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

[dotpoom]

In order to find out if there was any religious or cultural reason behind the taking off of shoes before entering a premises in Thailand, I asked "She who must be obeyed" why was it necessary for me to take off my shoes before entering my house........."Because i'm the one who has to clean up the dirt after you if you don't" was her reply.

Sometimes complicated minds seek complicated answers..... when if fact some things are the way they are for very practical reasons. Not seeing the wood for the trees springs to mind.

Edited November 15, 2014 by dotpoom

[David48]

My Thai Dentist .. it's shoes off.

No problems.

If I don't like it, I can go elsewhere.

I was in the waiting room of my dentist two weeks ago.

It is also shoes of and footwear is provided.

In the waiting room was a young French couple, sitting with one leg crossed showing the sole of the foot

It would have been much better and cleaner for them to keep their shoes on!

I'm hearing you ...

That said, his is the sort of place where you could eat off the floor.

Just his, and his wife's style.

[mango66]

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.

Than Thais as well as Muslims should leafe their left hand also out of the house !!

Thai don't use toilet paper,

but just put their fingers in that shity place,

so what you like more on your dinner ??

( for example, he eat with his right hand,

so when he grap the rice pot, he do it with his left hand,

so all this from before might be now on the pot, which you will have to use any of your hand too,

so now that shitty is now on your hand !

Have a nice clean dinner !!

[mango66]

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

many lokes to leaf the nylons on, for romantic :-))

[mango66]

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

I know some which likes to leaf their Nylons on !!

for romantic !!

[mango66]

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 !

Hell !!

Our house gardener have deseas on his feets !

Good beware that he would take off his shoes when he enter my house !

So how do you handle this in Thai ?

Spray, desinfect your legs ??

if you enetr bear feet a house ?

[mango66]

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.

I think this is simply another cultural norm for Asia that is not in our Western cultural spectrum. However, like the habit of washing your butt rather than simply wiping stuff around with paper, taking your filthy shoes off before you enter my house, I believe, is a preferable cultural act than leaving them on. Let's face it, the soles of our shoes are covered with whatever is on the ground outside; just as the cheeks of our butts still contain traces of feces from being only wiped with paper. These are two filthy traits supported by our Western cultures which I believe should be changed.

have you seen ever clean water , soap and a clean towel

in public toiletts in Thailand or south Asia ?

So I'm 100% sure more of your shitty is after on your hand than on your bowl !!

[drgoon]

Removing your shoes is a cultural tradition in many countries. It is a courtesy that you don't bring dirt into the house.

The wearing of footwear is to protect the feet from the dirt and detritus where one walks. You respect the cleanliness of the house, building and people that you visit by leaving your footwear and anything on it outside.

[Fab5BKK]

Agree for houses and disagree for shops

[mgjackson69]

My mother's house in USA has always been a ”shoes off” house.

It surely helps to keep the house cleaner, and why the hell does one need shoes on in the house?

Due to being 'Mom trained' in this regard, I was removing my shoes when entering anyone's home long before my first trip to Thailand.

[bradenroger]

I personally like this practice - even more so when it is raining outside. Makes a lot of sense to me for a number of reasons.

[David48]

Agree for houses and disagree for shops

So, if the shop/service asked you to take your shoes off, you would turn tail and walk out?

What does your Thai Partner say about that?

[Mudcrab]

my missus is always nagging me to put shoes on when I leave the house. I sometimes obey and reluctantly slip into a pair of double pluggers on occasion (translation - flip flops or thongs).

I much prefer barefoot in or out of the house.

She has the shoes off thing down to a fine art.

Step into the house, shoes off and straight into a pair of slippers without her bare feet actually touching the floor.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Mudcrab

[Docno]

We take our shoes off in Canada also. Mostly it's because, in winter, you don't want to be trudging snow and muddy slush around on your carpets. So this aspect of adapting to SE Asia (it's not just Thailand) was a no-brainer for me 15 years ago. I occasionally have visitors who forget to remove their shoes, and I remind them to do so. I have an American friend who leaves his shoes on, and I (uncomfortably) do the same when visiting his house because I can only imagine the crap (literally) he must be bringing in.

[Strangebrew]

It has to do with tracking grime and dog poo in to one's home.

[Strangebrew]

But I always have several flipflops that are brand new just inside door for guest Cause if they got jungle rot on feet don't want on marble floors. And after they leave I boil them and spay them.

[Strangebrew]

oops typo should be spray or I might have to start neutering other guests.

[kannot]

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?

I dont know but dont forget to go to a high floor so you have time to put your shoes on , on the way down

[kannot]

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.

I think this is simply another cultural norm for Asia that is not in our Western cultural spectrum. However, like the habit of washing your butt rather than simply wiping stuff around with paper, taking your filthy shoes off before you enter my house, I believe, is a preferable cultural act than leaving them on. Let's face it, the soles of our shoes are covered with whatever is on the ground outside; just as the cheeks of our butts still contain traces of feces from being only wiped with paper. These are two filthy traits supported by our Western cultures which I believe should be changed.

Can you catch a veruca off trainers?

[kannot]

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.

“When in Rome..."

David certainly can be relied on for a catchy turn of phrase. Sort of the Forrest Gump of TV.

Unfortunately many of our visitors from the north are not comfortable with other habits of the locals (or as you put it, "Thai culture") , most notably regular bathing with soap and the laundering of clothes.

Removing their shoes rather than dragging in the accumulated dog poop adhering to their footwear is a step in the right direction for many of our friends from northern climes, but it's only a tentative first step towards full scale Thai-like personal hygiene.

The same hygiene that lets all the dogs shit in the street and breed like crazy.........no thanks..w e got poop bags

[Jimbolai]

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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.

I don't know but I have stayed in a Holiday Inn.

[DekDaeng]

How ingrained is this habit?

More than once people have come home to see a strange pair of shoes, etc, outside the front door.

So they don't go in, just call the cops & wait for them to come & arrest the thief inside.

But a polite thief, I must say.

[mrtoad]

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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. width=19 alt=bah.gif>

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

Mr Toad it would be highly recommended to remove your shoes and leave them outside.I also remove my " Newly resoled Kitto Flip flops " and leave them outside.Being a farang who spends most of the day outside walking or clambering about on rocks by the beach your shoes will eventually just " Pen & Ink " ( stink ) Good Advice Mr Toad..... x

I have a house, not a room. I walk into said house with my shoes on, not 50 baht resoled flip flops. I take my shoes off when I take a shower and get changed after a day at work, not clambering around rocks and looking for a 10baht ice cream.

Of course I don't sit in said house watching TV with my shoes on, that's ridiculous .

[mrtoad]

Although, Im 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.

When in Rome..."

David certainly can be relied on for a catchy turn of phrase. Sort of the Forrest Gump of TV.

Unfortunately many of our visitors from the north are not comfortable with other habits of the locals (or as you put it, "Thai culture") , most notably regular bathing with soap and the laundering of clothes.

Removing their shoes rather than dragging in the accumulated dog poop adhering to their footwear is a step in the right direction for many of our friends from northern climes, but it's only a tentative first step towards full scale Thai-like personal hygiene.

Says Mr TV's Mr Thai apologist.

[neverdie]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

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. width=19 alt=bah.gif>

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

Mr Toad it would be highly recommended to remove your shoes and leave them outside.I also remove my " Newly resoled Kitto Flip flops " and leave them outside.Being a farang who spends most of the day outside walking or clambering about on rocks by the beach your shoes will eventually just " Pen & Ink " ( stink ) Good Advice Mr Toad..... x

I have a house, not a room. I walk into said house with my shoes on, not 50 baht resoled flip flops. I take my shoes off when I take a shower and get changed after a day at work, not clambering around rocks and looking for a 10baht ice cream.

Of course I don't sit in said house watching TV with my shoes on, that's ridiculous .

You are paying too much for your ice cream.

I never really held a position on the shoes on or off, as a kid, but mum said no shoes in the house, so I kicked em off.

Years later when I was a young man marching through the streets late at night seeing what all the locals got up to when it was dark was a real eye opener for me. People pissing and pooping in the street, blood, ick and goo everywhere, yep goo. Anyway when you just stop and consider the ick and goo about the place, the ick and goo that the soles of your juniors Marlowe's trek across each day, do,you really enjoy the thought of talking that ick and goo to the bed with you? If you wear the shoes in the house you are taking some of that ick and goo inside with you, you then take your show and trek across the same bit of floor with that ick and goo on it and so does,your wife and the next thing you know is your sucking on a big toe with ick and goo on it. YUK.

Anyway, for me it's shoes off before one nets the neverdie mansion. Tell me, would you ride across bangers on the tip of your TGAU, then use it with your favourite badger or gerbil ?

Please take your shoes off and wear deodorant......and at least bath once every month, whether you need to or not, Mr Toad.

[williet98248]

I wear real shoes with arched insoles and laces, don't even own a pair a of flip fops. In my own house I wear shoes or not. If I am inside all day I don't wear shoes. If I am in and out I keep a pair of slip-ons by the door. But if I am going out I wear shoes while I am preparing to leave.. If I am patronizing a shop I keep my shoes on. Even if there is a pile of shoes at the door. It's a business not a home. When I visit a home I take my shoes off if the custom in the house. Because I have to untie the shoes sometimes the home owner will say Mai pen rai, don't worry. Keep you shoes on. So...it all depends on the situation.

[neverdie]

I hate it when I sit on the floor to eat a meal and either one of my nuts or schlong drops out of my shorts effectively making an appearance at the diner table.

I often just wear loose fitting cotton shorts and shirts when kicking around MY Home and I like to swing free and easy in the heat.

I should mention we do have a dining table but sometimes it's being used for 'other' business.

Anyway, last time this sort of appearance happened at dinner we had one of the wife's friends over and she seemed to be the most affected by this occurrence & she always asks me if I'm 'secure' before taking the position opposite me..... 555555

[glegolo]

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.

In Sweden, and I might dare say Scandinavia, we always respect each others homes, by always takes our shoes off. if somebody comes home to me and doesn,t I tell him to, and he refues, I kick his ass out the door...I am not sure, but I have heard from american friends here, that this is NOT the case in the US for some odd reason.. But up to them of course..

Glegolo

[David48]

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.

In Sweden, and I might dare say Scandinavia, we always respect each others homes, by always takes our shoes off. if somebody comes home to me and doesn,t I tell him to, and he refues, I kick his ass out the door...I am not sure, but I have heard from american friends here, that this is NOT the case in the US for some odd reason.. But up to them of course..

Glegolo

Does your place have the 'second' front door?

Sort of like an anti-chamber, an airlock to keep the cold at bay?

Is the taking of the shoes off related to not trampling snow inside?

I used to have a Finnish gf ... that was her set-up.

[David48]

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.

“When in Rome..."

David certainly can be relied on for a catchy turn of phrase. Sort of the Forrest Gump of TV.

the Forrest Gump of TV ...

Call me Thomas ... Thomas Hanks to you!