Genius International Traveler, I Am
Phuket Island, Thailand
So I'm walking around Phuket Town this afternoon, running a few errands, when I notice that the locals are looking at me in a different register.
Usually, they ignore me -- farangs are nothing new here -- or they take one curious look and go on their bored way. But, today, the glances were furtive, some noses were wrinkled, and I saw a quick finger pointing at me.
The behavior stumped me. I was wearing my ordinary uniform of tan dress pants, a button-down dress shirt, tan socks and sandals. A dork uniform, no doubt, but nothing about it should have registered with the Thais.
I walked into my apartment building, and, as I pressed the elevator button, I noticed the cloth of the shirt sleeve.
It was white with red stripes.
I was wearing a red shirt.
In Thailand.
At a time when wearing a red shirt has a specific and incendiary political meaning.
Smart, Paul, real smart.
I changed into a blue shirt, which was just as dorky but wouldn't get me lynched or arrested.
So I'm walking around Phuket Town this afternoon, running a few errands, when I notice that the locals are looking at me in a different register.
Usually, they ignore me -- farangs are nothing new here -- or they take one curious look and go on their bored way. But, today, the glances were furtive, some noses were wrinkled, and I saw a quick finger pointing at me.
The behavior stumped me. I was wearing my ordinary uniform of tan dress pants, a button-down dress shirt, tan socks and sandals. A dork uniform, no doubt, but nothing about it should have registered with the Thais.
I walked into my apartment building, and, as I pressed the elevator button, I noticed the cloth of the shirt sleeve.
It was white with red stripes.
I was wearing a red shirt.
In Thailand.
At a time when wearing a red shirt has a specific and incendiary political meaning.
Smart, Paul, real smart.
I changed into a blue shirt, which was just as dorky but wouldn't get me lynched or arrested.
posted by Paul Karl Lukacs at
10:09 PM
3 Comments:
"At a time when wearing a red shirt has a specific and incendiary political meaning."
Damn, I didn't know Thailand was full up with Crips.
you should be proud of wearing a red shirt, you moron
your mistake was socks and sandals. you should have been arrested by the fashion police.
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