Is the wearing of shorts by a tourist in BKK considered a no-no?
A thread in UA forum about wearing shorts in F class has expanded to wearing shorts in BKK. It is written that farangs wearing shorts in BKK are offensive, disrespectful and looked down upon by Thai people. Since I will be in BKK @ the end of this month for a vacation and had intended to wear shorts, I would appreciate clarification on this issue. Your comments will be appreciated!
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A great many Western tourists in Thailand favor shorts.
In much of Asia however, especially in an urban environment, shorts are only deemed suitable for children or inconsequential people. Light cotton trousers would be a good compromise, and help you pass for a resident foreigner, with the corresponding decrease in solicitations. |
It's my experience that it's no big deal to wear pants, even in hot season in BKK. If you're wearing pants, you may begin to think that farang in shorts look fairly silly.
If you're unsure, bring pants that zip off to convert to shorts. Also, make sure that sandals have a strap in the back. That is, no flip flops. Rich |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by 1000k00: A thread in UA forum about wearing shorts in F class has expanded to wearing shorts in BKK. It is written that farangs wearing shorts in BKK are offensive, disrespectful and looked down upon by Thai people. Since I will be in BKK @ the end of this month for a vacation and had intended to wear shorts, I would appreciate clarification on this issue. Your comments will be appreciated!</font> Thais are extraordinarily adept at instinctively assessing social position and class, especially in a relative sense. When you watch Thais greet each other, note the subtle differences in the wai (fingertip elevation and depth of head bow), even among older and younger friends and relatives, not to mention superiors and underlings at work. They have only a slightly more challenging time judging farang. Outside of the situations listed above, any farang who wishes not to be looked down upon by Thais would be well advised not to wear shorts. Note however that there are numerous farang behaviors that are equivalent of wearing shorts. |
Thanks for your input, shorts will be worn in HKT and Pattaya but not in BKK & CNX. Traveler would you care to list some of the numerous farang behaviors I should be aware of? Hopefully I am not too old to learn to be less offensive!
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by 1000k00: Traveler would you care to list some of the numerous farang behaviors I should be aware of?</font>
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rjh: It's my experience that it's no big deal to wear pants, even in hot season in BKK. If you're wearing pants, you may begin to think that farang in shorts look fairly silly.</font> Wearing pants or not, you still stick out and are a farang. The only time I wore pants was at dinner if going to an "upscale" restaurant or if visiting wats. If I was there for business, of course I would wear pants. But then I'm going from a car w/ A/C to a building w/ A/C etc. etc. I'm not walking miles to get to my meeting. <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by UAL Traveler: Thais are extraordinarily adept at instinctively assessing social position and class....</font> I was under the impression that the Thais we interacted with were very pleased due to our attempting to speak the language and adding the all important Krap or Kah to show an added level of respect. |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by 1000k00: ... some of the numerous farang behaviors I should be aware of? ... </font> --Avoid loud voices --Avoid displaying anger --Avoid the inclination to dispute as sport. There are a lot of valid approaches to life, especially in places that have many "First World" indicators, but where you may not have the cultural context. --Don't signal to people to come to your location with the index finger up. (That's how dogs are summoned.) Use the whole hand pointed down, with a sweeping motion. --Beware that objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. Rich |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie: Lucky for us, as a farang, you are "automatically" assigned a high social position and will be treated as such.</font> IME, native English speakers (e.g. Americans) can rapidly earn a high social status through correct behavior, but it is by no means automatic. Some of the other groups mentioned have a bit more of a challenge earning such status. Of course, I am referring to real status, not the pretend stuff that Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) promotes for the guidebook writers, tour guides and hotel/restaurant operators. <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">If my "position" was knocked down a few pegs due to my shorts wearing, so be it, we never felt our treatment suffered because of this.</font> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I was under the impression that the Thais we interacted with were very pleased due to our attempting to speak the language and adding the all important Krap or Kah to show an added level of respect.</font> Edited to add: I hope that it doesn't seem like I am trying to come across as some kind of expert on Thai culture... After my first dozen or so visits to the Kingdom, I indeed felt that I knew something about Thais and their outlooks. Now, many years later, having observed much but absorbed little, I feel that I know far less than I did on my first visit. [This message has been edited by UAL Traveler (edited 06-09-2002).] |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rjh: If I may be permitted to add: --Avoid loud voices --Avoid displaying anger --Avoid the inclination to dispute as sport. There are a lot of valid approaches to life, especially in places that have many "First World" indicators, but where you may not have the cultural context. --Don't signal to people to come to your location with the index finger up. (That's how dogs are summoned.) Use the whole hand pointed down, with a sweeping motion. --Beware that objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. Rich</font> |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by UAL Traveler: ... large business owners, Bangkok politicians, ...</font> Did you mean to differentiate between these two groups? Rich |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rjh: Did you mean to differentiate between these two groups? Rich</font> |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by UAL Traveler: However, I realize that some of my comments might seem a bit harsh...</font> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">...Just don't expect a high percentage to be all that sincere....</font> If you believe you're S_ _ _ doesn't stink, it does to someone. |
What a great thread !
A traveller comes seeking knowledge, and is answered by various people, with advice, knowledge, opinion and humour http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif Isn't the 'Travel' forum a great place to hang out ? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif Stewart PS - Sunday brunch at the Sukhothai - yes or no ? |
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Stewie Mac: PS - Sunday brunch at the Sukhothai - yes or no ?</font> It is interesting to note that a significant number of highly educated Thais actually consider the hotel to be 'haunted,' and are afraid to go there. The reason is that from the outside, the hotel looks like an upscale, typical Bangkok hotel, and then they enter and see all these antiques and things that they have laying around their own house... and it frightens them. However, for farang it is a fine place, and you will enjoy it. I consider it to be a better choice than, say, the Penninsula, given its rather unique decor and 'charm.' |
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