Say you're in your hometown - be that New York, York, Melbourne, Madrid, wherever - and an obviously foreign couple walks by. The very hairy, pot-bellied man is wearing a loincloth with his butt fully exposed and the over-weight, saggy-buxom woman is wearing nothing but a few stripes of neon yellow body paint. The couple walks into a church, stomp in during a service, walk around without smiling and start snapping flash pictures. Are these people cool in their expression of their individuality and are they groovy ambassadors for their culture? They're a bit of a freak show perhaps but not much more.
To a Muslim man in Kota Bahru, Malaysia or an old woman selling fruit at a Thai Wat, this is about what it looks like when foreigners, the guy perhaps with his shirt off, the girl in short shorts and spaghetti straps, come through and tromp through their religious sites like they're a 7-11. Usually I keep quiet about what I think of people's travel style, but these types of travelers seem to be taking over the region more and more - in turn the locals start to dislike tourists and see them only as a depressing means by which to earn a buck.
During my last trip to Thailand I saw countless topless sunbathers on Muslim beaches, bra-less women wearing see-through tops while walking around conservative market towns and shirtless men walking around town. The most depressing moment was at Wat Tham Seua near Krabi Town where nearly every tourist I saw (and there were around 35 to 50 of them) was wearing shorts, tank tops or no shirt at all. Signs had been posted asking visitors to dress conservatively but no one seemed to notice - and of course a monk isn't going to come up to some couple dressed for the beach and give them a piece of his mind. Over and over again I wonder, what are these people thinking? Why do they travel so far only to disrespect the people in the country they're visiting? If they came to party why couldn't they just stay in Patong? And I'm not whining or yelling these questions, I really want to know. I'm stumped.
If you're reading this you're probably the type of person who would think to cover up before entering a foreign place of worship - or at least I hope you are. So thanks for listening to this rant. And if you have any ideas of how to ease this ballooning problem, please leave your comments. Also please share any thoughts you might have. I've heard people argue that they think they should be able to wear whatever they want wherever they want - you know freedom and all. But I'm a staunch believer of travelling light in all sense of the word including my impact on a culture.
PS: My paparazzi photo skills aren't tops but these are all photos from my last trip to Thailand.
I agree with you totally. I've seen some sites try and monitor clothing (or lack thereof) such as Bangkok's Jade Buddha grounds, Teak Palace site, etc but the 'monitoring' is done by military types and not monks. Barring putting soldiers at the gates of each temple (not an option) I can only suggest putting some onous on the local hotels: educational materials in the rooms, suggestions by front desk staff when people leave the hotel bound for religious sites, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think also just traveling by example and sharing with other tourist really helps to encourage others to be more respectful. Its hard to make people more culturally aware, put it is so important for traveling. I am hoping to travel to SE Asia this fall, so its great to hear the "best practices" for the area.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU. I was sort of astounded what people would wear to temples... to breakfast even. I often was a little embarrassed to be associated with the people around me. Throwing a jacket over your shoulders while wearing a tight short dress with your boobs falling out does not really equal covering up. And that was at the Reclining Buddha. :(
ReplyDeleteI agree, military at the door isn't ideal but at least it does get the point accross. Leading by example can't hurt but I often feel like I'm the only one and these types of travellers just see me as someone with little fashion sense rather than someone to emulate.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be nice if people were shown a video on the plane or something like with the security stuff?
Thanks all of you for reading and commenting! I'm so glad this post is getting read. I was afraid of looking like an old grouch!
good post!
ReplyDeleteWarm Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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I got a Twitter comment that's worth mentioning: In Singapore you can wear what you want, outside of religious places that is.
ReplyDeleteAlso in big cities like Manila and Bangkok you can get as fashionable as you like - at least on the streets. But it's pretty obvious. Just check what the locals are doing and follow suit.
We would hope that people would be respectful and sensitive in regards to what some would refer to as modesty in the churches and other religious, or spiritual places, in the US, Canada, and Europe as they are in SE Asia or other countries - but it is just not the case, all too often.
ReplyDeleteRespect and sensitivity begin at home....
Yes, I totally agree. I felt the same way on a recent trip to North Africa. I saw countless women in tank tops and short dresses. Not only is it disrespectful (although only the older people voiced their displeasure), but it also makes such people an instant target for robbery, harassment, and worse. I think some of the best travel advice is "When in Rome...", which can include not wearing flip flops in Europe or covering your legs in Fiji.
ReplyDeleteI thank you so much for your sharing to me about the best practice for SE Asia. I actually plan go to Phuket on end of this year. My boyfriend he in so interested in trip to explore bird's nest cape from the site named...phuketparadise.net. If I am not wrong about the name. I anyway thank you so much for your sharing.
ReplyDeleteI sympathise with your reaction.
ReplyDeleteMy experience is that when one visits a place that has been treated insensitively, there is sometimes an opportunity to 'make contact' with people and distinguish oneself from those who are culturally insensitive. But when the local people put up the mental shutters to everyone, that is sad.
Perhaps the insensitivity stems in part from the security they feel from not having suffered as Thailand has from three coups or attempted coups since the 1970s, border clashes with Vietnam and now with Cambodia, and the current arrest warrants for insurrection against pro democracy organisers...
Thanks so much for your article. I hope it increases cultural sensitivity. I and my daughter just went to the Philippines. We wanted to be sure we did not make the Filipino people uncomfortable with our dress, so researched it before we went. T-shirts and capris and skirts were fine, so we were able to stay cool but also be modest. In general the shoulders needed to be covered, so we did not wear tank tops.
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