It may be a cultural issue, or a language barrier, but in Thailand there seems to be a different approach to what they’ll print on a T-shirt. Most noticeably, it doesn’t need to make sense. At least not to me, a native English speaker and a copywriter. Nor to Fahrin, an avid reader and excellent writer in her own right. Take, for example, this shirt…
“Blink Blink”??? What does that mean?? Does it hold some significance for Thai people? Is there a character or TV show we’re not aware of? I’d love to find out. Until then I’ll just think it’s ridiculous. Just like this shirt from the same family…
“What is Thinking”??? I don’t know. It’s not even a question (there’s no question mark). Is this girl named “What” and she’s thinking? Or is it talking about the concept of thinking, and wondering what it is to think? Whatever it is, she sure has nice blue eyes…
These next shirts have to do with Pai, the town we’re in…
Anyone care to translate? Do they mean “…I’m in Pai” or “…I’m from Pai”? (Although anyone from Pai would NEVER wear a shirt like that!). Even so, what would that mean?? Excuse me, I’m Pai…
The next four shirts are about Pai, too…
The first one…someone tell them it’s now 2011. And even if you allow for the language difference for the “zay,” what does “Pai Say Hi” mean?? The second shirt is a take-off on the wi-fi logo used here. Again, what does this mean?? The third shirt, “Pai Is Over” is probably supposed to be a play on John Lennon’s “War Is Over,” but this shirt is basically saying “This place blows. Go Home!”. The fourth shirt is obviously using the London tube logo, but “Pai Under Mind”?!?!?! Huh????
I’m not even going to comment on these next shirts…
Apparently, Thai people love his-and-hers shirts. This is the best one we’ve found…
No doubt, we’ve incorporated “I’m try” into our lexicon.
BONUS
This next image isn’t a T-shirt, but it’s the BEST sign I’ve ever seen.
We can’t figure out whether it’s inviting women to be watched while they go to the bathroom (a turn-on for some women??), or inviting men to secretly watch women while they do their business. Or if it’s a warning to women that they might be watched. By their mouths, the guy looks happy and the woman looks mortified, so that might be it, but we’re not sure. Any ideas?
2 Sides 1 Story 
Posted by Mum on February 9, 2011 at 3:52 am
Ha ha. I’m confused. But that’s nothing new as Fa would say. Does anyone there actually wear these? Did you see anyone purchase one while you were busy taking pictures? Or did you actually buy all of them to show us what they look lke?
Posted by Stu Silverman on February 9, 2011 at 12:47 pm
People wear all kinds of stuff here. I can’t say that I’ve seen people wear these in particular, but all kinds of others. I didn’t buy any of these – just took the pics while they were hanging at the vendors. Fahrin wanted us to get the his-and-hers “Love locked” and “I’m try” shirts, but I declined. She also REALLY wanted to get “What is Thinking” but they didn’t have her size.
Posted by Smeeta on February 9, 2011 at 6:17 am
Lol. I heart the peeping Tom sign
Posted by sarah on February 9, 2011 at 6:57 am
oh my god, these shirts are hilarious. you should buy one of each
Posted by Stu Silverman on February 12, 2011 at 11:58 am
If I bought every ridiculous shirt we’d run out of money and have to come home.
Posted by Tanya on February 11, 2011 at 3:37 am
Is the Peeping Tom sign for sale?
Posted by Stu Silverman on February 12, 2011 at 11:56 am
Unfortunately, it’s not. It’s the sign for the bathroom at one of our favourite restaurants. Oddly enough, neither of us has been to the bathroom there to do any peeping, or to be peeped. Next time we’re there I’ll go and report back on the experience.
Posted by Hafeez on February 15, 2011 at 10:52 am
I’d like a ridiculous shirt from Thailand please… thanks!
Posted by Stu Silverman on February 15, 2011 at 5:52 pm
We’ll see what kind of ridiculousness we can find near the end of our trip (so we don’t have to carry it around for the next 4 1/2 months).
By the way, we have a “Tom Jerry” (supposed to be Tom & Jerry) blanket on our bed that says “HAPPY TO YOU” and “Iwanttomakeyouhappybecauseseetingyousmilingmakesmehappy”. I should post a picture of it. In any case, I’m just ecstatic to be sleeping under a Tom & Jerry blanket…