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Indian woman shares biggest culture shocks she experienced in Thailand: 'No moral policing, no judgment'
An Indian woman who recently explored Thailand shared the four biggest cultural shocks she experienced during her visit to the Southeast Asian country.
Every country has its own customs, social norms and way of life that can feel unfamiliar to first-time visitors. Now, one Indian woman who recently explored Thailand shared the four biggest cultural shocks she experienced during her visit to the Southeast Asian country.
In an Instagram video, content creator Shreya Mahendru listed four aspects of Thai culture that surprised her the most.
The first thing she pointed out was the visibility of women in the workforce. "First is the women here literally running everything. Small businesses, food stalls, tech companies, you name it. Over 60% female workforce participation," she said in the video.
She then spoke about dress codes at temples, saying she was surprised by how differently outdoor and indoor temples are treated. "The one that actually threw me off, is that you can walk into outdoor temples wearing shorts and slippers. No one cares. No moral policing, no judgment. But here's the thing. For indoor temples, everybody follows the same rules. No sleeveless tops, no shorts, no footwear. Doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. Same standards for all," she explained.
Watch the video below:
Mahendru also mentioned Thailand's red light districts, saying they are much more visible than she had expected. "I know this sounds wild, red light areas are not hidden or sketchy here. They're just out in the open. Way more visible than what we're used to, and it's normalised in a weird, different way," she said.
The final point she highlighted was what she described as the freedom to dress without attracting unwanted attention. "This one's my favourite. You can wear whatever the hell you want. Crop tops, short skirts, tank tops. Zero harassment, zero stares, zero safety concerns. Just freedom," she said.
(Also Read: Tap water to street food: Polish woman living in India shares 8 things she'd never do as a first-time traveller)
Social media reactions
The video has since drawn mixed reactions online, with many travellers agreeing with her observations and praising Thailand for its sense of safety and equal enforcement of rules.
"My favorite country for a reason!" one user wrote.
"I totally agree with you. Never felt like a stranger and felt so free in Bangkok," commented another.
"Thailand is pure love.. be it the cities or the islands," said a third user.
"Agree... have never felt unsafe even riding solo after 1 pm in Bangkok. Food and people are love," wrote another.
"So true, was surprised to see that very few men were working and women were working almost everywhere. Looked like women are the primary earners in the family," shared one user.
"It's definitely cleaner," remarked another.
