When you think of Thai women, what are some of the thoughts and images that cross your mind? Thanks to The Hangover 2 (actress Yasmin Lee - left), those images may easily include prostitution, crazy nightlife, sex and loose morals. These images might also include scantily clad Thai women, with a honey complexion, sexy almond eyes, a curvy figure, and long straight hair. However, these perceptions on the big screen are misleading. A nation in which 95% of the population is Buddhist, many women are chaste and not allowed to even be touched by a man without some major legal repercussions to follow. And the beauty ideals of Thai women vary from the villages to the cities which can actually disfigure the women tremendously.
Although Thailand prides itself in being a nation in which legally, women and men are considered equal, much of Thai culture revolves around the opposition to equality. Many women are educated, holding high status positions, and even their own businesses. However, Buddhist ideals claim women to be further from nirvana then men, placing women in a position where she is unable to become a monk, nor is she respected for being a nun, or even allowed to come into contact with a man physically.Up until recently, universities and colleges were still gender segregated. Customs dictate that women should remain virgins, require chaperoning on dates, and cannot partake in any kind of PDA, even if married (The Role of Women in Thai Culture posted by Kusho, 2010). Further more, marriage requires a hefty dowry, making Thai women specifically enticing to wealthy Caucasian males. It's particularly unfortunate to hear of the tales of young Thai women either sold into a marriage unwillingly or into prostitution and sex trafficking by their own families due to poverty. Prostitution is actually illegal in Thailand, but due to local officials corruption (i.e. commercial interest in the industry) and the vague definition of prostitution and solicitation in their laws, it is tolerated and many prostitutes find themselves exploited and/or living with HIV/AIDS. There's a whole Wikipedia page dedicated entirely to Prostitution in Thailand, that actually covers this topic more in depth.
It is because of the prostitution occurring in this country, and the media coverage actually, that we have certain ideals and notions about Thai beauty. However, in Thai culture there are certain features that are considered desirable and that women are willing to put their lives on the line to achieve.
A quick Google search for Thai actresses and singers yielded many images of very small petite extremely light skinned women, many with colored wavy hair, large almond shaped eyes, and long legs.
I quickly noticed, many of these Thai female stars were mixed: half-white, half-Thai. The reality is however, that many Thai women do not naturally look this light. Therefore they try to lighten their skin with facial products that include skin whitening agents that could actually cause permanent skin damage; e.g. in the following video from Jessica Simpson's The Price of Beauty (start video at 9:05).
This phenomenon is not uncommon in Eastern Asian countries such Cambodia and India where a traditional caste system enforced racial biases and desires for lighter skin. Being lighter-skinned in these underdeveloped countries is also seen as a sign of affluence; it means you didn't have to work outside in the fields for your living. The appearance of wealth, class, and affluence is important.
In Thailand, like much of East Asia, there a huge desire for rounder eyes, and therefore the Double Eye-Lid surgery has become a very popular surgery in Asia. Many women are going under the knife to create a double eyelid, as well as a larger eye. The procedure to alter the natural Asian "single eyelid" appearance has quite controversial. Opponents of the procedure such as author David Mura, as describe the process as being "indoctrinated by white standards of beauty"
In Kayan tribe that lies on the border of Burma and Thailand, a long neck is the physical ideal, so much so, that girls have golden rings placed around their necks, adding more as the years go by in hopes of lengthening the neck.
It's obvious, with the exception of the Kayan tribe, that many of the physical beauty ideals valued in Thailand and East Asia have white influence and origin. From skin whitening treatments that reinforce racism to eye surgeries to remove naturally Asian eyes to the coloring and curling of naturally straight hair, Thai ideals reflect beauty ideals that are highly influenced by images of white women in the media.
It's obvious, with the exception of the Kayan tribe, that many of the physical beauty ideals valued in Thailand and East Asia have white influence and origin. From skin whitening treatments that reinforce racism to eye surgeries to remove naturally Asian eyes to the coloring and curling of naturally straight hair, Thai ideals reflect beauty ideals that are highly influenced by images of white women in the media.
