Snapshots from Mae Hong Son: Extreme Engrish

 A sign at Pha Bong Hot Spring, 12km from Mae Hong Son It's been a while since I've checked out Engrish.com, but this sign, at the Pha Bong Hotsprings, 12km outside Mae Hong Son, reminded me of the site. In case the text above is too small to read, it says:

prohibit dip foot appeareds a pond

prohibit down water uncle in a pond

prohibit sit take a bath on pond edge

I was bathing here one morning (a wonderful experience) and apparently violated the last rule, as a man walked over to tell me that I shouldn't sit on the elevated edge of the hot spring. According to him, people were complaining it 'didn't look nice' and that the 'dirty water' from my body would go back into the hot spring (a vast pond of boiling water, I remind you) and make it unclean.

At Pha Bong Hot Spring, 12km from Mae Hong Son

I obliged, but was also reminded of how utterly important appearances are in Thailand, often taking precedence over reality, common sense and proper grammar.