Check off ways to have a positive impact -on each other and the society around us. Also, list ways to improve perceptions- as that is a mountain to climb for many of us.

My first suggestion is to stick to our guns about the need for and benefits of critical thinking- remain firm, but friendly ...and do not give in regardless of context.

GOOD topic. Along those lines: my suggestion is to promote atheism and the study of science

Better attention to personal appearance, ie clothing or lack thereof. Tone down the agressive, boisterous & drunken behavior. Don't treat all Thai women if they were hookers. Don't throw money around like drunken sailors and then complain that you were ripped-off.

Mannerisms and hygiene are what I hear most from Thais. They can handle the drunkeness, the carousing, and the lack of dress sense so long as we are clean and reasonably polite.

Mannerisms and hygiene -interesting sentiment

The khao san road crew LOL - welp, yeah, but I'd avoid getting too caught up in trendy fashion concerns as thats a bit illusory, yes?

Given the last topic I started that ended in flames, I guess good advice would be to tone down the "self-confidence" --that may come across as arrogance

Make an effort to learn at least passable Thai if you're here for the long term. The long termer who hasn't even a basic grasp of the language and gets pissed off and insults the locals when the poor girl in the 7-11 doesn't understand what he wants when he tries to buy stuff using English earns nothing more than my contempt.

Binge drinking, fighting, hitting the girls and failure to wear shirts in Bangkok, people who will not take a shower and punters with no money should be deported for their first violation.

Can the last person to leave Pattaya please turn off the lights.

Mannerisms and hygiene are what I hear most from Thais. They can handle the drunkeness, the carousing, and the lack of dress sense so long as we are clean and reasonably polite.

That is a good point.

A lady acquaintance of mine used to work in a massage, laser and beauty clinic in BKK. She tells of so many Farang going to the clinic for facial massage and laser treatment who were almost rancid in their body odour. Says the smell of some often made her feel sick.

Is it too much to ask people who are going to a place like this to have a shower before they go? Maybe some deodorant? And if they go to establishments like this with foul body odour, it makes you wonder what they are like when they head off to the pub or somewhere.

A cool shower costs so little......

Mannerisms and hygiene are what I hear most from Thais. They can handle the drunkeness, the carousing, and the lack of dress sense so long as we are clean and reasonably polite.

That is a good point.

A lady acquaintance of mine used to work in a massage, laser and beauty clinic in BKK. She tells of so many Farang going to the clinic for facial massage and laser treatment who were almost rancid in their body odour. Says the smell of some often made her feel sick.

Is it too much to ask people who are going to a place like this to have a shower before they go? Maybe some deodorant? And if they go to establishments like this with foul body odour, it makes you wonder what they are like when they head off to the pub or somewhere.

A cool shower costs so little......

Yep Thailand spotlessly clean people, totally insanitary conditions,

Mannerisms and hygiene are what I hear most from Thais. They can handle the drunkeness, the carousing, and the lack of dress sense so long as we are clean and reasonably polite.

That is a good point.

A lady acquaintance of mine used to work in a massage, laser and beauty clinic in BKK. She tells of so many Farang going to the clinic for facial massage and laser treatment who were almost rancid in their body odour. Says the smell of some often made her feel sick.

Is it too much to ask people who are going to a place like this to have a shower before they go? Maybe some deodorant? And if they go to establishments like this with foul body odour, it makes you wonder what they are like when they head off to the pub or somewhere.

A cool shower costs so little......

The problem is for those of us with bodies adapted to cold climates, we take a shower and are then drenched again 10 minutes later.

Mannerisms and hygiene are what I hear most from Thais. They can handle the drunkeness, the carousing, and the lack of dress sense so long as we are clean and reasonably polite.

That is a good point.

A lady acquaintance of mine used to work in a massage, laser and beauty clinic in BKK. She tells of so many Farang going to the clinic for facial massage and laser treatment who were almost rancid in their body odour. Says the smell of some often made her feel sick.

Is it too much to ask people who are going to a place like this to have a shower before they go? Maybe some deodorant? And if they go to establishments like this with foul body odour, it makes you wonder what they are like when they head off to the pub or somewhere.

A cool shower costs so little......

I'm all for showering twice a day. But to be frank the worst smell I've ever smelt was not a sweaty farang, but a 'som tam' party back in the UK. You could not walk in the house without wanting to puke. The problem was it was my house. Hijacked by my ex and a bunch of her Isaan mates for the purpose of stinking it out.

Mannerisms and hygiene are what I hear most from Thais. They can handle the drunkeness, the carousing, and the lack of dress sense so long as we are clean and reasonably polite.

That is a good point.

A lady acquaintance of mine used to work in a massage, laser and beauty clinic in BKK. She tells of so many Farang going to the clinic for facial massage and laser treatment who were almost rancid in their body odour. Says the smell of some often made her feel sick.

Is it too much to ask people who are going to a place like this to have a shower before they go? Maybe some deodorant? And if they go to establishments like this with foul body odour, it makes you wonder what they are like when they head off to the pub or somewhere.

A cool shower costs so little......

I'm all for showering twice a day. But to be frank the worst smell I've ever smelt was not a sweaty farang, but a 'som tam' party back in the UK. You could not walk in the house without wanting to puke. The problem was it was my house. Hijacked by my ex and a bunch of her Isaan mates for the purpose of stinking it out.

As for hygiene - I deplore the practice of wiping ones ones bottom with ones hand after taking a crap. Particulary of you are preparing food or eating. Most Thais don't use toilet paper. How hygienic is that?

I mean this in a constructive way so don't flip out.

People from poor countries and the British Isles should have stringent standards to get a 7 day visa to the Land of Smiles. Binge drinking, fighting, hitting the girls and failure to wear shirts in Bangkok, people who will not take a shower and punters with no money should be deported for their first violation.

Can't we all just get along?

Quite the anthropologist aren't we?

Well done.

As for hygiene - I deplore the practice of wiping ones ones bottom with ones hand after taking a crap. Particulary of you are preparing food or eating. Most Thais don't use toilet paper. How hygienic is that?

Actually, the That method (with water) is much more hygienic than using tissue because the area is cleaned properly. Provided they wash their hands afterward of course.

You wonder what it must be like for Asians when Europeans eat Pickled herring or when they are served strong cheese... Same same but different?

I'm all for showering twice a day. But to be frank the worst smell I've ever smelt was not a sweaty farang, but a 'som tam' party back in the UK. You could not walk in the house without wanting to puke. The problem was it was my house. Hijacked by my ex and a bunch of her Isaan mates for the purpose of stinking it out.

By inference, you do not wash your behind after doing your duties. I pity your laundry woman who has to do all the work of cleaning your brown colored underwear.

As for hygiene - I deplore the practice of wiping ones ones bottom with ones hand after taking a crap. Particulary of you are preparing food or eating. Most Thais don't use toilet paper. How hygienic is that?

As for hygiene - I deplore the practice of wiping ones ones bottom with ones hand after taking a crap. Particulary of you are preparing food or eating. Most Thais don't use toilet paper. How hygienic is that?

Actually, the That method (with water) is much more hygienic than using tissue because the area is cleaned properly. Provided they wash their hands afterward of course.

Oh dear, it looks this thread is going down the toilet already.

I'll get me coat.

By inference, you do not wash your behind after doing your duties. I pity your laundry woman who has to do all the work of cleaning your brown colored underwear.

As for hygiene - I deplore the practice of wiping ones ones bottom with ones hand after taking a crap. Particulary of you are preparing food or eating. Most Thais don't use toilet paper. How hygienic is that?

Actually I use toilet paper first and then wash the area with a liquid soap - not a bar of soap - and then use the paper again to dry.

Thai visa - is really going down the toilet!!

Interact more with other Thais in your neighborhood - for example during merit making ceremonies, Wan Dek festivals. Learn to speak Thai and be patient.

Be polite keep clean.

Proper attire in town no bikinis etc.

Do not assume All Thais are fair game working girls or guys.

Understanding the imbedded sanook mentality would help must visitors here .

Check off ways to have a positive impact -on each other and the society around us. Also, list ways to improve perceptions- as that is a mountain to climb for many of us.

some of us could just leave..............

I mean this in a constructive way so don't flip out.

People from poor countries and the British Isles should have stringent standards to get a 7 day visa to the Land of Smiles. Binge drinking, fighting, hitting the girls and failure to wear shirts in Bangkok, people who will not take a shower and punters with no money should be deported for their first violation.

Can't we all just get along?

Quite the anthropologist aren't we?

Well done.

Darn. More Brit Bashing and we are such cool people.

Well this Brit is clean, cool and never had a fight here, or hit a lady (though I might have hit on a few ) and I wash all my own clothes.

Unlike some nationalities I could mention.......

Strangely enough, the lady in question did mention the nationalities of the stinkies, but I am too cool to mention them except to say they were not English and that is one reason she wanted an English man

Oh and we are polite too and well liked here in NS

Don't be throwing trash on the floor just because some Thais do.

Be firm with the Thais in a polite manner.

Don't be beating up any old grannies

Don't be throwing trash on the floor just because some Thais do. Be firm with the Thais in a polite manner. Don't be beating up any old grannies

There is a very god meaning here. The people with respectable behavior in TL is not the majority (although for safety sake you can't display your real feeling toward the unrespectable ones). So, nobody should use unrespectable samples, ie. corruption, as an excuse. Anyone can always find worse samples and end up unrespectable himself.

The climate here is rough for those used to cooler temperatures. Sometimes carrying around a aerosol spray can (perhaps in a fanny pack or attached to one's belt with some kind of clip) to hit the pits with before getting on the BTS, going into shops, restaurants, etc. can help cover up the stink a bit.

i was going to post a little joke, but half way through i got thinking. If Thailand did not have the havens of sex tourism and drugs, I think the perception of the "average ferrang" would be vastly improved. They are just attracting the "wrong type" of tourist... And going by that - the amount of tourists who have decided to stay on....

No matter how much you sweat if you clean/wash regular and use a deodrant you will not smell for at least 24hr. I sweat terrible but I know I do not smell.

As for washing ya ass after going to the toilet....... if you fell hands first into a pile of sh*te do you:

A, rub off with toilet paper/tissue

B, wash off and dry hands?

Answers on a post card please.

Back to the post respect Thai people and their culture try to understand that there are things you do in your home country that you can not do in Thailand. Know when it's the right time to be firm dont be a nob all of the time. Enjoy yourself.