Traditional Thai attire — sinh skirt, sabai shawl and embroidered patterns — is usually only worn by dignitaries at government functions, elderly ladies at weddings or by waitresses working in Thai restaurants abroad. Otherwise, it is an outdated wardrobe consigned to history and old pictures, far removed from contemporary fashion.
So last week, student Mussamont "Mez" Jansiri created a buzz online and in mainstream media when she posted pictures of herself dressed in traditional Thai costume and going about her daily business. She wore it on the BTS, at the market and in shopping malls. Mussamont said that she inherited the dress — in gossamer gold, with elaborate pink blouse and matching accessories — from her mother and grandmother. Traditional dress, she said in interviews, is comfortable, and she wanted to raise awareness about Thai tradition. (Mussamont has recently applied to be Miss Tiffany Universe 2015.)
Following Mussamont came another widely circulated picture of a Thai student who wore traditional Thai clothing to her graduation ceremony in Scotland. Last week, a petition went up on Change.org campaigning for a "National Costume Preservation Day". The idea is to preserve the heritage and elegance of Thai culture through the revival of forgotten, unpopular attire.
Suddenly, a debate on the contemporary relevance of traditional Thai costume has come to the fore. There are many issues at work here, from practicality, fashion, nationalism, to the still-debatable concept of "Thainess" and the meaning of "Thai" costumes.
Ladies’ attire during King Chulalongkorn’s reign. Photo: Bangkok Post Archive
Due to the Westernisation of Siam during the reign of King Rama V and cultural modernisation enacted by Field Marshall Plaek Phibunsongkhram in the 1950s, traditional Thai dress slowly disappeared from daily life. But today, there are still some people — besides the Ministry of Culture and its official campaign — who champion bygone fashion. TV host, news anchor and actress Bon Jakobsen began wearing a sinh, a traditional long skirt worn by Lao and Thai women, in 2012. She also set up a Facebook community, "Nung Sinh Inter", for other Thais who wear a sinh in their daily lives so they don't feel alone. The page, established in January 2013, now has more than 18,000 followers.
The idea of wearing a sinh with a contemporary top came to her in Norway when she saw people wearing the national costume on their National Day.
"I admired how everyone, and I mean every single one of them, owned a national costume. Once a year they go out on the streets wearing it with pride. It was very powerful," said Bon.
Inspired by that, she started wearing sinh to express her Thai identity. She felt a little strange in the beginning, because people stared at her, but her will to create an impact outweighed her self-consciousness. She created the online community to show people the beauty of wearing a sinh.
"When the internet is full of girls wearing short shorts, a skirt the size of a belt, or low cut tops and calling it cool, I felt that this kind of page was much needed," she said.
Bon feels that a sinh is actually a practical clothing choice, even in today's society. In fact, it feels just like wearing a long skirt.
"If you can do things wearing a skirt, you can do it in a sinh too," she said.
Bon's choice of wardrobe may signify a reaction to today's gentrified, globalised world by yearning for a traditional, authentic identity. Wearing Thai costume is admirable, though the problematic word is "Thai". National identity has undergone countless shifts and changes throughout the centuries. If people seize on the idea of Thai dress they may overlook different cultural and historical layers.
Historian Siripoj Laomanacharoen said "Thainess" is a multifaceted concept which does not have a clear definition.
"In the past, up until the reign of King Rama V, Thai women were topless. Does that mean you should do that today?" said Siripoj.
Siripoj, now an independent researcher but formerly a lecturer at Silpakorn University, said that "traditional" outfits worn today are not what Thais wore in the past. Our image of traditional Thai dress comes from period dramas, and does not precisely reflect the reality of the country's cultural roots.
"The beautiful costumes worn by the girls in the drama series are not what Thai people generally wore in the past. That's what Thai dancers today wear, and it's not the same. Thai women in the past wore plain clothes wrapped around their bodies. Such exquisite costumes were only for special occasions and for the elite," said Siripoj.
The historian also questions whether encouraging the general public to wear Thai costumes is a positive thing for the country. It might even create controversy, since "Thainess" has been pigeonholed due to a Bangkok-centric attitude.
"What is the definition of a traditional Thai costume? If you go to Pattani, what their ancestors wore was different from what Bangkokians wore. Stereotyping Thai traditions will only create confusion and controversy. Intentions might be good, but if executed carelessly, it could do more harm than good," Siripoj said.
History has much to do with imagination — and so has fashion. Designer Platt Pladhi, owner of clothing brand Realistic Situation, has a strong passion for Thai textiles, incorporating traditional elements in his collections. He believes that lifestyles evolve with time and therefore it is not practical to wear traditional outfits today.
"You can express patriotism in many ways, not just by wearing Thai costumes. However, for traditional ceremonies, wearing Thai costumes is a nice gesture," said Platt.
"Thainess", in Platt's opinion, must be instilled from a young age through showing the importance of culture.
"Using Thai textiles, for instance, was not seriously promoted in the past, and apart from the elite, nobody really pays attention to them today. We, as Thai people, should work together to make Thai textiles, as well as other Thai elements, more accessible to the general public," Platt said.
Designer Wisharawish Akarasantisook, whose brand Wisharawish has used Thai textiles in many collections, feels there is nothing wrong with a person wanting to wear traditional Thai costume. However, as a designer, he thinks it is a little over the top if worn head to toe.
"You don't have to be dressed completely in traditional Thai costume. I think the most important thing is dressing appropriately for the occasion," said Wisharawish.
Instead of encouraging everyone to ditch modern clothes, Wisharawish thinks supporting locally-made materials makes more sense.
"If you support Thai textiles, for example, it generates money for small communities, which in turn makes our economy better," said Wisharawish. "Many organisations today are promoting Thai textiles, but they are adapted for modern day use. I think you can start simply by using a Thai silk scarf or a locally made bag. That probably suits contemporary lifestyles better than wearing Thai costume."
