Wearing shorts/ mosquitos?

[JimmyJ]

With Thailand's climate (and SE Asia in general), I envisioned myself wearing shorts almost all the time, as I do in the USA at those temperatures.

 

But then thought of mosquitos which a few posts I've come across have complained about, and I see warnings from the USA's Center for Disease Control and some other articles about protecting oneself by wearing long pants, wearing mosquito repellant, etc.

 

Does anyone who likes wearing shorts find that it's a problem re: mosquito bites?

 

Do you regularly use mosquito repellant?

 

I've read it's worse at certain times of day and in certain weather conditions.

Edited January 28, 2017 by JimmyJ

[Sheryl]

Obviously if you wear shorts, there is more skin exposed for the mosquitos to bite, but even in long pants they'll get you arms etc.

 

Some people get bitten more often than others.

 

Be aware that shorts are not considered polite attire in Thailand. Obviously it depends on the context - they are fine to wear at the beach, and upcountry you can wear them in your own yard. But it is definitely not acceptable wear for walking around Bangkok and going into restaurants etc except for ones located along the beach front etc.

 

In very touristy areas, the Thais have grown used to seeing westerners walk about in shorts but that does not mean it is not viewed negatively.

 

[Kwasaki]

24 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Be aware that shorts are not considered polite attire in Thailand.

People who are teachers and in gov jobs maybe but never heard that before,  for casual I wear shorts that are like trousers a bit below the knee my Thai wife are daughter buy them for me, there the same type that many Thai men wear where l live.

 

[FritsSikkink]

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

People who are teachers and in gov jobs maybe but never heard that before,  for casual I wear shorts that are like trousers a bit below the knee my Thai wife are daughter buy them for me, there the same type that many Thai men wear where l live.

 

In any proper job it is not done.

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, FritsSikkink said:

In any proper job it is not done.

Don't much sound like to me's the OP has a proper job in Thailand so it's OK and Thais where the same smart shorts but not so often mossy repellent.  

[thai3]

Never wear shorts, they are for newbies and sexpats.

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, thai3 said:

Never wear shorts, they are for newbies and sexpats.

 

And little kids.  

[Naam]

14 minutes ago, thai3 said:

Never wear shorts, they are for newbies and sexpats.

says who?

[nisakiman]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Obviously if you wear shorts, there is more skin exposed for the mosquitos to bite, but even in long pants they'll get you arms etc.

 

Some people get bitten more often than others.

 

Be aware that shorts are not considered polite attire in Thailand. Obviously it depends on the context - they are fine to wear at the beach, and upcountry you can wear them in your own yard. But it is definitely not acceptable wear for walking around Bangkok and going into restaurants etc except for ones located along the beach front etc.

 

In very touristy areas, the Thais have grown used to seeing westerners walk about in shorts but that does not mean it is not viewed negatively.

 

 

I've seen lots of Thais wearing shorts in Bangkok. My brother in law, who is VP in a large media company in Bangkok naturally wears business attire when working, but in his leisure time more often than not wears slightly below the knee shorts.

 

I wear long shorts most of the time when I'm in Thailand, same as I do here in Greece during the summer. It's the most comfortable way to go in the heat. As for them being for newbies and sexpats, that's just a bunch of self-aggandising crap spouted by people who think that because they've been in Thailand for years, they're somehow better than everybody else.

[zorro1]

There is a short shorts craze going on right now with the ladies wearing denim. Never thought I would see that in conservative Thailand

[impulse]

53 minutes ago, zorro1 said:

There is a short shorts craze going on right now with the ladies wearing denim. Never thought I would see that in conservative Thailand

 

I also remember the mullet craze from years back in my hometown.  Then a flurry of people burning all the photos of the period.  That was before the interweb made it impossible to get rid of the evidence.

 

Sheryl pretty much nailed it:  In very touristy areas, the Thais have grown used to seeing westerners walk about in shorts but that does not mean it is not viewed negatively.

 

On the OP topic of mosquitoes, I've never found clothing to be an effective deterrent anyway.  The bastards poke right through it.

[dbrenn]

Long pants obviously give far better protection. In mosquito infested areas apply some DEET containing insect repellant around the ankles to stop them from going up your trousers and biting your legs. 

 

As Sheryl said, wearing shorts in Thailand is frowned upon and makes the locals think that you are a hobo. 

[Mousehound]

I have a bit of a laugh with the fear of spiders and snakes in Thailand and in my home area of Australia,  as although I spend a lot of time in the jungle and bush in OZ I have never had a problem from these (although commonly seen ) but Mosquitos really do concern me.  They are the worlds great killer.  I have many friends and family that have contracted Ross River, Dengue and Malaria.  I always wear long pants and even roll down sleeves.  I also soak my clothes in pyrethrum based clothing agents and wear anti moz bracelets as well as carry my own coils for under tables as I don't wear socks. 

[Crossy]

In Thailand, T (or no) shirt at home with knee length shorts. Put on a polo to go shopping at Tesco / Makro / market, sandals, no socks.

 

Long pants (with short sleeve shirt or polo) for work with socks, site boots, hi-viz, hard hat (but the PPE is probably not effective against mozzies).

 

We usually retreat inside before the mozzies become really active, but if we don't then the Deet spray / lotion and mozzie coils come out.

 

I have contracted Dengue (you really, really don't want it), but that was in Delhi where long pants and sleeves were an absolute requirement and made no difference whatever to how often you got bitten

 

 

[Mousehound]

7 minutes ago, Crossy said:

In Thailand, T (or no) shirt at home with knee length shorts. Put on a polo to go shopping at Tesco / Makro / market, sandals, no socks.

 

Long pants (with short sleeve shirt or polo) for work with socks, site boots, hi-viz, hard hat (but the PPE is probably not effective against mozzies).

 

We usually retreat inside before the mozzies become really active, but if we don't then the Deet spray / lotion and mozzie coils come out.

 

I have contracted Dengue (you really, really don't want it), but that was in Delhi where long pants and sleeves were an absolute requirement and made no difference whatever to how often you got bitten

 

 

Well it sure makes a difference how often I get bitten. 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, Mousehound said:

Well it sure makes a difference how often I get bitten. 

 

Indian mozzies know to just head for the exposed regions.

[1FinickyOne]

You will be fine in shorts... if you are going hiking in the jungles, you might want to put on long pants and wear some DEET... though the times when I go out to our local waterfalls, I do not. 

 

Personally, I never have a need to wear long pants. I wear respectable shorts every day. And in the countryside, it is not uncommon for people at leisure to wear shorts. People coming from work will have long pants and business attire. If I walk around the local mall, I would say it is 50/50 short pants amongst men... very common for the lades to wear short pants or short skirts. 

 

In my village, most men wear shorts most of the time. But, they are not going to formal business appointments in Bangkok. If they have a doctor's appointment they will likely put on long pants. 

[simon43]

Lived in Thailand since 2002 - don't even possess a pair of shorts, really not 'British' to bare your knees unless it is at the beach ... :)

[opalred]

i was in my own businesses all my life in oz

wore shorts and long socks even to govt meetings

same here

 take care so many different types ants here want to build nests 

sit for to long time might find ants will build a nest around balls

[Mousehound]

Well I guess as an entomologist I tend to go where there are a lot of insects.  But I will never be persuaded to wear shorts in CM.  But then I know people that still don't wear crash helmets when on their motorbike and they have gotten away with it - so far.  I don't have that kind of luck.

[champers]

When people advise you not to wear shorts they are adopting a socially superior attitude towards you. Ignore them. Shorts are fine out on the streets, mankini for the beach. 7/11 sells little aerosols of anti mozzie spray. Apply to exposed areas after dark. Wash your hands after and don't pick your nose or scratch yer goolies.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, champers said:

When people advise you not to wear shorts they are adopting a socially superior attitude towards you. Ignore them. Shorts are fine out on the streets, mankini for the beach. 7/11 sells little aerosols of anti mozzie spray. Apply to exposed areas after dark. Wash your hands after and don't pick your nose or scratch yer goolies.

 

Sure, wear shorts if you want.  Just be aware that a significant portion of the Thai people will look down on you if you do.   Not all of them, but a significant portion of them.  

 

To which a lot of expats (and locals) say, "so what?"

 

But it has nothing to do with anything we, as fellow foreigners, think or believe about who is superior.

 

Edit:  Like simon43, I haven't left my BKK apartment in 6 years without long pants.  Or a collared shirt- but that's my personal quirk.  Except at the beach and the apartment pool.

Edited January 28, 2017 by impulse

[55Jay]

In the first 3 or so years here, I primarily wore shorts except in certain situations.  I have found myself wearing long pants and proper shoes (not open sandals) and socks more often recently.  Beyond social/cultural considerations, some of my thought process is protection against mozzies, and even being covered, I will still give myself a few squirts of repellent on exposed areas (arms/elbows) to keep the buggers off me. 

 

I've not had Dengue Fever yet, and I hope I never do because I know 1 or 2 who have,  and it's not something I want to volunteer for. 

[nisakiman]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Sure, wear shorts if you want.  Just be aware that a significant portion of the Thai people will look down on you if you do.   Not all of them, but a significant portion of them.  

 

To which a lot of expats (and locals) say, "so what?"

 

But it has nothing to do with anything we, as fellow foreigners, think or believe about who is superior.

 

Edit:  Like simon43, I haven't left my BKK apartment in 6 years without long pants.  Or a collared shirt- but that's my personal quirk.  Except at the beach and the apartment pool.

As I said in my last post, my brother in law is a high earner with a wife from a wealthy family, and he wears shorts all the time when he's not working.

 

But then, he's cosmopolitan. He travels internationally with his job all the time. He doesn't worry about the conservative curtain-twitchers who would like to dictate to him what he should or shouldn't wear. He's confident enough to know that those attitudes are held by people who don't know any better, and that things are changing.

Edited January 28, 2017 by nisakiman

[silverado]

i've never used a reppellent... just when the sun set, wear long light shirts AND SOCKS. don't forget . ankles and feet are usually the most appreciated by moskitos...

[Naam]

5 hours ago, impulse said:

Sure, wear shorts if you want.  Just be aware that a significant portion of the Thai people will look down on you if you do.

does that hurt?

[impulse]

50 minutes ago, Naam said:

does that hurt? 

 

I'm pretty sure it's as painless as having someone spit in your food.  But pain's not the issue, is it?

 

Edit:  And, come to think of it, going over in my mind the last 20 or so stories of tourists getting the crap beat out of them, I don't recall photos of a single one wearing blood soaked long pants and collared shirts.  Lots of blood soaked shorts and singlets, though.  Coincidence?

Edited January 29, 2017 by impulse

[oldcarguy]

I wore shorts for years and gave up for a couple reasons ,

 

Mosquitoes  love me , and they stay close to the ground , I was getting  eaten up,

 

I have "white boy" legs which if out in the sun to long get sunburn which is no fun ,

I was also scrapping my legs on things and was worried about get the cut infected ,

 

So I started wearing long pants , not Levis or Jeans but lightweight cotton ,  and so far it has worked out ,

 

Plus you do not look out of place to the Thais ,

 

I also wear  cotton button down shirts because they breath a lot better than T shirts , and I have never worn a armless  "wifebeater" T shirt as its not a normal thing with my crowd back home ,

 

And if you ask does it help with the locals, I really do not know ,   I am still going to be an outsider ,  but wearing normal working clothes and not "beach" clothes cannot hurt.

 

If someone wore "beach clothes" walking down the street in Chicago , London or Frankfurt would they get stared at  ?     I think so.....

 

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I'm pretty sure it's as painless as having someone spit in your food.  But pain's not the issue, is it?

 

Edit:  And, come to think of it, going over in my mind the last 20 or so stories of tourists getting the crap beat out of them, I don't recall photos of a single one wearing blood soaked long pants and collared shirts.  Lots of blood soaked shorts and singlets, though.  Coincidence?

I am going to add that as prevalent and more important in that equation is alcohol... how many of these stories have bars, alcohol and 4 am in the equation. 

[Naam]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

And, come to think of it, going over in my mind the last 20 or so stories of tourists getting the crap beat out of them, I don't recall photos of a single one wearing blood soaked long pants and collared shirts.  Lots of blood soaked shorts and singlets, though.

your comments make me think of journàrselists writing for the Sun or the Mirror who often arrive at their conclusions by checking the results of nose poking. i think it's ridiculous to claim that people are beaten because of their attire. if they are beaten then because of their behaviour and/or attitude.