Take your shoes off, or.................

[Costas2008]

This subject has been touched a lot on TVF, but taking the opportunity on an answer I got on one of my posts, by Mr Ayjaydee (another admirer of my posts), decided to bring it up one more time.

We are obliged, by Thai culture, to take our shoes off, before going in any house.

Although, I’m not comfortable with this requirement and as David48 said “When in Rome do as the Romans do”, I always observe this part of Thai culture.

Now, watching the kids running without shoes all over the streets and the fields and then going in the house has nothing to do with it.

Also watching the men and women wearing those flip flops, that really is the same as wearing no shoes at all, but taking them off before going in the house, has nothing to do with it.

Being, an old fart, I always wears shocks and I have a pair of slippers to wear when I go in my house.

But going to other houses, I am obliged to admire the beauty of other people’s feet and fingernails, especially when we sit on the floor to have dinner.

Don’t forget I live in Issan, and that’s how people eat here, on the floor.

Mr Ayjaydee, also pointed out to me that one of the reasons of taking your shoes off is so you don’t bring E Coli in your house.

But I doubt that Thais had any idea as to what E Coli is when they integrated this requirement in their culture.

So, once again, can I ask your opinion on this subject?

[mrtoad]

This is not just in Thailand Costas, the same in most countries in South East Asia.

[Costas2008]

This is not just in Thailand Costas, the same in most countries in South East Asia.

Yes, but I'm living in Thailand and I have to take my shoes off whenever I go in my house or other peoples houses.

[Chairman Of The Board]

I have no opinion on this matter but I do always take my hat off when I'm eating and I tip my hat to a lady.

[mrtoad]

This is not just in Thailand Costas, the same in most countries in South East Asia.

Yes, but I'm living in Thailand and I have to take my shoes off whenever I go in my house or other peoples houses.

Surely in your own house you can do as you please? I do

[uptheos]

This is not just in Thailand Costas, the same in most countries in South East Asia.

Yes, but I'm living in Thailand and I have to take my shoes off whenever I go in my house or other peoples houses.

Be a man, change your house rules!!

[A1Str8]

This is very simple.

As you know, in thai culture the foot is considered the dirtiest part of the body(in my culture it is only so if you are reluctant to keep it clean but that's their problem). So we know that it is important to them to be nice and polite. On the flip side exposing the dirtiest part of the body and therefore disrespecting everyone in a 200m radius also seems to be important to them therefore the fact remains the making no sense at all is also part of their culture.

Edited November 14, 2014 by A1Str8

[pgrahmm]

Only bothers me on impromptu temple visits and I'm wearing my trusty Tevas with a strap & many buildings...If I know ahead of time I put flip flops in the car.....can't dedicate a pair to the car because they are hard to find in big sizes....in the US shoes were the 1st things off once home....more than a few also do the same in the states....

[Costas2008]

This is not just in Thailand Costas, the same in most countries in South East Asia.

Yes, but I'm living in Thailand and I have to take my shoes off whenever I go in my house or other peoples houses.

Surely in your own house you can do as you please? I do

Can you please come to my house and tell that to my wife?

She is wearing the trousers around here

I'm only wearing my traditional Greek skirts.

[uptheos]

This is not just in Thailand Costas, the same in most countries in South East Asia.

Yes, but I'm living in Thailand and I have to take my shoes off whenever I go in my house or other peoples houses.

Surely in your own house you can do as you please? I do

Can you please come to my house and tell that to my wife?

She is wearing the trousers around here

I'm only wearing my traditional Greek skirts.

Surely those matching pom pom slippers are easy enough to take off?

[Honkie]

In the old days , they have feet washing facilities by the entrance of People of Influences' houses, so you are supposed to wash your feet before enter.

By the way , this is just my observation from watching La Korn on Television so don't know its true or not.

[David48]

I have no opinion on this matter but I do always take my hat off when I'm eating and I tip my hat to a lady.

Would Miss Gayllips be worthy of you cocking your hat?

.

[Gayllips]

I have no opinion on this matter but I do always take my hat off when I'm eating and I tip my hat to a lady.

Would Miss Gayllips be worthy of you cocking your hat?

.

Hello David, where have you been hiding?

I've been looking all over for you, my little duckling

I certainly do apreciate a guy in a hat and his cocking actions.

G2G, 'J' is going to teach me how to play his flute today.

Speak to you again real soon, lots of sugar and rainbows,

Love from Gayllips.

[Jack Mountain]

I always tell my lady when a supplier comes to tell him that he has to KEEP ON his shoes when he goes into my house ...

[Costas2008]

I have no opinion on this matter but I do always take my hat off when I'm eating and I tip my hat to a lady.

Would Miss Gayllips be worthy of you cocking your hat?

.

Hello David, where have you been hiding?

I've been looking all over for you, my little duckling

I certainly do apreciate a guy in a hat and his cocking actions.

G2G, 'J' is going to teach me how to play his flute today.

Speak to you again real soon, lots of sugar and rainbows,

Love from Gayllips.

She knows how to make my heart bleed.

She comes on my thread, gives a kiss to David and ignores me completely.

Ahhhhhhh, where is the nearest hotel balcony?

[pgrahmm]

I have no opinion on this matter but I do always take my hat off when I'm eating and I tip my hat to a lady.

Would Miss Gayllips be worthy of you cocking your hat?

.

Hello David, where have you been hiding?

I've been looking all over for you, my little duckling

I certainly do apreciate a guy in a hat and his cocking actions.

G2G, 'J' is going to teach me how to play his flute today.

Speak to you again real soon, lots of sugar and rainbows,

Love from Gayllips.

She knows how to make my heart bleed.

She comes on my thread, gives a kiss to David and ignores me completely.

Ahhhhhhh, where is the nearest hotel balcony?

Last I saw it was in the make up 3 lines for the fantastic story thread - jump on over there....... Maybe you can fiddle around with Gayllips there?

[Soutpeel]

This is not just in Thailand Costas, the same in most countries in South East Asia.

Yes, but I'm living in Thailand and I have to take my shoes off whenever I go in my house or other peoples houses.

Be a man, change your house rules!!

Yes, put a pair of pants on Costas, take the skirt and pom pom's off..its your house, yes we know Zuma bit your testicles off but that's not an excuse

Edited November 14, 2014 by Soutpeel

[Crazy chef 1]

i recently begun to take my socks of when "respecting"the wife- for romantic reasons...

[Falcon]

I have no problem taking my shoes off to go in to with my own house or that if someone else. I do, however, object to, and flat out refuse to, take off my shoes when going in to a shop, whether it be a small shop or a large one. The shop is open to attract customers and should accept people walking in with shoes, etc. the most stupid place I ever saw was a place in the south we. I sites. They had a walking street market along the side of the beach on a Saturday and whilst there, my son wanted to use the toilet so, off we went to find one. Sure enough, we found it soon enough, usual 5 baht each - paid 10 baht and attempted to walk in. We were stopped by the toilet attendant who told us to take our shoes off before going in!! This toilet was grubby, wet with who knows what on the floor and somewhere that I would only go in to in an emergency. We asked them if they were serious and they replied that they were so about turn and my son ended up going to pee on the beach with his shoes firy fastened to his feet

Edited November 14, 2014 by Falcon

[cooked]

There are many countries in Europe where you are expected to remove your shoes when entering a house. As a former horny handed son of toil I would never enter a house without removing my shoes. 2 centimetres of sticky clay don't make you welcome. Of course things have changed in many places but this aspect of respecting a person's house is not to be neglected. Wearing flip flops is the only way to conform to this obvious rule.

[David48]

I recently begun to take my socks of when "respecting" the wife - for romantic reasons...

...

[duanebigsby]

People tend to look at other cultures/customs from their own culture's perspective, then ask the question "why?"

We're often judgmental. "Oh, that's disgusting, or stupid"

If you think about it, waiing and squat toilets are far more hygienic and healthy than sit downs and shaking hands.

[tigermonkey]

The Thai thinking on this is that the feet are dirty and offensive to others. Keeping this in mind, why would the solution to the problem be to uncover/expose for all to see, smell and enjoy ? Perhaps this tradition was started by someone with an out of control foot fetish. Personally, I don't get any pleasure from the sight of others feet.

Unfortunately for my wife (and our neighbours), I moved here from south-west China, and brought a 'civilized' solution with me. They are called foot covers, and you simply take two from the tray at the front door, and slide one over each shoe - when leaving, deposit the used covers in the receptacle outside the front door. We switched from plastic covers to bio-degradable paper covers several years ago. They are very cheap and easily available on the 'net.

[ggt]

May you and Mr Ayjaydee have a long and fruitful relationship bringing up important social issues for consideration by the Thaivisa nation...

[sawadee1947]

well, and some dogs are even held inside and outside. So what? Why to take my shoes of?. If I do my feet are getting dirty according to the way Thais are cleaning. Some offices are require to take off shoes. But I don't. As so far nobody forced me to do so.

[mihalis]

In your now home, do as you please, out of respect on others, i take shoes off, but do so in my own home now....

[hellstens]

I take my shoes of when I get home in Sweden to! every one do!

But why should I do that in e shop, In a home I can understand and respect to do, but not in a store, so I never do it,

and my wife complain, but I tell I'm a farang and can do what I want :-)

[godden]

Gave up on this some yrs ago after watching them park the motorcycles in the front room, beggars belief.

[Don Aleman]

Ten years here and if I absolutely must remove my shoes and get my white socks dirty, I just don't go in that place ! Actually skin, often sweaty, is more likely to carry disease then rubber sneakers. Just say no !

[David48]

Ten years here and if I absolutely must remove my shoes and get my white socks dirty, I just don't go in that place ! Actually skin, often sweaty, is more likely to carry disease then rubber sneakers. Just say no !

Don ... don't rumble down to the Local Temple much?

Nice to see that you have shown respect to the local customs round these parts.

Damm Natives ... Pftttttt