Thai Garments


Figure 1.--This snapshot was taken in the Mae Chaem district, northern Thailand. The boy wears western style clothing, including sandals, but to climb the tree he took off his sandals because he felt more comfortable and could climb better with bare feat.

The warm tropical cliamte is a major factor in clothing. Heavy clothing is not needed. The earliest trditional garments seem to have Indian styles even though the people themselves appear to have migrated from Vhimese border lands befor the onset of Chinese civilizxation. China is closer to Thailand than India, but the sea connctions, meaking trade routes are more direct with India. There was also contact with China where silk garments forst appear. Climate meant that there was little access to wool. Most people wire cotton garments. We notice the use of silk for luxurios garments. Thailand is noted for beautiful traditional garments done in Phraewa silk. The early styles for women were baically wrappings. Garments as they developed include: Pha nung, Chong kraben, Sin, Sabai, and Suea pat. we have, however, very little information on traditional clothing yet. Western styles began to become common after World war II. We see Thais, at least in urban areas, wearing mostly Western clothing now. we still see some traditional clthing in rural areas. Some Thais may dress up in traditional outfits for special occassions. This is mostly women and girls. One Thai reader reports that girls like to wear all colours, eccept for their school uniform. They like to wear shorts, T-shirts and some wear hats . Boys like to wear jeans, pants, T-shirts and hats. Thai schools require uniforms. We also see Thai children mostly wearing Western clothing as casual and play outfits. This is probanly mostly a matter of practicality. These garments are the same as worn in Westen countries and the T-shirts often have English-lanuage messages. Since the 1970s we see Thai boys wearing the same csual styles popular in the west--basically Americamn fashions.








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Created: 4:41 AM 10/5/2015
Last updated: 4:41 AM 10/5/2015