the stench of Thailand

[Commander Tamson]

Personal hygiene in Thailand is excellent.

Others types of hygiene...especially food hygiene...are shocking.

I agree - one of the first cultural differences that I noticed. Still love the food though - a glutton for punishment if you'll excuse the pun

[smoochy]

Meh. I rather enjoy it. Anyone who finds BKK offensive has never visited a public toilet in the People's Republic of China. Oy vey!

[Totster]

I always step off the plane and "smell" the heat and I'm happy.

Wouldn't eat street food though ........... but that's been covered elsewhere.

street food isnt a problem if you eat where the crowds eat, its the quiet places that arent recomended.

Just because the Thais don't get sick from street food doesn't mean you won't. Have you ever thought about the conditions under which most of this food is prepared, and what actually goes into it (besides cockroaches and mouse droppings) and how many times it gets warmed over? I must admit when I first came here I'd eat anything, usually after falling out of a bar after a dozen beers. These days I'm a lot more discerning and only eat what the missus prepares or from a restaurant that at least has the appearance of being clean. Call me fussy.

totster

[elektrified]

Wow pal you got stench troubles. sorry to hear about it. As for my personal experience no more stench here than I got back in the USA

Maybe something's wrong w/ your nose. Get a doc to check it out.

Indeed you should have your nose checked out.

[Thaddeus]

Personal hygiene in Thailand is excellent.

Others types of hygiene...especially food hygiene...are shocking.

Yep, my in-laws will throw copious amounts of cold water over themselves three or four times a day.

But the soap stays dry.

[historyprof]

Personal hygiene in Thailand is excellent.

Others types of hygiene...especially food hygiene...are shocking.

Yep, my in-laws will throw copious amounts of cold water over themselves three or four times a day.

But the soap stays dry.

A recent poll by tissue manufacturer SCA has revealed that 41 per cent of British men and 33 per cent of women do not shower every day. And astonishingly, 12 per cent overall say they only have a ‘proper wash’ once a week.

The trend is most popular amongst the younger generation who say they regularly get by with just a spray of deodorant, rarely wash their hair and only shower after a visit to the gym or on a particularly hot day.

http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/health/wellbeing/article/-/17486217/is-the-daily-shower-becoming-a-thing-of-the-past/

Are there a lot of Brits in your area of Thailand?

[poanoi]

Nothing astonishing about it, you dont sweat when you freeze

[historyprof]

Nothing astonishing about it, you dont sweat when you freeze

When your armpits and nasty bits freeze that must hurt....

[Thaddeus]

Are there a lot of Brits in your area of Thailand?

Yes, and none of them are my in-laws.

Next.

[Crossy]

I've just walked down Church Street in Bangalore, India. Nothing you can find in Thailand (even a landfill) compares.

[lapd]

I've encountered this in every 3rd/2nd world country I've ever been in. If Thais ever want to consider themselves 1st world they will have to tackle this problem. Starting with treating their sewage and separating it from open drainage systems.

[rene123]

But who wants Thailand to become a first world country? NOT ME! Then we couldn't afford to come and spend so much time here. I love all the differences that Thailand offers, and yet still remains relatively safe. Be careful of what you ask for.

[Bodrules]

Drain smell isn't too unexpected in Thailand given the overall heat of the place!

Currently there's a rather nasty whiff emanating from the drains by Charing Cross and partway along Fleet St, time for Thames Water to get its finger out and sort it.

[Somchai Mao]

I remember the first thing I noticed about Thailand was the hot smell, difficult to describe. A mixture of various exotic foods, drains and tuk tuk emissions. Doesn't bother me at all but what does bother me is when I snog a bargirl minutes after she's finished a som tam, putrid.

[JJttttt1]

Refrigerate this, wash this with dettol, cook this to a precise temperature.. it's health and safety gone over the top. Don't forget just a century ago people didn't have refridgerators, didn't know about cooking things to a certain temperature (just relied on knowing when it was cooked) etc... The human race still survived.

yeah but a century ears ago 9 of 10 newborn babies died in there firs month, a duration of life was about 24-28 years (depended on he country of course).. more than 90% of modern population would not survive in those conditions.

So eating a clean food is not so bad idea..

[harryfrompattaya]

How one say Thailand smells I believe the ones who say that hang around with people that smell or smell there own body

Live here with Misses for 23 years never had a bad smell maybe we shower 4 times a day