[Aeaefee]

But at least they will be better than tommorows...

David

[TOD4wDTQ]

Reminds me of my childhood too - but many things we did I wouldn.t want to admit to my kids and grand kids

Todays youth will always be worse then yesterdays

[Aeaefee]

I only ever swim in the sea wearing my wetsuit!

David

[fameintatenly]

I'm not sure what that is called. The little skirt thing does sound like the beginnings of a swim outfit, and I know many westerners who would like that, also.

The last time I went to the beach in Thailand, it was 'a girls weekend away', sponsored by my sister-in-law. I didn't get in the water, but the ones who did wore shorts and tees, also. We stayed at a private resort where there was a European woman who sunbathed topless at the pool. The girls got all giggly over her, and I was embarassed.

Growing up, we went to the creek and wore cut offs and tees. An expensive swimsuit wasn't necessary and the costume was 'mother approved' for modesty.

[WertyNtont]

I wear a swimsuit even when I take a shower in my bathroom. And that suit is made of my skin.

[DavidShreder]

Maybe this swimming with clothes on happens more around areas where more Westerners see it. The village in which I spend mot of my time in Changwat Sra Keaow, guys go swimming/fishing in a variety of garb (rotund bodies or no!) from pakomas to western style shorts down to their underpants, the women/girls will go in fully clothed and change into sarongs. Most of us from the West (especially the North) don't seem to have the same affinity with water as many Asians do. We tend to 'change' our clothing to suit a particular need e.g. swimming= 'swimming clothes', tennis= 'tennis clothes'.
Thai 'modesty' and 'shyness' i believe are generally cultural phenomena and historically located. My experience through conversations with many 'chow ban' is that they re no less passionate or feeling than any of us.
Me? I'm a 60kg xylophone man wearing denim cut-offs that were jeans thirty-five years ago and can't do much to change the body I've got, clothes or no clothes, what the heck. You don'thave to be proud of your body, just don't be ashamed of it. It's the person inside that matters!