The Joy Of Dodging Obstacles Not Designed For Tall Farangs

[Jezz]

Unless you happen to be short and lightweight – which I’m not – the fun and thrills of negotiating around typical Isaan street markets never fails to amuse or bring challenges: like avoiding poking an eye out on a spoke of a low sunshade, strangling or electrocuting yourself on a low-strung power cable, breaking an ankle in a broken manhole cover, waiting patiently while the missus goes back to decide if the vegetables were fresher on the stall we passed half an hour ago, sweating under the weight of countless plastic bags filled with goodies while trudging round the bargain clothing stalls before staggering exhausted back to the car we parked nearly a kilometre away.

In spite of this self-inflicted torture, there’s the stop at Makro on the way home to grab some cases of beer. Now that’s worth the effort.

[Scoop1]

Hey jezz, how are you, and well said, i know exactly what you mean

scoop

[Jezz]

Hey jezz, how are you, and well said, i know exactly what you mean

scoop

Well I survived the last market ordeal and sunk a number of beers later to celebrate!

[JBL]

& don't forget the bathroom door which is generally about forehead height - might remember on the way in but coming out I still step up into it

JBL

[Jezz]

Suppose you could call that NOT having a head for heights. Or, “Who put that brick on the floor while I was on the toilet?”

[happyaussie]

If I could see the top of my melon I'm sure it's covered with scars. I regularly knock my head and draw blood and every time the wife blames me. Never a word about the ridiculously low door frame or sala or market awning.....oh no, never a Thais fault.

When I built my house I insisted on high doors, everyone looked at me as though I was from Mars. I also insisted on extra footings (hate creaky floors) and an enlarged shower recess.

I find it interesting how Thais don't like change. If it hasn't been done before it must be wrong or doesn't work.

[MeMock]

^ Happy Aussie, have you ever seen a Thai bump their head of door frames or a sala or a market awning? I sure haven't. I'm with your wife on this one.

[Jezz]

Trusting we keep this originally light-hearted observation on track. After all, we’re guests in their country and, personally, I find their way of thinking quite refreshing.

[robbo1]

Yeah mate I can relate to the market sarga as well but I also seem to be able to bang my head back here in AUS as well, I think it is more the bald melon than anything.

[happyaussie]

Guys there was no malice in my comment. God forbid, I table one observation about my place of residence and all of a sudden I'm a Thai knocker. I love Thailand, warts and all.

But it doesn't mean I can't comment on things which I feel would improve life for some at no cost....freedom of speech and all that stuff

Lack of acceptance of new or different ideas is what stifles progress in any country.

MeMock you are right, I never see Thais knocking their heads and I don't really mind navigating my 6'4'' frame around markets. Call me selfish but if they were 50cm higher, it would be wonderful.

[MeMock]

6 foot 4? No wonder you are knocking yourself silly every day!

It was just this one part of your post "oh no, never a Thais fault. " that caused me to raise an eyebrow!

If you are building expecting foreigners to visit then yes, please learn from others, if it is just around the village then no need to waste money on the extra materials!

[Jezz]

Well said, guys. Rural life off the tourist track will inevitably be different to the holiday playgrounds – but I’ve seen some head-banging stuff there too. Keep on ducking and dodging whilst out and about. It's all part of the fun.

[MeMock]

I find it best never to wear a hat as that seems to block my vision a little and I am not even close to 6 foot!

[Jezz]

I find it best never to wear a hat as that seems to block my vision a little and I am not even close to 6 foot!

Not even close to 6ft, MeMock? Maybe you could act as guide around the ‘Low Zones’ for us taller ones. Now there’s a business opportunity!

Edited March 6, 2012 by Jezz

[MeMock]

Well closer to 6ft then 5 ft but still a fair way off it!!

[linno2]

Doing some rennovations at the family village house - I can relate to the head injuries mentioned by others - 4 times in one day with the blood to prove it - progressively more painful! Have been able to buy farung height doors at Global! I must be slow learner.

Cheers

[mca]

& don't forget the bathroom door which is generally about forehead height - might remember on the way in but coming out I still step up into it

JBL

Yeah that half asleep 3 a.m. stumble to the bathroom and then "BANG" a nice crack of the head on the doorframe. Been there done that many a time.

[namoi]

6ft here and the more hair i lost the more blood i drew, i definatly think that the hair gives you a slight warning, last time i was there i ripped the head open on the roof of the pig stye, folded it back good and bled like a stuck pig into the bargine

[necronx99]

I'd miss all that as I'd still be endlessly circling the nearby streets looking for a park that was not more than 20 feet from the market.

I will say though that I now have a healthy protective ridge of scar tissue along the centre of my noggin....

[mca]

The ones that scare me are those rusty bits of corrugated iron roofing at the night markets. Nearly had my eye out on a couple of occasions.

[harrry]

Parking motorcycles on the Sidewalk and blocking it with trees and hand carts is really just a humanitarian effort to save poor farangs from sore heads.

[jamescollister]

Sometimes in hind sight it funny, while walking passed a bar, a few of the girls were giving me the handsome man bit. I giving them a wave and good look over stepped into a small hole, lost balance and opened my head up on a 5 foot high parking sign.

Much laughter from said girls and much pain on my part. Girls patched me up over a few beers and was later able to hobble off into the night in a blood soaked shirt. Jim

[AA1]

I sympathise completely. with many of you.

I have been to our local hostpital twice.

1). to have my big toe stitched up after stubbing it on the end of a rusty metal bar which matched in with the soil around it.

2). to have my head stitched up after trying to carry a large package into a shed. I was looking down to make sure that I was lifting the package high enough to get it in and making sure that I did not trip over the step myself BUT forgot to look up as well and went straight into cross beamnearly scalpting myself.

Both times very painful!!!!

[chiang mai]

I'm 6 feet 2 and my worst encounter with low flying obstacles was on Soi Nana in Bangkok, during the morning and completly sober. Wlaking along but mostly looking down I managed to connect with a strut of an umbrella, it caught me at a perfect right angle else it would have glanced off but unfortunately it connected with my temple. I went down and I went out and only woke up a few minutes later with several Thai's tending to me. I felt really stupid at first until I worked out what had happened, the chances of the angle being absoluely perfect etc.

[ignis]

Got used to it now, but funny how the moment your head hits something they came out with tissues or cotton buds

[ubonjoe]

Six feet tall. Have had plenty of head bumps but no blood shed yet.

Even the government is guilty of putting things to low. Plenty of road signs across side walks that are to low to walk under.

Edited August 10, 2012 by ubonjoe

[phibunmike]

I am reminded of a lovely sign I saw in a pub in England (notorious for low-beamed ceilings), which said simply "Duck or Grouse".

[Khonwan]

Like Happyaussie, above, I’m 6’4” but I think that’s an advantage because I hardly ever bump my head since I must constantly look out for obstacles everywhere. I think Bangkok is much better in that regard compared to 18 years ago when there were a phenomenal amount of electric cables strung out at just over 6’.

My dad visited me first after I lived here 5 years. I was, at that time, spending half my week in Bangkok and half at my farm in Nakhon Sawan. I rented a detached house off Sukhumvit 36 that had a kitchen with a very low door. I never hurt myself on it since it only came up to below my shoulders. First day in Thailand, my dad (5’10”) followed me into the kitchen and collapsed on the floor after nearly knocking himself out hitting his head.

[tingtongtourist]

Yes i think also very hard this situation.

but even worst have to keep one eye on pavement....dodging soi dog shit, broken paver and uneven step..while at the same time must look up above eye level so not to get F!#$%^&* head chopped off

[transam]

Been to some farangs new builds and they have the daft low level bathroom door frame. WHY, on a new build that they are paying for.