More on "Beauty"

My friend Ione brought up another interesting question related to Thai culture and beauty.  In regards to pale skin being valued, she asked what the Thais think about the American obsession with tanning.  

Our second month here, the American teachers took a weekend trip to Koh Samet, a beautiful little Island South of Bangkok.  We all came back to school with what we thought were gorgeous glowing tans(not deliberately, the sun is POWERFUL in Koh Samet).  I remember receiving many stares, and one teacher's comment in particular sticks out in my mind, "Oh, so sorry, at the beach you got so dark, so sorry."  I explained that we liked our tans, that it is considered very beautiful in America.  She looked at me as if I had grown another head.  She just couldn't believe that I would want to have darker skin.  

Also, I was at the store yesterday trying to find deodorant and I had trouble finding one that wasn't whitening.  Apparently, your armpits need to be pale also.