Call Me Odd.....

[OxfordWill]

I personaly love the whole touchy feely thing. It's like nothing here in the States. Granted it took awhile too get used too. The ability to escape the preconcived notions of if you touch people of your own sex then you must be gay, What the ###### is all that about anyway. The only person that has a problem with it is you, and it's your responsibility to get over it.

Hear hear! Actually I hated it to begin with and now I notice that I miss it.

Just don't try to recreate it with your british friends back home...unless very drunk...

[Abandon]

I think it's a matter of personal preference... I don't need to get over anything, I understand, and I know that it is not a "gay" thing... understanding and knowing will not stop me (and I suspect others) from feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Echo that totster ..

I don't get all anal retentive about it, but as mentioned I do get the queezy feeling that I want to escape, even though I just accept it with grace. Been here nearly 9 years, and appreciate the warmth .... but find myself manoeuvering around walls and tables if one is handy.

i like it when i see Thai girls holding hands, I know they are not gay, but I find it sexy

[bina]

Surprisingly, despite agreeing with what Bina writes here about sleeping arrangements, I notice and experience very little physical contact between adults in the countryside (north of Sukkothai). My impression from my family especially, is of a restraint any middle-class English family in the 50s would be proud of.

This whole discussion is very interesting and has made me realise, one of the reasons, why I keep getting strange looks from my colleagues now I have returned to the UK.

no, there is no real touchy feely among the adults in normal situations that i noticed except for the sleeping arrangements; definately no touching between men and women... but everyone sits close together; the people like to have people around them... if u go off on your own its seen as rather impolite, like eating alone also... the touchy feely among the men seems to occur after a bit of lao, at parties etc... thai men will dance with thia men, cant imagine americans doing that;

i once pointed out a great place to build a house (in friend's rice fields, outside of the village); he chose a different plot, back to back with brother and sister's plots... his reasoning, if someone is sick, or left alone at home, there are people around; my reasoning, the farther away, the more privacy, quiet and solitude.... i also noticed that feeding i.e. putting food in someone's mouth (adult to any child) or wife to husband, or friend handing me select pieces of whatever are other ways of showing affection.... when i left for the plane, i was informed that i could hug my friend (worked in israel 4 years) and i received a sisterly kiss on the forehead; and sniff kissed by his mother....

[Boon Mee]

Am British, so, am not into the touchy, feely stuff.

Try going to the States where perfect strangers want to give you a hug and an air-kiss! Yuk!

Where's this???

San Francisco's Tenderloin District?

They don't do that sh1t down in Texas, buddy!

[Totster]

They don't do that sh1t down in Texas, buddy!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well not in public anyway.... !

Plenty of macho ass slapping though...

totster

[Sully]

Am British, so, am not into the touchy, feely stuff.

Try going to the States where perfect strangers want to give you a hug and an air-kiss! Yuk!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where's this???

San Francisco's Tenderloin District?

They don't do that sh1t down in Texas, buddy!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Haha obviously Mr. Boon hasnt been to the states recently. But hey why go all the way to SF when you can find it in NY's west village.

Sully

[Heng]

They don't do that sh1t down in Texas, buddy!

Sure they do. Just pretend like you just scored a touchdown or hit in the winning run. Plenty of friendly pats on the rear and hugging then.

[chuchok]

They don't do that sh1t down in Texas, buddy!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sure they do. Just pretend like you just scored a touchdown or hit in the winning run. Plenty of friendly pats on the rear and hugging then.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[siamesekitty]

And it's not just among the guys. I was rather shocked to see schoolgirls walking along hand in hand and sitting on each other's laps!

[D Vince]

when I first came to live here, about 7 years ago, I found it a bit odd, but then i tried to think of the social conditions that created this type of behaviour.

I realised that the have evolved in a very different society that I did.

My GOD, if one of these guys that I work with diving had of come up and sat down next to him and casually leaned back resting on him, hand on leg etc, he would have had a nice litter of kittens, I am sure.

I am not going to go on about how I have a gay friend somewhere, because I don't really think about that sort of stuff, who’s gay or not, should I treat him ok even if he is….

I try and treat everyone the same, oddly enough no one seems to mind, because I’m basically shitty to everyone till I know they wont give me a headache, or make me nuts like most of the world seems to.

Think about it, what’s more important, whether some one is Homosexual, or if you don't feel a need to throttle them after 5 min.s in the same room?

Anyway, the only time I have had a bit of an difficult time with this, is when I tried to explain it to my Daughter, who is coming in about two weeks, and will see this when we are on the boat.

I tried to tell her that they just feel comfortable enough with me, that they treat me like I grew up here.

They trust me, because I don't care about things like sexual orientation, or who is Thai, and who is “Better” Farang-Thai Etc.

All I care about is doing the best job I can at training anyone, Thai or Farang, and I make no bones about letting anyone know it.

Cheers

[bina]

I try and treat everyone the same, oddly enough no one seems to mind, because I’m basically shitty to everyone till I know they wont give me a headache, or make me nuts like most of the world seems to.

quote of the day i would say.

i love that!!!

same same for me too!!!

[soi lurker]

i view it like this...... its something to get used and i accept it now.....Im not really a small person so when i get into a cab or go for a walk, i do get some people touching my arms etc. , its just being friendly and part of the culture which i accept as the visitor. What I dont like is the vendors doing it, thats something that should not be accepted, some one grabbing at you for monetry purposes, there is every right to be insulted by this and i think the best way to avoid that situation is to totally ignore the vendor as you walk by, if he does grab you act insulted and keep walking, a normal response............

[Abandon]

I try and treat everyone the same, oddly enough no one seems to mind, because I’m basically shitty to everyone till I know they wont give me a headache, or make me nuts like most of the world seems to.

quote of the day i would say.

i love that!!!

same same for me too!!!

know the feeling. But I try to be 'a bit off' or 'standoffish' rather than downright 'shitty'.

Like I said, I try

[Totster]

know the feeling. But I try to be 'a bit off' or 'standoffish' rather than downright 'shitty'.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah... you can try that.... but it's a bit hard really, you don't want to come across as rude, or hurt someones feelings do you..? well I don't..!

Totster

[Abandon]

yes - you are quite right Totster

Edited May 27, 2005 by Pandit