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Photos of foot waving foreigner criticized in Phuket


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16 hours ago, impulse said:

 

According to the Thais I work with, showing someone the sole of your foot is about the equivalent of giving them the finger.  

 

Imagine someone driving through your home neighborhood with their hand out the window, middle finger at attention.  It would be considered disrespectful by the locals. even if that person came from a planet that had no clue what shooting someone the middle finger means.

What utter nonsense. Think about what you're saying, it means that anyone laying down at the beach or swimming pool with the soles of their feet showing is being disrespectful. If someone had their feet up on the table in a restaurant or something I could understand it, but putting your feet outside of the window of a van is hardly ignoring traditions. 

Now if you were wobbling on about Thais getting pear-shaped about van drivers falling asleep or taking drugs/alcohol before driving etc I'd understand. Typical Thai-bashing policeman's comment.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, jesimps said:

What utter nonsense. Think about what you're saying, it means that anyone laying down at the beach or swimming pool with the soles of their feet showing is being disrespectful. If someone had their feet up on the table in a restaurant or something I could understand it, but putting your feet outside of the window of a van is hardly ignoring traditions. 

Now if you were wobbling on about Thais getting pear-shaped about van drivers falling asleep or taking drugs/alcohol before driving etc I'd understand. Typical Thai-bashing policeman's comment.

 

 

So can you explain the online outcry?

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15 hours ago, Thechook said:

But feet are the most disgusting part of the body according to thais 

I think everyone should be made to wear big black woolly socks when in the company of Thais. Feet are disgusting things, can't understand why God gave us them. Maybe they should be amputated at birth.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, jesimps said:

I think everyone should be made to wear big black woolly socks when in the company of Thais. Feet are disgusting things, can't understand why God gave us them. Maybe they should be amputated at birth.

 

 

but then some could not put them in their mouth

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I am very very surprised how many people in this thread did not know the act is disrespectful and how many think it is not.

 

There's a big difference between laying on the beach and allowing your feet to be seen, and, taking off your shoes and sticking them out of the window to show everyone your feet!

 

For those of you who think it is not, try asking a local Thai or two and see what they tell you, simply, you are not correct.

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8 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

I am very very surprised how many people in this thread did not know the act is disrespectful and how many think it is not.

 

There's a big difference between laying on the beach and allowing your feet to be seen, and, taking off your shoes and sticking them out of the window to show everyone your feet!

 

For those of you who think it is not, try asking a local Thai or two and see what they tell you, simply, you are not correct.

:passifier:

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17 hours ago, impulse said:

 

According to the Thais I work with, showing someone the sole of your foot is about the equivalent of giving them the finger.  

 

Imagine someone driving through your home neighborhood with their hand out the window, middle finger at attention.  It would be considered disrespectful by the locals. even if that person came from a planet that had no clue what shooting someone the middle finger means.

 

And therein  is the reason why Thailand is a mess and stagnates depending upon other nations for innovation and intellectual advancement. The people who are running the show have an obsession with trivial issues and ignore real problems like road safety.

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6 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

That's an intelligent response, if you don't want, need to or can't understand local custom, why even bother to reply! Others do however.

I've already posted 2 intelligent replies. #'s 41 & 63.

Like I said in my first reply. The guy isn't pointing his feet at anyone in particular, same as sitting bare foot, cross leg, in a public place.

Lighten up, you're making a fool of yourself.

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17 hours ago, impulse said:

 

According to the Thais I work with, showing someone the sole of your foot is about the equivalent of giving them the finger.  

 

Imagine someone driving through your home neighborhood with their hand out the window, middle finger at attention.  It would be considered disrespectful by the locals. even if that person came from a planet that had no clue what shooting someone the middle finger means.

I totally agree, this is Thai custom and should be respected here.

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2 minutes ago, malt25 said:

I've already posted 2 intelligent replies. #'s 41 & 63.

Like I said in my first reply. The guy isn't pointing his feet at anyone in particular, same as sitting bare foot, cross leg, in a public place.

Lighten up, you're making a fool of yourself.

If you pay attention you'll notice that Thai's who take off their shoes and sit cross-legged are not pointing their feet forward at the people they are facing, ditto when Thai's take off their shoes in the temple and sit, they all do so with their feet pointing backwards, not pointing in the same direction as they are facing. Are you slowly getting the picture yet! BTW post 41 wasn't an intelligent response so I've ignored it.

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21 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

I am very very surprised how many people in this thread did not know the act is disrespectful and how many think it is not.

 

There's a big difference between laying on the beach and allowing your feet to be seen, and, taking off your shoes and sticking them out of the window to show everyone your feet!

 

For those of you who think it is not, try asking a local Thai or two and see what they tell you, simply, you are not correct.

 

Save  the hypocrisy for one of those opportunities when you  wish to wai at flight attendants or a mall cop who salutes when you walk through the door.  This week a young kid was mashed under the wheels of a vehicle. The pressure was so great on his mid section that  his innards were squeezed out leaving his intestines, bowel, stomach and  chunks of other organs strewn on the street.  People gathered to point and take their pictures.  No one seems to have been bothered enough to ask  why Thais drive irresponsibly, why the police neglect traffic safety, why the roads are  built without consideration for safety or why a child was able to wander about  near a  busy roadway. No one seem offended. And yet here you are to tell me that someone's foot will create a serious offense. Ok. Thanks for letting me know about the  locals' priorities.

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57 minutes ago, jesimps said:

What utter nonsense. Think about what you're saying, it means that anyone laying down at the beach or swimming pool with the soles of their feet showing is being disrespectful. If someone had their feet up on the table in a restaurant or something I could understand it, but putting your feet outside of the window of a van is hardly ignoring traditions. 

Now if you were wobbling on about Thais getting pear-shaped about van drivers falling asleep or taking drugs/alcohol before driving etc I'd understand. Typical Thai-bashing policeman's comment.

 

Tell that to the Thai's I work with.  Personally, I don't find it offensive at all.  They do.  And since I live in Rome, I go with what the Romans tell me.

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2 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Save  the hypocrisy for one of those opportunities when you  wish to wai at flight attendants or a mall cop who salutes when you walk through the door.  This week a young kid was mashed under the wheels of a vehicle. The pressure was so great on his mid section that  his innards were squeezed out leaving his intestines, bowel, stomach and  chunks of other organs strewn on the street.  People gathered to point and take their pictures.  No one seems to have been bothered enough to ask  why Thais drive irresponsibly, why the police neglect traffic safety, why the roads are  built without consideration for safety or why a child was able to wander about  near a  busy roadway. No one seem offended. And yet here you are to tell me that someone's foot will create a serious offense. Ok. Thanks for letting me know about the  locals' priorities.

Whatever is wrong with you! Just because I agree that baring the soles of the feet to a person is culturally inappropriate in Thailand doesn't mean I don't believe other things here are also inappropriate or wrong!!! Frankly, I think you've lost the plot!

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18 hours ago, impulse said:

 

According to the Thais I work with, showing someone the sole of your foot is about the equivalent of giving them the finger.  

 

Imagine someone driving through your home neighborhood with their hand out the window, middle finger at attention.  It would be considered disrespectful by the locals. even if that person came from a planet that had no clue what shooting someone the middle finger means.

No, I wouldn't care about the middle finger, and just dismiss it for what it is. Such gestures or symbols don't disturb me. Rise above it.

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15 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Tell that to the Thai's I work with.  Personally, I don't find it offensive at all.  They do.  And since I live in Rome, I go with what the Romans tell me.

ask them why its  offensive, wonder if theres any Thai astronauts? that could be entertaining

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A friend of mine received a ticket for doing exactly that (sticking his foot out of the window) in country Victoria. The cops were pricks (all Victoria cops are) and spent about 20 minutes going through their book of offences to write out the ticket. (They would have made it up if they hadn't found it). I think, from memory, the ticket referred to "body parts protruding from the vehicle".

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1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

A friend of mine received a ticket for doing exactly that (sticking his foot out of the window) in country Victoria. The cops were pricks (all Victoria cops are) and spent about 20 minutes going through their book of offences to write out the ticket. (They would have made it up if they hadn't found it). I think, from memory, the ticket referred to "body parts protruding from the vehicle".

bet if it was  a  pair of lovely "jugs" they wouldnt have done so much:smile:

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31 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

If you pay attention you'll notice that Thai's who take off their shoes and sit cross-legged are not pointing their feet forward at the people they are facing, ditto when Thai's take off their shoes in the temple and sit, they all do so with their feet pointing backwards, not pointing in the same direction as they are facing. Are you slowly getting the picture yet! BTW post 41 wasn't an intelligent response so I've ignored it.

No sense of humour ? Loosen up, you're taking all this foot stuff way too serious. You really did get off on the wrong foot this morning.

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2 minutes ago, malt25 said:

No sense of humour ? Loosen up, you're taking all this foot stuff way too serious. You really did get off on the wrong foot this morning.

Always a good line to use when trying to hide ones lack of knowledge and save face!

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While foreigners should be mindful of the customs here etc (and it gets on my wick how some people behave), when you rely heavily on the tourist dollar, this type of thing should be brushed off. Now, Chinese pissing in swimming pools, spreading poo around temple toilets, or Hijab-wearers washing in pools is draw the line time.

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