Return to Thai attire?

[GWR]

25 June 2007
Culture Ministry encourages people to wear Thai clothes
The Ministry of Culture is organizing a fair to urge Thai people, especially teenagers and working people, to wear more Thai fabrics.

The Culture Minister, Khunying Khaisri Sri-aroon, presided over the Thai Fabric Caravan fair today (Jun 25) at the Ministry of Culture. The fair is being held from today to June 29th, with an aim to promote Thai fabrics to Thai people. Many local brand names are being sold here at discounted prices. The fair will then be held in other ministries and other community areas in Bangkok. The fair will help generate revenues to Thai clothing designers and will also benefit the overall economy of Thailand.

The Permanent Secretary for Culture, Mr. Weera Rojpojanarat says the Culture Ministry will continue to campaign for Thai people to wear clothes. The ministry is collaborating with various agencies in developing Thai fabrics under a national brand name.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter01

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255006250037

The Thai government has a long history of encouraging/dictating what its citizens can wear:

http://www.geocities.com/thailandwwii/nationalism.html

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=1876

[ncr]

the Culture Ministry will continue to campaign for Thai people to wear clothesYou don't say so! :eek: :rolleyes: :cool:

[Bernie]

Doubtless this'll cause great consternation in Pattaya and certain other environs.

Bernie

[Stephen Cleary]

Along similar lines, i've written lately in The Nation that Western Clothes are actually part of modern Thai culture - that is if you adhere to the principalities of FM Phibulsongkram.

Many a foreigner who arrives in Bangkok and sees a potrait of King Rama V, is often curious to why such a revered king was always dressed in English attire.

The biggest problem the Culture Ministry has is that they do not know what Thai Culture is.

[waerth]

Although it is wrong in my opinion to force people into their traditional attires. I must say I feel Thais and Thai women in general look a lot better in their traditional costumes (same goes for the Vietnamese).

Waerth

[FarangBha]

not that I'm complaining, but I'm astounded by the amount of cleavage you see around these days. Never used to see any.

And I'm told pants only became acceptable for ladies in the 80.

[jpatokal]

not that I'm complaining, but I'm astounded by the amount of cleavage you see around these days. Never used to see any.
Call me a skeptic, but when I see cleavage worthy of being called "astounding" in Thailand, nine times out of ten it's on a ladyboy :D

[GWR]

I'm just waiting for some clown to suggest long-term expats do the same:

04 July 2007
Ratchaburi encourages people to put on Thai costumes
The province of Ratchaburi is inviting government officials and local administrative employees to wear Thai traditional attires or Thai national costumes in yellow to celebrate the 80th Birthday of His Majesty the King on December 5th, 2007.

Ratchaburi Governor Wongsak Sawadipanit says wearing Thai traditional or national costumes will also help preserve Thailand’s identity. Therefore, he would like to encourage government officials and local administrative personnel to wear them. He says they can wear them in yellow on every Monday and blue on every Friday, starting from today onwards.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter01

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255007040013

05 July 2007
Trat campaigns for people to wear Thai costumes in yellow
Trat Governor Bunchuay Kerdsukhon says the province has campaigned for government officials and public members to dress in Thai traditional or national costumes in yellow.

Mr. Bunchuay says the campaign will help promote and preserve the national identity. He says it is also being held to celebrate the 80th Birthday of His Majesty the King on December 5th, 2007.

The Governor of Trat says the campaign previously encouraged people to wear Thai traditional or national costumes in yellow on every Friday. However, it has now changed to every Monday so it would complement with His Majesty’s the King birthday.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter03

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255007050008