Posted 2008-06-01 16:50:41
 jaideeguy, on 2008-05-29 15:16:52, said:
Yea, good thread and I've wanted to post it myself but was afraid I'd get laughed at. I use the knife method, while the wife nimbly whips it off [the rubber].
but, there is a more user friendly way to tie the bags and it makes opening them much easier.....simply twist the bag top 2 or 3 times, then double it over and place the rubberband over the doubled plastic bag and give it a few wraps and when you want to open it simply pull the open end of the bag and the rubber band flies off quick and easy.
Oh ... that makes it very clear 
Posted 2008-06-01 16:54:47
SOFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 2008-06-01 17:46:47
TheDon, on 2008-06-01 11:54:47, said:
There's already a guy from Sydney using the Popeye avatar 
Rubber band solution:
1. Remove clothes.
2. Take bag into hong nahm.
3. Rinse floor.
Posted 2008-06-01 18:19:41
Eating food in the glorious "Land 'O Thais" can be fraught with peril, and those pesky small rubber bands are no exceptions.
I eat and/or buy food off the street every day. however, I don't have the luxury (nor the expense) of a thai g/f or (in)significant other to open the bags for me. I finally had one street vendor show me how she fastens the bags and also show me (repeatedly) how to open them.
Usually when a street seller fastens a bag they will first loop the rubber band thru itself, then around the bag trapping air w/the contents inside and finally fold the top over and put the last single loop around it. It is this mythical "last single loop" you must look for. Once that is removed the rubber band will usually without much prodding, unwrap itself from the bag all the way to the initial fastening (where one end of the rubber band was put thru itself to start the sealing process).
I have authored a new book called "Opening Rubber Band Sealed Plastic Bags of Food in Thailand" at the editor's now. It's chocked full of photos and line drawings. I am just waiting to hear back on the advance money. I suggest you reserve your copy now; from the length of this post it's gonna be a best seller.
WARNING: ALWAYS wear safety goggles when operating power tools!!
Posted 2008-06-01 18:22:59
I just eat the food with the plastic and rubber band on in one go. Coz Im a MAN
Posted 2008-06-01 19:42:37
TheDon, on 2008-06-01 18:22:59, said: I just eat the food with the plastic and rubber band on in one go. Coz Im a MAN
And I bet after 24 hours, the evidence will clearly show that the rubber band is still securely tied... Thai ingenuity wins out... 
Posted 2008-06-01 22:08:05
tod-daniels, on 2008-06-01 18:19:41, said: I have authored a new book called "Opening Rubber Band Sealed Plastic Bags of Food in Thailand" at the editor's now. It's chocked full of photos and line drawings. I am just waiting to hear back on the advance money. I suggest you reserve your copy now; from the length of this post it's gonna be a best seller.
WARNING: ALWAYS wear safety goggles when operating power tools!!
This is a great book - just one problem - can't work out how to get it out of the plastic wrapper.
Posted 2008-06-01 23:16:24
Glad someone finally posted on this... (at least recently....)
Never ate food from an inflated, rubber band-tied bag...until I came here for the first time...
Then after I moved here... living and eating every day...I was confronted with the RUBBER BAND dilemma... First few months, after fumbling in frustration, took the high-tech approach.... using scissors to cut off the top of the bag, just below the rubber band... usually while keeping the bag in its serving bowl...just in case anything's going to spill. But I'm not big on soup, so that's usually not a problem...
But lately, after having been here a while, I decided I need to master this g...d.... thing... So I've learned how to at least get the darned things unwrapped down to the last tie.... The first step is just take the top part of the rubber band that's usually looped over the top edge of the bag, and pull it up to come loose...and then unwrap it from around the tied top portion of the bag.... After that... I'm still stumped for now about the last knot/tie....
I always try to save the rubber bands because... and this is another mystery to me... all the packages of kitchen and bathroom trash bags I buy at the stores come with the bags..... but absolutely NO TIES to close them up with when they're filled and ready to take outside. So I decided that my food rubber bands will be recycled as my garbage bag ties... Hence, no cutting or breaking of rubber bands allowed!!!
Anyone likewise want to explain... Why trash bags in Thailand come with NO ties???
kauailance
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Posted 2008-06-02 01:44:32
I always find a pretty bar girl to help me!! They really know what they are doing and know the best places for the food.
Posted 2008-06-02 08:18:34
Yes, they sometimes are frustrating, but real easy to do........if this is too much of a problem for you, I am fearful of what else might be a problem for you. Also, yes, a knife does just fine if you are exasperated. Most packaging in Thailand is ridiculous hard to open, but then again, it is very safe from infiltration of 'bad things'.........Hyde Parke
ps the real problems are: businesses that open and cannot make change....STUPID!!!
crossing any street........police are just mannequins programmed to take bribes......
Posted 2008-06-02 08:32:19
I've had Thai people tell me it's easy then spent the next 15 minutes trying to get the dam things open.
I don't care how easy people say it is. I say its impossible.
Posted 2008-06-02 08:41:18
Maybe it is a British term, but "rubber" by itself never refers to a rubber band in the USA...
One of my first topics on ThaiVisa was about how to open things. I will try again to find that thread.
As a Tax Auditor at the IRS, I tried not to discriminate against occupations. But if I had ever audited the tax return of a packaging engineer, I might have thrown a bag of Fritos (corn chips) on the desk and said, "Okay, big boy, if you can open that freakin' bag without spilling one chip, I'll let you out of here for free. Otherwise, you will owe $2,000!" 
I have big hands and thick fingers. It is a wonder I learned to speed-type. Rubber bands are way too small. I avoid them by not eating Thai food, having a partner with small fingers, and having scissors in every room of the house.
...I found it, my first popular thread as OP: http://www.thaivisa....h...c=54870&hl=
Posted 2008-06-02 09:16:00
WOW.... oldies but goodies.... (no offence....  )
Looking back to that 2005 post... I see Lopburi, Toptuan, Tutsiwarrior, Dustoff, Heng and more!!!
And, it reminded me of a small but funny story... When I moved here, I brought with me some bottles of U.S. OTC medicine like Tylenol and such.... complete with the required child-proof caps.... (push down, and then turn to open).
While living here, have handed them to adult Thais from time to time... and... they couldn't figure out what the h... to do to open them... Explained the process...and they still couldn't figure it out... Had to open the bottle for them...
So...next time you're fumbling with the damned rubber bands...just remember... we do (and can) get our revenge...sometimes!!!!
Posted 2008-06-02 13:33:33
ozsamurai, on 2008-05-28 17:55:16, said: This happens to me constantly, even last night I wore some hot soup bound for a bowl on the table Can we be a little more specific with the instructions anyone.... BUT, I do now have a rubber band collection.... what to do with all these tiny multicolores things???
When you have enough of them, you can make a rubber band ball. It will bounce of the walls roughly like a super ball, but with multicolored DIY look ^^
Posted 2008-06-02 13:49:07
Now that China has announced that it is going to ban minor plastic bags, could this be a threat to the Thai plastic bag industry? and by extension to the age old tradition of rubber band sleight of hand?
If Thais are so good at making small plastic bags which will hold soup for days without leaking, maybe they could become world leaders in the Condom industry too....
Posted 2008-06-02 15:42:01
I must be a freak . . . I can both open them and actually tie a bag using one . .. . although my tying speed ain't quite up to the locals. 
Posted 2008-06-02 15:42:57
I sat down with a friend last evening and came up with this video for all those who have problems
Edited by learnthaipodcast, 2008-06-02 15:43:53.
Posted 2008-06-02 15:48:00
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice video... very instructive... and... nice set of legs there...in the background...
PS...I notice it's the lady tying...untying the bag... not the farang!
Posted 2008-06-02 15:51:46
Yeah, hey I blame the size of my hands
The problem is what I have heard that the rubber bands don't stay on top of the bag like in the video they slip down so you first have to find the right band and get it over the top. Rest is pretty straight forward. But if possible dealing with rubber bands is none of my business
Posted 2008-06-02 16:35:35
Most excellent video!
...but those legs kept distracting me from the knot so I had to watch it again and again and again
Korp khun mark kap.
Posted 2008-06-02 17:45:23
besides is one thing what all concerned Farangs can learn while trying to untie the (rubberband) knot - is patience! It's a great tool opens a lot more then food bags 
Posted 2008-06-03 01:32:46
learnthaipodcast, on 2008-06-02 15:42:57, said: I sat down with a friend last evening and came up with this video for all those who have problems
Awesome video
Posted 2008-06-03 04:22:55
Wow, over 70 posts on how to remove a rubber band  no wonder the Thais see us as "Stupid farang" lol.
I also couldn't vote as there is no "Never mastered it" option, but i see lots of us admitting to it.
Posted 2008-06-03 09:53:01
Great video, but I have to eat some crow: I can open the bags OK, but to attempt to tie one....give me a break..........so many moves for such a simple task. Give me the scissors and I will beat you any time in the opening part..........why do the Thais make everything so damned difficult? After 10 years here and learning the language, I can only understand my own family and their reasoning behind everyday things. Not to say they are wrong, but they are certainly wired-up differently than anyone from the west........includes all Asians. Move across the international date line in the direction of Asia, and you have moved into 'Laurel & Hardy' land............mai pen rai.........you cannot beat the Thais; you cannot join the Thais; so, just learn to go 'around' them, and all will be jai yen yen.
Posted 2008-06-03 20:50:57
HydeParke, the rubber bands are just here because they are cheap ways of closing the probably cheapest way of packaging a meal which is a bag. Sure a box would be easier but the rubber bands are just necessary for these bags.
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