Is It Wrong To Wear Sandles

[trevron73]

should i cover my feet and wear converse like my brotherin law or go full leather like papa or stick with sandles

[Crossy]

Since the family seem to go with full covers why not ask them what is appropriate. I always wear sandles (with socks when in the office. Yes, I'm a Brit) as do the rest of the family.

The only time I've seen any problem was years ago entering the Royal Palace when full shoes were required (not been in years).

[slapout]

Cowboy or combat boots are another option, note the barefooted ones early each morning also. This is a good time to plan for the New Year celebration, thus sh.t kickers may be a consideration. Happy New Year one and all. Crossy do you wear black socks?

[bkkjames]

Cowboy or combat boots are another option, note the barefooted ones early each morning also. This is a good time to plan for the New Year celebration, thus sh.t kickers may be a consideration. Happy New Year one and all. Crossy do you wear black socks?

No but he wears a suit from what I hear

[Crossy]

Crossy do you wear black socks?

'fraid so Mate

It just doesn't feel right to have bare feet in the office, and full shoes cause my stinky feet to fire up.

EDIT I DO wear shoes on suit days (increasingly rare) and site boots with socks, jeans, T, hi-viz and a hard-hat when on site (increasingly common).

[IanForbes]

Considering that 90% of Thais wear slip ons as every day wear I don't understand the question. I know that appropriate clothing in the King's palace is madatory, and office clothing would be up to the owner of the company, but what people wear on their feet every day seems to be a personal issue.

[needforspeed]

Yes you are right, they are the lowest part of the body

[Phil Conners]

Yes you are right, they are the lowest part of the body

Unless you stand on your head

[slapout]

needforspeed; From you reply I guess you are not into adventurous positions with your partner.

[Tywais]

I'm with Crossy, sandals with black socks everywhere including the office. Haven't worn full cover shoes in years and that is when there is a very VIP individual coming to the lab, and that was only twice. They're the same ones I got married in 12 years ago.

[sanook2me]

You should make sure your sandals have good arch support if you are going to wear them everyday otherwise it could be wrong for you and you get Plantar Fasciitis.

I suffer from this but from jumping around at badminton, however wearing cheap sandals without good arch support may develop this problem for you too...

Wrong to wear crappy soi sandals all day everyday if you're standing up yes..!

[Tod Daniels]

First off, everyone, (even construction workers in the hi-rise buildings being built on my soi) wears sandals here, just take a look around. Also all the office girls I work around wear dress shoes to the office, and have either sandals or house slippers when they're at their desk (if they even wear any foot covering at all).

Second, the foot being the lowest part of your body is a buddhist thing. As I’m most definitely not of that religious persuasion, I’m not compelled simply by the fact I live in thailand to buy into it. You post like a foreigner, so I doubt you're buddhist either. I wouldn't give it a second thought, even if you're married one.

I routinely pick up things I've dropped on the floor; pens, pencils, etc, with the toes of my feet in my house and either hand them to thais or toss them back on the coffee table. I don't even think about it, as I wouldn't give it a thought in the US so why change simply because I'm in another country. Then again, every thai who comes into my house knows it's a clearly marked "thai free zone" (meaning you cross my threshold and you're under american etiquette rules; you want water, get it, don’t wait for me to offer, you use a dish, put it in the sink, as I’m not your mother, etc ).

I also have no compunction about letting one of my feet hang sole facing back on the escalator to stop thais from crowding me when I ride nor raising my foot to stop a car from backing too close to me while I walk. There are a myriad of foot "fox-paws" a foreigner can commit here with no idea they're doing it. To my knowledge while the thais may not like what I do, to their credit they've never said anything about it to my face.

Please don't get so caught up in being yet another mindless, sheep-like, wanna-b-thai foreigner here that you start to morph into something you're not. Don't forget who and what you are. You can live here forever, speak, read, write fluent thai, mix with the hi-so crowd, and yet, you'll ALWAYS be a foreigner, deal with it.

I do concur with the other posters who say wearing quality sandals with good arch supports is critical, the 80 baht kind will simply not cut it.

[tolsti]

and..... before you ask.... you don't wai to a waitress!!!

[tutsiwarrior]

I always wear top siders moccasin type boat shoes (without socks) when it is necessary to pay lip service to western footwear requirements (easy on/off, sorta like slippers) and they should do for whatever the thais want as well (fully covered feet with leather)...

when I hadta work in a western office where 'business attire' is required a pair of Bass Weejun 'penny loafers' fits the bill (comes in either black or oxblood); also moccasin construction and easy on/off...

when I'm behind my desk at work nothing less than bare feet will do...uncomfortable feet will mess up yer whole day...

and I'm from southern California...I useta surf...