The Svelte Thai Women And The 'Won Sigh' Foreigner

As a newly-arrived expat in Thailand, I looked forward to seeing every little thing from the Reclining Buddha to the gold-encrusted temples. But first, I told myself, I had some critical shopping to do. With the...

I came to understand early on in my keep in this stunning nation of Thailand, that Thai ladies had been not only perfectly groomed and gracious, but they were definitely "svelte." I mean, how several a lot more attributes do they get? I felt like Gulliver in the land of the Lilliputians.

As a newly-arrived expat in Thailand, I looked forward to seeing almost everything from the Reclining Buddha to the gold-encrusted temples. But first, I told myself, I had some significant shopping to do. With the temperature at 100 degrees and the humidity fighting for best billing, I thought the greatest place to kill two birds with one metaphorical stone would be at an air conditioned shopping mall. Shopping has often had a way of lifting my more than-sized spirits. I'd hoped to find a cutesy small sundress that could transform my 38DD bust line and my 30 inch waist into one thing that looked "svelte."

But this wasn't just for me, this shopping business. No, no. I produced it a prerequisite to constantly aid the local economy. I was directed by our hotel's concierge to try Robinson's Department Store in downtown Bangkok. "Quite good clothes foh you, MaDam."

Wow, Robinsons? Appropriate right here in downtown Bangkok? It took me thirty minutes on a hot tuk-tuk ride in the piercing heat, but I produced it, unscathed and ready to devote, devote, invest. As I sauntered into what I believed was the Women's Department, I stopped brief. Oh, no, these must be the teen's clothes. They're a lot also modest for an adult. I scanned the racks. Who wears a size 2? Where am I, in the Barbi and Ken Department? I could not get these types about my thigh, a lot less my back-side.

I could see an individual walking towards me, but she looked like a teenager. Surely she's not the salesgirl? She stopped in front of me. "Gootmoanin."

"Oh." I felt my face get hot. She looked like a sprite. She wasn't a small girl following all she was at least in her 20s and certainly the salesgirl in this department. "Uh, I, ah, was Is there a Woman's department in this retailer?"

"Yeth." She smiled and waited expectantly.

"Oh. Nicely, I, ah, could you point me to it?"

"Mai kow jai ka."

I yanked my Thai-to-English conversation book from my pocket and handed it to her. She pointed to a Thai phrase and handed the book back to me.

"Oh! You don't recognize?"

She smiled.

"Okay. Sure. Sorry." I pointed to read more here my well-fed body, even though she watched expectantly. I then yanked on the waistline of my dress and stated, "Clothes. For me."

"Yeth," she smiled demurely even though searching at her feet, "preze foroow me."

She led me to a little alcove, exactly where some effectively-fed tourists had been grazing about. Sidling up to a rather rotund shopper, I asked if she knew why we had been led to this separate area. "Is it because we're foreigners?"

She puckered up her mouth as if sucking on a sour gumball: "Yeah, honey, it's cuz we're foreigner's all proper, larger-than-life foreigners!" She threw back her head and full article guffawed at her cleverness.

"Huh?"

"The only sizes you will uncover out there," she cocked her head towards the tiny clothes I'd just left, "are size twos to fours, and honey, that ain't us." She had herself another good laugh.

I snuck a peek about the space while she chortled, and realized that each body standing in this room was years past these proportions.

I knew I wasn't going to like these svelte, tidy little ladies. They must be bulimic that is it. Binge, purge, binge, purge - they're not fooling me. Dream on, lady.

As I toured and shopped the city in the following weeks, I came to comprehend that the Thais were also neat and tidy in other elements of their lives. Each department shop I visited in Bangkok was unbelievably home page pristine. Shirts and pants, towels, linens and sportswear had been not only folded and stacked, but really looked as though folded by automation. All the garments concealed cardboard inserts to give them shape. No pins showing, no uneven edges, just as if it were a image on display. The dresses, blouses and shirts were neatly hung on hangers according to sizes and colors. Incredible, thinking about the litter I'd witnessed outside on the streets of Bangkok, where each tiny nook and crevice harbored some sort of debris.

For us, ahem, bigger sizes, I located that something imported was deplorably high. An imported name-brand in Thailand could be 4 occasions greater than one may possibly pay in the States. Paradoxically, Thai clothes are really inexpensive and quite stylish if you are less than five feet tall and weigh between seventy and ninety pounds.

I produced a selection then and there: Just before I left this nation I would diet regime, rapidly, quit eating, quit breathing whatever it took to appear as svelte as these Thai ladies.

An additional eye-opener I identified was that each place I shopped, there had been at least 3 salespeople hovering more than me, smiling, waiing a Thai greeting. So helpful! I'll be really cranky when I return to the States and don't get the very same service.

But back to reality. After living in Thailand for a handful of months, I learned the secret of the segregated clothing. The salespeople have the perfect answer for us larger sizes. It is called "Won Sigh" which means Massive. You enter the clothing department, and unless you are built like Twiggy, the sweet, smiling, ever-valuable salesgirls who all appear pre-pubescent steer you toward the "Won Sigh" department. This is where you will locate all the loose-fitting, baggy, beachy, gauzy, hippie-looking outfits, and all claiming to fit One SIZE from size 8 all the way up to Mama Cass. This is their way of saving face - yours. They would never dream to insinuate you were big, fat, obese, or chubby. You just take place to fall into the category of Won Sigh.

As I departed Robinsons in my new muumuu, practically tripping more than the hemline, I got a glimpse of my reflection in the display window. YIKES! Picture Hilo Hattie in strappy sandals.

(Excerpted from A Broad Abroad in Thailand by Dodie Cross, with permission).