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What to wear in Thailand

He who would travel happily must travel light Antoine De St. Exupery
1900 - 1944

What to wear

The Question

what should I wear while travelling in Thailand

The Answer

practically nothing

The Reason

Hot Hot Hot

Seriously though, replying to the question as to what to wear while on vacation in Thailand, the answer would probably be a lot less than you would normally wear at home. We all tend to pack in far to many unnecessary items. I am guilty myself for packing more clothes that I rarely get to wear. You're on vacation remember! Pack as little as possible before you leave. You can always buy whatever it is that you need right here in Thailand. Clothing is especially reasonably priced in Thailand so you could arrive here with practically nothing.

The idea is to choose mainly natural cottons that are light and loose for most of the year. You need clothes that can breath, so no synthetics. If coming to Thailand for business, light suits can be worn but it is not essential. Dress code in Thailand is a lot less formal than in most countries although a more formal dress code is required when entering religious sites, whether it be a Buddhist temple or a Muslim mosque.

Due to the tropics though, temperatures in Thailand can range from very hot to cool. The "cool" part mainly exists in the northern regions where it is more mountainous. This, of course is mainly during the months between November and February when a light sweater, mostly in the evenings, would be welcome. I have not been here during this period but it is certainly cooler in Chiang Mai than it is in Bangkok most of the time. During the rainy season it is still warm so light clothing can be worn both during the day and night.

T Shirts for Sale in Bangkok

What to wear for Boys

As a male I can give you a few suggestions on the basic clothing needed, depending how long your vacation is. For day time use, pack in a few T-shirts, a couple of short pants, lots of underwear and a good pair of comfortable sandals. If you need to wear long trousers during the day, light cotton ones would be best. Jeans tend to be too warm to wear most times. During the night the same light clothing can be worn even when going out to restaurants and shows.

I prefer to dress up for the evenings and will wear a light cotton shirt with light cotton long pants and slip on shoes. It just looks neater. These items of clothing can also be brought along with you but do not forget, you can always buy them here. You only need to take a look at how badly some men dress at night, especially in places like Pattaya. I am usually the best dressed here so I will need some competition.

What to wear for Girls

This would only be a suggestion though, but again light clothing throughout the day and night. Pack light cotton tops, perhaps a few T-shirts, short light skirts, shorts if you need, lots of underwear and again a good pair of comfortable sandals. Don't forget to pack your bathing costume though. High heeled shoes can be used with discretion but there is really no need on most, if not all occasions. Perhaps you might like to wear a pair when going out to a show.

The reason why I am telling you this, is that you are probably going to do a fair bit of walking. Not to worry though as you will stumble onto quite a few foot massage spas on nearly every street corner. In the evenings, you might want to wear a light long dress like the one in my photo above. The rest I will leave up to you. Remember that you can always buy whatever you need in Thailand and with good prices there is really no need to pack too much. Remember that you can always go home with more than you take with you.

What to wear when entering a Temple

When entering important religious sites like a Buddha Temple or a Muslim Mosque, you will be required to dress more appropriately. Shorts are not allowed for both men and women. For women, short dresses and long sleeveless dresses are also not allowed. On most occasions you will not be turned away from these places as basic conservative clothing is provided but don't always count on it.

Men need to wear long trousers and a short sleeve shirt will do the trick. For the ladies there is no showing of legs so jeans, long pants or a long dress with sleeves would do nicely. I will leave the footwear up to you as you will have to remove them in most cases anyway when entering religious sites.

The temple of the Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace in Bangkok are two such places. Always dress properly to appease Thai sensitivities.

Well that just about covers everything. (excuse the pun). Please feel free to contact me should you require any further assistance.

These bright sandals are all the rage in Thailand