have changed.

[BygonKeaw]

Ok your point is about BGs wearing next to nothing? Yes your right but were not talking about BGs.

Indeed we are not specifically discussing BGs (though if they are Thai BGs then they are also Thai women) - However, it seems clear that the BG/Sex Worker immage has played a part in the reversion of Thai attitudes towards displaying their bodies that the beach. Bikinis were OK and then all of a sudden where not.

GH is such a snob.

The answer to the OP is simple.

A Thai girls in general are shy to show there body.

B Modern thai girls in general are affraid of having darker skin.

I cant imagine its to do with people thinking they are a BG. Its just silly fools on here obbessed with BGs and HISO girls who make these comments. Extremes of either end of society tv members seem to be obbessed with it. fools

[bina]

many of us also do the t shirt/shorts over bathing suit thing. both my duaghters and all their friends do that; as do a majority of my women friends. however we are country folks. those living in tel aviv the city of sin seem to get used to minimal material to wear when wet. but we also have men only/women only times/and or beaches for the really puritanical in addition to the regular beaches.

daughter went swimming in korat, just like all the other kids, clothes on, straight in to the water. and she's not thai.

bina

israel

[dumball]

Should you wish to preserve your dignity , may I suggest you do not frequent nudist habitats , having toured a lot of north America , I did not find nudism as prevalent as you espouse , in fact , I never saw a nud_e on any beach i visited , from Nova Scotia down to Florida . During my 35 years in Europe , I never espied one there either , mind you , I never went to a beach in Holland .

Some European metropolises have huge nudist areas. E.g. on a hot summer day 10.000s of nudists are everywhere, in restaurants, on the lawns, riding bicycles, walking through forests, picnicking...in a wide area along the river Danube in Vienna.

Yes , but if you do not want to see nudes , do not go places they frequent .

Kerryd , I think we were in Germany at different times together , or should that read 'Eras' ?

[Birdman]

Should you wish to preserve your dignity , may I suggest you do not frequent nudist habitats , having toured a lot of north America , I did not find nudism as prevalent as you espouse , in fact , I never saw a nud_e on any beach i visited , from Nova Scotia down to Florida . During my 35 years in Europe , I never espied one there either , mind you , I never went to a beach in Holland .

Some European metropolises have huge nudist areas. E.g. on a hot summer day 10.000s of nudists are everywhere, in restaurants, on the lawns, riding bicycles, walking through forests, picnicking...in a wide area along the river Danube in Vienna.

Yes , but if you do not want to see nudes , do not go places they frequent .

Kerryd , I think we were in Germany at different times together , or should that read 'Eras' ?

I do not not want to see nudists nor do I not want to see nudists. They can do whatever they like, as long as they do not disturb others. It's up to them. I really do not care.

Vienna is in Austria, not in Germany.

The nudists areas are over there since the 70s until now.

Who or what is Kerryd?

Edited February 12, 2009 by Birdman

[WaiWai]

Someone above related a story about a mixed-sex bath house in Japan. Are such places very common ??

In Australia, it's not very unusual for people, especially children, to swim with a shirt over their bathing gear. This is not to avoid sun tan but sun burn. Australia has very high skin cancer rates and there's been a good deal of public education on the matter in recent decades. A shirt and shorts also help prevent abrasion if using surf mats/boards.

Also, see this story from Reuters today:

Crackdown on nud_e hikersFebruary 12, 2009 - 10:04AM

Naked mountain hikers in the Swiss canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden will in future face on the spot fines of 200 Swiss francs ($170), Swiss daily Tages-Anzeiger reported over the weekend.

A wave of naked hiking -- particularly popular with German visitors -- outraged people last year in the traditionally minded canton, Switzerland's smallest by population, which gave women the vote only in 1990.

"We must protect our children from these immoral habits," the paper quoted Melchior Looser, head of the cantonal justice and police department, as saying.

Police succeeded in catching a naked hiker red-handed last September, and the 44-year-old Swiss man was charged with public nuisance. But the case has not yet been heard, leading the local authorities to push for a quicker way to deal with offenders.

It was not clear where the naked hikers would find the money, although hikers often carry rucksacks.

Reuters

[Soulwy]

So please answer your own questions and enlighten us all , you seem to have done some study on this matter , you did didn't you ?

No need to be sarcastic dumball. How Asian women are with bathing clothes and nudity is so obvious, everyone with eyes can see the difference between East & West about this subject. No study is needed.

[Soulwy]

many of us also do the t shirt/shorts over bathing suit thing. both my duaghters and all their friends do that; as do a majority of my women friends. however we are country folks. those living in tel aviv the city of sin seem to get used to minimal material to wear when wet. but we also have men only/women only times/and or beaches for the really puritanical in addition to the regular beaches.

daughter went swimming in korat, just like all the other kids, clothes on, straight in to the water. and she's not thai.

bina

israel

Your little daughter is adjusting well

[JetsetBkk]

Equally disgusting are fat western men who insist on going shirtless or even worse shirtless and in a speedo with no concept of local (or anyone else for that matter) sensibilities.

Sometimes the men are in better shape than their other halves...

[henryalleman]

I have an anecdote about Thai women and swim suits;

A few years ago my wife and I went to a local beach in my home town. Near by the beach there was a lawn where people sun bathing. When we approached the beach we saw on a distance 2 Thai girls who where very famous in the night-life in my town for there promiscuity and unconventional style to say the least, Both of them sunbathing topless.

The moment they spotted my wife, immediately they where putting on their bra, T-shirt and pants, and they where very embarrassed that my wife saw them topless. And they gave a very deep and very respectful whai to her and apologized for being topless. Its was a very funny sight that in the middle of a few dozen topless women they did like 2 schoolgirls who where catch smoking cigarettes. I would like to emphasize that my wife is not an puritan at all and very open minded and never judge people. But she is rather respected, because she is the senior in the Thai community. Almost everybody call her Mae.

This anecdote only shows that Thai girls doing things abroad they would never dare to do in Thailand.

[samuibeachcomber]

I have an anecdote about Thai women and swim suits;

A few years ago my wife and I went to a local beach in my home town. Near by the beach there was a lawn where people sun bathing. When we approached the beach we saw on a distance 2 Thai girls who where very famous in the night-life in my town for there promiscuity and unconventional style to say the least, Both of them sunbathing topless.

The moment they spotted my wife, immediately they where putting on their bra, T-shirt and pants, and they where very embarrassed that my wife saw them topless. And they gave a very deep and very respectful whai to her and apologized for being topless. Its was a very funny sight that in the middle of a few dozen topless women they did like 2 schoolgirls who where catch smoking cigarettes. I would like to emphasize that my wife is not an puritan at all and very open minded and never judge people. But she is rather respected, because she is the senior in the Thai community. Almost everybody call her Mae.

This anecdote only shows that Thai girls doing things abroad they would never dare to do in Thailand.

dont ya just love'em................well i do anyway.

[GreenSnapper]

Equally disgusting are fat western men who insist on going shirtless or even worse shirtless and in a speedo with no concept of local (or anyone else for that matter) sensibilities.

Sometimes the men are in better shape than their other halves...

Not sometimes, but quite common for couples over 40, that the man is in far better shape.

Only in "politically correct circles", like ThaiVisa, older men are regarded as fat, smelly, disgusting.

While older women, well, just have female curves.....

[Birdman]

Equally disgusting are fat western men who insist on going shirtless or even worse shirtless and in a speedo with no concept of local (or anyone else for that matter) sensibilities.

Sometimes the men are in better shape than their other halves...

Not sometimes, but quite common for couples over 40, that the man is in far better shape.

Only in "politically correct circles", like ThaiVisa, older men are regarded as fat, smelly, disgusting.

While older women, well, just have female curves.....

couples from 40 to 65