Biden calls for Trump to be jailed 14 days out from the election

[alobar]

Pulled up next to a big, fat, sweaty beer guzzling and shirtless western guy who was hanging outside a temple with his pals last night. :burp:Generally non confrontational- this was just too much for me. Close enough to not be misunderstood, but out of arms reach (hey i'm not stupid), I asked if he spoke English. He said yes, so I proceeded with the suggestion that he get dressed. His response was a vigorous; 'WHY?' I said that it would be polite and that if he hadn't noticed, he was in a conservative Buddhist culture that frowns on that sort of thing. He batted his eyes, said 'oh' and sheepishly slipped his shirt back on. A personal victory, however brief. I've heard from 'visitors' in the past regarding an array of unseemly behavior, the refrain; 'well if they minded so much, they'd say something!.' No- they wouldn't. That's kind of the point. The smile they give when we 'regulate our own' is incredibly rewarding. Noblesse oblige.

[LJW]

Okay, you are the winner

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Great, the Fashion Gestapo does Chiang Mai.

[Fishenough]

Alobar, take a trip to Laos and help the backpacker crowd with there salacious dressing habits.

Your work is needed there.

[amexpat]

Good for you Alobar. Someone should remind these clowns that this is not Pattaya.

I've seen several that appear to be body builders (which is why I didn't confront them ) strutting through the city with no shirt.

No doubt they think they haven't been swamped with Thai girls only because the girls are too shy.

[thaimiller]

Well done, glad you let us all know. I can sleep easier tonight knowing that you are around and keeping Thailand traditional. Until someone drops you and tells you to mind your own business.

[OriginalPoster]

Great, the Fashion Gestapo does Chiang Mai.

It's more than just fashion. There are certain places that drunken buffoons using the F word as a preposition should not hang out.

[mccw]

Wasn't it western culture that turned the Thai in to prudes? before we showed up toplessness was not an issue. Now it's again changing Thais as we ourselves have loosened up so are they.

Obviously shirtless in town or around temples isn't respectful but you often see thais around their house area or village with no shirt or out at the waterfall or lake; similarly down by the beach. Like some Thai girls will wear full cover to swim but others might sport a bikini (no not just bar girls). Things change

[OriginalPoster]

Wasn't it western culture that turned the Thai in to prudes? before we showed up toplessness was not an issue. Now it's again changing Thais as we ourselves have loosened up so are they.

Obviously shirtless in town or around temples isn't respectful but you often see thais around their house area or village with no shirt or out at the waterfall or lake; similarly down by the beach. Like some Thai girls will wear full cover to swim but others might sport a bikini (no not just bar girls). Things change

But before Western culture turned Thai ins into prudes, was it the norm in Thailand for men to curse up a storm and make crude jokes about oral sex in public? That's what I see in Chiang Mai from the shirtless slobs drinking their Beer Chang straight from a 500ml bottle, not them liberalizing Thailand and making them realize that nudity is not in itself dirty.

Edited August 6, 2011 by OriginalPoster

[keo]

I saw a middle-aged Thai guy driving motorbike topless today - should I have got all righteous and set him straight? What about the songtaew drivers who bear their bellies in the hot season? Or is it up to the Thais to regulate their own?

[OriginalPoster]

I saw a middle-aged Thai guy driving motorbike topless today - should I have got all righteous and set him straight? What about the songtaew drivers who bear their bellies in the hot season? Or is it up to the Thais to regulate their own?

if someone's being an asshol_e in public, they shouldn't be surprised if they occasionally get called on it.

[Thakkar]

Great. Now I have to look at boring temples without the comic distraction of feckless foreigners shirtlessly guzzling beers.

Thanks for nothing.

[keo]

I saw a middle-aged Thai guy driving motorbike topless today - should I have got all righteous and set him straight? What about the songtaew drivers who bear their bellies in the hot season? Or is it up to the Thais to regulate their own?

if someone's being an asshol_e in public, they shouldn't be surprised if they occasionally get called on it.

By "being an asshol_e in public" do you mean not wearing a shirt? Or does it include being fat, sweaty and a beer guzzler? And should the Thais who exhibit these qualities get called on it, or just the foreigners? And if so, by whom?

[OriginalPoster]

I saw a middle-aged Thai guy driving motorbike topless today - should I have got all righteous and set him straight? What about the songtaew drivers who bear their bellies in the hot season? Or is it up to the Thais to regulate their own?

if someone's being an asshol_e in public, they shouldn't be surprised if they occasionally get called on it.

By "being an asshol_e in public" do you mean not wearing a shirt? Or does it include being fat, sweaty and a beer guzzler? And should the Thais who exhibit these qualities get called on it, or just the foreigners? And if so, by whom?

No, anyone acting like an asshol_e in public can expect to get into conflict occasionally. And yes, being out in public, shirtless, fat, cursing up a storm, and drinking Chang straight from a quart bottle makes you an asshol_e. However I do know that standards are different in Chiing Mai's expat community and I would never confront you.

Edited August 6, 2011 by OriginalPoster

[mccw]

Thais make jokes about each other to their face which in my country would be plain rude. They often crack naughty jokes using innuendo and changing words Wichita sound well similar in Thai. Generally Thais are not uptight at all; just got different cultural norms of behaviour.

I'm not condoning loutish uncouth behaviour but pointing out that things will be as they'll be and no point getting upset about it.

Depending in the circumstance there's nothing wrong with cracking rude jokes in public; for example if it's anywhere down thanon Falang ho zone then who cares; it's not like there are any hi-so ealdery madams sensitive ears to offend. Also generally I think for most Thais they have to really pay attention to English being spoken to understand what's being talked about, so your average person passing conversation in the street wouldn't have a clue anyway.

[keo]

I saw a middle-aged Thai guy driving motorbike topless today - should I have got all righteous and set him straight? What about the songtaew drivers who bear their bellies in the hot season? Or is it up to the Thais to regulate their own?

if someone's being an asshol_e in public, they shouldn't be surprised if they occasionally get called on it.

By "being an asshol_e in public" do you mean not wearing a shirt? Or does it include being fat, sweaty and a beer guzzler? And should the Thais who exhibit these qualities get called on it, or just the foreigners? And if so, by whom?

No, anyone acting like an asshol_e in public can expect to get into conflict occasionally. And yes, being out in public, shirtless, fat, cursing up a storm, and drinking Chang straight from a quart bottle makes you an asshol_e. However I do know that standards are different in Chiing Mai's expat community and I would never confront you.

Where does the OP state that the offending foreigner was cursing? Or drinking Chang out the bottle? You seem to have dreamt those parts up yourself.

[Ulysses G.]

I saw a middle-aged Thai guy driving motorbike topless today - should I have got all righteous and set him straight? What about the songtaew drivers who bear their bellies in the hot season?

Of course. You should stop anyone parading around not wearing a suit and cravat and set then straight about how a proper gentleman dresses in public.

[mccw]

I ride my bike around my moo baan with no shirt and some of residents have gossiped disapprovingly; but there are several Thai guys that plod about with no shirt and big fat bellies. Why not, just local, not going shopping or anything; it's dam_n hot and I don't want dark arms and a White torso. Maybe the problem is that I'm Not old and fat? Like it's improper to put naughty thoughts in the housewives minds, where as the others pose no threat to the guys who go work and leave their younger kept women unsupervised except for the prying eyes of the neighbours.

Would the OP tell stop me to Sanand I put a shirt on? (I also drink ice cold beers strait from the bottle while riding)

[realthaideal]

I think the guy did the right thing. We've all seen 'our own kind' carrying on like hoodlums/pratts/fools and so on, and wished we didn't have to be associated with them (by virtue of skin color or country of origin). No harm done to him (fortunately), and sometimes the Farang need a gentle reminder that the whole country isn't a magic Disneyland playground, but an actual functioning society with standards of conduct. And yes, this place has lots of inconsistencies and was made prudish by the bible thumpers, but you all know what I mean, and why he told the guy to put on a shirt in the first place. No harm done, and so why not ?

[amexpat]

Of course. You should stop anyone parading around not wearing a suit and cravat and set then straight about how a proper gentleman dresses in public.

What do you want to be when/if you grow up?

BTW, the shirtless guy was in front of a temple. That makes quite a difference.

[Ulysses G.]

Of course. You should stop anyone parading around not wearing a suit and cravat and set then straight about how a proper gentleman dresses in public.

What do you want to be when/if you grow up?

A dictator would be nice. Then I could tell other people how to dress.

[uptheos]

Where can I pick up my police uniform?

[LadyHeather]

I am rather surprised that so many fail to realize the offensiveness and inappropriateness of shirtless men drinking beer at a temple and somehow seem to defend such behavior. But I guess that if you found a foreigner behaving offensively and inappropriately in your own country perhaps you wouldn't find it a problem.

[Tonto21]

I don't mind, "big, fat, sweaty beer guzzling and shirtless western guy" being around me, (not to close for anyone to think I'm with them) asI think they make me look sophisticated, and debonair. A little bit like girls who go out on the town with a 'minging' mate, just to make themselves feel and look better than they are!

But joking aside I personally, I don't like to see 'free range man boobs' and 'stench trench' in the city, just my opinion, I feel it smacks of a lack of social interaction skills and common respect for people around them. And gingers, well there should be international laws about them exposing anything other than their heads and hands in public!

Edited August 6, 2011 by Tonto21

[mcgriffith]

I'm too lazy at the moment to pull up the thread posted on CM about 4 years ago about some clueless twit, who was spotted walking down Chan Klan Road in Speedos....nothing else.

Look, we can argue both sides of this issue until we are blue in the face.

But budgie smugglers?

Personally I am not offended at the morality/dress code aspect.

It is more.....how can anyone have such low class and tastelessness in dress?

[CMSteve]

I'm always weary of making judgments on what happens at or around a Wat. I think we tend to attribute the mores of the western churches upon them, and it turns out that many times that is not the case at all. I've found that one of the largest knockdown drinking fests in Thailand is when the locals make an annual trip to the Wat with the money trees. I don't know for sure, but I don't think there are any rules banning drinking in or around a Wat, think there is a rule about selling alcohol though.....

I am rather surprised that so many fail to realize the offensiveness and inappropriateness of shirtless men drinking beer at a temple and somehow seem to defend such behavior. But I guess that if you found a foreigner behaving offensively and inappropriately in your own country perhaps you wouldn't find it a problem.

[Tonto21]

I'm too lazy at the moment to pull up the thread posted on CM about 4 years ago about some clueless twit, who was spotted walking down Chan Klan Road in Speedos....nothing else.

Look, we can argue both sides of this issue until we are blue in the face.

But budgie smugglers?

Personally I am not offended at the morality/dress code aspect.

It is more.....how can anyone have such low class and tastelessness in dress?

Yeah………budgie smugglers, you just reminded, last year I was driving down beach rd., Pattaya and some guy was rollerblading down the middle of the rd.……..He must have been from Kansas, Finland or Russia as he was sporting only the most evil mullet, and smallest pair of Speedos, and I'm sure they would have looked small on 'Ken'…(Barbie's boyfriend) I've ever had the misfortune to see…… (couldn't avoid it) something far bigger than a budgie….down there I recon he was a sock smuggler, he looked like a total Fookwit!

Edited August 6, 2011 by Tonto21

[OriginalPoster]

Fat, drunk and stupid is not way to go through life son.

[SteeleJoe]

Alobar: I kinda understand your feelings and even your action, though frankly I have to say you do come off as bit of a self-righteous busybody (who maybe guilty of idealizing the Thais a bit)...

But are you sure you want to use noblesse oblige? I mean it sort of fits with the impression I get from your OP -- but not in a good way.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

But before Western culture turned Thai ins into prudes, was it the norm in Thailand for men to curse up a storm and make crude jokes about oral sex in public? That's what I see in Chiang Mai from the shirtless slobs drinking their Beer Chang straight from a 500ml bottle, not them liberalizing Thailand and making them realize that nudity is not in itself dirty.

So.. where do you hang out that you see this all the time? This wouldn't by any chance be the back side of the temple at Moon Muang Soi 1 would it? And, was it by day or evening?