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!

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