This strange walk i see in Thailand...

[NoshowJones]

This must rate as one of the most stupidest topics ever posted on TV.

It may be, but it is still a bit of fun. Maybe some of them hurt their feet doing a Norman Wisdom impression, caused by the state of many of Thailands sidewalks.

[ExpatOilWorker]

It is caused when the infant is being carried on the mothers back with legs bent outwards, rather than being tugged up under the kid.

You also see this in some Japanese women.

[kannot]

From my understanding it is related to a vitamin D deficiency. It affects the density of the bones and can cause the splayed foot already noted by other posters.It is particularly prevalent in North Eastern Thailand as the sunshine related to natural creation of this vitamin is reduced because of the mountains and the long shadows that are the result of the increasing trend towards growing rubber plantations which produce an abundance of shade. The effect of this is that the legs, particularly of younger women are naturally spread wider. This was a source of shame for villagers who unfortunately shunned them for this supposed defect. Faced with dismal prospects and little chance of a normal life, sufferers were traditionally repatriated to Pattaya and Phuket where the sun is much stronger. The surprising corollary to this was the added benefit to the family who began receiving a regular, unexpected income. Girls returned home cured of their vitamin deficiency, however the longer term result of this was that they aged very quickly and then they died, abused by aged, wealthy expatriate westerners who transmitted to them something much worse.

So next time you funny guys see a Thai woman walking with a gait that doesn't look quite right, and you think about what sort of sleazy disgusting sexual innuendos might make people on TV laugh, you might like to consider the humanitarian perspective.

Really funny huh?

So why arent Norwegians the same when its winter forever an dark a heck of a long time, ring my friend I said you 'll call...............Dr Robert!!

[kannot]

This must rate as one of the most stupidest topics ever posted on TV.

Noooooooooooo u must be new here shureeeeeeeeeeeeeeely??

[Andyfez]

Wearing flipflops all their lives

Sent from my Lenovo S898t using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tullynagardy]

.It is particularly prevalent in North Eastern Thailand as the sunshine related to natural creation of this vitamin is reduced because of the mountains and the long shadows that are the result of the increasing trend towards growing rubber plantations which produce an abundance of shade.

I`m actually not sure if you are serious or not???

First of all huge bits of Issan is completely flat. Secondly living in mountainous terrain does not plunge you into permanent darkness! Thirdly if its lack of sunshine doing this why isnt everyone in Scotland completely deformed?

[Skint]

It's from lack of walking

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[khunPer]

»When i walk around in Thailand i sometimes witness a strange walk, mostly by woman.

Both feet are "bend" to the sites and it reminds me a bit of charlie chaplins walk.«

Yes, but not seen it that wired as Chaplin’s walk, but close to it – even mentioned it looks a bit like Chaplin – especially when one those small beauties from Isaan tries to walk in high healed shoes.

[kennedy]

From my understanding it is related to a vitamin D deficiency. It affects the density of the bones and can cause the splayed foot already noted by other posters.It is particularly prevalent in North Eastern Thailand as the sunshine related to natural creation of this vitamin is reduced because of the mountains and the long shadows that are the result of the increasing trend towards growing rubber plantations which produce an abundance of shade. The effect of this is that the legs, particularly of younger women are naturally spread wider. This was a source of shame for villagers who unfortunately shunned them for this supposed defect. Faced with dismal prospects and little chance of a normal life, sufferers were traditionally repatriated to Pattaya and Phuket where the sun is much stronger. The surprising corollary to this was the added benefit to the family who began receiving a regular, unexpected income. Girls returned home cured of their vitamin deficiency, however the longer term result of this was that they aged very quickly and then they died, abused by aged, wealthy expatriate westerners who transmitted to them something much worse.

So next time you funny guys see a Thai woman walking with a gait that doesn't look quite right, and you think about what sort of sleazy disgusting sexual innuendos might make people on TV laugh, you might like to consider the humanitarian perspective.

Really funny huh?

The best satire I've seen on TV.

[ultimate weapon]

not a single video to show

[ultimate weapon]

not a single video to show

[dunque]

it is very common in my experience. but it is much more accentuated when a girl is visiting a cold climate western country - and they may have opted to wear a strong built winter type shoe. they stand out like a scouser in a suit

* scouser. Inhabitiant of liverpool

A scouser in a suit - also known as 'the defendant'.

[zydeco]

Never seen it in BKK. Only one I get is the drift. When you are walking on a sidewalk and an elderly Lady is in front of you. If you go to pass her they magically drift in front of you and slow down.

Not just the elderly ones. All of them!

[jackr]

Also noticed the Chaplin waddle, though not half as cringe-worthy as the Bangkok shuffle; you know, the one where they're just too freakin' lazy to lift one foot up after the other.

Having said that, there is nothing like spotting a Thai lady walking as a lady should, all from the hips... and no, not talking about tarts and Lboys!

This must rate as one of the most stupidest topics ever posted on TV.

You can't have been around that long then.

[sandmike]

it is very common in my experience. but it is much more accentuated when a girl is visiting a cold climate western country - and they may have opted to wear a strong built winter type shoe. they stand out like a scouser in a suit

* scouser. Inhabitiant of liverpool

'Jonesthebaker'

Boyo,

I'll have you know that there are far more Scousers in suits than you can ever imagine ....

even more than your compatriots being caught with sheep ...

Scousers in suits are better known by their other name ...

'The Accused'

My credentials in this matter .... born in Knotty Ash

Yes, it is a real place ....

Oops, note that this has already been hit upon by Dunque

Edited January 18, 2014 by sandmike

[soomak]

I think it's genetic, and not just Thai, but common in SEA.

Their bottom section is built different then the European or the African build.

Here most buttocks face inward, feet face outward, while in Europe most have parallel feet and buttocks.

The hips/pelvis are also narrower here, so overall the shape of the bottom part is less feminine (at least what we are used to think of as feminine - here it's the norm).

Go to MBK, watch some (young) white girls walk from behind, it's a different look all together...

[socksy01]

In Issan I've noticed it in a lot of females particularly in younger one's who walk with their feet at 'ten to two' but can't explain why. Maybe before they go out in Public they forget to remove the love eggs.

[socksy01]

You could also pose the question's below;

Why do so many bar girls have p*ss-flap's like John Wayne's saddlebags?

Why are their clitty's like boxers speedballs?

Why, when they don't trim the 'Y' bone area, do they look like a Roman Centurion's Helmet?

So I've been told.

[louse1953]

From my understanding it is related to a vitamin D deficiency. It affects the density of the bones and can cause the splayed foot already noted by other posters.It is particularly prevalent in North Eastern Thailand as the sunshine related to natural creation of this vitamin is reduced because of the mountains and the long shadows that are the result of the increasing trend towards growing rubber plantations which produce an abundance of shade. The effect of this is that the legs, particularly of younger women are naturally spread wider. This was a source of shame for villagers who unfortunately shunned them for this supposed defect. Faced with dismal prospects and little chance of a normal life, sufferers were traditionally repatriated to Pattaya and Phuket where the sun is much stronger. The surprising corollary to this was the added benefit to the family who began receiving a regular, unexpected income. Girls returned home cured of their vitamin deficiency, however the longer term result of this was that they aged very quickly and then they died, abused by aged, wealthy expatriate westerners who transmitted to them something much worse.

So next time you funny guys see a Thai woman walking with a gait that doesn't look quite right, and you think about what sort of sleazy disgusting sexual innuendos might make people on TV laugh, you might like to consider the humanitarian perspective.

Really funny huh?

Your Vitamin D theroy may have some merit but not from too much shadows,flat as pancake for miles and miles.

[GeorgeO]

I was slightly amused by the effort of "Dr. Robert" to add a medical explanation for this, but as noted above, he seemed to 'lose it' at the end, and didn't offer any research support for his claim, so I remain skeptical.

What I would offer as a more feasible explanation is the way that women in Asia 'kneel' when chatting and doing sedentary household chores. If we go back to look at children in Asia, they tend to sit with their knees on the floor and their bottom on the ground between their feet, but as opposed to their feet pointing straight back, they tend to be splayed to either side of the bottom (pointing outwards).

That would seem to suggest that it is a practice which begins at a very early age, and indeed, with only light pressure being exerted on the joints at such ages, it would be quite easy to influence the setting of young bones/joints, or the direction in which the feet will tend to point when they grow up.

I couldn't sit like that if I practiced for a year, but it appears to be something which is done in Asia with ease.

[bifftastic]

From my understanding it is related to a vitamin D deficiency. It affects the density of the bones and can cause the splayed foot already noted by other posters.It is particularly prevalent in North Eastern Thailand as the sunshine related to natural creation of this vitamin is reduced because of the mountains and the long shadows that are the result of the increasing trend towards growing rubber plantations which produce an abundance of shade. The effect of this is that the legs, particularly of younger women are naturally spread wider. This was a source of shame for villagers who unfortunately shunned them for this supposed defect. Faced with dismal prospects and little chance of a normal life, sufferers were traditionally repatriated to Pattaya and Phuket where the sun is much stronger. The surprising corollary to this was the added benefit to the family who began receiving a regular, unexpected income. Girls returned home cured of their vitamin deficiency, however the longer term result of this was that they aged very quickly and then they died, abused by aged, wealthy expatriate westerners who transmitted to them something much worse.

So next time you funny guys see a Thai woman walking with a gait that doesn't look quite right, and you think about what sort of sleazy disgusting sexual innuendos might make people on TV laugh, you might like to consider the humanitarian perspective.

Really funny huh?

Mountains, in Isaan? It's on a plateau. It's flat.

It's described here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Thailand#Topography_and_drainage

as

the northeastern part of the country the Khorat Plateau, a region of gently rolling low hills and shallow lakes, drains into the Mekong through the Mun River.

Also here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Isan

it mentions

Although average rainfall is not much less than in other parts of the country, its unpredictability often causes drought or flooding.

The latter is worsened by the generally flat terrain of the plateau,

So I'm not quite sure where you get the idea that the Korat plateau is so mountainous as to cause vitamin deficiency in women. Nor that the sun is stronger in Pattaya and that's why women were 'sent' there.

[barrybankruad]

Perhaps it could be due to the Asian 'squat' position. Thais, particularky the women will readily drop into this position and maintain it for hours whilst chatting or pefoming some task. Ask any western person to adopt this 'squat' position and even if they could do it in the first place within a very short time it would become so uncomfortable as to be impossible to maintain.

[sam sen]

i've noticed two walks;

one particularly inelegant walk which reminds me of someone walking through a field, usually done by issan girls

the other is the lazy flat footed, slap walk where they plonk their feet down, done by country and urban women

[belg]

is that in the red light district? she might just had a client with a big wang

[Docno]

From my understanding it is related to a vitamin D deficiency. It affects the density of the bones and can cause the splayed foot already noted by other posters.It is particularly prevalent in North Eastern Thailand as the sunshine related to natural creation of this vitamin is reduced because of the mountains and the long shadows that are the result of the increasing trend towards growing rubber plantations which produce an abundance of shade. The effect of this is that the legs, particularly of younger women are naturally spread wider. This was a source of shame for villagers who unfortunately shunned them for this supposed defect. Faced with dismal prospects and little chance of a normal life, sufferers were traditionally repatriated to Pattaya and Phuket where the sun is much stronger. The surprising corollary to this was the added benefit to the family who began receiving a regular, unexpected income. Girls returned home cured of their vitamin deficiency, however the longer term result of this was that they aged very quickly and then they died, abused by aged, wealthy expatriate westerners who transmitted to them something much worse.

So next time you funny guys see a Thai woman walking with a gait that doesn't look quite right, and you think about what sort of sleazy disgusting sexual innuendos might make people on TV laugh, you might like to consider the humanitarian perspective.

Really funny huh?

I'm sorry, but this is hard to believe. For one thing, there aren't any 'real' mountains in Isaan that cast the prolonged shadows you're talking about and there are not that many rubber plantations... the vast majority of Isaan women working in the agricultural sector would be in the rice fields. Also, I spend a lot of my time in Singapore for work. There is much less sun there--the sky is overcast 90% of the time--and most Singaporeans prefer to stay in air-conditioned comfort indoors. The average Isaan woman will get a lot more sun exposure than the average Singaporean, yet I don't see the 'splayed-foot' walk there much at all. I do notice it in Thailand.

[willyumiii]

The fields you refer to are rice fields.

Most labor done in rice fields is done while the fields are flooded and the feet sink deep into the mud.

Standing, walking even just pulling your feet out of the mud takes a lot of effort and can change the way your feet work after a period of time.

Could this be the answer to your question?

[Docno]

My Issan gf has a bit of a splayed foot walk, and I quite like it. Always thought it gave her an unassuming charm. I've suspected it may have something to with working in the rice fields ... perhaps easier to bend down and maintain balance with your feet pointed outwards. But it may very well be 'cultural' also. In the west, girls are 'corrected' if they don't walk gracefully (too tomboy-ishly). In Japan, girls are encouraged to point their toes inwards, and that has become a norm there (see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsPKso2_eJ8) Interestingly, I only notice the splay-foot walk on my gf if she's in flip-flops or barefoot... if I take her out in heels (she, not me), she walks 'normally' ... what we would call gracefully. It's almost as if, when she's casually dressed, she goes into to 'country mode' ... just a very relaxed, unselfconscious way of carrying herself. That's why I like it.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Docno

[geriatrickid]

Rickets.

[Docno]

One more comment for those attributing this to a vitamin D deficiency (rickets etc.). Mushrooms are one of the few nutritional sources of vitamin D. See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2313062/Mushrooms-provide-vitamin-D-supplements--sun-eat-them.html. And Isaan people are crazy about mushrooms. Drive down a country road in Isaan when the sun is going down, and you'll see scores of people walking out with their baskets to do mushroom 'hunting'. My gf is absolutely crazed about the things... if we're taking a scenic walk in the countryside, half of her time is spent scanning the ground for mushrooms. She can never get enough of them. Her parents are vegetarian and eat mushroom soup almost every night.

[transam]

Lets be careful out there, seems it has become an international epidemic.............