 | Bangkok People Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 22 |  |
 | |  |  | People: Cleanliness is next to godliness | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
No matter how dirty Bangkok may be, one thing that has impressed me from my very first visit is the cleanliness. The stallholders always clean up and leave a nice tidy pile, which is then collected by a cleaner. There is a small army of mostly women who clean the gutters around populated areas, like Chinatown, and I haven't seen people wilfully litter at I do at home, and there is almost no graffiti to be seen! The people themselves are very clean - despite often the most basic accommodation and facilities available to them. As a frequent tuktuk passenger, I have to say I always notice how clean and tidy the drivers are at all times, as are the people in the streets, stallholders etc. Stallholders are seen fussing and dusting all day long - and, once you have moved on from their store, they will tidy any mess you have left behind! It is therefore respsectful for us as tourists to attend to our grooming, and cleanliness, and rituals such as removing shoes in some shops and houses, rather than assuming anything goes. The little girls in my main photo are the children of a concierge staffmember from our hotel - what you can almost see is the dirty khlong beside them - you can't see their home, which consists of 3 of the tiniest rooms you have ever seen, where you have to move from room to room via a public outside alley....and the general basic nature of this family lodging. They were all dressed up for a day at Chatuchak with my husband and I.
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| | | | People: Lady-boy? Or real woman? ... Just ask. | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
. I live in Bangkok. It is rather amuzing to read warning on forums about Bangkok to "WATCH OUT FOR LADY-BOYS!" When I read such warnings, I often wonder why the strident comments? Instead, I'll offer some facts: Lady-boys are young men who prefer to dress and act like women. They are not necessarily homosexuals. Lady-boys are common in Thailand. Lady-boys have active roles on Thai television. You can also see lady-boys working in grocery stores, markets, travel agencies - in fact, all kinds of businesses. If the business would employ a woman, it probably would employ a lady-boy. There are lady-boys working in the brothels & bars also. Some of them are stunningly beautiful - from a distance. But up close, the makeup is a bit thick, the breasts too high, the clothing seems forced. Hands and feet may appear too large for the body. And, of course, the Adam's apple. If a man is in a bar, and a woman looks attractive and tempting, how would the man know if this is a real woman? The simple solution is merely ask, quietly and politely: "Are you lady-boy, or not?" All Thais may not always give an honest answer to all questions, but to that question, the probablility is almost 100% of getting an honest reply. A lady-boy would likely grin or giggle, and admit it. A real woman would get a bit annoyed, and probably do or show something to prove her veracity. There is nothing dangerous about this. There is one area where lady-boys can be dangerous and that is street-crime. Some pickpockets dress as lady-boys in order to more easily approach their "mark". I've never experienced this, but have read enough reports, that I think there must be something to it. Overall, when I've encountered lady-boys in shops or offices, they've been helpful and friendly. I've never had any problems with lady-boys. Short answer - not to worry. -- Peter Leave a Comment
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