#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Thailand, Asia & the rest of the World Questions & Answers Forum >  >  Why don't thai women drink?

## traveler

I know, I should know this by now, but I don't.  I always assumed it was a buddhist thing, and left it at that.  Recently I heard it was more of a cultural thing, where women are perceived as bad if they drink?

Someone care to explain this?......

Thanks

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## Lily

I have known plenty of Thai women who drink.

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## Thai Pom

Me too, and not talking about "forced" lady drinks in a Bar either

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## Rural Surin

Come stay in Surin and observe for a short-time. Might dispell all your myths....Surin is rather 'famous' for it's universal female population that imbibes. Mind you, they're certainly not drunks, like their better-halves, but they are not hesitant - local cultural acceptance. For the most part, throughout the country, it's well understood that Thai birds don't drink. Perhaps a sip or two....

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## Mr Earl

I know plenty who drink a little.
I've known a few drink a lot.

Generally they like to save their money, and/or it makes them sick.

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## Airportwo

Think this is an "old Attitude' older Thai females rarely drink, whereas the younger generation are a little more independent than their parents?

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## Texpat

I've never heard this "myth." Is it part of the _mysterious Oriental mystique_ westerners will never understand?

Some drink, some don't.

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## MeMock

I am yet to meet a thai woman in my village who I have seen drink alcohol. Not saying it doesn't happen but I am yet to see it. Well apart from my wife who has one beer once a month (at that time) cause the Dr told her to.

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## traveler

> I am yet to meet a thai woman in my village who I have seen drink alcohol. Not saying it doesn't happen but I am yet to see it. Well apart from my wife who has one beer once a month (at that time) cause the Dr told her to.


So What's your theory MeMock? :Smile:   Is it a cultural or religious thing?

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## Marmite the Dog

They probably look at their menfolk and think "I sure as hell don't want to be like them!"

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## MeMock

I think it is both.

When the men drink here they drink to excess and most of them make a fool out of themselves. As a women you are meant to be more refined then your husbands so not drinking is one of them.
Of course being forbidden to drink grog as a buddhist is also part of it as I fond that women take their religion more seriously then the men.

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## spiff

> I know plenty who drink a little.
> I've known a few drink a lot.
> 
> Generally they like to save their money, and/or it makes them sick.


Yep, I observed the same.

The missus just feels sick after half a beer.

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## Loy Toy

I have known a few Thai woman who can drink most men under the table.

My wife, up until last night has not had a drink for at least 7 years.

Thai woman in general love to eat and prefer to have water with their meal.

Also I have noted that Thai woman will never drink at home and will only have a social drink and when the opportunity arises.

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## Rural Surin

> They probably look at their menfolk and think "I sure as hell don't want to be like them!"


One of the principle reasons a growing number of Thai women/girls don't want anything to do with Thai fellas...

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## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by Mr Earl
> 
> 
> I know plenty who drink a little.
> I've known a few drink a lot.
> 
> Generally they like to save their money, and/or it makes them sick.
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, agreed. This is true.

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## Thormaturge

If you saw what one glass of wine does to my assistant you'd realise why many Thai ladies don't drink alcohol.  Well, not in public anyway.   :Smile:

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## Kinnieow

I like girls that drink makes getting a BJ much easier.

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## buriramboy

Thai women don't drink??? Guess you lot ain't been to Pattaya, most of the women there are fookin alcoholics.

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## chitown

Thai women can't hold their booze and they know it. That is why most don't drink.

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## buriramboy

> I like girls that drink makes getting a BJ much easier.


You ain't that ugly are you????

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## Thormaturge

> Thai women don't drink??? Guess you lot ain't been to Pattaya, most of the women there are fookin alcoholics.


Most of the women there are men.

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## Lily

> Thai women can't hold their booze and they know it. That is why most don't drink.


I have to agree with that, and good on the ones who are aware of it. Some aren't as insightful, as is the case, not only in Thailand.

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## Marmite the Dog

> Thai women can't hold their booze and they know it. That is why most don't drink.


Our ladies did a pretty good job last night. It was me & Loy Toy who could hardly stand at the end of the night.  :Smile:

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## nevets

I think the poster is having a laugh

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## Hamster

Women don't drink?  

Hah - tell that to my wife.  She's from Surin and could drink most men under the table if she puts her mind to it.

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## traveler

> Thai women don't drink??? Guess you lot ain't been to Pattaya, most of the women there are fookin alcoholics.


 I am not talking about bargirls or anything associated with them (Xbargirls,etc.). 

I am talking about your average thai lady that holds on to traditional values.

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## traveler

> I think the poster is having a laugh


 I am assuming you are referring to me? Of course, I am :rofl:  It's interesting to read everyone's take on this.

So this is the kind of question I need to ask to get people to respond!....LOL

Seriously though, I was always curious about this, and have always assumed it was a buddhist thing, so I left it at that.

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## yatesy2

Yeah must be having a lend , my girl goes pretty hard at it. Often we smash a Tower + , but mind you she is allot more shabby than me for it the next morning, and don't think about mixing em' Ooark!!  Had to run her the bubble bath hang over cure this morning as matter fact !!

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## S Landreth

> The missus just feels sick after half a beer.


My girlfriend also (gets sick),.just a sip of a beer and she starts getting red blotches on her face. Maybe alcohol poisoning? 

But she has told me she used to drink while in college.

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## Loy Toy

> But she has told me she used to drink while in college.


That's a strange place for a piss up mate!  :Smile:

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## britmaveric

Fk wish I'd met one of those - known a few thai birds 40kg that somehow can drink an irishmen under the table.

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## Loy Toy

> Our ladies did a pretty good job last night. It was me & Loy Toy who could hardly stand at the end of the night.


Yes and it was my missus who picked me up and when I went sliding down Kao San Road on my arse!  :Sad:  and she was up at 7.30 this morning to take the kids out to the Issarn fair at Sirikit.

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## Happyman

Ladies - Drink 
My experience

Chinese - go red and fall over after a couple 
Thai - Not often but when they do start arguing 
 Indian - Drink most of us under the table ( right E.G.  :Smile:  ?)
South American - Two pisco sours and they are dancing naked on the bar !!
Black( not racist but to define the area )Africa dangerous with a gallon of pomba down their necks.
Med- Greeks- Italians - Spanish etc - A bottle of "vino collapso " and they are up to anything ( as long as you don't mind their aunt watching you like a bloody hawk ! )  :rofl:

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## buriramboy

> The missus just feels sick after half a beer.


That's probably more to do with the company she has to keep, fair play to her though for being able to stomach half a beer.

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## jizzybloke

JBird can put some drink away every now and again and never has a hangover either

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## Propagator

Mine can put aaway a fair amount, but usually has the hangover from hell the next day.    Time for me then to go out on a drive and come back in the evening.

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## S Landreth

> Originally Posted by S Landreth
> 
> But she has told me she used to drink while in college.
> 
> 
> That's a strange place for a piss up mate!


 
Let me explain,..she lived in a dorm. So the way it was explained to me was that every now and then the girls would gather in one room,put a blanket down on the floor,get a couple buckets of Sam Tam (sp?), sticky rice and beer,.drink, eat and giggle.

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## phuketbound

I know some Thai friends that can drink. 
It all depends on the person really. 


Do Thai woman smoke in public?
Korean women do not. It is shunned upon in this culture, and so is drinking. Although, the drinking thing has changed over the years, and you see it more and more.

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## JoGeAr

Mrs JoGeAr and I have been together for almost twelve years and I've seen her drunk less than ten times. Which is a good thing because every time she gets drunk it's a river of tears. Everybody hates her, nobody loves her, the whole world is against her. And the only time I've seen her smoke is when she's drunk. Well, if you call piddle-puffing whilst coughing and hacking smoking. She can get extremely friendly as well. Then she passes out.  :Sad:

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## Loy Toy

> Let me explain,..she lived in a dorm. So the way it was explained to me was that every now and then the girls would gather in one room,…put a blanket down on the floor,…get a couple buckets of Sam Tam (sp?), sticky rice and beer,…….drink, eat and giggle.


Any pics or linkies then......?????????  :sexy:

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## withnallstoke

> known a few thai birds 40kg that somehow can drink an irishmen under the table.


with large hands and feet, deep voice. Then have the Irishmans wallet away?

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## paranha

I dunno about cultural or habit or what else.

I do know that my missus only some time drinks som well watered whiskey sangsom.

I did trick her once to share a tequila or two with me. I saw that one hitting and after she got crazy with me because I fooled her to drink that rocket fuel. She promptly put down a ban for me on the tequila :-|

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## terry57

> Thai women don't drink??? Guess you lot ain't been to Pattaya, most of the women there are fookin alcoholics.




Yes but they need top be pissed so they can shag the ugly fat foks that get around there.  :Smile:

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## blackgang

> the drinking thing has changed over the years, and you see it more and more.


Good, Because in 1952 they were drinking way to much and I thought that they should put a cap on it then and stop swearing and cussing each other,, glad to hear that they have quit.

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## Whiteshiva

> They probably look at their menfolk and think "I sure as hell don't want to be like them!"


So Marmers, I take it all your lady friends have turned into teetotalers after the first date....? :Smile:

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## buriramboy

> Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> 
> 
> They probably look at their menfolk and think "I sure as hell don't want to be like them!"
> 
> 
> So Marmers, I take it all your lady friends have turned into teetotalers after the first date....?


I guess that would depend on whether they want to have sex with him or not. :Smile:

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## Travelmate

They drink.......

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## good2bhappy

some do some don't

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## Rural Surin

> Women don't drink? 
> 
> Hah - tell that to my wife. She's from Surin and could drink most men under the table if she puts her mind to it.


 :rofl:

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## robuzo

When I first saw the thread I honestly misread it as "Why don't Thai women _think_?"  I was all set with snarky post. . .as to the drinking, the majority of Thais like other Asian people lack an enzyme necessary to breaking down alcohol; that is why about 2/3 of them get flushed after only a single drink and vomit if they persist.  The share of the population that does possess the enzyme has no problem.  The Thai women who don't drink to excess are probably for the most part the ones who, like my wife, know their limitations.

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## AntRobertson

> majority of Thais like other Asian people lack an enzyme necessary to breaking down alcohol; that is why about 2/3 of them get flushed after only a single drink and vomit if they persist.


Had a Korean girlfirend like that; one sip of alcohol and she'd go bright red.  Was quite amusing.

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## dantilley

Pretty much every Thai woman I know drinks, at least occasionally. Some much more than others though - my better half, for example, drinks only about once a month. I've known other Thai girls become certified alcoholics though.

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## plorf

Somehow I have troubles believing all these stories about asians not being able to drink alcohol, milk etc. It solely seems to depend on the where they're coming from and from what upbringing. Or can someone explain why most bargirls, hi-so party chicks seem to have that gene while conservative middle class girls don't ? I guess it's just all about practice. 
My girlfriend can't drink at all, she's wasted after a beer. But she claims that in the past she could drink quite a few glasses of whiskey, but now not anymore.

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## notanameleft

what! what! what??
Thai women don't drink???
Sure they do,
the old ones in the rural drink Lao khao
and the ones in city drink Whisky (Regency is their favourite) and beer
The younger ones do beer, cocktails and liquor

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## Rural Surin

> what! what! what??
> Thai women don't drink???
> Sure they do,
> the old ones in the rural drink Lao khao
> and the ones in city drink Whisky (Regency is their favourite) and beer
> The younger ones do beer, coctails and liquor


And we're only seperated by several kms....you know how the a small percentage of women are here. But than on the other hand, I'm well aquainted with a number of ladies here that fit into that archtype 'Thai women don't drink' circle. Oh...Surin! :Smile:

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## robuzo

> Somehow I have troubles believing all these stories about asians not being able to drink alcohol, milk etc.


No, it's for real.  Google it.  Here, from the Brown University health website:
Alcohol and Your Body
*Asian                descent*
              Some people of Asian descent have more difficulty metabolizing alcohol.                They may experience facial flushing, nausea, headache, dizziness                and rapid heartbeat. It appears that one of the liver enzymes that                is needed to process alcohol is not active in these individuals.                It is estimated that up to 50% of Asians are susceptible to these                reactions to alcohol.
---

I've also read that American Indians and Finns are in the same category.

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## Frankenstein

Sort of...

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## plorf

Thanks, I have heard of it, but just by personal observation I haven't met too many girls who couldn't drink at all, there were some of course, but most just weren't accustomed to it, without all the facial flush and stuff. 
Same goes to milk, it got incredibly popular among students in recent years. Milkbars and coffee shops everywhere, so a large number of Thais must be able to digest it, otherwise they surely wouldn't drink it.

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## ThaiSpy

> Originally Posted by buriramboy
> 
> 
> Thai women don't drink??? Guess you lot ain't been to Pattaya, most of the women there are fookin alcoholics.
> 
> 
>  I am not talking about bargirls or anything associated with them (Xbargirls,etc.). 
> 
> I am talking about your average thai lady that holds on to traditional values.


Which traditional value is that? Obedience to the parents? Being brainwashed from birth that her role is to be to increase the comfort and material wealth of mother and father. The sense that her most meaningful asset is to be found between her legs? 

Sorry, but you've got it exactly backwards. The traditional values girls are the ones you find in the bars. The rest are just lucky enough not to have been born into a dirt-poor family. 

Once you stop putting labels on them, the "good" girls and the "bad" girls are just different points on the spectrum.

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## Thaiguy

*Where you been Sunshine? - all the Thai ladies I know village and bar drink like fishes and love their "Blend 285" - I can send you pics of a GF on the floor with a wastepaper basket necklace calling for "Bill" who didn't hesitate to pass the picture around at the local village gathering point to prove what a great night she had out on the town!*

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## Frankenstein

> Thanks, I have heard of it, but just by personal observation I haven't met too many girls who couldn't drink at all, there were some of course, but most just weren't accustomed to it, without all the facial flush and stuff. 
> Same goes to milk, it got incredibly popular among students in recent years. Milkbars and coffee shops everywhere, so a large number of Thais must be able to digest it, otherwise they surely wouldn't drink it.


Perhaps the enzyme is not as commonly lacking in as many South Asians and South-East Asians as it is in North-East Asians. 

Obviously South East Asia has a fairly large percentage of Chinese genes as well, and the actual population of Thailand is a combination of several other ethnic groups as well, to mention some: Khmer, Mon, Burman, Tibeto-Burman, Malay, etc.

Seems like there is a forum for everything, by the way:

Asian Flush / Asian Blush / Asian Glow Community

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## Marmite the Dog

> and the ones in city drink Whisky (Regency is their favourite)


Regency is a brandy.

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## HermantheGerman

> Originally Posted by notanameleft
> 
> and the ones in city drink Whisky (Regency is their favourite)
> 
> 
> Regency is a brandy.



I don't think it's Whisky nor Brandy !

It's some kind of caramel colored alcohol.

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## Marmite the Dog

It's a Brandy. My lodger HM King Rama V has a snifter most nights.

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## nevets

Traveler, OK on reflection i have had a thunk and a count ,and there are a lot of the farming women in my community that don't drink alcohol.

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## nevets

Regency is a Brandy it is on the bottle

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## robuzo

> Perhaps the enzyme is not as commonly lacking in as many South Asians and South-East Asians as it is in North-East Asians. 
> 
> Obviously South East Asia has a fairly large percentage of Chinese genes as well, and the actual population of Thailand is a combination of several other ethnic groups as well, to mention some: Khmer, Mon, Burman, Tibeto-Burman, Malay, etc.
> 
> Seems like there is a forum for everything, by the way:
> 
> Asian Flush / Asian Blush / Asian Glow Community


From my experience that seems to be true.  Thais do seem to handle their booze a lot better than the Japanese, for example- although there certainly is a substantial minority of Japanese who have no trouble drinking.  I was married to a Japanese woman who turns into Tomato Girl after merely a sip; my current wife is Thai/Indian, and can have one, but two drinks make her tipsy and three drinks put her that many sheets to the wind.  Often she doesn't even finish the third.  It's shame because while she isn't much into drinking, she does like wine.

Another factor to consider to body size; Thais are generally smallish to begin with, and women of all races have both smaller livers than men and livers which produce less of the vital alcohol-reducing enzyme.

As to social strictures, I've known Thai females from all walks of life who drink.  I think it is only the hard-core Buddhists and the Santi Asoke types who really get bent out of shape about drinking, although alcoholism being the problem it is in Thailand I think there is less social tolerance for drunkenness here than in, say, Japan, where you can just about get away with anything, even murder, if you are drunk.

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## slimboyfat

Who cares why they don't drink? You've got a cheap date, pal, and thats a pretty good thing.

Plus you don't have to put up with drunken tantrums in public etc

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## HermantheGerman

> Regency is a Brandy it is on the bottle



This also says "BEER" 




it sure don't taste like beer to me...if you know what I mean.


They even forgot to paste some foam into that glass.

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## notanameleft

> Originally Posted by notanameleft
> 
> and the ones in city drink Whisky (Regency is their favourite)
> 
> 
> Regency is a brandy.


ahh yes Brandy! just watched the ads on telly, they said "Regency Brandy Thai"

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## notanameleft

> Originally Posted by notanameleft
> 
> 
> what! what! what??
> Thai women don't drink???
> Sure they do,
> the old ones in the rural drink Lao khao
> and the ones in city drink Whisky (Regency is their favourite) and beer
> The younger ones do beer, coctails and liquor
> ...


Have you heard the Slogan of Surin?
ma Surin dtong kin sura, ta ma surin mai kin sura, khao riag wa mha surin!
"when you visit surin you have to drink, if you don't drink you'll be called surinian dog!"

*Sura in Thai means alcohols
As i've been to Ban Taswang quite often, i'm sure the women there drink.

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## Rural Surin

^ Yeah, of course. About a 50-50 circle going on here....

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## Bill Donnell

I live in a small farm village near Chok Chai. 
As far as I know, all the women in the village drink. They lay around in their Thai Bahn with several bottles of beer or a bottle of cheap bourbon. They use only one glass and pass it around. By doing this, they loose track of how much they are drinking, and half of them end up drunk.

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## S Landreth

> Originally Posted by S Landreth
> 
> Let me explain,..she lived in a dorm. So the way it was explained to me was that every now and then the girls would gather in one room,put a blanket down on the floor,get a couple buckets of Sam Tam (sp?), sticky rice and beer,.drink, eat and giggle.
> 
> 
> Any pics or linkies then......?????????


 
She wouldnt let me post any pictures of her and her friends here, I am sure. Even if she did say I could post a few pictures of her college days (maybe drinking with friends) it would have to be a photo taken of an old picture (I dont think it would be that clear). I dont think there were digital cameras way back then (when she was in college) so she doesnt have any old photos saved on some memory stick/s, that I can just copy and paste at TD.

I was also talking to her about the enzyme she might be lacking being the reason she gets those red blotches on her face when she drinks a little (I have seen her reaction to liquor once). She told me she was the only Thai she knew with that problem.

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## Bexar County Stud

I'm grateful that my GF does not. I reckon the number 1 Thai drinking activity is "sing song."
No thanks.

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## English Noodles

> My girlfriend also (gets sick),.just a sip of a beer and she starts getting red blotches on her face. Maybe alcohol poisoning?





> Chinese - go red and fall over after a couple


Alcohol Flush Reaction also known as Asian Flush, It is said that approximately half of people of Asian descent are considered to be sensitive to alcohol due to this condition.

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## traveler

> Traveler, OK on reflection i have had a thunk and a count ,and there are a lot of the farming women in my community that don't drink alcohol.


Where do you live, nevets? My theory is that it's a buddhist/gender thing.

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## TizMe

I was at a family gathering in Ayutthaya on Saturday. All the men over about 20 were having a few drinks, but none of the women were.

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## chassamui

I have met a surprising number of bar girls who do not drink.

It is deffo a gender thing.

Culture, upbringing, and location have a bearing on it.

Religion will have some influence.

Age will make a difference.

The evidence seems to suggest that asian flush will have some effect on their drinking habits.

Most acoholic drinks taste like shit the first time you try it.

There is a much higher proportion of Thai women who don't drink than you would find in the UK. (English women drink to forget that that they live in Enland i think.)

My GF is very big on the Buddhism thing. She neither drinks nor smokes. She is 34 so not influenced by young and trendy peer group.
Strong family ties with fairly strict, but dirt poor upbringing.
She is from Ayutthaya originally, and has a strong work ethic.
As an aside, i wonder what Buddha says about her hooking up with a crumbly old farang who smokes and drinks?

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## Norton

> wonder what Buddha says about her hooking up with a crumbly old farang who smokes and drinks?


Except for possibly #3 I reckon she's in the clear.

1. Abstain from taking life.

2. Abstain from taking what is not given.

3. Abstain from sexual misconduct.

4. Abstain from false speech.

5. Abstain from drinks [and drugs] that cause heedlessness.

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## Marmite the Dog

> She is from Ayutthaya originally, and has a strong work ethic.


Really?

I'm not knocking your missus, but most people I met in Ayutthaya (I lived there for a year) were the thickest, most unfriendly people I have met in Thailand. Well done for finding one that was relatively normal.

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## chassamui

I said she has a strong work ethic. She as thick as a dockers sandwich as it happens. Just how i like 'em, nice and compliant.
Seriously she is a quiet gentle soul and for some reason bonkers about me? go figure that out!

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## Whiteshiva

> She as thick as a dockers sandwich





> and for some reason bonkers about me? go figure that out!


I think I've got it figured.... :Smile:

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## Marmite the Dog

> I met some who really can drink each one a bottle of whisky in one week. They let me know that they like drinking (25-30 years old). They are doing this for a good time (outside the entertainment cities). No judgment here. Enjoying their life, I think


Are you Thai or just retarded?

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