Temper Tantrums Call For A (phuket) Tourist Court By Alan Morison

[TheLaughingMan]

Perhaps a swift random occasional beating would help them understand.

[greenwood01]

The shirtless thai men you are talking about are usually motorbike taxi drivers and under the table workers. (rednecks you could say) They're also not fat, no disgustingly hairy AND they do not go inside nice places shirtless.

It seems like the more disgusting the shirtless farangs are, the dumber they get. On the road you see all types of shirtless but inside shops you almost only see the horrible ones as the guys with self respects actually cover up.

They also always seem to be German,English or Australian... Maybe there's no hygiene in these countries? someone enlighten me?

[bonobo]

The shirtless thai men you are talking about are usually motorbike taxi drivers and under the table workers. (rednecks you could say) They're also not fat, no disgustingly hairy AND they do not go inside nice places shirtless.

It seems like the more disgusting the shirtless farangs are, the dumber they get. On the road you see all types of shirtless but inside shops you almost only see the horrible ones as the guys with self respects actually cover up.

They also always seem to be German,English or Australian... Maybe there's no hygiene in these countries? someone enlighten me?

I don't go to the beach much.  But the last time I was there, two young, fairly-ripped men walked shirtless into the mini-mart along the Jomtien Beach Road where my companion and I were getting a couple of Pepsi-Maxes.  As I posed to you before when you told me I was  "fat disgusting slob,"  is that OK then?  They were fit and good-looking, and my companion even mentioned that when we were back in my car (although she does feel that people off the sand should wear their shirts.)

So "fat, disgusting slobs" from Germany, England, or Australia are a no-go, but good-looking, fit guys from any other country are OK?  I am not trying to put words into your post, but just curious as to what you deem OK and waht is disgustingly wrong.

[loong]

Regarding Fat, foreign 50 year olds walking around shirtless.

I find it quite funny that so many people are spouting that these people should respect Thai culture and local customs, when they are actually referring to their own culture, not Thais'. Fat, foreign 50 year olds walking around shirtless are quite acceptable in Thai culture, anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes in Thailand will realise that.

Take a walk around Pattaya and what do you see? Thousands of Fat, foreign 50 year olds walking around shirtless with a young Thai girl hanging onto them. Meanwhile young slim Thai men wearing shirts walk alone. This total lack of respect of their own culture by the young Thai men obviously drives the women into the arms of the Fat, foreign 50 year olds walking around shirtless. It's because these foreigners have taken the trouble to learn about the local culture and the local women are really impressed. What other reason could there be for the young Thai women to prefer the Fat, foreign 50 year olds walking around shirtless over their countrymen?

So all you people before spouting off, should take the trouble to learn about local culture and before your next holiday, show some respect and prepare. A few months of guzzling 20 pints of beer and 3 meals of fried breakfast every day should do the trick. Oh, and when doing your packing, don't put any shirts in your case - you wont need them.

When you take a walk around Pattaya, proudly flaunting your new phsique, you will be amazed. Everywhere you go the local Thai women will be full of doey eyed admiration that you have taken so much trouble to embrace their culture. They will be so full of admiration that they will spontaniously call out " Handsome Man", "Sexy Man" or "I want to go with you".

"What?" I hear you say, "That can't possibly be true", "No way!"

Well I can assure you that it IS true. I know that I will be getting a lot of hate PMs from the forum members that already know this, but wanted it kept secret. Now the secret's out, everbody will be porking out and taking advantage ot their new status in Pattaya.

[loong]

Quite a few people, when referring to shirtless farang, mention the lack of hygiene. So why is it unhygienic to go shirtless?

I'm no expert, but I would have thought that sweat on naked skin will evaporate more quickly, whereas sweat soaked into a shirt will make a much nicer environment for bacteria to multiply.

Is sweat on the forehead much more hygienic than body sweat?

Those of you who worry about the shirtless farang being unhygienic in a restaurant - I suggest that you go and look in the kitchen.

On the subject of hygiene is a good looking girl in a strapped top and exposed abdomen and half her bum hanging out of her jeans more hygienic than a topless farang?

However.

Whatever their physique, I don't like to see men wandering around, in restaurants or shopping centres shirtless. Not sure why, but whatever the reasons, people should realise that it does offend and cover up in my opinion.

Bonobo,

we are about the same age and looking at your photos and then myself in the mirror -

I think that most 50 + men would be happy and proud to have the same physique as you ( a lot of 20 + men as well)

[Jingjok]

... and since I do not hide behind a keyboard in safe anonyimity, I even showed a photo to show what I look like ...

Good for you. Respect due.

[Jingjok]

There are times at the beach at Jomtien or at the pool at my condo when women choose to appear topless. Based on my observations, this urge to share only motivates women over 50 who have lost the battle with gravity in a big way ..

Hilarious! A beautifully-written post too. (BTW, I trust your 'observations' were discreet, otherwise people might get quite the wrong impression of you )

Long ago, when I was a boy at school, my headmaster made two assertions which lodged forever in my mind:

1. That the United Nations were nothing but united fools, and

2. That women look better with their clothes on than with them off.

At the time, I had no opinion on the first, but severely doubted him on the second.

Subsequent years have taught me that he was right on both counts.

[bonobo]

2. That women look better with their clothes on than with them off.

At the time, I had no opinion on the first, but severely doubted him on the second.

Subsequent years have taught me that he was right on both counts.

I have to agree with this.  No disrespect intended to anyone, especially some of the more slender members of the fairer sex, but in my humble opinion, while I truly appreciate the sight of a slender woman in a nice, tight pair of jeans, that same woman may not look so good nud_e in comparison with a woman who has a little more substance on her bones. And the women walking around the mall tend to look better, as a whole, then those in their form-fitting work out clothes in the gym.

Of course, that is only with regard to personal appearances, nothing else.  

[Patsycat]

It's a suntan thing.

People save their money up for months or years to travel halfway accross the globe to go on their paradise holiday for two weeks.

If they stayed fully clothed they would not have the tan to show off to their pals back in Blighty or whereever. I know, cos I've done it, shown off my white bits in the middle of a snow storm...

PS Bonobo - I think you have a very nice body.

[greenwood01]

The shirtless thai men you are talking about are usually motorbike taxi drivers and under the table workers. (rednecks you could say) They're also not fat, no disgustingly hairy AND they do not go inside nice places shirtless.

It seems like the more disgusting the shirtless farangs are, the dumber they get. On the road you see all types of shirtless but inside shops you almost only see the horrible ones as the guys with self respects actually cover up.

They also always seem to be German,English or Australian... Maybe there's no hygiene in these countries? someone enlighten me?

I don't go to the beach much. But the last time I was there, two young, fairly-ripped men walked shirtless into the mini-mart along the Jomtien Beach Road where my companion and I were getting a couple of Pepsi-Maxes. As I posed to you before when you told me I was "fat disgusting slob," is that OK then? They were fit and good-looking, and my companion even mentioned that when we were back in my car (although she does feel that people off the sand should wear their shirts.)

So "fat, disgusting slobs" from Germany, England, or Australia are a no-go, but good-looking, fit guys from any other country are OK? I am not trying to put words into your post, but just curious as to what you deem OK and waht is disgustingly wrong.

How would i know? If they don't hurt my eyes i probably wont notice shirtless men?

[MrHammer]

If you're on the beach, wear beach clothes. Dress appropriately.

If you're in a restaurant, supermarket, taxi or off the beach, get dressed -- slob.

And don't come here to break the rules because you're tired of getting hammered for it back home.

I see Thais wearing shorts and flip flops in Tesco, Carrefour all the time in Bangkok. Its close to where they live so thats probably why. Perfectly acceptable.

[TexasRanger]

I have no problem with people being undressed in a beach resort, but I can't believe the amount of people who fly on airlines in sleeveless vests. Urgh! Disgusting, the day that one sits next to me they will be told in no uncertain terms to put on a shirt or one of us is moving. Some people just have no clue.

[marsteele]

Oh well, tourism inevitably causes minor cultural frictions. The guy going shirtless, not taking off his shoes where he is supposed to, using a handkerchief to blow his nose, and so on....

But what about the Thai tourist in a bar in Australia who accidently knocks over someones beer, and then smiles whilst apologizing?

Never knock over a mans beer and just smile. That is suicidal and very offensive.

[Jeffbaa]

We had a young lad with no shirt on my Air Asia flight to Bangkok from Phuket. Clueless look on his face despite the reaction from everyone else (Thais & Farangs alike). I know it's a discount airline, and that the flight was coming from Phuket, a "beach destination" but in that type of cramped environment who wants to be sitting next to someone with no shirt?

[JetsetBkk]

...So pardon me if I take issue with mean-spirited remarks aimed at people who are overweight.

Dunno why... it just reminded me of this...

[CFIT]

I don't usually wear t-shirts in public as a matter of personal preference. But I have one sleeveless, grey t-shirt which I rather like for some reason, and I have occassionally worn it on a Saturday to exercise (not in the gym, but on the way to it) and then to see a movie.

Based on this thread, I asked a Thai woman if this was acceptable. Well, according to her, it isn't. So while I have never paraded around off the beach without a shirt, I have still contravened Thai behaviour just by wearing this shirt instead of a more accepted shirt.

I still have no problem with people running around in beach attire at a foreign-oriented beach destination, and that includes walking to the beach or stopping in a mini-mart near the beach to grab a drink. But I am glad this thread prompted me to find out that I was wearing innapropriate clothing in other places.

I find it hilarious when short fat people go to the gym and pump themselves up then walk around thinking they're not fat and post photos of themslves on the internet

Bonobo looks fit to me.

Thais has one set of rules for themselves and another for round eyed whiteys, AKA "farang" . And then there are the Caucasian foreigners who refer to themselves as "farang" and are so desperate to be accepted, they start threads like this when they will never be accepted no matter how many of their wive's relatives they support - simply because they are western.

And.. I counted 5 Thai men not wearing shirts today down-town.

Edited May 26, 2009 by CFIT

[GungaDin]

^^^ ^^^

there are the Caucasian foreigners who refer to themselves as "farang" and are so desperate to be accepted, they start threads like this when they will never be accepted no matter how many of their wive's relatives they support - simply because they are western.

You deserve 5/5 for those words.

[Brigante7]

There was a guy wandering around Tesco's the other day in flip-flops, knee shorts, a sleeveless vest and wrap-around sunglasses (indoors). Just looked stoopid rather than offensive.

Was it just his outfit or was there another reason to make malicious remarks about someone?

Do we really want, that everybody is like everybody else in this world only accepted if fitted personal ethic principles?

Never ever come to Tesco Samui btw. You would be shocked to see, that almost everybody of the crowds there is like that. Maybe they would think about you in the same way.Sad

a ) This is beachwear in an air-conditioned, city-centre Tesco, a loooong way from the beach.

b ) Not malicious, just my opinion and you are welcome to it.

When I'm in Thailand all I ever wear are shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops and that's in BKK,at the beach or visting the wifes family in Nakhon Phanom (A long way from the beach). As long as the person has a t-shirt/shirt, a pair of shorts/trousers and shoes of some sort, what's the problem, or should we always wear our Sunday best at all times?

Brigante7.

[TheLaughingMan]

If you live here, I would think you would immediately clue in to the fact that the only people that wear flip flops and shorts outside of the home are poor uneducated people. So my big question is, knowing this, why dress like a poor uneducated person?

[Brigante7]

If you live here, I would think you would immediately clue in to the fact that the only people that wear flip flops and shorts outside of the home are poor uneducated people. So my big question is, knowing this, why dress like a poor uneducated person?

I'll be sure and pass on your expert knowledge to the wifes father (Who works for the goverment and loves to wear his t-shirt, shorts and flip flops whenever he can).

Brigante7.

[Oberkommando]

If you live here, I would think you would immediately clue in to the fact that the only people that wear flip flops and shorts outside of the home are poor uneducated people. So my big question is, knowing this, why dress like a poor uneducated person?

Good question, but some Thais look at me with contempt just because I'm a Westerner, so I could care less what they think about my attire.

I am not poor nor uneducated, but if someone makes a judgement on me for what race I am or what I am wearing, they assuredly are.

[Ulysses G.]

If you live here, I would think you would immediately clue in to the fact that the only people that wear flip flops and shorts outside of the home are poor uneducated people. So my big question is, knowing this, why dress like a poor uneducated person?

Good question, but some Thais look at me with contempt just because I'm a Westerner, so I could care less what they think about my attire.

I am not poor nor uneducated, but if someone makes a judgement on me for what race I am or what I am wearing, they assuredly are.

Good one!

[JetsetBkk]

If you live here, I would think you would immediately clue in to the fact that the only people that wear flip flops and shorts outside of the home are poor uneducated people...

Wow! Didn't realise so many people in Phuket were poor. And uneducated.

[Ulysses G.]

One of Chiang Mai's most well known Thai businessmen wears shorts and a Hawaiin shirt to work almost every day. I knew that his restaurant chain was not doing as well as other years, but didn't realize he'd become "poor and uneducated" as well.

[chiangmaikelly]

Thai culture hmmm, let me see. The government in Thailand in the 1930’s began a campaign to get Thai women to wear shirts because before that they were topless. Oh, for the good old days!

Thai men wore skirts and for a large part of the population I can see that as normal but the Thai government didn’t see it that way and they wanted guys to wear pants and hats. They also mandated eating with forks and spoons instead of hands which was the norm at the time. I

t has only been 50 years since Thai women started wearing tops. Perhaps a topless craze is only harking back to the real Thai culture that the country tried so hard to westernize in the 1930’s.

[bonobo]

Thai culture hmmm, let me see. The government in Thailand in the 1930's began a campaign to get Thai women to wear shirts because before that they were topless. Oh, for the good old days!

Thai men wore skirts and for a large part of the population I can see that as normal but the Thai government didn't see it that way and they wanted guys to wear pants and hats. They also mandated eating with forks and spoons instead of hands which was the norm at the time. I

t has only been 50 years since Thai women started wearing tops. Perhaps a topless craze is only harking back to the real Thai culture that the country tried so hard to westernize in the 1930's.

What is ironic is that most of my Thai friends are far more skilled with a knife, fork, and spoon than most of my non-Thai friends (or me, for that matter.)

We had gung ka tiem at lunch today, with the shrimp still in the shell, of course.  I have a hard time de-legging and de-shelling the shrimp unless I use my hands, so I ended up only eating one piece rather than do that.  Yet the Thais easily and efficiently extracted every morsel of shrimp meat, leaving the shell, legs, and heads on the plate. I have watched them with chicken legs, too.  Whereas I do use my hands to eat al eg, when I am done, my leg, with little bits of meat and ligaments left on, looks nothing like the completley dessicated-looking leg bone my Thai companion so demurely devoured with a spoon and knife.

Edited May 28, 2009 by bonobo

[loong]

Thai culture hmmm, let me see. The government in Thailand in the 1930's began a campaign to get Thai women to wear shirts because before that they were topless. Oh, for the good old days!

Thai men wore skirts and for a large part of the population I can see that as normal but the Thai government didn't see it that way and they wanted guys to wear pants and hats. They also mandated eating with forks and spoons instead of hands which was the norm at the time. I

t has only been 50 years since Thai women started wearing tops. Perhaps a topless craze is only harking back to the real Thai culture that the country tried so hard to westernize in the 1930's.

That must be why the only topless women I see around here are 60 years old +

Not a pretty sight

[Geekfreaklover]

^^^ ^^^

there are the Caucasian foreigners who refer to themselves as "farang" and are so desperate to be accepted, they start threads like this when they will never be accepted no matter how many of their wive's relatives they support - simply because they are western.

You deserve 5/5 for those words.

Agreed also, all though many like to think different.

[Geekfreaklover]

If you live here, I would think you would immediately clue in to the fact that the only people that wear flip flops and shorts outside of the home are poor uneducated people. So my big question is, knowing this, why dress like a poor uneducated person?

The answer is twofold.

A. Because the weather is hot

B Because an educated person should understand that a suit and tie does not equate to acedemic acheivement.

[dudemeister]

I've lived in Spain for many years and it's just as offensive there to walk around the City,enter a restaurant or hail a taxi topless as it is here.The logic being in a taxi/restaurant if you're covered in suntan oil/cream,the next client will be too!

If you go to Ibiza City or anywhere outside of "Lager Lout" San Antonio even on "party island",you will seldom see any tourists uncovered away from the beach area,Barcelona also.

Italy,Portugal are the same plus most Southern European nations!

You sure? I was in Southern France one time and they were going around f*cking bottomless!