Dogs in restaurants: on the table!

[Keesters]

If you're really that concerned take a trip to Public Health and ask. Any restaurant in Thailand should have to follow Thai heath regulations.

[TheFishman1]

I think it great

[MrBrad]

I've seen many blind people in Thailand, but none has ever had a guide dog. I wonder if they even exist here. However, any guide dogs I have seen, regardless of what country, are always close to the owner's feet. Who could ever imagine those large dogs on a table?

Guide dogs are well-trained to remain close to their owners, and not be begging for food scraps or otherwise bothering people. I think we know that the dog is necessary for its master's independence and safety. Most of us are generally willing to overlook the fact that there's a dog in the restaurant if and when the blind person wants to enjoy a meal away from home.

[gemguy]

If you think dogs on the table is bad, you should go and look at the kitchen where your food is stored and cooked.

While you're there, observe the "chef" exit the toilet and proceed directly to grab your steak off the tray where it's been sitting amongst the fish and prawns for a few hours and throw it in the pan after scaring off the flies and the cat that were having a free appetizer.

The dog will be the least of your worries.

True....so true.....while I am always amazed that there is not far more outbreaks of various kinds of food born bacterial infections occurring around the country.

In many cases the street vendors are more hygienic.

Cheers

[DGS1244]

I prefer to see a quiet dog lying on the floor of the restaurant next to its owner, than a group of loud young women vigorously brushing their hair in the same locale... watching hair, dandruff, and God only knows what else sail through the air towards other tables.

How true, Thais seem to spend more time of their hair etc. in a restaurant than actually eating. I have two dogs but not allowed on tables and considerably cleaner than some persons I know. The first time I saw dogs on tables was in Zurich so it is not just Thailand that has the problem.

[wowfactor10]

Very most likely there will be real rats and plenty of cockroaches all over that restaurant when its closed so now what u do?

[NancyL]

Ta-da! In honor of this thread, I've posted an avatar photo of Mr. Bitey and the Samurai Princess at our breakfast table. This was after Princess got everything straighten out about the seating arrangements.

Hubby and I figure as long as they stay at their places and we stay at ours -- what's the harm?

Edited February 1, 2015 by NancyL

[Chiengmaijoe]

I prefer to see a quiet dog lying on the floor of the restaurant next to its owner, than a group of loud young women vigorously brushing their hair in the same locale... watching hair, dandruff, and God only knows what else sail through the air towards other tables.

That's as good an example of how the West turns people into hygiene freaks as you'll find. I was fortunate enough to have been raised in a comparatively poor family and so good food was a rare thing and appreciated. Meat was a treat, as too was fruit, and as a consequence you never threw it away unless it was justified. If I dropped an apple on the floor you picked it up, ran it under a tap or failing that wiped it on your shirt and ate it. If meat looked a bit suspect you smelt it to check, cleaned it and cooked it a bit more. I remember going to the grocers and buying a bag of 'fades', which was fruit that had bad bits and so cost only pennies. You just cut off the bad bits and ate the rest. Most of these habits I still have and I'm very rarely sick.

The picture you painted of young ladies brushing their hair wouldn't be giving me thoughts of hair sailing through the air , certainly not dandruff ,and I have absolutely no idea what 'God only knows what else' could possibly be.

Chiangmaing, a newbie here, mentioned the 'over-regulated lunacy that has taken over the west' and I have to agree, but I would also add that the lunacy has sadly created a generation of hygiene-obsessed lunatics. Give it a few years and not only the staff, but also the customers in restaurants, with long hair or pony-tails will have to wear hair-nets. A few years after that it will be 'Sorry, no pony-tails', and then where will you be?

Anyway, one of the benefits of my 'deprived' upbringing is that I'm not sneering or looking at people in disgust, whilst others are.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Chiengmaijoe

[winstonc]

A dog that is up-to-date on all his vaccinations poses no real health risk in a restaurant or other place. If it were true that dogs created an unhealthy environment at a restaurant, they would also be making their owners sick every time they walked into the kitchen. It’s unfortunate that public perception sees things otherwise.

It is true that there would be some risks if the dog is sitting on the table, however as long as the table is cleaned then these risks would only be to the occupants at that time. There is also some minor risks if the cook or chef pet the dog and then prepared your food without washing. However these risks are insignificant compared to using the toilet or say handling raw meat and then your salad without again thoroughly washing their hands.

One of the reasons I live in Thailand is my hate of the over regulated lunacy that has taken over the west. I therefore think that you should choose one of the many restaurants that do not allow dogs or perhaps return to the restrictive, big brothers watching you west.

EXCUSE

ME ! A dogs feet on a dining table is no real threat ? After it has walked on sidewalks where dog feces are common ? Can we look forward to more posts from you of this caliber ? Hope not.

Probably why they give you plates in restaurants. You never know what goes on out the back in kitchens so a dog on a table would not worry me if i was next to that table. Get the waitress to wipe down the table and if the dog isnt on your table who cares!

I know this us far fetched, but what about some common sense? Dogs on the table is for me really unacceptable, I also would walk out a restaurant that allows dogs inside. For outside testaurants I wouldn't mind. My experience is that most dog owners share these unwritten guidelines. We are the proud owners of a very small Chihuahua ( got the idea from Paris Hilton) but even for such little critter,we follow the same principles...

paris hilton..speaks volumes about you perhaps...

[Chiengmaijoe]

I've seen many blind people in Thailand, but none has ever had a guide dog. I wonder if they even exist here. However, any guide dogs I have seen, regardless of what country, are always close to the owner's feet. Who could ever imagine those large dogs on a table?

Guide dogs are well-trained to remain close to their owners, and not be begging for food scraps or otherwise bothering people. I think we know that the dog is necessary for its master's independence and safety. Most of us are generally willing to overlook the fact that there's a dog in the restaurant if and when the blind person wants to enjoy a meal away from home.

A guy I know had a chihuahua and when he took it to a bar, if they said "sorry no dogs" he would tell them he was blind and that it was his guide dog. Occasionally the owner would be suspicious and would point out that guide dogs were usually much bigger breeds, such as German Shepherd or Labrador. My friend would then reach down to the floor, touch his dog and say "Well what dog have they given me?". Edited February 1, 2015 by Chiengmaijoe

[winstonc]

whilst in france a few years ago i was told told i could not wear shorts in the pool but knickers was ok...hygene was the answer..going to a restaurant later that day dogs were in there with fifi the owner..apparently thats ok..maybe we are dirtier than dogs after all..who cares ..

[northernjohn]

I've seen many blind people in Thailand, but none has ever had a guide dog. I wonder if they even exist here. However, any guide dogs I have seen, regardless of what country, are always close to the owner's feet. Who could ever imagine those large dogs on a table?

Guide dogs are well-trained to remain close to their owners, and not be begging for food scraps or otherwise bothering people. I think we know that the dog is necessary for its master's independence and safety. Most of us are generally willing to overlook the fact that there's a dog in the restaurant if and when the blind person wants to enjoy a meal away from home.

A guy I know had a chihuahua and when he took it to a bar, if they said "sorry no dogs" he would tell them he was blind and that it was his guide dog. Occasionally the owner would be suspicious and would point out that guide dogs were usually much bigger breeds, such as German Shepherd or Labrador. My friend would then reach down to the floor, touch his dog and say "Well what dog have they given me?".

This guide dog thing where do you draw the line if you do draw it. Now they are coming up with miniature horses for guiding the blind.

Different animal same reason to have it.

Some people even have them as pets.

[MiKT]

It's a bugger to stop the rotty pooping on restaurant tables so we generally encourage her sit on other peoples tables.

This is true, but she (Khun Kapbahn) really lives happily with Thai daughter in the UK as Thailand is far too hot for Rot's. She is thinking of opening a pub (the dog that is, not the daughter) as this is where she expects to find an English boyfriend hanging out.

Whereas, this little sweetie (Khun Ubahn) has been plonked on restaurant tables since she was small enough to live in a teacup; and the only person who ever complains is me!

I have come to the conclusion that it's because (and strangely enough does not seem to have been noticed by any of the contributors to this post) the majority of people in Thailand still frequently eat sitting on the floor, so they don't really see any thing wrong with having a dog on the table.

To forestall the "real men" here, I don't think dogs should wear dresses (except when very cold) but I suffer from a surfeit of daughters.

For those who posted about other creatures at food times, I do have a recent video of a King Cobra that invited itself to an outside dinner gathering in Buriram recently; bringing with it (actually following closely behind it) a dinner companion in the form of a large toad.

But I won't post it, as there may be those here who will object to the fact that the toad departed happily (they are actually poisonous to snakes) but the Cobra stayed for dinner the following day.

[kinmaew]

A certain member of their elite, when having foreign dignitaries over for dinner their host finds it necessary to let his dog run up and down the table licking the guests and their plates - Animal farm at all levels.

[circusman]

I've seen many blind people in Thailand, but none has ever had a guide dog. I wonder if they even exist here. However, any guide dogs I have seen, regardless of what country, are always close to the owner's feet. Who could ever imagine those large dogs on a table?

Guide dogs are well-trained to remain close to their owners, and not be begging for food scraps or otherwise bothering people. I think we know that the dog is necessary for its master's independence and safety. Most of us are generally willing to overlook the fact that there's a dog in the restaurant if and when the blind person wants to enjoy a meal away from home.

A guy I know had a chihuahua and when he took it to a bar, if they said "sorry no dogs" he would tell them he was blind and that it was his guide dog. Occasionally the owner would be suspicious and would point out that guide dogs were usually much bigger breeds, such as German Shepherd or Labrador. My friend would then reach down to the floor, touch his dog and say "Well what dog have they given me?".

The only worthwhile post on this whole subject. Hahahhahh.

[DaamNaam]

A woman in Makro Hang Dong had her lap dog with her this afternoon. In a shopping centre with fresh produce. The mind boggles here sometimes. lol

[mango66]

go to Vietnam, Korea,

you get them fine prepaired on your table as ordered !!

[Chiengmaijoe]

A woman in Makro Hang Dong had her lap dog with her this afternoon. In a shopping centre with fresh produce. The mind boggles here sometimes. lol

Lap dog, was it? You were lucky. When I went to Warrorot market tonight there was a big mangy dog hanging around the fresh meat stalls. My mind boggled too, and probably more than yours. As for the rats, they were bigger than the cats. To be fair though, not a young lady brushing her hair in sight, so no dandruff and God Knows What flying around, which would be a big relief for Mr Folkguitar, and the rest of you, I'm sure.

Makro Hangdong is one thing , but Chiang Mai expats' favourite 'I swear by it and it's so much cheaper than Himping' fresh food market is another.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Chiengmaijoe

[hmficc]

" respectable restaurant" "ruin it for the rest of you" we are a histrionic lot. Give it a rest. You are in Thailand enjoy it.

Why make judgements of other peoples behavior. go with the flow or unhappiness may cause you to fly away back to the land of ball breakers you were so happy to escape.

Alas, it seem one takes oneself with one wherever one goes.

[northernjohn]

" respectable restaurant" "ruin it for the rest of you" we are a histrionic lot. Give it a rest. You are in Thailand enjoy it.

Why make judgements of other peoples behavior. go with the flow or unhappiness may cause you to fly away back to the land of ball breakers you were so happy to escape.

Alas, it seem one takes oneself with one wherever one goes.

Go with the flow. I think that would be nice. The flow here in Thailand is not to have dogs on the table.

Where are you from?

[MiKT]

" respectable restaurant" "ruin it for the rest of you" we are a histrionic lot. Give it a rest. You are in Thailand enjoy it.

Why make judgements of other peoples behavior. go with the flow or unhappiness may cause you to fly away back to the land of ball breakers you were so happy to escape.

Alas, it seem one takes oneself with one wherever one goes.

Go with the flow. I think that would be nice. The flow here in Thailand is not to have dogs on the table.

Where are you from?

No, where are you from? The flow in Thailand IS to have dogs on tables, that's why so many crotechety old men (some may be young in age but not attitude) are complaining on this forum.

same, old, same, old TIT ,don't like? Easy, don't eat in restaurants.

Actually, I always remove my dog from tables where my family have plonked her, but nobody else has ever complained. All we ever get is "oh what a cute dog" (yuk, but true) and is me that (as usual) gets the stick for not having a good Thai MPR attitude and "causing a fuss". Yes, TIT indeed.

Go with the flow as suggested by hmficc and see if your attitude improves, else you will not be able to obey gov orders and "achieve Thailand happiness".

Tip for picking up "cute" birds - get a "cute" dog.

[DaamNaam]

" respectable restaurant" "ruin it for the rest of you" we are a histrionic lot. Give it a rest. You are in Thailand enjoy it.

Why make judgements of other peoples behavior. go with the flow or unhappiness may cause you to fly away back to the land of ball breakers you were so happy to escape.

Alas, it seem one takes oneself with one wherever one goes.

Go with the flow. I think that would be nice. The flow here in Thailand is not to have dogs on the table.

Where are you from?

Indeed. Dogs on a table is ok? Going with the flow? What flow?

[Nienke]

A woman in Makro Hang Dong had her lap dog with her this afternoon. In a shopping centre with fresh produce. The mind boggles here sometimes. lol

Yeh, the mind really boggles when one considers what can be more harmful to our health; the carefully-groomed-way-too-often-bathed little handbag dog close to the 'fresh' food or a dog on the table (which I do not condone, btw) , or the 'fresh food itself (depending where and how it is cultivated).

Was just watching a lecture recently held at the University of California, Berkeley by Michael Pollan, and it sure doesn't make you happy:

Edible Education 101 lecture, "A Brief History of the Modern Food System"

Edible Education 101 is presented by the Edible Schoolyard Project, UC Berkeley Food Institute, Berkeley College of Natural Resources, and the UC Global Food Initiative with support from the UC Berkeley Chancellor's Office, and Epstein-Roth Foundation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idZ3R38-z3c

[DaamNaam]

A woman in Makro Hang Dong had her lap dog with her this afternoon. In a shopping centre with fresh produce. The mind boggles here sometimes. lol

Yeh, the mind really boggles when one considers what can be more harmful to our health; the carefully-groomed-way-too-often-bathed little handbag dog close to the 'fresh' food or a dog on the table (which I do not condone, btw) , or the 'fresh food itself (depending where and how it is cultivated).

Was just watching a lecture recently held at the University of California, Berkeley by Michael Pollan, and it sure doesn't make you happy:

Edible Education 101 lecture, "A Brief History of the Modern Food System"

Edible Education 101 is presented by the Edible Schoolyard Project, UC Berkeley Food Institute, Berkeley College of Natural Resources, and the UC Global Food Initiative with support from the UC Berkeley Chancellor's Office, and Epstein-Roth Foundation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idZ3R38-z3c

Regardless of the produces quality, organic or sprayed to death, the point is no animals should be anywhere near produce, nor on a dining table. Its just insane to think that it might even be "remotely" ok.

[hmficc]

Oh my!

[northernjohn]

" respectable restaurant" "ruin it for the rest of you" we are a histrionic lot. Give it a rest. You are in Thailand enjoy it.

Why make judgements of other peoples behavior. go with the flow or unhappiness may cause you to fly away back to the land of ball breakers you were so happy to escape.

Alas, it seem one takes oneself with one wherever one goes.

Go with the flow. I think that would be nice. The flow here in Thailand is not to have dogs on the table.

Where are you from?

No, where are you from? The flow in Thailand IS to have dogs on tables, that's why so many crotechety old men (some may be young in age but not attitude) are complaining on this forum.

same, old, same, old TIT ,don't like? Easy, don't eat in restaurants.

Actually, I always remove my dog from tables where my family have plonked her, but nobody else has ever complained. All we ever get is "oh what a cute dog" (yuk, but true) and is me that (as usual) gets the stick for not having a good Thai MPR attitude and "causing a fuss". Yes, TIT indeed.

Go with the flow as suggested by hmficc and see if your attitude improves, else you will not be able to obey gov orders and "achieve Thailand happiness".

Tip for picking up "cute" birds - get a "cute" dog.

B S There is very few dogs on tables in Thailand. I eat out often and have never really seen a dog on a table. Several cats though. I have seen women with one in a big bag they set next to them or hold in their lap. Even at that it is not that often. You are obviously in some place where they serve dog that is why you see so many of them on the table.

Also if you really want to pick up chicks carry a little baby around with you. Put the baby on the table and they will line up. Well I did make that part up to go with your dog on table statement. I am from Chiang Mai and have been living here for 4 years and visiting for Thailand for ten.

[maidee]

& cockroaches & rats in the kitchen

bon appetit

[MiKT]

" respectable restaurant" "ruin it for the rest of you" we are a histrionic lot. Give it a rest. You are in Thailand enjoy it.

Why make judgements of other peoples behavior. go with the flow or unhappiness may cause you to fly away back to the land of ball breakers you were so happy to escape.

Alas, it seem one takes oneself with one wherever one goes.

Go with the flow. I think that would be nice. The flow here in Thailand is not to have dogs on the table.

Where are you from?

No, where are you from? The flow in Thailand IS to have dogs on tables, that's why so many crotechety old men (some may be young in age but not attitude) are complaining on this forum.

same, old, same, old TIT ,don't like? Easy, don't eat in restaurants.

Actually, I always remove my dog from tables where my family have plonked her, but nobody else has ever complained. All we ever get is "oh what a cute dog" (yuk, but true) and is me that (as usual) gets the stick for not having a good Thai MPR attitude and "causing a fuss". Yes, TIT indeed.

Go with the flow as suggested by hmficc and see if your attitude improves, else you will not be able to obey gov orders and "achieve Thailand happiness".

Tip for picking up "cute" birds - get a "cute" dog.

B S There is very few dogs on tables in Thailand. I eat out often and have never really seen a dog on a table. Several cats though. I have seen women with one in a big bag they set next to them or hold in their lap. Even at that it is not that often. You are obviously in some place where they serve dog that is why you see so many of them on the table.

Also if you really want to pick up chicks carry a little baby around with you. Put the baby on the table and they will line up. Well I did make that part up to go with your dog on table statement. I am from Chiang Mai and have been living here for 4 years and visiting for Thailand for ten.

Well, if you really feel you need educating on this subject and want to see a dog sitting on a table, look closely at the pick in my second post.

I have been here 20 years (first visit 30+ years back) and have seen many, many, dogs on tables. At a reasonably nice restaurant in Pattaya last month I saw no fewer than 4 dogs of various sizes with their owners, some of them (not mine for long) on the tables.

As I said before, I don't condone it, but it is very doubtful if any Thai person or long term expat ever died of it as they have very advanced immune systems. Possibly this might help to get rid of some of the less desirable Russian (and French ATM scamming) tourists though. 555.

Picking up chicks via a dog was just an altruistic idea to help those rare poor unfortunate's who could not do this on their own in Thailand (seems almost impossible to me). As I said, I have a surfeit of daughters, so I can only smile at the chicks when they ooh and aah over the dog.

..............sometimes I even smile (discreetly) at the girls.

"Hen pecked" spring to mind?

[northernjohn]

Go with the flow. I think that would be nice. The flow here in Thailand is not to have dogs on the table.

Where are you from?

No, where are you from? The flow in Thailand IS to have dogs on tables, that's why so many crotechety old men (some may be young in age but not attitude) are complaining on this forum.

same, old, same, old TIT ,don't like? Easy, don't eat in restaurants.

Actually, I always remove my dog from tables where my family have plonked her, but nobody else has ever complained. All we ever get is "oh what a cute dog" (yuk, but true) and is me that (as usual) gets the stick for not having a good Thai MPR attitude and "causing a fuss". Yes, TIT indeed.

Go with the flow as suggested by hmficc and see if your attitude improves, else you will not be able to obey gov orders and "achieve Thailand happiness".

Tip for picking up "cute" birds - get a "cute" dog.

B S There is very few dogs on tables in Thailand. I eat out often and have never really seen a dog on a table. Several cats though. I have seen women with one in a big bag they set next to them or hold in their lap. Even at that it is not that often. You are obviously in some place where they serve dog that is why you see so many of them on the table.

Also if you really want to pick up chicks carry a little baby around with you. Put the baby on the table and they will line up. Well I did make that part up to go with your dog on table statement. I am from Chiang Mai and have been living here for 4 years and visiting for Thailand for ten.

Well, if you really feel you need educating on this subject and want to see a dog sitting on a table, look closely at the pick in my second post.

I have been here 20 years (first visit 30+ years back) and have seen many, many, dogs on tables. At a reasonably nice restaurant in Pattaya last month I saw no fewer than 4 dogs of various sizes with their owners, some of them (not mine for long) on the tables.

As I said before, I don't condone it, but it is very doubtful if any Thai person or long term expat ever died of it as they have very advanced immune systems. Possibly this might help to get rid of some of the less desirable Russian (and French ATM scamming) tourists though. 555.

Picking up chicks via a dog was just an altruistic idea to help those rare poor unfortunate's who could not do this on their own in Thailand (seems almost impossible to me). As I said, I have a surfeit of daughters, so I can only smile at the chicks when they ooh and aah over the dog.

..............sometimes I even smile (discreetly) at the girls.

"Hen pecked" spring to mind?

No but BS does . On the other hand if that is all you have seen in 20 years it is not much. Hardly worth mentioning.

[MiKT]

4 years in a nock kee village like Chain Mai and you know everthing in Thailand!