Phuket Nipple Alert: Staying Abreast Of Nude On Our Beaches

[blazes]

PHUKET: -- NIPPLE-wielding beach lovers take note: You could find yourself spending a night in jail instead of getting that all-body tan if you break the law.

Is this just ignorance or an honest mistake? But surely it is not a straight choice between getting a tan and spending a night in jail, since, last time I looked, the sun seems not to shine at night.

[TheBrit]

Sorry,

But I am failing to see how this is news at all?

Maybe it is me. Most people know you shouldn't go topless over here, but in parts of Phuket where tourists are what bring the money in, exceptions should be made.

No one was arrested for being topless, no one was even talked to by the police. The only thing here is someone ran down the MAIN high street naked which is unacceptable in anyone's country.

So can someone tell me the point of this complete pointless article?

Or is it just normal Phuket Gazette Waffle?

[exbelg]

is this the new USA ? in the land of sex for sale, some nude on the beach is fined, but open prostitution is not ...

[alstaxi]

Many times here in Kamala i have approched topless females and told them that this is a Moslem communnity and to please cover up as they are offending their host.

I'd say 95% of them should not have gone topless in the privacy of their own homes much less in Public.

Some would cover up and apologize and say they didn't know, some would say its not my country, others would tell me that no thai had told them that so they assumed it was ok,

There should be signs on every beach that it is NOT acceptable behavior in Thailand. Note not just the words but a pair of sagging breasts with a big red X thru them

So nice tits are ok???? stand on the chair its all going over your head.

[alstaxi]

Let's not talk about Thai hypocrisy, please.

Let's look no further than the United Shorts of Amerika.

Does everyone forget the hissy fits that occurred when Janet Jackson bared one nipple for about one second while performing some music during the interval of the Super Bowl about six years ago?????

I forget now, but wasn't she banned from all further Super Bowl contracts. Amerika goes bananas over one black nipple.

But I do agree: there should be a law against , specifically, the displaying of huge pendulous tits by women in the 40+ category, usually visitors from England or Amerika. It's an offence against,not morality, but eyesight.

I saw the show, it was not black, it was brown.

[Amras]

The majority of comments above show about the same amount of ignorance, when it comes to Thai mores, as the "boobies.

This is NOT your country or a European country. Before you came here you should have done your homework and read up on what is expected of visitors. And using the small percentage of Thais who are in the sex trade is not good form when arguing a point.

As an expat of 6+ years, I find myself ashamed of the way farangs dress, both on the beach and on the streets. Someone should also say something to the hairy men who insist on wearing underwear shirts in public, such as at the mall and in theatres.

All of us should remember our manners while in this great (with exceptions) country.

Hmmm...bit of a generalisation I think. I would say that Thai girls are starting to dress more and more 'sexily' shall we say all the time.

The available clothes at Robinson, Emporium etc show just the types of dress that is coming in and is depmanded in Thailand.

Don't know where you live, but I see many Thai girls, dressing similarly to their Western counterparts.

Of course, some just go over board and if your referring to that then the above is negated.

Showing a bit of skin, or a bit of boob (with a top on) is nothing wrong and happens even with Thai's (outside the 'bar' scene).

Thailand is evolving, and some people seem to forget that.

[luluanator]

Here's an interesting fact from wikipedia: "Thai Cultural Mandates issued in 1939 and Western writingsprove Thai women would go clothed fully or topless in public before the westernization of dress. In the late 19th century the influence of missionaries and modernization under King Rama V encouraged local women to wear blouses to cover their breasts. Until the early 20th century, women from northern Thailand wore a long tube-skirt (Pha-Sin), tied high above their waist and below their breasts, which were uncovered".

It was mainly Western influences that encouraged Thai women, and many others in SE Asia, to cover up their breasts.

As a guest in Thailand, I think it is important to respect the culture, but I do wish toplessness was permitted like it was in the last century. Nothing like a swim in the ocean in with no top on. You men know what it is like.

[Neonben]

Although what you claim is a small percent involved in the sex industry the fact is it's right under everyone's noses, so much so that people tend to think the number involved is that much higher, without doubt tolerated because police get paid from the bar owners and it generally generates alot of $$$.

Those who are blind to this are the most horrendous prudes, my GF asked my friend not to hang her bikini on our gate because of what the neighbors would think and it's evident that public displays of affection are not cool.

..... and the lady went back to her stall to sell the porn dvd's i bet.

Some things you just couldnt make up in Thailand, how is it so acceptable to sell SEX and SEX DVD's but showing a bit of flesh on the beach or surrounding area is frowned upon. Is it one rule for Farangs and obne rule for locals here ?

What a broad-sweeping generality. If you broadened your horizons beyond sex you'd realize that only a small percentage of Thais are involved in sex-related commerce and most are indeed offended by public nudity. It is their country and culture you know.

[Amras]

Let's not talk about Thai hypocrisy, please.

Let's look no further than the United Shorts of Amerika.

Does everyone forget the hissy fits that occurred when Janet Jackson bared one nipple for about one second while performing some music during the interval of the Super Bowl about six years ago?????

I forget now, but wasn't she banned from all further Super Bowl contracts. Amerika goes bananas over one black nipple.

But I do agree: there should be a law against , specifically, the displaying of huge pendulous tits by women in the 40+ category, usually visitors from England or Amerika. It's an offence against,not morality, but eyesight.

I saw the show, it was not black, it was brown.

You don't think she KNEW that was going to happen, ie the big uproar. Please......of course she did, she needed to get in the public view again. People talked about it for far too long.

Clearly it worked. It was all planned and the outcome was already known.

[SICHONSTEVE]

..... and the lady went back to her stall to sell the porn dvd's i bet.

Some things you just couldnt make up in Thailand, how is it so acceptable to sell SEX and SEX DVD's but showing a bit of flesh on the beach or surrounding area is frowned upon. Is it one rule for Farangs and obne rule for locals here ?

It is NOT acceptable to sell sex DVD's, although I admit that unless the police decide to have a major clamp down by blitzing a specific and usually reknowned area (which they do occasionally in Bangkok) then it does seem like a free for all.

[Neonben]

OMG, he shouldn't just be wearing a bikini he should be made to wear a big baggy jumper, even in the mid 30deg heat, might even loose some weight.

Photos.....Photos..... or it didn't happen

Does the rules apply to man boobs as well?

[DumFarang]

Yes, somebody really needs to get on this right away, because if there's one thing I can't stand it's BREASTS! Especially when they're indecently unleashed in public! Don't these smooth skinned, barely legal, oversexed, often times voluptuous, little tramps get it? This has to end because it's utterly offensive. No more breasts.

[sydneyjed]

Carry on up the Kyber..and bring back Barbera Windsor for a guest appearence ,standing under a palm tree singing 'I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts'!!!!

We need a new Carry On movie - How about Carry On Thailand.

Bring on the permissive society. Down with cultural prudes.

Amazing how it's ok to scam tourists out of thousands, but showing nipples is frowned upon. Spastics!!

It's about time time somebody said something about it. Now let them take a bit more action

Edited February 3, 2011 by sydneyjed

[humqdpf]

The funny thing is that in the rural parts of Thailand I have seen many very old ladies who never cover their breasts. Most 60 year old plus women seem not to suffer from modesty when bathing publicly and bare breasted.

I can only surmise that covering the breasts is a fairly recent development in Thai culture.

Or maybe it's because not too many are interested in ogling a 60+ year old

Actually you may have raised an interesting point here. In the countryside villages some 4 or 5 decades ago, topless was the norm especially in the Isan area - ditto in Laos. Outside influences, such as the French in Laos and the Chinese in Thailand made toplessness in public for women unacceptable. Oddly enough, with the exception of FKK in Germany which probably did not get off the ground until the early 20th century, European and Western culture would have forbidden any topless behaviour by women prior to the second half of the 20th century.

On a more philosophical point, unlike pornography in its many forms, women's breasts are not hidden because they might corrupt or damage children - after all, breast feeding of young children is completely natural. Instead, women are asked to cover up because the sight of bare breasts in public might excite men!

Of course context is key to what is allowed and where. In Germany, there is nothing wrong in stripping off and jumping into a lake, river or the sea with people of the opposite sex even though you are not otherwise intimate with them. However, stripping off in someone's living room in Germany might be considered unusual or even shocking.

[Samuian]

We need a new Carry On movie - How about Carry On Thailand.

Bring on the permissive society. Down with cultural prudes.

Amazing how it's ok to scam tourists out of thousands, but showing nipples is frowned upon. Spastics!!

A thousandandone thumbs UP for that one!

Not only scamming and money cheats...billions "dispappearing from "national Park" fees collected from whom? How about the show(s) going on at bangla, at the walking street in pattaya, patpong, soi cowboy, nana - bkk, samui, night market @ cmx and in many, many other highly exposed or well hidden places like "karaoke" bars, in "massage" parlors owned by whom, here?

Edited February 3, 2011 by Samuian

[moskito]

to be honest I like boobs, but seeing it on public beaches here in Thailand I just hate. Its an insult to Thai customs. So is yelling at Thais btw.

Most farangs came here thesedays have absolutely no clue of Thailand and its morals. Unfriendly and ignorant foreigners are common these days and

not individual cases anymore. We all should not really wonder why Thais in Tourism parts are not friendly anymore.

[bobinphuket]

Get rather frustrated with all the freeflesh on show in Phuket. Can understand why the Go-Go girls getpi**ed when they are trying to make money from the skin trade.

Funniest comment I got when I took myThai wife to the red light district of Amsterdam 10 years ago was “atleast in Thailand the girls keep their clothes on”

Not a matter of show or not show, butmore a case of respect the country you are visiting.

Problem is the majority of visitors have absolutely no respect...........

Other funny comment was "Falang women are stupid to <deleted> for free, if you are going to do it with strangers, then at least make some money from it!"

[Steele404]

I frown upon you, therefore you must go to jail...

makes perfect sense!

[animatic]

A coulee of finer points I can't quite put my finger on in this article.

Or a coulotte not covering some fine points i could almost get my hands around

Edited February 3, 2011 by animatic

[maapaa]

..... Is it one rule for Farangs and obne rule for locals here ?

As far as I know it's not just any funny rule for farangs (I'm one, too).

It's forbidden by Thai law - valid for ALL people in Thailand. But this good law needs to be strictly enforced. Fine these few nudists before more and more beaches are occupied by topless or even naked Europeans (I am German), let them spend some hours with the police, let them inveign or bluster about Thailand, let them decide to spend their next holiday not here - and everything will be ok again.

It's not your bedroom, not your livingroom, not your home, not your country! It's Thailand - and all people visiting Thailand have to obey Thai law!

I am not prude, no.

I am married, living here in Thailand without my wife and dating 2 women (not only to talk about beautiful Thai nature ... ... ) and my post here has nothing to do with any religious morality. No.

My former German girlfriend used to go topless on European beaches - but before we decided to visit Thailand in 1994, we tried to read a bit about Thai culture. Easy to find that it's not common to go topless.

So - she was wearing a bikini! That's it! Easy and simple.

maapaa

[moskito]

We need a new Carry On movie - How about Carry On Thailand.

Bring on the permissive society. Down with cultural prudes.

Amazing how it's ok to scam tourists out of thousands, but showing nipples is frowned upon. Spastics!!

So why dont you just go to Florida or California or do your time in France? Plenty of nude beaches there. Most of the ladies showing them should be jailed or brought to

a surgery clinic. Most of the more attractice girls dont show their tits anyway. btw. EVERY country has its Laws and we have to respect them or bugger off.

Too many kids around here in the foreigner community, even if they look like grandpas

[maapaa]

.... Not a matter of show or not show, butmore a case of respect the country you are visiting.

Problem is the majority of visitors have absolutely no respect ...........

Absolutely true - clap my hands for this statement.

maapaa

[leemac]

As expected most of the complaints are from women who don't like the competition of young nubile breasts.

What is funniest is you can go to most gogo bars and see the lot, no problems. Perhaps this is the problem, the professionals hate the amateurs offering the same for free.

I think the problem is that other people don't want that sort of thing in public. I'm the kind of guy you're likely to find in the red-light area of town, simply because I love the excitement and danger, the party life and sometimes the girls. But I would be a bit surprised if a place like Thailand, with a (let's face it) reputation for its red-light industry, allowed that side of things to infringe upon the family friendly tourist spots, such as beaches, hotel pools, parks and shopping districts, shopping malls etc... I mean really. What's the difference between being naked at the beach or at a park? They're both outdoor recreational areas frequented by people of all ages, races, and cultures.

Once you allow girls to go topless at the beach in Thailand, the next step is night-life girls using the beach for some $ on the side. The beach turns into a daylight red-light district, tourism takes a dive and the place gets a bad rep. Some idiots will do things on the beach they should do in the privacy of their own home, and it all turns to custard.

I'm no prude, but I don't fancy seeing kids playing in a place where working girls are looking for clients, posing sexy, and flashing their wares not for a tan but as bait for men willing to pay. In Thailand, it's a very different scenario to Saint-Tropez in France.

[maapaa]

...... So why dont you just go to Florida or California or do your time in France? Plenty of nude beaches there. Most of the ladies showing them should be jailed or brought to

a surgery clinic. Most of the more attractice girls dont show their tits anyway. btw. EVERY country has its Laws and we have to respect them or bugger off. .....

Another good reply, thank you.

maapaa

[peterdiver]

This is soooooo - 20th century. It's well time they had a nice sandy naturist beach over here - or a least part of a beach. Or at least all travel agents should tell potential tourists that in the buff they will not be welcome, and women can't uncover the top half either. People would get a better idea then, before they come. - Just what the Thais don't want, I suppose! Or maybe these days they do want to be up front and honest? - What do people think? I've no problem with special dress in holy places etc. I think areas should be designated where particular dress is required on the beaches or in the water.

[Teddy3943]

I thought we western civilized people are taught to respect another religion and another culture??? At least where I come from. So the tourists who don't care about the feelings of the locals are no more than stupid Baboons who deserve more than only one night in jail.

O.k. I like to look at nice breasts too, but not on behalf of offending the guest country where I stay at that moment.

I also despise the brainless macho's who walk half naked in the streets of many cities here in Thailand to show off their tattoo's. Except for a few crazy bastards they never would walk like that in their home country. The lower the civilized level the more they think they can perform here as an independent farang. Trash and tramps, that's the image they give from themselves.

[DumFarang]

As expected most of the complaints are from women who don't like the competition of young nubile breasts.

What is funniest is you can go to most gogo bars and see the lot, no problems. Perhaps this is the problem, the professionals hate the amateurs offering the same for free.

I think the problem is that other people don't want that sort of thing in public. I'm the kind of guy you're likely to find in the red-light area of town, simply because I love the excitement and danger, the party life and sometimes the girls. But I would be a bit surprised if a place like Thailand, with a (let's face it) reputation for its red-light industry, allowed that side of things to infringe upon the family friendly tourist spots, such as beaches, hotel pools, parks and shopping districts, shopping malls etc... I mean really. What's the difference between being naked at the beach or at a park? They're both outdoor recreational areas frequented by people of all ages, races, and cultures.

Once you allow girls to go topless at the beach in Thailand, the next step is night-life girls using the beach for some $ on the side. The beach turns into a daylight red-light district, tourism takes a dive and the place gets a bad rep. Some idiots will do things on the beach they should do in the privacy of their own home, and it all turns to custard.

I'm no prude, but I don't fancy seeing kids playing in a place where working girls are looking for clients, posing sexy, and flashing their wares not for a tan but as bait for men willing to pay. In Thailand, it's a very different scenario to Saint-Tropez in France.

I agree that this would be a bad scenario as I rely on tourism for an income here. However, it just doesn't work this way. Most prostitutes are asleep until late morning, groggy, and just getting started throughout the day. By nighttime is when they attack every angle possible, and, as many know, this includes staying out until the last parties (hello drunk people) sometimes until the sun comes up. They're creatures of the night, and I think that facet of their work has probably existed about as long as their profession.

[lee68]

Are you sure it was a thai lady?

Didn't see that much evidence of this myself on my recent holiday in Phuket. On any of the beaches I was on I would say fewer than 5% of ladies were topless, including one Thai lady i might add

[Neonben]

Although what you claim is a small percent involved in the sex industry the fact is it's right under everyone's noses, so much so that people tend to think the number involved is that much higher, without doubt tolerated because police get paid from the bar owners and it generally generates alot of $$.

Those who are blind to this are the most horrendous prudes, my GF asked my friend not to hang her bikini on our gate because of what the neighbors would think and it's evident that public displays of affection are not cool.

When i first arrived in Thailand i seem to remember being told as a male you must never walk round bare chest/topless in BKK it offends the locals and sometimes you hear about a farang being harrassed by police to put their shirt on. You wont see it at this time of year because it's "FREEZING" but any other time of year going round BKK and you will see lots of old Thai men topless, it's clearly a different set of rules for the farang.

..... and the lady went back to her stall to sell the porn dvd's i bet.

Some things you just couldnt make up in Thailand, how is it so acceptable to sell SEX and SEX DVD's but showing a bit of flesh on the beach or surrounding area is frowned upon. Is it one rule for Farangs and obne rule for locals here ?

What a broad-sweeping generality. If you broadened your horizons beyond sex you'd realize that only a small percentage of Thais are involved in sex-related commerce and most are indeed offended by public nudity. It is their country and culture you know.

[Darwinite1]

I just couldn't agree more! This issue really gets my goat. I see them all the time and what's worse is one regular offender LIVES here and goes topless at the beach in front of her nanny!!!! The audacity of this woman to be soooooo disrespectful is just mind-boggling. At least I tell myself that the tourists are just dumb, after all, we all know by now they leave their brains behind when they come on holiday here.....some are just pain rude and don't care, but I dare-say most are just plain ignorant *sigh*.

Does anyone have any more creative ideas about how to deal with this? I was recently faced with 5 topless women whilst trying to have lunch with my husband...a little distracting as you don't have to live here long for modesty to become your mantra and so whereas a set of boobs a few years ago may not have raised an eyebrow, it certainly raises more than that now! Mostly my blood-pressure!

Why do you find the human body so offensive? Boobs are natural. It's your attitude that's unnatural. Why should you be the judge of what other people do?

Well, you must not have read my comment too well - it's offensive due to the cultural insensitivity that these people show....they ain't on a beach in the Gold Coast! If you come to Thailand on holidays or choose to live here, you need to respect the culture of your hosts - simple as that. And yes you're a genius, boobs are natural - bloody love mine! I ain't the judge here - Thailand is....seems you're residing somewhere else yes?