Hang out the washing...

[piston10]

A few days ago I spent an evening in conversation with a mature and educated Thai man who is visiting the UK.

The subject of hierarchy in Thai society came up and he told me that a good Thai housewife, when setting out washing to dry on a rack, places the garments of the senior member of the household at the top and the rest in descending hierarchical order underneath.

Now, I know he told me this partly because a westerner would surely find it odd, if not amusing. But I pushed him a little and asked how he felt about this.

He said, without a flicker, "Well, it's our culture. It seems perfectly natural to me."

Subsequently I have been wondering whether he was, in fact, pulling my leg. Has anyone come across this practice or have any comments?

Wonderful if it's true!

I'll bet he has never hung the washing out in his life, nor stopped long enough to assure himself that his little imagined structure is indeed enacted. What he is really saying is that deference to hierarchy is so deeply entrenched that he would expect this to happen. And he's probably right. Hence the bill always coming to the white man, whether he is in the bar or not.

We didn't have a washing machine, let alone a clothes line, and besides my mum wouldn't dare put my father's washing out to dry; especially after the night he got drunk, shit himself and put his suit in the the rubbish bin, only for me to nearly throw the old ashes from the fire over it. Mind you, my mum always made sure she hung out her nighties on the line - that was after my dad pissed on them whilst he was in bed, only to slap and blame her to save him embarrassment.

[Wesley]

We didn't have a washing machine, let alone a clothes line, and besides my mum wouldn't dare put my father's washing out to dry; especially after the night he got drunk, shit himself and put his suit in the the rubbish bin, only for me to nearly throw the old ashes from the fire over it. Mind you, my mum always made sure she hung out her nighties on the line - that was after my dad pissed on them whilst he was in bed, only to slap and blame her to save him embarrassment.


I hope you are merely jesting with us, I would be in jail for Murder if my dad had treated my Mom that way.

Wes

[krobbie]

We didn't have a washing machine, let alone a clothes line, and besides my mum wouldn't dare put my father's washing out to dry; especially after the night he got drunk, shit himself and put his suit in the the rubbish bin, only for me to nearly throw the old ashes from the fire over it. Mind you, my mum always made sure she hung out her nighties on the line - that was after my dad pissed on them whilst he was in bed, only to slap and blame her to save him embarrassment.


I hope you are merely jesting with us, I would be in jail for Murder if my dad had treated my Mom that way.

Wes

Wes,
Cultural differences. Ain't they sweet?

Whilst I cannot see such happening in the USA, I can certainly see it happening in Blighty.

Whitedesire may be telling us the truth plus or minus, but I think we get the drift and know it's likely.

Cheers
keith.

Yep twas the truth with a few plusses and minus - although my dad wasn't violent, far from it - I think if I remember right, he just shouted at her and might have tapped her, as I say to save embarrassment - I remember once, my mum lifted up her skirt and lightly farted in my dad's face - my dad didn't like it, so he clouted her (only lightly) - enough to mess up her hairdo, which she had done religiously every Saturday - those were the days.

[Smiles]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7TOmyDsFJ0&mode=related&search=

Cheers ...

[Wesley]

Well for every fart there is a reward, surely some smell worse than others, I guess My mom proved she was the boss when she sold the family farm out

from under dad (it was in her name) While he was planting the corn. So as he was planting the corn for someone else and did not even know it, mom was at

the lawyers office selling the farm or, most of it. Some belonged to dad. It was an old southern plantation quite large for that time and dad lived like we

were poor as dirt. It was after I had worked two jobs to get through college; I came home and noticed dads bank statement. It had 92,000 dollars in

Checking. Just out of college, I thought I might give him some advise and told him to put it in savings where it would draw interest. He looked angrily at me

and retorted. I have enough in savings. Sure enough when he died he was right . He had lived the life of a pauper only to leave it all to me. My brother and

sister had already borrowed so much off the estate I ended up with all the estate. I had never borrowed a cent and lived off some quite good jobs after

college.


Wesley

[ned kelly-old]

"The subject of hierarchy in Thai society came up and he told me that a good Thai housewife, when setting out washing to dry on a rack, places the garments of the senior member of the household at the top and the rest in descending hierarchical order underneath."

I asked my Thai partner about the above. He is very well educated and comes from a respectable Thai (not T-Chinese) family.

He said that he couldn't say what was said wasn't true, but he had never heard of it. Most middle class families and above would have a maid and they would be the ones doing the washing......often still by hand as many Thai families are suspicious of the effectiveness of machines. Apart from sensible things like keeping cloths used for wiping dishes, etc separate from articles that are to do with people (clothes and towels, bed linen) the only slightly odd Thai cultural thing he thought might be applicable is the fact that they would never put underwear and socks on the top rack, this would always be underneath.
As an aside he mentioned that many believed if the person hanging out the clothes was wearing a buddha amulet they would be particularly careful not to bend under or walk under a ladies sarong or skirt as this would destroy the protective powers of the buddha.

[Hmmm]

Some books on Thai culture state that women cannot wash mens' underwear. So who's washing the mens' underwear I wonder ? Not Thai men, that's for sure.

Don't believe everything you hear or read. Times change.

[Wesley]

when in CA, I was tole no one would wash my underwear, so for me no big deal, however, Invariably every person I hired to keep house and wash clothes and iron them also washed my under ware. So, it may be the culture but obviously it seems to be up to the woman doing the work as well. I guess, she just never told her husband she was washing my underwear.

Wesley

[Smiles]

My guy sniffs my underwear ... as well as his own. We do everything together :cheers:

Seriously though, how many times have we taken our dirty clothes to laundry? 100 times or so I'd guess . . . and on each occasion some Thai lady handles and counts out the socks and underwear in the same way as if they're silk shirts.

Cheers ....

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

Not only would a Thai wife give her husband a good tongue lashing for such a suggestion but I'm sure the desired effect was a achieved by the story-teller.

ie: farang picks up the bill !

file this one urban myths.

DELETED

[krobbie]

Arrrh, now I understand why my clothing is always on top whenever I walk past my laundry :cheers:[/quote]

Quick, someone pop a cold cloth for John ... he's become delusional.

Cheers
K.

[PeterUK]

The subject of hierarchy in Thai society came up and he told me that a good Thai housewife, when setting out washing to dry on a rack, places the garments of the senior member of the household at the top and the rest in descending hierarchical order underneath.



No doubt Thai families which are such sticklers for protocol have very secluded gardens or balconies. I can't believe they would wash (or dry) their dirty linen in public.

My Ex BF or his brother have to do the washing & some cooking/cleaning when they are back at home in sisaket ( usually they are at uni in Bkk) .

dad never lifted a finger, and mom & dad both frowned/complained to the BF when i helped with cooking or anything else.

I thought i gained face and they thought they lost it lol