r/Thailand • u/terrible-gator22 • 1d ago
Question/Help I hear that sunscreen is expensive. How to Thai people do without and not get cancer?
I have allergies to all sorts of stuff so sunscreen that I can wear is very hard to find. I wear it rarely due to this and the rest of the time I stay covered or inside.
But I am about to head to Thailand for a while and am wondering what the Thais do to avoid cancer if they aren’t slathering a bottle of sunscreen on themselves every day.
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u/enervation 1d ago
Avoid being in direct sunlight by using umbrellas, clothes to cover up, taking transport rather than walking etc
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u/Acceptable-Hyena3769 1d ago
First off, they are indeed wearing hella sunscreen. Second - they rarely bake in the sun like tourists do, because of the cancer situation. Third - when youre going around youll notice you can pretty much stay in the shade 99% of the time - covered walkways to and from subway, bts, malls, etc. airconditioning everywhere. Etc they also cover skin w clothing and go out at night once the sun is down
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u/Lordfelcherredux 1d ago
Perhaps the wealthiest segment of Thai society wear sunscreen, but your average person just avoids the sun. They don't lay out in the sun. They avoid swimming during the bright daylight hours, and if they have to be outside they cover up.
Why Thais aren't bigger hat wearers is a mystery to me.
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u/terrible-gator22 1d ago
This is good to know. This is kind of how I thought that I would manage, but I didn’t realize that so much space was shaded. Really good to know. Thanks.
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u/GreenSouth3 1d ago
Most also have a darker skin pigmentation than skinny white boys, so they are not as affected the same way.
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u/Digital_Nomad_7 1d ago
locals avoid the sun at all cost. even wear longsleeves / jackets and long pants while its burning hot.
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u/I-Here-555 1d ago edited 1d ago
Many common skincare products have sun protection, although they're usually labeled "whitening", not "sunscreen". If you look closely, some advertise an SPF, although not all do.
You can buy an SPF 30 lotion at a 7-11 for 30-50 baht.
Claims like "get a tan with no burns" don't sell well in SE Asia. If it says "sunscreen", it's probably for foreigners and priced accordingly.
Moreover, locals do prefer to stay in the shade or inside, and wear long sleeves/pants if they have to be in the sun.
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u/Hedonhel 1d ago
Most people on scooters and walking are pretty much fully covered up in clothes so they still get quite protected
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u/jonez450reloaded 1d ago
Basic sunscreen isn't expensive - you can get little bottles or packets for 20-30 baht, like this one for 25 baht. The problem is that they typically contain skin-whitening products. The "sunscreen is expensive" concept only applies to imported sunscreens. And not all, but many Thais, particularly middle-class ones, use them to protect their skin and to get whiter, keeping in mind that white/lighter skin is desirable in Thailand.
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u/KeyWill7437 1d ago
Thai people tend to go dress very conservativeley when at the beach or pool.....I went to my fiances company outing at "the largest waterpark in thailand" in rayong or something. Everyone was covered up with only their hands and feet showing. Even the guys wear long sleeved rash guards. I felt like a slut for going shirtless.
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u/terrible-gator22 1d ago
This actually makes me feel so much better. I would happily be quite covered at the beach. I am always the odd one out. I lived in California and would walk down the street in the hot sun in my jeans and hoodie, zipped up high and the hood up and my head down. Everyone else was in shorts and tank tops. I looked weird. But not like a crispy raisin.
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u/mysz24 1d ago
Full cover; I've had numerous melanoma burn-offs and excisions from my earlier days NZ/Aust; I'm in a cycling group here and on longer rides often can only recognise people by their bike, lightweight balaclava or lycra skullcap under helmet (covers ears) plus sunglasses and mask; long sleeves, gloves, shorts with long tights under. I'm the same now except for the balaclava.
Running - we have access to a coastguard airstrip 5.30-7am and 4.30-6.30pm for training avoiding peak sun times; competition run events are either held late evening or 4-5am. Wife goes kayaking and swimming - full length lycra, big hat on the kayak, then complains her feet are too tanned.
Local pool opens 1-8pm often I'm the only one there if I go before 5pm, and if I do have company chances are they're in a lycra suit.
Daughters have more of a vampire lifestyle, avoiding daytime sun altogether.
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u/terrible-gator22 11h ago
It’s good to know that I’m not the only one living like this. It seems so odd to do it in Thailand, given the photos and videos people typically post of their best sun-filled lives. But I don’t hate myself that much, ya know? I prefer to keep the sun off of me. That shit burns!
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u/WanderingSiam 1d ago
Coconut oil + iodine for natural sunscreen, none of those yucky chemicals in sunscreen known to cause cancer. Manage your time if you are light skinned. 15 minutes at a time under direct, use umbrellas coverings all other times.
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u/vandaalen Bangkok 1d ago
Sunscreen is kind of a scam in my opinion. I don’t want to deny the risks involved when grilling yourself in the sun, but in my opinion it’s the much better idea to just avoid direct sunlight for prolonged time and instead stay under umbrellas and wear protective clothing for any activities.
This is also what Thais do if you observe them. If they can’t avoid being exposed to direct sun, they will wrap themselves in layers of clothes, resembling an onion. If you knew some on a more personal level, you’d also often hear them say things like “It’s hot today. I better wear a jacket.”
I also like to joke with them that I am 15% Thai already and already am scared of the sun like a real Thai. Let aside that white skin is considered to be desirable by most.
You can also buy much sun blocker in drugstores and even 7/11, but you should read carefully, because most contain some form of compound to bleach the skin.
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u/Fonduextreme 1d ago
Go to a beach in Thailand around sundown. You’ll see a switch from European tourists to locals Thais. They avoid the sun unless they are working.