My first contact with a Thai woman took place about 15 years ago, while attending and english course in Auckland with my good friend Massi. We soon noticed that New Zealand was packed with Koreans, Japaneses, Thai and other oriental people. Most of them escaping from the ipercompetitive Universities of their countries or just learning english in a very relaxing and quiet atmosphere. During Christmas vacations we organized a group of 10 people: 3 Italians, one from Switzerland, one German, several Korenas and 3 Thai girls. No need to say that I was astonished to see these short, cute and gentle creatures cleaning up our backpacker common room, washing the dishes, cooking and doing this house duty, mostly considered as a hassle in my country, spontaneously and with a bright smile in their face.
Fifteen years later I landed in Suvarnhapu airport, Bangkok, to meet a Thai penpal.
As I approached her to give an innocent kiss in her cheek, she suddenly jumped back with a sense of surprise mixed with fear..."what am I doing wrong?" I asked to myself. The following days thanks to my curiosity (yes I am a nosy guy), thanks to other Thai friends and thanks to Bangkok Days, I started to move my first tentative steps into Thai culture.
I realized that if Thai women have not that sensual appeal of a Brazilian or Peruvian woman nor they have that cold disarming beauty of a Russian, they are anyway pretty, earnest, always gentle and polite. Due to their education and to their Buddhist philosophy, they have no sexual taboos, (there is a deep respect toward "Katoeis" who represent the third gender or "the most beautiful side of masculine beauty") they always smile and even in the most difficult situations keep calm and positive, That's great compared to our western culture I think. I soon discovered that they grow up with a strict social rules who make inpolite to kiss or hug or become angry or to shout in public. They have so many ways to say Mister or Miss depending to whom you are referring and the sign of Way is a wonderful greeting gesture, pity it's going to disappear.
They consider good "Jai Yen" (cold temper) and bad " Jai Ron" (hot temper). Thai society requires harmony, self-control and honesty (far from being a perfect country I may say it's the safest country ever visited by far). Yet Thai women love to keep their skin as pale as possible (as well as Vietnamese and Cambodian women) because milky skin is considered attractive as well as a sign of health just the opposite of western culture where charming women are always well tanned and like to sunbathe. Women are are the pillars of Thai families; since very young help their mothers with housework and when they start to work always send part of their salary to their families who often live far from Bangkok whereas many times I heard about men who get drunk, beat or betray their women.
Fifteen years later I landed in Suvarnhapu airport, Bangkok, to meet a Thai penpal.
As I approached her to give an innocent kiss in her cheek, she suddenly jumped back with a sense of surprise mixed with fear..."what am I doing wrong?" I asked to myself. The following days thanks to my curiosity (yes I am a nosy guy), thanks to other Thai friends and thanks to Bangkok Days, I started to move my first tentative steps into Thai culture.
I realized that if Thai women have not that sensual appeal of a Brazilian or Peruvian woman nor they have that cold disarming beauty of a Russian, they are anyway pretty, earnest, always gentle and polite. Due to their education and to their Buddhist philosophy, they have no sexual taboos, (there is a deep respect toward "Katoeis" who represent the third gender or "the most beautiful side of masculine beauty") they always smile and even in the most difficult situations keep calm and positive, That's great compared to our western culture I think. I soon discovered that they grow up with a strict social rules who make inpolite to kiss or hug or become angry or to shout in public. They have so many ways to say Mister or Miss depending to whom you are referring and the sign of Way is a wonderful greeting gesture, pity it's going to disappear.
They consider good "Jai Yen" (cold temper) and bad " Jai Ron" (hot temper). Thai society requires harmony, self-control and honesty (far from being a perfect country I may say it's the safest country ever visited by far). Yet Thai women love to keep their skin as pale as possible (as well as Vietnamese and Cambodian women) because milky skin is considered attractive as well as a sign of health just the opposite of western culture where charming women are always well tanned and like to sunbathe. Women are are the pillars of Thai families; since very young help their mothers with housework and when they start to work always send part of their salary to their families who often live far from Bangkok whereas many times I heard about men who get drunk, beat or betray their women.
