Dressing Thai

What is it about?

Public attire and policies governing it have been a reoccurring feature of Siamese/Thai nation building since the nineteenth century. The strata of sartorial nation building that are embedded in the Thai political landscape show that mode of dress is one of the most enduring features of Thai politics and a keystone in the construction of Thainess. This study examines the specific ways the revolving door of Thai rulers, regimes, and politicians, regardless of ideology, have used clothing to advance their agenda and as a tool to control the public lives of Thais for the past 150 years and the impact of such efforts in Thai society today.

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