Wearing shorts/ mosquitos?

[Naam]

2 hours ago, oldcarguy said:

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

yes, especially from november till february. by the way, shorts are not "beach clothes". the British Empire did not station all its soldiers at beaches.

[Naam]

53 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

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

it won't be painless for the one who spits in my food. and the issue is that, depending on the occasion, i wear shorts when i feel like it. period!

[overherebc]

27 minutes ago, Naam said:

it won't be painless for the one who spits in my food. and the issue is that, depending on the occasion, i wear shorts when i feel like it. period!

Surprised you wear shorts when you have your period.

[impulse]

42 minutes ago, Naam said:

it won't be painless for the one who spits in my food. and the issue is that, depending on the occasion, i wear shorts when i feel like it. period!

 

Truth is, we're not really that far apart, but I love to get a rise out of you.  I live and work at Asok, surrounded by tourists and people who make their living scamming tourists.  And I just don't want to be mistaken for a tourist.  So I dress and behave as if I live here, and lean toward the conservative so there's no temptation to take me to a gem shop or a tailor or ask me to pee in a cup.  So far, it seems to have worked.  I hope I didn't just jinx it.  

 

If I lived in a village where everyone knows me, I may dress differently.  But I live in an area with thousands of foreigners- the majority of whom cycle through on a very fast timescale.  And I'd prefer not to be mistaken for one of them.

[NanLaew]

20 hours ago, Sheryl said:

... 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. ...

 

 

10 hours ago, impulse said:

... 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. ...

I want to find this Bangkok beach.

[impulse]

Just now, NanLaew said:

I want to find this Bangkok beach.

 

If you do, let me know.  I hate the drive to the closest thing to a beach from my place.

[overherebc]

6 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

If you do, let me know.  I hate the drive to the closest thing to a beach from my place.

It's just around the corner from the 7/12 that people are trying to find on another thread.

[NoshowJones]

I never wear shorts, not even in the house, and I sometimes get bitten on the upper legs or ass.

I'm not sure if the mossies bite right through my trousers, or go up them.

[williet98248]

I wear shorts most of the time.  Never get mozzie bites on my legs because of the dense hair,  Sometimes get bites on bare feet however.  But I usually wear socks and shoes.  Getting a disease from a mosquito bite is probably the equivalent of being struck by lightning.  It happens but rarely.

Edited January 29, 2017 by williet98248
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[1FinickyOne]

29 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I never wear shorts, not even in the house, and I sometimes get bitten on the upper legs or ass.

I'm not sure if the mossies bite right through my trousers, or go up them.

Possum, still wearing those blue suede shoes? They won't go up that high... 

[Naam]

18 hours ago, dbrenn said:

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

frowning locals and their thoughts make you cry yourself to sleep?

[Kwasaki]

7 hours ago, silverado said:

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...

Only a shirt and socks not good    you should put on some long trousers as well ya know because many on here think Thais really care about it.   

 

11 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.

 

 

Can someone please enlighten me along with people like you who have immense knowledge of Thai peoples thoughts and strange views on the subject of shorts and why Thai people change from there work clothes and get some shorts on. ????

 

[masuk]

17 hours ago, kenk24 said:

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. 

As wearing shorts in Thailand does not contradict any religious beliefs, as in Muslim countries, I have no hesitation wearing dress shorts when shopping, and footy shorts around the house.

 

It was a total pain having to wear jeans or long trousers in Indonesia, as it is a tropical country.  I consider shorts part of the Australian national dress, and I see nothing wrong with exposing my knees in Thailand.  

 

In neighbouring Papua New Guinea, wearing long trousers was the exception.    

 

Yes, I use a good mozzie repellant in the evenings when I wander around to a nearby restaurant.  If dengue is half as bad as malaria, I don't want it!

[sanukjim]

Vaseline intensive care  (the green aloe type) rubbed on your legs will keep away the mesquites and other bugs.Smell good and works great.You don't end up with that repellent smell.

[Ireland32]

20 hours 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

 

Russian girls started it...Not that it's a Bad Thing...

[Naam]

21 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

 you should put on some long trousers as well ya know because many on here think Thais really care about it.  

alternatively you should wear some long trousers because it matters a lot how Thais (or Farangs) care about it.

[Naam]

19 minutes ago, sanukjim said:

Vaseline intensive care  (the green aloe type) rubbed on your legs will keep away the mesquites and other bugs.Smell good and works great.You don't end up with that repellent smell.

Mesquites in Thailand are quite rare i was told

[Naam]

23 minutes ago, masuk said:

In neighbouring Papua New Guinea, wearing long trousers was the exception.  

we had a number of Yemenis working in our company in Saudi Arabia. hard workers who refused to wear company uniforms (trousers and jackets).

 

reason: "no <deleted>' way! only women were trousers!

 

 

[Nurseynutcase]

I only put mossie spray on when I go out in the evening - I should remember to put it on before I go to market - but usually forget.

 

Use coild on the verandah in the evening - keeps the little blighters away.

 

Mossie repellant? I use Avon skin so soft dry oil spray.  250ml lasts for months.  Friend of mine used it in Guatemala and it was the best she used.  Now take it everywhere with me cos mossies think i am delicious.

 

Wear shorts all the time during the day,  Loose and floppy dress if not going out.

 

Enjoy your self over here.

[dotpoom]

No.

[Kwasaki]

4 minutes ago, Naam said:

Mesquites in Thailand are quite rare i was told

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=Mesquites+trees+in+Thailand&biw=1094&bih=523&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=

X&ved=0ahUKEwj6nICC0ubRAhXMwI8KHVKpDngQsAQIFw

 

I have one in my garden and it died because it was near a smoking mosquito ring. 

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, Nurseynutcase said:

 Loose and floppy dress if not going out.

OK in Thailand l guess. 

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

Possum, still wearing those blue suede shoes? They won't go up that high... 

If you knew me, you would know I would never wear anything blue.

[paulsingle]

I find the bites on the legs don't itch anywhere near as much as those on the ankles and feet. The next most sensitive area seems to be the softer parts of the arms.

A major relief for me was when my reactions to bites decreased. After about 3 months the bites only itched for about 20 minutes instead of over 2 days and the reaction has lessened a bit more in the month since then.

If you suffer like I did, 15% or 20% Deet is a godsend. They do not bite any skin that had been sprayed and it lasts a few hours.

I don't bother with the repellant very often now. I can tolerate the bites without spoiling my evening.

I'm in Phuket so shorts or swimwear is pretty much all I wear.

I will put on trousers in Bangkok but only in the evening.

[elgenon]

Have been good friends with a Thai family for a long time. When we go out to eat together in Bangkok the Thai husband and I both wear shorts. People with a prejudicial opinion please identify it as such.

Shorts traditionally were not worn by Thai men as they were associated w farmers. Thais are more internationalized now. There are still many Thais who won't wear shorts. And many Thai girls who won't wear spaghetti straps. There is a large middle class in BKK that is quite up to date. For instance, there are many Thais at my gym and many do aerobics classes during the day. There are even some middle class Thai girls with tattoos now.

As far as mossies, I get bitten more in CM than Pattaya or BKK. Depends on where you are. I don't worry about it and I have been coming to Thailand for over 30 years and am not dead yet. 5555   There are many things to worry about, and if you worry about them all, it seriously affects your experience. Some  precautions are advisable no matter where you are in this world.

[The Dark Lord]

Tell you what if a mozzie bites your willy it itches like buggery and scratching that irritating itch can lead to the wrong conclusion being drawn by anyone around.

[1FinickyOne]

33 minutes ago, paulsingle said:

I find the bites on the legs don't itch anywhere near as much as those on the ankles and feet. The next most sensitive area seems to be the softer parts of the arms.

A major relief for me was when my reactions to bites decreased. After about 3 months the bites only itched for about 20 minutes instead of over 2 days and the reaction has lessened a bit more in the month since then.

If you suffer like I did, 15% or 20% Deet is a godsend. They do not bite any skin that had been sprayed and it lasts a few hours.

I don't bother with the repellant very often now. I can tolerate the bites without spoiling my evening.

I'm in Phuket so shorts or swimwear is pretty much all I wear.

I will put on trousers in Bangkok but only in the evening.

What works really well to stop the itch is pure peppermint oil.. I have some organic from USA - - a good bit more expensive than what I see here, but it is not diluted and the cool can stop the itch... 

[mfd101]

In my family here in south Surin, the males (of all ages) who work on the farm generally wear nothing all day except a pair of shorts and nothing on their feet. Now that we're in chilly winter (?), they wear a Tshirt as well as shorts. My observation is that they never get bitten by anything (though they do pick up the occasional tick in uncomfortable places when they wade into the fishpond).

 

I on the other hand - a typical fair-skinned falang - get bitten several times a day (despite long trousers) but only by very small mossies or 'sandflies'. My theory is that the difference in diet is what makes the difference: I eat mild chilies and enjoy garlic but my family eat lots of the really hot stuff & a mountain of garlic. I keep pestering my b/f to put more garlic in when he cooks for me ...

[Retiredandhappyhere]

23 hours 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.

 

Whereas Thai girls can apparently walk around city centres and shopping malls in the skimpiest of shorts imaginable and I note that nobody takes offence at the bikini-clad girls (and boys) plying their trade in places like Walking Street, Pattaya.  Much of the "negativity" and "outrage" expressed by many Thai citizens (paticularly on the internet) is nothing more than pure hypocrisy.

[Naam]

2 minutes ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

Whereas Thai girls can apparently walk around city centres and shopping malls in the skimpiest of shorts imaginable and I note that nobody takes offence at the bikini-clad girls (and boys) plying their trade in places like Walking Street, Pattaya.  Much of the "negativity" and "outrage" expressed by many Thai citizens (paticularly on the internet) is nothing more than pure hypocrisy.