Dress Codes In The City?

[britmaveric]

So if shorts are a NO NO in temples, why are they good around town?

What's the difference?

Is your answer?

Well a temple is sacred ground, bit obvious. With that being said - only Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha that I know enforce no shorts/vests. Never had an issue at Wat Pho or Wat Arun.

[Cigarette Burn]

So if shorts are a NO NO in temples, why are they good around town?

What's the difference?

Is your answer?

Well a temple is sacred ground, bit obvious. With that being said - only Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha that I know enforce no shorts/vests. Never had an issue at Wat Pho or Wat Arun.

But if this is so, then surely that tells you that wearing shorts is not looked upon as a positive thing then?

PS. Not looking to get in to a cat fight about it, just stating what i think, i just dont appreciate a smiley face as an answer to a question, that i do find disrespectful.

[britmaveric]

But if this is so, then surely that tells you that wearing shorts is not looked upon as a positive thing then?

At a temple prob not though dress code seems more lenient if you are thai. Anyways for the most part shorts/tanks are acceptable most anywhere in thailand.

[jdinasia]

Brit ..... look around! What I loved about going to Pattaya/HuaHin etc when I lived in BKK was that shorts ARE OK anywhere <almost>

Bangkok --- well look around! Look what the Thai folks doing the same things you are doing are wearing!

[bkkmadness]

So if shorts are a NO NO in temples, why are they good around town?

What's the difference?

Is your answer?

Yep it was.

Come on man, a bit of silly question, asking why rules for dress code and actions might be different from the average city street and a place of worship. Surely it's pretty obvious why there is a difference.

[britmaveric]

Brit ..... look around! What I loved about going to Pattaya/HuaHin etc when I lived in BKK was that shorts ARE OK anywhere <almost>

Bangkok --- well look around! Look what the Thai folks doing the same things you are doing are wearing!

Most were wearing shorts apart from those that were working. During the evening - shorts were more so prevalent, assume those that weren't working put on shorts. However that being said - was more so in tourist areas on the Suk.

[Cigarette Burn]

So if shorts are a NO NO in temples, why are they good around town?

What's the difference?

Is your answer?

Yep it was.

Come on man, a bit of silly question, asking why rules for dress code and actions might be different from the average city street and a place of worship. Surely it's pretty obvious why there is a difference.

Not exactly a silly question. If it is found disrespectful to be dressed that way in a temple the i think you should follow suite in other parts of the city.

Again i'm not looking for an argument, just for some person to tell me the big difference in the Thai peoples perspective.

If shorts are not good in a temple why should they be good in other places around town?

Cheers

CB

P.S. I'm not a newbie.

[Thaddeus]

So if shorts are a NO NO in temples, why are they good around town?

What's the difference?

Is your answer?

Yep it was.

Come on man, a bit of silly question, asking why rules for dress code and actions might be different from the average city street and a place of worship. Surely it's pretty obvious why there is a difference.

Not exactly a silly question. If it is found disrespectful to be dressed that way in a temple the i think you should follow suite in other parts of the city.

Again i'm not looking for an argument, just for some person to tell me the big difference in the Thai peoples perspective.

If shorts are not good in a temple why should they be good in other places around town?

Cheers

CB

P.S. I'm not a newbie.

Maybe not a newbie..... but if you can't understand the different respect required for 'town' or 'temple'.... you are in the wrong country.

(I'm not looking for an argument either)

[sfokevin]

Most here seem to agree that shorts are acceptable most all the time... This leads to the next question... What color sox should be worn with the sandals? Is white ok year-round or just in certain months with an R in it?...

[mosquitoman]

Most here seem to agree that shorts are acceptable most all the time... This leads to the next question... What color sox should be worn with the sandals? Is white ok year-round or just in certain months with an R in it?...

I always wear socks the same colour as the sandles I am wearing, and when I wear flip flops I stick to white socks.

[vegas]

I just asked 24 of the Thais in my office (90% women) if they thought that shorts and singlet (tank top) were acceptable attire in Bangkok and all of them, 100% said they thought this was normal attire. They thought it was silly to walk around in long pants of you were hot and that covering bare skin went out 20 years ago.

FYI my office consists of Chinese-Thai, muslim, Thai and expats. All of them have a degree and are aged between 24 and 60.

Just as a sidelight, I saw a 2 metre tall chap walking down Sukhumvit early this year wearing a singlet and a pair of denim shorts so short and revealing that both butt cheeks were clearly visible. I followed him for 50 metres and everybody, Thai and farang thought it hilarious. I didn't see one look of disgust.

[jdinasia]

Vegas ...

ask the women in your office .... if they would rather go out to eat dinner at night with a man dressed in slacks and a shirt or shorts and a tank-top

Chances are they wouldn't even go to any decent place with a man in shorts and tank-top.

[vegas]

jdinasia the girls said they are more interested in the man's character than their dress. One girl said if she was going to a 5 star hotel a suit is ok but otherwsie shorts are acceptable.

I thought the jist of the question was whether it is acceptable to wear shorts and singlet in Bangkok in everyday situations, not when visiting a flash restaurant??

[jdinasia]

I didn't say flash or swank ..... I just said "at night"

I have never seen a Thai man at a decent sitdown restaurant at night IN BKK wearing shorts .... not once! Even out at Seacon Square the only people you will see in there in shorts will be kids in school uniforms or the occassional laborer class young person. <and they are heavily scrutinized by security>.

Granted there is some laxness on this social contract in the lower Suk and Patpong areas

[vegas]

Nope, my colleague said she only expected a bloke to dress up if he was in a flash restaurant. I see blokes in shorts in Crepes and Co, the Sheraton Grande, in fact all over. OK you ain't gonna wear skin tight footy shorts and a tank top at the Oriental, but in 90% of the places neat shorts and a T-shirt/singlet is not rude. This is Bangkok 2006 not 1950.

[britmaveric]

Nope, my colleague said she only expected a bloke to dress up if he was in a flash restaurant. I see blokes in shorts in Crepes and Co, the Sheraton Grande, in fact all over. OK you ain't gonna wear skin tight footy shorts and a tank top at the Oriental, but in 90% of the places neat shorts and a T-shirt/singlet is not rude. This is Bangkok 2006 not 1950.

You dress appropriately for wear you are going, if it was a flash restaurant you dress accordingly. However under casual situations shorts/vests are fine if clean/conservative.

[JoneL]

Vegas, thank you very much for asking how the locals think about shorts+tank tops

Well, I don't wear shorts (only at beach), I think my legs are too skinny, so long hem cotton pants or jeans... And tank top

sfokevin; About sandals... I tought it is out of fashion to wear sandals+socks?

[britmaveric]

I tought it is out of fashion to wear sandals+socks?

I'm afraid socks and sandles are never in fashion

Edited October 6, 2006 by britmaveric

[Unknown]

Hi...

is it ok for men to wear shorts + tank top (sleevless t-shirts) when walking in the city/going to the shops? How about when entering tempels + palaces?

Thais judge people on appearance, so the better you dress, the better you'll be considered.

Wherever you are.

[vegas]

Mate everybody judges everybody on appearance. All this Thais do this, Thais do that is nonsense.

[XTREME]

So if shorts are a NO NO in temples, why are they good around town?

What's the difference?

Is your answer?

Well a temple is sacred ground, bit obvious. With that being said - only Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha that I know enforce no shorts/vests. Never had an issue at Wat Pho or Wat Arun.

But if this is so, then surely that tells you that wearing shorts is not looked upon as a positive thing then?

PS. Not looking to get in to a cat fight about it, just stating what i think, i just dont appreciate a smiley face as an answer to a question, that i do find disrespectful.

Well if you use that logic I guess its not acceptable to wear shorts in most western countries around town being it would not be acceptable to wear shorts in most western churches.

[Cigarette Burn]

OK you ain't gonna wear skin tight footy shorts and a tank top at the Oriental.

No they would ask you to either change or leave, The Oriental does not allow either guests or visitors to wear flips flops or shorts when moving around the hotel after 6pm.

[mosquitoman]

No they would ask you to either change or leave, The Oriental does not allow either guests or visitors to wear flips flops or shorts when moving around the hotel after 6pm.

Thats why I dont stay at the Oriental

[Unknown]

Mate everybody judges everybody on appearance. All this Thais do this, Thais do that is nonsense.

It is not only the Thais who are different, all countries have different customs and ways of seeing things.

And for sure, the Thais are no exception...

[Cigarette Burn]

Mate everybody judges everybody on appearance. All this Thais do this, Thais do that is nonsense.

Again, in comprehendable English this time please

[vegas]

Mate everybody judges everybody on appearance. All this Thais do this, Thais do that is nonsense.

Again, in comprehendable English this time please

Mate, everybody judges everybody on appearance. All this "Thais do this, Thais do that" is nonsense.

Is that better? Or were you being pedantic on purpose?

[t.s]

Mate everybody judges everybody on appearance. All this Thais do this, Thais do that is nonsense.

Again, in comprehendable English this time please

Mate, everybody judges everybody on appearance. All this "Thais do this, Thais do that" is nonsense.

Is that better? Or were you being pedantic on purpose?

this thread has gone on way too long.

there is no more of a dress code for the streets of bangkok than there is in new york.

that said, if you go out in your wifebeater, shorts and sandals, don't be suprised when you are harassed by every tout, propositioned by every tuk tuk, receive catcalls of "hansum man" and are assumed to be a tourist.

you dress for the occasion at all times and there is very little reason to dress for the beach when you are walking around the city.