History of Thai clothing facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Thai traditional costumes vary by city and the ruler of each historical period. Thai clothes can be classified according to six distinct periods of history; beginning with the 13th century. Previously, traditional Thai clothes were worn daily; however, they are now only worn on auspicious functions such as Thai traditional marriage ceremonies.

Sukhothai
Ayutthaya
Thonburi
Rattanakosin
- Early Rattanakosin
- Modern Rattanakosin
Fascist Thailand
Contemporary Thai clothing
See also

Sukhothai

Sukhothai clothing style became the fashion in 13-15th century. During the period The city-state of Sukhothai was united other Tai city-states into one kingdom. Sukhothai Men's clothing was a simple full-sleeved top with a long V shape neck and a cloth brace on their shoulders. The loincloth was made of silk with a big metal or golden belt. Women's clothing was a long silk sarong with flowers painted on it. The top normally is a full-sleeved silk cloth. Married women wore one cloth wrapped around the breasts made of silk or other fabric.

Ayutthaya

Portrait of Siamese State Officials, one of portrait paintings collection in The Portraits of Periodical Offering of Imperial Qing by Xie Sui, 18th century painting in the National Palace Museum, Taipei.

Ayutthaya clothing was the style during the 14-18th centuries. Ayutthaya city was the capital of Thai kingdom for 417 years, the longest period of Thailand that was ruled under one monarch. Many styles clothing followed the period of Ayutthaya but the fashion changed frequently under the influence from various countries who come into contact and trading with the kingdom.

Historically, both Thai males and females dressed themselves with a loincloth wrap called chong kraben. Men wore their chong kraben to cover the waist to halfway down the thigh, while women covered the waist to well below the knee. Bare chests and bare feet were accepted as part of the Thai formal dress code, and is observed in murals, illustrated manuscripts, and early photographs up to the middle of the 19th century. In the royal court, royalty and nobility men are wearing lomphok, a tall pointed hat, made of white cloth wrapped around a bamboo frame, and Khrui, a light outer garment worn as a gown or robe in certain ceremonial settings. Traditional Thai attire has changed significantly throughout the Rattanakosin period.

Thai traditional costumes in Bangkok National Museum
A Burmese depiction of an Ayutthaya king, either depicting Uthumphon or Ekkathat
Siam delegates in Peking in 1761 from the Ten Thousand Nations Coming to Pay Tribute monumental painting
Ok-khun Chamnan, a 17th-century Siamese ambassador who visited France and Rome on an embassy in 1688
The Ayutthayan official Kosa Pan wearing Lomphok and Khrui
Kosa Pan wearing lomphok and Khrui, 1686
Claude de Forbin wearing Ayutthayan mandarin dress
The French ambassador Chevalier de Chaumont presents a letter from Louis XIV to King Narai, 1685
A Siamese official wearing Lomphok and Chong kraben, Lifestyle of Siamese people and Traditional Thai house by Simon de La Loubère
Portrait of Siamese aristocrats from The Portraits of Periodical Offering of Imperial Qing by Xie Sui

Thonburi

Rattanakosin

Early Rattanakosin

Early Rattanakosin central Thais dressed as same as Ayutthaya period, however, after the Second Fall of Ayutthaya and repeated Burmese invasions, central Thai women began cutting their hair in a crew-cut short style, which remained the national hairstyle until the 1900s. Prior to the 20th century, the primary markers that distinguished class in Thai clothing were the use of cotton and silk cloths with printed or woven motifs, but both commoners and royals alike wore wrapped, not stitched clothing.

Men's clothing
Binnya Sein or Chaophraya Mahayotha, the commander of Mon regiment during the reign of King Rama I in the 1800s
Prince Svasti Sobhana, the son of King Mongkut (Rama IV) wearing the royal costumes of the early Rattanakosin period
Prince Nakkhatra Mangala, was the eldest son of Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana wearing the royal costumes of the early Rattanakosin period
Photograph of the Siamese embassy to France in 1861, wearing the formal clothing of the early Rattanakosin period
Prince Ammarit, the son of King Nangklao (Rama III), before 1870
Sri Suriyawongse was a Prime Minister of Southern Siam during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), 1865
Prince Yodyingyot, later Bowon Wichaichan with the early Rattanakosin style clothing, before 1885
Young Prince Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and his two younger brother in 1851
Photograph of a 19th century Siamese boatman by John Thomson
Thai men squat with the early Rattanakosin style clothing

Women's clothing
Siamese girl with the early Rattanakosin style clothing, 1921
Princess Kinnari, the 30th daughter of King Rama III, 1819
Queen Sunandha, one of the four consorts of King Chulalongkorn with the early Rattanakosin style clothing
Tieng Rojanadis, was a consort of King Mongkut (Rama IV)
Siamese peasant, 1904
Queen Debsirindra, the second consort of King Mongkut with the early Rattanakosin style clothing, 1855
Daughters of King Rama II and King Rama III
Lady Pun Bunnag, Somdet Chaophraya Borom Maha Sri Suriwongse's wife with the early Rattanakosin style clothing in 1866
Princess Ying Yaowalak Akkharatchasuda (1851–1886), was the daughter of King Mongkut
Daughters of King Mongkut (Rama IV) with the early Rattanakosin style clothing
A traditional Siamese female quartet with the early Rattanakosin style clothing
Queen Savang Vadhana, a consort of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1879
Princess Nariratana, was the daughter of King Mongkut (Rama IV)
Queen Somanass Waddhanawathy, a first queen of King Mongkut (Rama IV)
Princess Thip Keson (or Thep Kraison), Princess of Chiang Mai, consort of Inthawichayanon of Chiang Mai and mother of Dara Rasmi, before 1884
Princess Dara Rasmi, a princess of Chiang Mai wearing pha sin and pha biang at Dusit Palace, 1909
Princess Lamom, was the daughter of King Nangklao (Rama III), before 1896
Siamese womens photo, 1890

Modern Rattanakosin

From the 1860s onward, Thai royals "selectively adopted Victorian corporeal and sartorial etiquette to fashion modern personas that were publicized domestically and internationally by means of mechanically reproduced images." Stitched clothing, including court attire and ceremonial uniforms, were invented during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. Western forms of dress became popular among urbanites in Bangkok during this time period.

During the early 1900s, King Vajiravudh launched a campaign to encourage Thai women to wear long hair instead of traditional short hair, and to wear pha sinh (ผ้าซิ่น), a tubular skirt, instead of the chong kraben (โจงกระเบน), a cloth wrap.

Noblemen's clothing
King Chulalongkorn wearing the raj pattern costume, consisting of a white Nehru-style jacket with five buttons and a chong kraben
Prince Damrong Rajanubhab wearing the raj pattern costume, 1900
King Vajiravudh wearing the raj pattern covered with the khrui
Prince Vividhavannapreecha, the 51st son of King Chulalongkorn in 1893
Portrait of Mom Luang Pin Malakul as a student at Suankularb Wittayalai School, 1910s

Noblewomen's clothing
Queen consort Sukhumala Marasri of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). with her mother and daughters in 1880
Queen consort Sukhumala Marasri and the princesses of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), 1887
Queen Saovabha Phongsri, an agnatic half-sister and queen of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), 1897
Chum Krairoek Royal Highness Consort of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and her daughters in 1900s
Princess Puangsoi Sa-ang, was the daughter of King Mongkut (Rama IV), 1880
Princess Suddha Dibyaratana or the Princess of Rattanakosin, was the daughter of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), before 1910
Princess Saisavali Bhiromya, was a princess consort of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), 1887
Chao Chom Mom Rajawongse Sadap (1890–1983), was the noble consort of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)
Princes Mankhian, was the daughter of King Rama II
Thai princess of the Inner Court of the Grand Palace, Bangkok in 1890
Daughters of King Rama V, 1904
Prince Dilok Noppharat and his mother, Princess Thip Keson of Chiang Mai in 1896
Prince Yugala Dighambara and his mother, Princess Saisavali Bhiromya a consort of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), before 1905
Prince Mahidol Adulyadej with his sister Princess Valaya Alongkorn and his mother, Queen Sri Savarindira (Savang Vadhana), 1925

Fascist Thailand

On 15 January 1941, Plaek Pibulsonggram issued a Thai cultural mandate to modernize and westernize Thai dress, by deeming long-practiced customs of wearing underpants, wearing no shirt, or wearing a wraparound cloth, as forms of inappropriate public attire.

Contemporary Thai clothing

The formal Thai costume, known in Thai as ชุดไทยพระราชนิยม (RTGS: chut thai phra ratcha niyom, literally Thai dress of royal endorsement), includes several sets of dress, designed as the Thai national costume in formal occasions. Although described and intended for use as national costume, they are of relatively modern origins, having been conceived in the second half of the 20th century.

Women's clothing
Princess Sirindhorn wearing the "Chut Thai Amarin" (Thai: ชุดไทยอัมรินทร์
Princess Soamsavali wearing the "Chut Thai Amarin" (Thai: ชุดไทยอัมรินทร์
Princess Ubolratana wearing the "Chut Thai Boromphiman" (Thai: ชุดไทยบรมพิมาน)

Men's clothing
Prem Tinsulanonda, former Thai Prime Minister wearing the "chut thai phra ratcha niyom" (Thai: ชุดไทยพระราชนิยม)
Former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva wearing the "chut thai phra ratcha niyom" (Thai: ชุดไทยพระราชนิยม)
Surayud Chulanont, former Thai Prime Minister wearing the "chut thai phra ratcha niyom" (Thai: ชุดไทยพระราชนิยม)