Got some bad feedback of farangs walking into houses in Thailand with their shoes on without even asking should they take those off. I heard in some countries it is common but cannot think where? Maybe we should educate people who come from uneducated countries how to behave in Thailand? 

People can walk into my house with their shoes on............................... educated or uneducated.

Dear Topah In most of the civilised world it is perfectly normal to enter someones house with shoes on 

and particularly in countries where the climate restricts such things as wandering around a cold house

in bare feet.

But in Asia generally it is normal to remove ones shoes when entering someones house but unfortunately

not all tourists or visitors to Asia/Thailand make any effort at all to avail themselves of the custom/practices

when visiting any country.

I believe it is more about cleanliness than anything else.

In Canada only rurals and uneducated or no class people take off their shoes. I have been t houses with expensive persian rugs on the floor and people come into the house straight from the rain with shoes on. If you took your shoes off to go into those homes you would not be welcome back because you had no class. To take off your shoes is just not done. We leave that to other less refined people.

2 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

In Canada only rurals and uneducated or no class people take off their shoes. I have been t houses with expensive persian rugs on the floor and people come into the house straight from the rain with shoes on. If you took your shoes off to go into those homes you would not be welcome back because you had no class. To take off your shoes is just not done. We leave that to other less refined people.

 

But you are in Thailand now... So it most likely was a Canadian who got this bad feedback? Any other countries?

4 minutes ago, Topah said:

But you are in Thailand now... So it most likely was a Canadian who got this bad feedback? Any other countries?

 

What has being in Thailand got to do with it. I set the rules for my house.

 

 

I know some Farang houses that don't have bum guns............ what would you make of that, being in Thailand ?

Just now, Jip99 said:

 

What has being in Thailand got to do with it. I set the rules for my house.

 

 

I know some Farang houses that don't have bum guns............ what would you make of that, being in Thailand ?

I am not talking about your house. I got bad feedback about badly behaving farang who went to a Thai house where older people sleep on the floor. Did not ask should he take shoes off just walked in. Should at least ask or know how to behave in Thailand.

Just now, Topah said:

I am not talking about your house. I got bad feedback about badly behaving farang who went to a Thai house where older people sleep on the floor. Did not ask should he take shoes off just walked in. Should at least ask or know how to behave in Thailand.

 

Do you know he has been here a long time.

 

Was it not incumbent upon his hosts, or those who took him to this house, to advise him of the culture ?

No point in stigmatizing anybody, on foot, feet or barefoot!...Why not just calmy explain local customs, instead of insulting farangs?

Is it hygienic to walk around barefoot?

3 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Is it hygienic to walk around barefoot?

 

 

No.

 

 

But it is cultural....... like eating bplah rah, and giving money to people in saffron robes.

If going to someone's house for dinner you can always take your own "house" shoes or slippers!

 

Oh and BTW it is ignorance not lack of education. A common mistake for uneducated people?

23 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

In Canada only rurals and uneducated or no class people take off their shoes. I have been t houses with expensive persian rugs on the floor and people come into the house straight from the rain with shoes on. If you took your shoes off to go into those homes you would not be welcome back because you had no class. To take off your shoes is just not done. We leave that to other less refined people.

I find that hard to believe. Taking your shoes off in absolutely any culture I have experienced would be looked at as an act of respect, even if it is not social etiquette to do so. Also don't give that "rural" crap, there is dog shit on pavements in Manhattan and Central London... No this is just another case of Asian cultures being more clean than most Western cultures. Argue all you want, some things are done better in the East.

The pile of shoes at our front entrance is a bit of a clue, but downstairs where the floors are tiled and the dogs and chickens wander nothing is enforced.

 

Venture upstairs (where the main living area is located) in your outdoor shoes at your peril.

 

After 20++ years in the Far East where it is normal not to wear shoes in the house it feels wrong to enter a home whilst wearing the clogs.

In England no one takes their shoes off and I only came across it in Russia, before I came here, where it is common. It's just cultural 'norms' nothing to get excited about. I do take them off now because i can see it's quite sensible not bringing dirt into the home but I would not get over excited.

 

Thais are actually very impolite, queue jumping, talking over people and picking their teeth with toothpicks in the middle of restaurants.  You try any of those in London, New York or Berlin and watch the stares of disbelief! 

21 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

What has being in Thailand got to do with it. I set the rules for my house.

 

 

I know some Farang houses that don't have bum guns............ what would you make of that, being in Thailand ?

Have a bum gun in both bathrooms, never used it once in 7 years, neither has my Thai partner. She prefers paper as do I.

1 minute ago, kevozman1 said:

I find that hard to believe. Taking your shoes off in absolutely any culture I have experienced would be looked at as an act of respect, even if it is not social etiquette to do so. Also don't give that "rural" crap, there is dog shit on pavements in Manhattan and Central London... No this is just another case of Asian cultures being more clean than most Western cultures. Argue all you want, some things are done better in the East.

I think like you. I am from Finland and there everyone takes off their shoes. I find it rude to walk into a house with shoes on. Uneducated behavior if you do it in Thailand. People should learn the Thai culture better.

13 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Is it hygienic to walk around barefoot?

More hygienic than traipsing around someone's home with dog shit all over your shoes, yes.

1 minute ago, kevozman1 said:

More hygienic than traipsing around someone's home with dog shit all over your shoes, yes.

That's what door mats are for.

26 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

I know some Farang houses that don't have bum guns............ what would you make of that, being in Thailand ?

Smelly bums 

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

That's what door mats are for.

 

You mean for sharing the doggie doo among all your friends?

 

Friends from the UK who have visited us here have reported that they now have a "no shoes" rule back home. Keeps the carpets pristine.

 

But of course, it's entirely up to you what you do in your own home.

OP get over it, i wish i could walk in any house with or without shoes.

That is the one thing in my life that i wish could happen.

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

You mean for sharing the doggie doo among all your friends?

 

Friends from the UK who have visited us here have reported that they now have a "no shoes" rule back home. Keeps the carpets pristine.

 

But of course, it's entirely up to you what you do in your own home.

I don't need to ask people to remove their shoes here, and in Australia I had polished wooden floors so I never asked people to remove their shoes. Besides it's easier to remove a pair of flip flops than unlace and remove a pair of shoes.

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

OP get over it, i wish i could walk in any house with or without shoes.

That is the one thing in my life that i wish could happen.

Would you ask a permission in Thailand where it is common to sleep on the floors? Or just walk in because you can do it in your country or house? I am just talking about my experience about badly behaving farangs. We don't do it in Finland so I want to know where they do it so I can pass the info where these people come from... That way people can already teach people from these countries in advance that it is not polite. Thats all. 

Just now, Topah said:

Would you ask a permission in Thailand where it is common to sleep on the floors? Or just walk in because you can do it in your country or house? I am just talking about my experience about badly behaving farangs. We don't do it in Finland so I want to know where they do it so I can pass the info where these people come from... That way people can already teach people from these countries in advance that it is not polite. Thats all. 

As has been pointed out, falangs visiting Thailand may be unaware of it being a local custom, like pointing your feet at someone's head.

@Topah as a relatively infrequent poster you may not be aware that colinneil is a wheelchair bound paraplegic.

 

Just now, Topah said:

Would you ask a permission in Thailand where it is common to sleep on the floors? Or just walk in because you can do it in your country or house? I am just talking about my experience about badly behaving farangs. We don't do it in Finland so I want to know where they do it so I can pass the info where these people come from... That way people can already teach people from these countries in advance that it is not polite. Thats all. 

Sorry but you missed the point of my post.

I am paraplegic, so walking anywhere with or without shoes would be absolutely fantastic for me.

14 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

In England no one takes their shoes off and I only came across it in Russia, before I came here, where it is common. It's just cultural 'norms' nothing to get excited about. I do take them off now because i can see it's quite sensible not bringing dirt into the home but I would not get over excited.

 

Thais are actually very impolite, queue jumping, talking over people and picking their teeth with toothpicks in the middle of restaurants.  You try any of those in London, New York or Berlin and watch the stares of disbelief! 

Sorry but that is just not true. As far back as I can remember we all took our shoes off before stepping inside. Not only members of my family but those of my friends. This was back in the 60's and 70's in Yorkshire and on the Isle of Wight. Very few houses I know where it was not expected. 

OP.  Maybe the farang was new to Thailand and made a mistake, without meaning to be impolite?

 

If the people in the house we so upset, why not ask the guest to kindly take off their shoes and explain to them that it is normal to do so in Thailand culture?

 

I am from the UK.  In my house, and parents house, we always took off our shoes... to stop wet mud and dirt from getting into the carpet.  We wore slippers in the house (because it was too cold to have nothing on our feet).  But I found some guests were annoyed or took offense when asked to take their shoes off to enter the house.. like we were too 'high so' or something like that, even though we were quite poor!!!

 

 

 

 

Just now, colinneil said:

Sorry but you missed the point of my post.

I am paraplegic, so walking anywhere with or without shoes would be absolutely fantastic for me.

Did not know that. I think in your case people will understand.