Why Do Thais Wake Up At 5:00Am...

[Tomtomtom69]

Yup, heat ^^^, we're up at 4.30 weekdays 5 ish weekends.

I go to work at 5.45 Wifey waters the plants and feeds the animals before it gets too warm, then goes and sleeps until noon.

What kind of work do you do? I don't think many English teachers would have a 5.45am class though.

[Thaddeus]

Given that most households in Thailand have air-conditioning these days,

?

[David48]

Given that most households in Thailand have air-conditioning these days,

?

Enjoying a coffee with Mr Naam

.

[mca]

I find I'm usually up around that time. It's either that or shit the bed after a night on the larb ped.

Edited June 1, 2013 by metisdead
Profanity

[weegee]

In my area the Monks begin the daily Alms rounds early. In my area we begin our house hold work early to avoid the heat of the day. In our area we work up until 10pm most nights (again to avoid the heat) which means bedtime around 11 or midnight. In my area we do not sit in a bar drinking until 3am, sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon. But these are just some of the reason why normal people get up early, get work done, sleep during the hottest time of the day and then start again.

Sometimes I truly miss my bar hopping days as a tourist.....

I'm sorry but I really don't know which country you are from but in the West,normal people don't get up at 5:00am!

Normal people in Western countries work from 9:00am-5:00pm,they don't get up when it's still dark and fall asleep on their feet for the rest of the day!

The OP missed it.... twice.

Normal people in the west don't get up to make food to give to the monks. Before you jump in and say you have never, ever seem any Thai that you know feeding the monks at dawn, rest assured there's millions of Thai's doing exactly that. Once a couple of family members are up, the rest of the house follows. It's a deep cultural thing... same as a dog works a circle to flatten down the long grass (that isn't there anymore) before laying down to sleep... the Thai's 'know' it is right(eous) to be up at the crack of dawn.

isnt that why Bobby Limb used to get up early???????

[kikoman]

" Given that most household in Thailand has air conditioning these days" where do you live in a Farang compound in Bangkok, I know of only one Thai family in my village that has air besides me! That comment makes me wonder about the validity of the rest of your post.

My wife and daughter wake up at 5:00 AM to prepare for school while most of the Village is already up to face a day in the rice fields. As this village is mostly a rice farming village, there is no nightlife, no bar or karaoke bar in the village, all of my neighbors stay in the rice field all day long and come home about sunset, to eat, visit and go home to retire for the night.

My FIL use to stay on the land all of the time and come home once or twice a week.

When I was living in Pattaya, my girlfriend worked at Mike's shopping mall, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM and was only off for an average of 2 days a month, many Thai's that worked in Pattaya also work a 12 hours a day.

The only Thai's I knew that worked a short day were those in the Army and Navy that lived off post.

As someone said you are not living in the west, you are living in Thailand that has a completely different lifestyle and culture.

Cheers:

[rsokolowski]

In my area the Monks begin the daily Alms rounds early. In my area we begin our house hold work early to avoid the heat of the day. In our area we work up until 10pm most nights (again to avoid the heat) which means bedtime around 11 or midnight. In my area we do not sit in a bar drinking until 3am, sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon. But these are just some of the reason why normal people get up early, get work done, sleep during the hottest time of the day and then start again.

Sometimes I truly miss my bar hopping days as a tourist.....

I'm sorry but I really don't know which country you are from but in the West,normal people don't get up at 5:00am!

Normal people in Western countries work from 9:00am-5:00pm,they don't get up when it's still dark and fall asleep on their feet for the rest of the day!

I have gotten up before before 5 AM since I was eighteen years old, I am now over 50 years old. Don't know if I am normal or not but I wake up early for work everyday.

[joeaverage]

In my area the Monks begin the daily Alms rounds early. In my area we begin our house hold work early to avoid the heat of the day. In our area we work up until 10pm most nights (again to avoid the heat) which means bedtime around 11 or midnight. In my area we do not sit in a bar drinking until 3am, sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon. But these are just some of the reason why normal people get up early, get work done, sleep during the hottest time of the day and then start again.

Sometimes I truly miss my bar hopping days as a tourist.....

I'm sorry but I really don't know which country you are from but in the West,normal people don't get up at 5:00am!

Normal people in Western countries work from 9:00am-5:00pm,they don't get up when it's still dark and fall asleep on their feet for the rest of the day!

the fact that this is a thailand forum and we are discussing a tropical climate rather than a temperate climate like "the west" seems to have eluded you completely.

[arthurwait]

In my area the Monks begin the daily Alms rounds early. In my area we begin our house hold work early to avoid the heat of the day. In our area we work up until 10pm most nights (again to avoid the heat) which means bedtime around 11 or midnight. In my area we do not sit in a bar drinking until 3am, sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon. But these are just some of the reason why normal people get up early, get work done, sleep during the hottest time of the day and then start again.

Sometimes I truly miss my bar hopping days as a tourist.....

I'm sorry but I really don't know which country you are from but in the West,normal people don't get up at 5:00am!

Normal people in Western countries work from 9:00am-5:00pm,they don't get up when it's still dark and fall asleep on their feet for the rest of the day!

You've never experienced a British winter or commuted to Central London ?

[StreetCowboy]

Wife gets up every morning at 5 AM and goes to work as do the other 100 Thais that work in her steel mill. I get up and cook breakfast for all of us and take the dog for a walk. The rest of the neighbors are also up cooking and walking dogs.

How can you cook and walk dogs? Can they still walk after they've been cooked?

English is not your first language I guess. I wrote, "I get up and cook breakfast for all of us and take the dog for a walk." Cook breakfast is one thought and take the dog for a walk is another. I don't think jokes about eating dogs are funny; in case you wondered.

I have the Chinese cook book entitled " 100 Ways to Wok Your Dog" I love dogs but retain my sense of humor....

He could probably write a book on the jokes he did not find funny. A dull book, no doubt, despite the great subject material

("Sure, and it's the way you tell them", the other inmate said.)

SC

[pacharaphet]

I've lived in Andalusia,Spain in summer where it's 45 degrees and they water the sidewalk to keep the dust down,they also have a siesta in the middle of the day and stay open later at night but they're not stupid enough to wake up at 5:00am and spend the rest of the day falling asleep on their feet!

Would you stop insinuating how stupid Thai people are? Let me ask, why the hell are you here (on Thai Visa) and what makes you so interested in Thailand?

[Mosha]

In my area the Monks begin the daily Alms rounds early. In my area we begin our house hold work early to avoid the heat of the day. In our area we work up until 10pm most nights (again to avoid the heat) which means bedtime around 11 or midnight. In my area we do not sit in a bar drinking until 3am, sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon. But these are just some of the reason why normal people get up early, get work done, sleep during the hottest time of the day and then start again.

Sometimes I truly miss my bar hopping days as a tourist.....

I'm sorry but I really don't know which country you are from but in the West,normal people don't get up at 5:00am!

Normal people in Western countries work from 9:00am-5:00pm,they don't get up when it's still dark and fall asleep on their feet for the rest of the day!

Don't you like shift workers?

[pacharaphet]

In my area the Monks begin the daily Alms rounds early. In my area we begin our house hold work early to avoid the heat of the day. In our area we work up until 10pm most nights (again to avoid the heat) which means bedtime around 11 or midnight. In my area we do not sit in a bar drinking until 3am, sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon. But these are just some of the reason why normal people get up early, get work done, sleep during the hottest time of the day and then start again.

Sometimes I truly miss my bar hopping days as a tourist.....

I'm sorry but I really don't know which country you are from but in the West,normal people don't get up at 5:00am!

Normal people in Western countries work from 9:00am-5:00pm,they don't get up when it's still dark and fall asleep on their feet for the rest of the day!

Last time I looked we were not in the West. Have you ever once thought that your in a different country, a different continent with different traditions and practices? There is a school of thought (not practiced much on Thai Visa admittedly) that not everything in the West is a perfect template for the rest of the world to copy.

Like you said, that school of thought doesn't have much clout here...but if we don't walk away from Thai Visa and try to represent our own views in high enough numbers, maybe things would change? I know, I'm an idealist, in my dreams, blah blah blah, you negative, negative people you. But I'm exaggerating, plenty of people on here expressed their understanding of cultural relativism.

[isawasnake]

The more important question is how can they even stand to listen to very annoying and obnoxious music early in the morning. Anybody every ridden an overnight bus here? What did you hear when you arrived in the morning? Oh man, SO annoying.

[joeaverage]

How can you cook and walk dogs? Can they still walk after they've been cooked?

English is not your first language I guess. I wrote, "I get up and cook breakfast for all of us and take the dog for a walk." Cook breakfast is one thought and take the dog for a walk is another. I don't think jokes about eating dogs are funny; in case you wondered.

I have the Chinese cook book entitled " 100 Ways to Wok Your Dog" I love dogs but retain my sense of humor....

He could probably write a book on the jokes he did not find funny. A dull book, no doubt, despite the great subject material

("Sure, and it's the way you tell them", the other inmate said.)

SC

undoubtedly it would veer off topic

[chiangmaikelly]

I have the Chinese cook book entitled " 100 Ways to Wok Your Dog" I love dogs but retain my sense of humor....

He could probably write a book on the jokes he did not find funny. A dull book, no doubt, despite the great subject material

("Sure, and it's the way you tell them", the other inmate said.)

SC

undoubtedly it would veer off topic

Talking about cooking my dog (not any dog but my dog) is on topic? I wrote, ""I get up and cook breakfast for all of us and take the dog for a walk." And the guy posts about eating my dog. Sorry, it is off topic, a flame and not funny.

[GottaGo]

Being awake long before the dawn and getting out of doors is healthy, beautiful and fun, everyone should do it.

[harrry]

Wife gets up every morning at 5 AM and goes to work as do the other 100 Thais that work in her steel mill. I get up and cook breakfast for all of us and take the dog for a walk. The rest of the neighbors are also up cooking and walking dogs.

I really hope they are not cooking them after walking them.

[Rsquared]

I really cannot understand the OP's dilemma.

As has been mentioned on numerous occasions, this is the way of life here, so what if it is not the same as where you were brought up. You are in a different country sunshine.....get over it.

And as for saying "normal" people in the west don't do this.....you are really looking at life with a huge set of blinkers on your head.

Wake up and open your eyes.

Some people....ahhhhh!

[poanoi]

Testosterone levels are highest in the morning, making the natural time for coupling.

[geriatrickid]

In my area the Monks begin the daily Alms rounds early. In my area we begin our house hold work early to avoid the heat of the day. In our area we work up until 10pm most nights (again to avoid the heat) which means bedtime around 11 or midnight. In my area we do not sit in a bar drinking until 3am, sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon. But these are just some of the reason why normal people get up early, get work done, sleep during the hottest time of the day and then start again.

Sometimes I truly miss my bar hopping days as a tourist.....

I'm sorry but I really don't know which country you are from but in the West,normal people don't get up at 5:00am!

Normal people in Western countries work from 9:00am-5:00pm,they don't get up when it's still dark and fall asleep on their feet for the rest of the day!

Not anymore. It's called flex time. Many companies, have introduced the concept to give the folks that commute a chance to beat the traffic. My past 2 employers had company wide policies that allowed people to start as early as 07:30 and to leave at 15:30. Much of the service economy is geared to peak hours, so that means they do want the workers in early to provide the hospitality services or general services such as being open to take the dry cleaning etc. The investment pits at financial institutions are open at varying times to take advantage the world time zones. The construction trades start early in the day. First responders, hospitals and other specialized workers do not work 9-5. The manufacturing sector has shift work schedules. The examples go on and on. The day of 9-5 work is no longer the way it is done.

[geriatrickid]

Testosterone levels are highest in the morning, making the natural time for coupling.

If that's the case, why is there such a mad frenzy on Bangla when the bars are closing?

[soi41]

Testosterone levels are highest in the morning, making the natural time for coupling.

So Thais are using getting up early as a contraceptive ??

[Thaddeus]

Given that most households in Thailand have air-conditioning these days,

?

Enjoying a coffee with Mr Naam

.

Nah..... I think it must have been one of those Abac polls of 877 people from 17 provinces, conducted in a shopping mall.

Heaven forbid that those poll takers should ever stray far from the air-con.

//edit/ I turned oirish for a moment.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Thaddeus

[PoodMaiDai]

Morning is the best time of day, a lot cooler and plus mom goes to the market to get the freshest veggies, fruits and meats. The early bird always catches the worm.

The night owl always catches and eats the early bird.

[Dancealot]

After i lived with my fellow villagers for awhile I understood why they wake up so early. Peculiar why someone raises this question. He must have lived a different life,.. in the village..

[RakJungTorlae]

Morning is the best time of day, a lot cooler and plus mom goes to the market to get the freshest veggies, fruits and meats. The early bird always catches the worm.

The night owl always catches and eats the early bird.

But the second mouse gets the cheese and escapes the owl.

good morning to all its 4.44 ohhh lord please forgive me.

[Naam]

Given that most households in Thailand have air-conditioning these days,

?

Enjoying a coffee with Mr Naam

.

at 0500hrs my coffee time is long gone. regular coffee time is 0330hrs.

[martynsnowmans]

my tw used to have a noodle shop on the mekong so was up every morning at 04.30 to get fresh food

from the market , now she has mom/pop shop in the city but still gets up at 04.30 and does,nt open the

shop untill 07.00 ....... if you had to sleep next to me maybe you,d get up early every day .

[Scully]

Where I live it's full of workers (no kids) with the majority starting work at 9.00am, they usually rise at 7.30. The previous place I lived people would rise at 5.00am but people would be in bed for 9.00pm. Not a light on or a sole around after 9.00pm, all rising to get the kids ready for school and put them on the 7.00am bus, the fact the bus had a habit of being 3/4 of an hour early or 3/4 of an hour late didn't help.