Men Going shirtless in the LOS. acceptable or not

[Torrens54]

Consider this:

Would you behave in the same manner in your own home village/town/city?

Well.....perhaps from the sound of you, you might, so let me now put it this way:

If you think you've got such a great body to display, go do it at a Gay-bar, I'm sure the boys will love you. The rest of us will simply wonder why so many people like yourself, come to Thailand to make themselves look stupid. You are obviously depriving a nice village somewhere, of its very own, VILLAGE IDIOT.

Oh, and when you get your first and maybe last, in-operable Melanoma, just reflect on how you could have saved your skin, not to mention your life!

Edited May 10, 2014 by Torrens54

[peergin]

Of course it is unacceptable. It is disgusting. You would not do that in London or Paris or Copenhagen, would you? So, why do it here???

[CaitlinHappyMeal]

I also wanted to mention the importance of getting vitamin D which you get from the sun. I lift weights and I do not have a beer belly. I have no tattoos. I do not walk into stores shirtless only on my motor bike and only out on the long highways. Thanks for all the comments and I will consider riding shirtless in the future.

haha do you know how much skin you need to expose and for how long to keep your vitamin D levels topped up, well in the winter in the uk face and hands for 15 minutes even on a cloudy day!! sounds to me like you just want any excuse to get your shirt off…..i don't know how old you are and i don't want to be rude but is that what you think other people really want to see when they wander round the streets? i have a few choice words that i mumble under my breath when i see this in thailand bit if i told you what the were i really would be being rude. at the end of the day its your choice i suppose?

[mrtoad]

Shirtless is ok by the pool or in the beach. Other than that put a shirt on.

[BrooklynNY]

Actually there is a law against indecent exposure but because Thai police are too lenient that why tourist cities like Pattaya and Phuket there are many male foreigners especially white westerners got carried away riding motor bikes, bikes and driving cars without shirts on. It is up to the police whether he wants to give a warning or even summon a ticket for that indecent exposure.

There are such random incidents happened to Thai people that police stopped shirtless men driving either the police giving a warning or a ticket to pay fine.

[Grindting]

The only thing worse than seeing a shirtless guy is seeing one with a tank top and massively ugly tattoos. That is the height of tat.

(Why does anyone get a tattoo? Genuine question. They are nearly always tasteless and vomitous.)

Wanting to look more like their idiot mates?

Trying to 'look Ard..

Then there are the guys that get the rocker/trendy tats like full sleeves.. These cool dudes are expressing their individuality and showing how enigmatic they are.. Enigmatic as the other ponces who all also got the same fish and ridiculous symbols

Loads of girls fall for it though so maybe there is something to be said. Although not the kind of girls I'd want to attract (6 nose and lip piercings.. To show how individual they are as well)

Edited May 10, 2014 by Grindting

[Grindting]

Other than near the beach obviously, in most parts of asia it's only homeless people and the mentally ill who walk around with their shirts off. So those farang in LOS that want to be grouped in that category, fine with me and I'm sure it doesn't offend the locals. They'll just be thinking what I'm thinking, what tasteless slothenly excuse for a human being they are.

[GOLDBUGGY]

Well since you don't see a Thai Man doing this, then I guess you know this is not sociably acceptable. The normal for men is to have your shoulders covered, so even a Muscle Shirt is pushing it. At the Beach or Swimming Pool is okay.

On a Motorbike driving through town might be a different story. As a Farang you are given some grace from Thai's on this but at any rate it is never considered respectable. Whether this is legal or not I honestly don't know, or know of anyone who has ever been arrested for this. But this is a fine line I would not want to push or cross. Some Thai Men may be insulted by this and let you know that. So...Up to You!

[kurnell]

Wasn't there some "expert" claiming that we can't wear shorts around town?

[Thaiberius]

If you have tat's, a shaven head, a hairy back, a bargirl girlfriend and you are from Yorkshire then it is the law. Otherwise you are a neanderthal.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Thaiberius

[DrTuner]

Get a full body tattoo. Or succumb to the TVF conservative club and wear a burka.

[Mudcrab]

Working on your tan? In a country where a suntan is considered low class? Where every Thai is trying to avoid the sun? How many hours do you need to be in the sun to keep your tan??

Sitting in your garden, pool, beach, I consider it as appropriate, but please, please, walking or driving on the streets. Put some clothes on. If I want to see naked bodies, but on the street? Last week I saw a guy who looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger and he was on his motorbike without shirt. His eyes where flashing around....man was he needy... he was so full of himself, I could vomit.

And the week before another guy, enormous belly, sweaty armpits walking with sandals, socks, short, but no shirt.... if my girlfriend not stopped me, I would have asked him to put something on.

What is it with men, to walk like this on the streets?

I work in my garden en nearly the whole day without shirt. But I live in the countryside, see not many people and feel fine. But going to a shop or anywhere outside my house I get dressed.

Should have asked him to take the socks off!!

[bkkgooner]

Seems to be more than acceptable for blokes to go around with top off all day in house or on their soi but going to Tesco or something with your shirt off is proper pikey behavior

[rhythmworx]

Totally acceptable, the Thai people do it why should foreigners not be able to?

Not in restaurants or indoor places though, yes then its wrong.

Edited May 11, 2014 by rhythmworx

[quandow]

I believe it's technically illegal for all Thai's to appear topless. You will RARELY see any Thai male, even in the water at the beach, not wearing a shirt. Of course, prostitution is also illegal in Thailand.

[Grindting]

Totally acceptable, the Thai people do it why should foreigners not be able to?

Not in restaurants or indoor places though, yes then its wrong.

with that logic you could say that you've seen pikeys walk around shirtless in the uk, so surely it is acceptable to follow suit

Are you happy to stoop to their level?

Just because the thai people you've seen shirtless are not publicly shamed or scathed by their fellow Thai's doesn't mean their fellow Thais with any common decency approve..

Edited May 11, 2014 by Grindting

[SoiBiker]

Putting aside for a moment what the Thai people think about this - even the other farangs find it gross. Stop making excuses and put a shirt on for heaven's sake.

[KonaRain]

where in the world is it acceptable to walk around with no shirt on? (other than on a beach)

if you are going to visit Thailand at least have the decency to respect their culture

it is most certainly culturally UNACCEPTABLE to walk around here with no shirt on

incidentally, I only disrobe on the beach, I am 46 wear factor 30 sun cream, and have just been diagnosed with skin cancer!

THINK ABOUT IT

in the whole world? seriously?

first of all in any country that's less inhibited about the male body (and/or the female body...)

and in western countries even cold ones in the summer, of course you might find bylaws saying shirts required in this or that place but outdoors if people are uninhibited and feel hot, they take their shirts off. why not?

urban thailand is similar to developed countries in many ways and it's going to keep changing. the overall worldwide trend is towards less inhibition about the human body (and sexuality, which is what covering the body is mostly about when it's not about protecting the body from the elements). you can fight modernization -- which in this case is actually a return to tradition -- and you can try to deny human biology but it's a losing battle...

of course if male toplessness really bothers you that much you can always move to a country where it's illegal

Hawaiians can walk around without shirts..fat is proud, tho they are doing it less..

On the skin cancer, I have pre c. skin thingys, so its time do: a.) party out till I die..'only live once' etc.

or, b.) watch my immune system by watching what goes into my big MOUTH..like Sugar and Alcohol, which according to me, lower Your Immune System for a few hours or a few days..!

Also, Turmeric seems to do wonders right on the skin.. I had an itching sore on my constantly exposed arm.. a little Turmeric fixed it..google what I said..prove it! AlohZ

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[Gsxrnz]

The issue of appropriate dress was culturally defined by the government in 1941 when it issued this edict, supported by a poster defining appropriate versus inappropriate attire for Thai people.

"On Thai dress, issued 15 January 1941, consisted of two items:

1. "Thai people should not appear at public gatherings, in public places, or in city limits without being appropriately dressed. Inappropriate dress includes wearing only underpants, wearing no shirt, or wearing a wraparound cloth."
2. "Appropriate dress for Thai people consists of:
   1. "Uniforms, as position and opportunity permits;
   2. "Polite international-style attire;
   3. "Polite traditional attire."^[

[KonaRain]

Yeah, our contractor jumped into the pond to net a fish, stripped down to his underwear, but, come to think..kept his shirt on...Youse guys are right!!

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[jonesthebaker]

it is just basic decency and etiquette

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2624756/Majorca-brings-500-fines-bikini-shoppers-Ban-wearing-bathing-costumes-away-beach-poolside.html

Edited May 11, 2014 by jonesthebaker

[DrTuner]

The issue of appropriate dress was culturally defined by the government in 1941 when it issued this edict, supported by a poster defining appropriate versus inappropriate attire for Thai people.

"On Thai dress, issued 15 January 1941, consisted of two items:

• "Thai people should not appear at public gatherings, in public places, or in city limits without being appropriately dressed. Inappropriate dress includes wearing only underpants, wearing no shirt, or wearing a wraparound cloth."
• "Appropriate dress for Thai people consists of:
• "Uniforms, as position and opportunity permits;
• "Polite international-style attire;
• "Polite traditional attire."^[

Thai_culture_poster.png

That and quite a few other ridiculous cultural mandates by a military dictator who was later ousted. Unfortunately the mandates had already taken root.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_cultural_mandates

I hope the reforms everybody is yapping about include revoking these and changing the name back to Siam.

[khh]

The issue of appropriate dress was culturally defined by the government in 1941 when it issued this edict, supported by a poster defining appropriate versus inappropriate attire for Thai people.

"On Thai dress, issued 15 January 1941, consisted of two items:

1. "Thai people should not appear at public gatherings, in public places, or in city limits without being appropriately dressed. Inappropriate dress includes wearing only underpants, wearing no shirt, or wearing a wraparound cloth."
2. "Appropriate dress for Thai people consists of:
   1. "Uniforms, as position and opportunity permits;
   2. "Polite international-style attire;
   3. "Polite traditional attire."^[

Thai_culture_poster.png

ok somebody needs to ask the lawyer:

1) what does the law actually say about indecent exposure?

2) does the 1941 edict have any legal weight today?

3) how are "city limits" defined in thailand anyway?

you might not see much toplessness in a major city (outside) but next time you take a bus around towns or villages on a hot day just watch and count how many thai men you see exercising their right to be comfortable. not as many as would like to do it, but they're there and they're normal people, no more likely to be crazy or crass than anybody who is wearing a shirt.

if the majority of thais really found it so offensive they would do like majorca... or saudi arabia...

[gawaterman]

Seem to remember many years ago when my Aussie/Thai son went swimming with his Thai cousins at the local swimming pool in SriRacha, he was told he had to wear a t-shirt, even when in the pool. Guessing he was about 8 at the time.

[neverdie]

Wasn't there some "expert" claiming that we can't wear shorts around town?

kurnell,

You're talking about that internet douchebag that was cruising around Bangkok filming Thai girls and any farang in shorts. His claim was that all shorts are unacceptable in LOS.

Soon after that I made sure I ditched the trousers any time I went to bangers for a pair of tailored shorts, in a hope I would spot him and assist hi with camera placement

[mrtoad]

Wasn't there some "expert" claiming that we can't wear shorts around town?

Probably one of the two week tourist experts

[kurnell]

Wasn't there some "expert" claiming that we can't wear shorts around town?

Probably one of the two week tourist experts

Yep I've just been to Samitivej where more than half of the hi-so Thais are wearing shorts

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[chrisinth]

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I have read that you get in troubble while driving a car with no shirt...

Can anyone confirm?

Would depend who was in the car with you I would imagine....................

[DrTuner]

I'm sitting here in Isaan with only my sarong on, with the neighbor having the same attire drinking lao khao. Nobody bats an eye, it's bloody 37DegC with no wind in here. I would be happy to see some Edwardian puritan perish in 15 mins in this heat with the penguin suit on.

[finy]

If you live on an island I think it's okay because you're living the island lifestyle.

In a city I don't think it's a great idea, but I guess it depends on the situation.

If you're in your garden or at the pool of course it's fine.