Odd Thai Behaviour Or Is It Me

[Kevin1908]

The wife asked where the nearest laundary was as she wanted to get the brand new jacket she had just bought cleaned. I explained that in the UK we don't have laundaries as such but dry cleaners. So off we went to get the brand new unworn jacket cleaned because that is what they do in Thailand.

I don't even bother to wash a new shirt to get the creases out. Seems a waste as it is going to be washed as soon as I have worn it.

The other thing was I was doing something in the kitchen and didn't have a free hand and asked the wife to get me a knife out of the cutlery drawer. She proceded to hand me the carving knife that she had just cut up a pineapple with.

Apparently she didn't consider a table knife to be a knife. I know Thais don't use a knife to eat with but why wouldn't they consider a table knife to be a knife.

All I need to do now is to discourage her from filling the electric kettle up when all she wants to do is make one cup of tea.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Two firm household rules in Thailand.

1) Never wash your cutting knife.

2) Always fill the kettle to the brim.

Edited June 10, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[toybits]

That is called culture shock!

[shaggy1969]

I would say that it is one for you and one for your wife also.

The kettle filling is something that agree with you totally.

As for the knife,well I kind of take the wife's side on that one.

Maybe next time you should say to her that you want one of those silly things next to the forks

[sbk]

I wash brand new clothes usually, god only knows who tried it on in the store. So, no, not a "Thai thing"

Should add, that if I were going to cut something up, I would not be using a regular table knife and would never use when cooking or anything of that type. I use a table knife for buttering my toast but rarely for any food on my plate unless its steak and then I would use a steak knife.

Maybe its a "British thing"

[Slip]

I think a lot of people wash new clothes before they wear them, not just the Thais. If you didn't specify what type of knife why is it strange that she gave you a kitchen knife? Thai kettles boil once and then keep the water warm.

My work here is done.

Sorry, just kidding, but as Toybits says- culture shock.

[krisb]

Ugh, they're such Thais sometimes aren't they!

[Huayrat]

I wash brand new clothes usually, god only knows who tried it on in the store. So, no, not a "Thai thing"

Should add, that if I were going to cut something up, I would not be using a regular table knife and would never use when cooking or anything of that type. I use a table knife for buttering my toast but rarely for any food on my plate unless its steak and then I would use a steak knife.

Maybe its a "British thing"

not even for beans on toast?

[seasia]

I always used to have new clothes washed before wearing them.

My Thai partner doesn`t seem to think that is necessary.

No big deal.

The kettle thing, yes, strange, can`t really understand filing a kettle to the brim for just 1 cup of coffee.

[Banzai99]

I always wash new clothes and would always pass a sharp knife to someone who asked me to give them a knife.

I really don't see anything strange here, apart from the Farang who wears unwashed clothes and a woman who passes a sharp knife she has just used as opposed to a blunt one is doing the right thing in my book.

Maybe change the topic title to Odd Farang Behaviour ?

Edited June 10, 2013 by Banzai99

[FACTOR]

I have a kettle and the instructions say to fill it to the brim when boiling. It might have something to do with covering the element completely with water so it doesn't short out.

I hope this helps you with your angst.

[Banzai99]

I have a kettle and the instructions say to fill it to the brim when boiling. It might have something to do with covering the element completely with water so it doesn't short out.

I hope this helps you with your angst.

Nope, it's just Thai behaviour at it's worst, having the temerity to overfill a kettle should be met with as much ThaiVisa scorn as we can muster, typical Thai.

[55Jay]

Weren't you married to a Thai before the current Thai g/f?

[FritsSikkink]

It is you.

[pattayadingo]

I wash brand new clothes usually, god only knows who tried it on in the store. So, no, not a "Thai thing"

Should add, that if I were going to cut something up, I would not be using a regular table knife and would never use when cooking or anything of that type. I use a table knife for buttering my toast but rarely for any food on my plate unless its steak and then I would use a steak knife.

Maybe its a "British thing"

And sometimes there are chemicals in the clothes and they can give a nasty rash. I know someone who bought some new underwear and wore them without washing them first. Had an odd rash for weeks.

Yes, always wash them first, you do not know where they have been or what they have been treated with.

[pattayadingo]

You use a kettle for one cup?

I fill the cup and pop it in the microwave.

[Aachen]

I wash brand new clothes usually, god only knows who tried it on in the store. So, no, not a "Thai thing"

Should add, that if I were going to cut something up, I would not be using a regular table knife and would never use when cooking or anything of that type. I use a table knife for buttering my toast but rarely for any food on my plate unless its steak and then I would use a steak knife.

Maybe its a "British thing"

No, it is recommended, although I do not do it. You never know what chem. stuff is in the textile coming from the factory.

[ABCer]

Just to throw my spanner into the wheels:

I never wash my new cloths.

I never wash my worn cloths.

I never need a fork or a knife.

My wife does all the washing and cuts my stake so that I can eat with my dirty hands.

BTW she always complains that I never wash!

and I do not understand why she irons washed cloths!

Edited June 11, 2013 by ABCer

[lovelaos]

Doesn't everybody wash their clothes before wearing?

I fill the kettle to the top before boiling - don't want to be drinking that crap at the bottom of the kettle.

A knife is a knife is a knife.

I suspect you haven't been here long and if these things bother you now, I suggest you pack your bags and get out sharpish because there are a lot more annoyances coming your way

[arthurwait]

I'm not siding with the person that thinks there aren't launderettes in the UK.

[pattayadingo]

Just to throw my spanner into the wheels:

I never wash my new cloths.

I never wash my worn cloths.

I never need a fork or a knife.

My wife does all the washing and cuts my stake so that I can eat with my dirty hands.

BTW she always complains that I never wash!

and I do not understand why she irons washed cloths!

Is that before or after she sticks the stake in your heart?

[HeijoshinCool]

New clothes have some nasty chemicals in them. You might want to wash them. Of course, a lot of dry cleaners still use the old chemicals, just as bad.

[givenall]

This is not knife or cloth, my wife makes the bed room very cold and the cover herself with a thick blanket

Sent from my ST18a using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Eddy B]

I once caught my wife ironing my boxershorts and socks. They looked nice after but it was completely wasting her energy. I am married so no one apart from her will see my pants unless I have an accident on my bike and then maybe the nurses attending me will comment on how well ironed my boxershorts and socks are.

[mr3cho]

I don't know how you consider any of that Thai (only) or odd behavior based on one person's behavior.

And if she replies to any of your queries with "because that is what they do in Thailand", take it with a grain of salt, because that is probably what they do in Thailand to quickly brush off criticism.

[balo]

It is not odd behaviour since 90% of the population on this planet does it.

So Yes It Is You....

[ABCer]

I once caught my wife ironing my boxershorts and socks. They looked nice after but it was completely wasting her energy. I am married so no one apart from her will see my pants unless I have an accident on my bike and then maybe the nurses attending me will comment on how well ironed my boxershorts and socks are.

You're right. She is not doing it for you but for those who get chance to see them on you, nurses or not... 'saving face'?

[chiliwasabi]

I'd have to take the washing new clothes on a case by case basis but I'll side with your wife on the other things.

I don't think we even have any table knives now that I think of it.

[Kitsune]

Products to prevent creasing in the shop and dyes are made of very toxic chemicals, the darker the color the more toxic it is.

That's why you should wash any new clothes, here they say " a few times" before wearing

Up to you, I do one wash ...

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/life/chemical-clothes-the-toxic-truth-about-whats-in-the-textiles-we-wear-188341.html

Edited June 11, 2013 by Kitsune

[Cluey]

Yes, I'll go along with both things being completely normal.

The clothes thing for sure for anything touching my skin, probably wouldn't do so for a jacket to be worn over long sleeves, especially if it means dry cleaning.

And I'd say blunt knives get used maybe 1% of the time in our house, my kids for spreading stuff on bread that's all, so if someone asked me for a knife I'd assume by default they wanted a sharp one.

I'd say the OP is a very lucky man to have such a patient and tolerant wife.