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Original poster

Fat in Thailand

46 replies

OnSilverStars · 25/09/2023 07:21

I'm going to Thailand next week with my extended family. I don't know why I've not thought about this much until now, but I'm worried about being fat in Thailand and receiving negative comments from people about it. I've just heard it's culturally acceptable to comment on people's size. I'm a UK 14/16 and have a decent shape. I exercise a lot and eat well especially mon-Fri. I don't know why I'm telling you that- maybe to make myself feel better I guess!

Has anyone been to Thailand overweight that can share their experience? Did they feel embarrassed or even worse? Yes I should have lost weight... not my question thanks

OP posts:
CharlotteRumpling · 25/09/2023 07:26

Nobody is going to comment on the size of a tourist. Or very unlikely to, unless you are shopping for clothes, when they may not have your size. Just go and enjoy yourself. Don't overthink it.

MiddleagedBeachbum · 25/09/2023 07:28

No, not all, I was a 12-14 and never received a comment and never heard of anyone being commented to!

Thai people are very polite and welcoming, very hospitable, they’ll do anything to please.

As a nation they are generally tiny so I felt very tall and big, but there’s also plenty of tourists inc loads of giant Americans.

CharlotteRumpling · 25/09/2023 07:31

Yes, the Thai people are incredibly hospitable, polite and gracious. Beautiful country, wonderful food.
Just take several swimsuits as you may not be able to buy a replacement easily as even a size 8 is large in Thailand!

CrotchetyQuaver · 25/09/2023 07:33

I wouldn't say a dress size 14/16 counts as overweight? I doubt anyone would comment

Catsfrontbum · 25/09/2023 07:34

Unless You go try try on clothes I don’t high you’ll get any comments at all.

Thai people are very very polite and welcoming.

GenXTeaDrinker · 25/09/2023 07:35

I think in a lot of Asia it is culturally acceptable to comment on weight. I don’t know about Thailand specifically.

People do it because they’re trying to be helpful. Unless you’re going into a local person’s home due to having local family members I doubt anyone will say anything to you. If you do hang around with locals, it might come up in various situations such as clothes shopping and finding the correct size, talking about health, and attending leisure facilities such as spas and swimming pools.

In my experience (not in Thailand) nobody went on and on and on about my weight. You know how someone with very white skin might get people commenting on how they’re likely to burn in the sun? In my experience the tone and length of weight comments was at about that level.

I found out eventually (I won’t say where I was as it’s outing) that locals were very blunt with each other if they thought someone needed to dye their hair, change their tie, get more sleep etc … So I put the weight comments in that context.

Enjoy your trip. Don’t worry about it. Unless you speak perfect Thai or they speak perfect English you can just smile, change the subject and move the conversation on.

IHopeThisFindsYouWell · 25/09/2023 07:35

Thai people are on the whole incredibly polite and good natured. They have a massive tourist industry and are generally very polite towards tourists.

They are as a generality absolutely tiny. I was a size 10 and was size XL in their clothes, even at that they were small made. They are very short too, just petite overall.

Have a wonderful time. It's a beautiful place with amazing people. Learn the Thai for 'please slow down' as the taxi drive to Bangkok was the worst 45 minutes of my life. We had private drivers after that who were wonderful.

itsmyp4rty · 25/09/2023 07:38

Being fat in Thailand = being rich. You won't get anyone being rude to you, Thai people are wonderful. I'm a size 8 and was a large in Thailand.

Original poster
OnSilverStars · 25/09/2023 07:54

Thanks for all the replies! Makes me feel much better in my last minute panic and I can carry on packing without stressing. Very excited to go now!

OP posts:
Maraa · 25/09/2023 08:02

When I went to Thailand many years ago, I got one comment about my weight. They weren’t being rude just different cultures I guess. They liked that I was bigger than them and it was more curiosity than rudeness if that makes sense. Just laugh it off if it does happen but 4 weeks in Thailand, hundreds of people met and one comment, it probably won’t happen! Have the best time, beautiful country and people!

itsgoingtobeabumpyride · 25/09/2023 08:04

I'd be very surprised if any Thai commented on your size.
If anything the locals will compliment you on your clothes / hair etc.
I'm tall, head and shoulders taller than most Thai's, the Thai ladies made me look like a freaky giant.
The only comments I received were along the lines of " beautiful lady" etc and I'm far from beautiful!
I received lovely comments when I smiled and tried to interact with them (learned a few Thai words and used them).
The Thai people are very gracious and kind.
You've got nothing to worry about.
It's like going anywhere in the world, you'll see tourist's of all shapes and sizes.
Couple of bits of advice:
*Cover up in temples (arms and shoulders).
*Remove shoes.
*Respect the royal family.
*Don't touch people's heads, even children.
*Respect the Buddha (don't climb on statues to get a photo etc)
*As a woman, don't accidentally touch a monk.
*If someone bows towards you, with their hands in prayer, return the gesture, it's a common gesture of greeting.
Enjoy your trip, I loved Thailand

BertieBootsy · 25/09/2023 08:08

Yes, I (size 16-18) went to Thailand with a friend (size 8). We went out on a day trip and the guide thought it was hilarious to continuously bring up the fact that my friend who was half my size, ate much larger food portions than I did on the trip but I was so much bigger than her! He really couldn’t get his head around it. Bit annoying but there was no malice intended so took it with a pinch of salt.

IHopeThisFindsYouWell · 25/09/2023 08:08

@itsgoingtobeabumpyride to add to this list, feet are seen as dirty so keep them to yourself - don't sit crossed legged or show your soles to anyone etc.

Stand for the national anthem (played at the cinemas)

Londonnight · 25/09/2023 08:20

Thai's do comment on size. I have a Thai daughter in law and I also work with a Thai lady. Both have now been in the UK long enough to know that we don't comment on peoples size.
When my DIL married my son all her friends commented on him being "fat" [ despite being an average size westerner ].

It is a cultural thing, and not meant to be nasty. As a tourist you should have no problem and a size 14/16 really isn't fat.

Snoken · 25/09/2023 08:25

I have only been to Vietnam and there it's perfectly acceptable to comment on peoples looks, size etc. It's both what we percieve as nice comments but they also don't filter themselves if they think something that we think is negative. I am a size 8 so I didn't get the weight comments but I did get told that my skin looked dull at one point and that I shouldn't wear v-necks as it doesn't suit my body type. My friends friend, who I had only met once, also slapped my bum and told me it was beautiful. It's quite refreshing but it can probably eat away at you if you are already insecure about something.

SallyWD · 25/09/2023 08:28

The thing is I'm sure Thai do talk openly about weight but that would be to friends and family - not approaching random tourists to tell them they're fat!
I'm sure you'll be fine.

LunaMay · 25/09/2023 08:32

You may get some but not necessarily in a nasty way?

My guilty secret is watching Foodie Beauty on You tube, she's like 400pounds and has just been in Thailand. Noticed some looks etc and someone thought she was pregnant but nothing too bad, i think you'll be fine.

Rewis · 25/09/2023 08:34

When I was a teenager (long time ago) and trying to buy a shirt in China. At the time i was 5'7 and weight less than 9 stone and the sales person just looked at me and said 'fat giant' and walked away 😂

While commenting on weight is more acceptable in SE Asia, they're not gonna come randomly at you. Especially in tourist areas they're used to bigger westerners.

janefondofu · 25/09/2023 08:53

Rewis · 25/09/2023 08:34

When I was a teenager (long time ago) and trying to buy a shirt in China. At the time i was 5'7 and weight less than 9 stone and the sales person just looked at me and said 'fat giant' and walked away 😂

While commenting on weight is more acceptable in SE Asia, they're not gonna come randomly at you. Especially in tourist areas they're used to bigger westerners.

Edited

Sorry for laughing but this is really funny😂

iamwhatiam23 · 25/09/2023 11:06

Rewis · 25/09/2023 08:34

When I was a teenager (long time ago) and trying to buy a shirt in China. At the time i was 5'7 and weight less than 9 stone and the sales person just looked at me and said 'fat giant' and walked away 😂

While commenting on weight is more acceptable in SE Asia, they're not gonna come randomly at you. Especially in tourist areas they're used to bigger westerners.

Edited

This actually made me laugh out loud!

Sedgwick · 25/09/2023 11:15

I was there in August with my 40 inch waist, (size 16 apple) people extremely polite. I did feel fat and annoyed with myself for not losing weight as planned for my holiday but just stuck a smile on and wore cotton tent dresses. I had a great holiday and am finally losing weight now. I really wouldn’t worry. Cover up if visiting temples. Have a great holiday.

TheMurderousGoose · 25/09/2023 11:15

Rewis · 25/09/2023 08:34

When I was a teenager (long time ago) and trying to buy a shirt in China. At the time i was 5'7 and weight less than 9 stone and the sales person just looked at me and said 'fat giant' and walked away 😂

While commenting on weight is more acceptable in SE Asia, they're not gonna come randomly at you. Especially in tourist areas they're used to bigger westerners.

Edited

that is hilarious Grin

Cinnamope · 25/09/2023 18:38

Fat giant 😂😂

C1N1C · 25/09/2023 18:53

I've gone to Thailand probably ten times and actually lived there.

30 years ago, you might have had a case, but not now. The Thais WERE mega skinny, and even my slim family stood out as being large.

Since then, they've become massively westernised, and there are a good number of larger people out there. Your normal weight will not even be noticed.

insideoutandupsidedown · 25/09/2023 22:31

I lived in Thailand for 15 years, have a Thai husband, half Thai children and speak Thai. We have been back in the UK for ten years. I can absolutely assure you that they DO comment on your size. However it is not a negative like in the UK.

When I first moved there I can remember going to have some clothes made for my office job as the tailors were so cheap and the silks so beautiful. I was 28 and a size 6. .. the tailors assistant put her tape measure around my waist and declared I was a size 'eck, eck ell' (even my basic Thai could work that one out) I was mortified. Not as much though as when I was 9 months pregnant and my sister in law came into my bedroom at 6am (personal space is just not a thing in Thailand) and squeezed my chubby tree-trunk of a leg and declared (in Thai) that I was so deliciously fat she could make delicious soup from my bones. (I just smiled and swore at her in English - which she didn't speak...

It's untrue that they won't comment - they absolute will but it just means you are regarded as prosperous and healthy. Not skinny and too poor to buy food.

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