Whenever I stay in a hotel in Cambodia which is more oriented on Khmer tourists, I'm delighted not to have to use my own thongs (slippers) under the shower, as a pair of them is always provided by the hotel, happily awaiting you leaning against the doorstep to the bathroom.
However, I've never understood, why these hotel-thongs almost always have the toe-section of the sole, ie. the foremost 3-4 cm, cut off (clearly manually, not from the producer)!
Is it, so they do not get stolen / because Khmer toes are shorter / so that you can wash your toes without taking off the thong or for better grip on the wet floor, as I can make use of the tip of my biggest to to touch the ground???
Confused - can someone assist, please?
elziax
1
bmta
not sure and old-Khmer hands may know better, but I think (as it sems universal=not really meant to 'distinguish a certain place' that its meant to indicate they are for Shower-use only and not for going on the street etc
2
jimbojones
Careful what you write..."thong" is common vernacular for Australians for footwear, but refers to underwear to most others!!
3
bun_cha
Khmer toes are shorter - good one. I anxiously await revelation on this matter. Until proven otherwise, I say it's all Bush's fault.
bun cha
4
kfc
Let's call 'em flip flops, and, yes, I have seen these notched flip flops all over Asia. My guess is that this is a theft prevention thing - you wear one of those in public and everybody will know that you ripped them off from some cheap Chinese hotel.
5
sydneyangkor
The reason the hotels and guesthouses cut the front out of the flip flops is purely to try and stop people stealing them although it does not help much as people still take them.
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