Hil wrote:
By today's standards, those outfits aren't very revealing, and that's sad.
Today's standards in America and other Western countries, maybe. In some parts of Asia, including Thailand, it's quite a different matter.
Pudding: I personally have nothing against the dress, and I do wonder if it was a bit much to fire her for wearing that, but I don't have much more sympathy beyond that. Without knowing exactly how Thai people feel on this issue, I don't know if the director (or whoever is in charge) is justified in firing her. She could genuinely be bringing a lot of bad publicity - 'Oh, she's the one who wore that shameful dress.' Or s/he could be overreacting.
She, however, should know better than any of us what the effect of wearing that dress would be. At the very least she must have known her university would disapprove. Therefore she would probably also have guessed what the biggest consequences of her actions might be. It was just not a smart move no matter how you look at it.
In some Asian countries, it wouldn't have been so much of a problem. In Hong Kong, for example, I imagine an actress might get snide comments written about her in the tabloids but that's about it. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan - they might all do the same. But in places like Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia (I'm wondering if China would fall into this latter category, and it might), it's not so hard to imagine how shocked and horrified people are - just reading the reporter's language, I think you get the gist of it.
There are just some things you don't do in Thailand. This isn't as serious, but if you insulted the Thai royal family, that would be an enormous affront to Thai people. Revealing that much is also considered indecent and quite scandalous. And even if I don't personally agree with the follow-up action, I can't help but wonder: What was she thinking?!