Tailors in Thailand

By Joseph Boy
Posted in thai tips
Tags: , , ,
November 14 2023

Natalia Sokolovska / Shutterstock.com

In all major cities of Thailand do you find them; the tailors standing in front of the door of their shop trying to maneuver customers inside.

Remarkably many of them are of Indian origin and you will find tailor shops in Thailand in unprecedented numbers. The mutual competition is cutthroat and the promotional advertising slogans do not lie.

Designers Collection, Tailor made clothes ready in 10 hours, Highly recommended, Special offer, Free pick up service, Best tailor of the year. Latest styles from Armani, Versace, Boss, Valentino and go further down the list of greats from the fashion world. Walking through the streets of the metropolis of Bangkok you will be accosted at every turn by people who have the most attractive offers in store for you.

Pricing

You will find the most insane offers in the shop windows and in the various free magazines that are richly filled with advertisements. How about 3 suits, 3 extra trousers, 3 shirts, 3 silk ties and a dress for your wife or girlfriend. And if you want to spoil her a little bit, you can replace your 3 trousers with 3 skirts. And let's be honest, the tie has fallen out of favor with us men for some years now. What do you pay attention to replace it with 3 silk scarves. It won't cost you a fortune, because for the advertised price of only 105 US Dollars, or about 80, yes eighty, euros, the whole mentioned stuff is yours.

Radek Ziemniewicz / Shutterstock.com

I deliberately use the word 'stuff' here, because every sane person will frown his or her eyebrows and view such an offer with the necessary suspicion. To make it all seem a bit credible, the advertisement also contains an emblem with the words 'Tailor of the year award' and to make it look completely real, a photo of two gentlemen with the text 'An Award Winning Tailor'. For the sake of convenience, which business has earned that award has been omitted from the advertisement and 'Tailor of the year Award' obviously says nothing at all. And if you call the phone number in the ad, they will pick you up for free.

A few tips

A lot of things don't make anything themselves and pretend. They take the size, sell a type of fabric and outsource the stuff to sewing workshops. A real tailor will proudly show his workshop. Take a good look at the costumes in the window and in the shop and pay attention to the finish and the fabrics used. Some tailors like to screen with Cashmere and fabrics supposedly from England or Italy. Pay attention to the lining and finishing of the pockets, lapels and especially the inset of the sleeves on the shoulders.

Take your time and realize that fitting in between is necessary for a well-fitting suit. A healthy distrust of tailors who offer exorbitantly low prices is called for. The quality differences between tailors are enormous. And mind you, even in Thailand the sun only rises for nothing.

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35 Responses to “Tailors in Thailand”

  1. Robert says up

    You get what you pay for. Pinky in Ploenchit is one of the best addresses in Bangkok. No nonsense, choice of beautiful quality fabrics, I even order all my casual shirts there. Pinky has a steady clientele, including many international celebrities, and doesn't need a cheap handshake to draw in the customers. You pay for the fabric, though, and a good suit is quickly at least 15,000 baht. Still many times cheaper than anywhere else. http://www.pinkytailor.com/

    Pinky's tailored suits and shirts look a lot better than his website, by the way…marketing isn't his forte! 😉

    • Jelle Feenstra says up

      I always buy from lee Gruppe in Pattaya.
      She is a very good professional woman!
      Employs 3 tailors.
      The same business, and the same owner. for over 17 years.
      Pattaya 2nd road, opposite Mike Shopping mall.
      216 – 32 Central shopping Arcade.
      Telephone 038 720294 and 081 8755256.

      Suit, 2 parts, trousers and jacket in cool wool 5000 Bath and in silk 5100 Bath. for normal sizes. a higher price for very large sizes.
      I have had my costumes made there for years. The oldest costume is now 6 years old. And in excellent condition.

  2. Hans van den Pitak says up

    There is also an in-between. In my neighborhood "Prince Taylor" in Soi Sri Bhuphen I had some costumes made that fit like a glove and of good quality for 5000 Baht each.

  3. Jacob Bot says up

    I will have three trousers made again in June.
    Buy the fabric in Bangkok, and then my girlfriend's ex makes the pants.
    Is he also happy that he can earn some money?
    And later in the year he will send them if we ask for it.

    Jacob

  4. Pear Stone says up

    Buy fabric yourself on the Indian market at Chinatown (BKK). Having clothes made at a Chinese tailor in a shopping street (Praholyotin) in one of the suburbs. For 1 suit with 2 trousers, 1 jacket with trousers and 2 jeans made of jeans I paid a total of less than 4500 baht. Including the fabric and perfect fit and quality. You can specify the details of the clothes yourself (I wanted a red inner lining) and the fabric from the Indian market is generally of good quality.

    • Pear Stone says up

      Again, should be 7000 bath of course.

  5. Christina says up

    Once a bad experience in Chiang Mai the fabric was completely cut up and put together in pieces.
    After insisting for a long time that I didn't take this or make something new and in a neat way the tourist police was outside, I got my money back. Always check if they have a model in the store how is it finished.
    Do not want white or black on the inside with red and do not pay everything. Good experiences at a tailor in Puket town who also has a shop on Patong beach. Everything was top notch.

    • willem says up

      Hi Kristina,

      I am going to Phuket in 6 weeks. I would like to have an address of a reliable tailor.
      I like to hear from you

  6. marijke says up

    I also wanted to have a dress made outside on a sign that showed a nice model and the price. That seemed like something to me once inside someone was called who came to measure the sizes. To my surprise, the dress became 3 times as expensive. thank you anyway. This was in pattya. Nowadays you also have a suit for 60 euros at c&a in the Netherlands.

  7. Peter Yai says up

    Dear readers

    Do we have any more tips or addresses for fabric and tailors in the Pattaya area?

    Happy day Peter yai

    • Gringo says up

      Shopping Arcade on Second Road Pattaya, opposite Mike's Shopping Mall parking lot. at the front you will see a Kiss Restaurant.
      Walk into the Arcade and you will see my tailor on the right between Patrick's Belgian restaurant and My Way Dutch restaurant (both highly recommended!).

      I recently had a series of shirts (700 Baht each) and 2 trousers (1100 Baht each) made.
      Perfectly done and he's a nice guy too!

      • Robert Van Dyck says up

        I have also had several shirts made at this tailor, good quality and perfectly finished, highly recommended, also the 2 restaurants

    • Leo casino says up

      since 2004 i have my shirts and jackets made at james taylor beach rd soy 13, a great address, the price is also good, it is halfway in the soy next to aa residence. If there is something wrong with it, there is always something to talk about,,,, greetings Leo

      • le casino says up

        of course pattaya

  8. eduard says up

    they are all nice people. Wanting to earn is normal. But it remains strange that tailored suits all have to be the same size. Go to 5 tailors and they all have a different size. Doesn't happen in New York.

    • Kees says up

      Sorry eduard , but they are NOT nice people. A bunch of handshakers who are friendly to you because they know you have a full wallet. They will not be friendly to their compatriots (Indians) because they will not spend a baht anyway.

    • johny says up

      Absolutely not nice people, but above all arrogant and pushy. You should just ignore someone who praises his wares in that way. It is purely about making money from a stupid unsuspecting tourist. The shops that deliver quality will certainly not bother the tourists on the street.

  9. Gerard says up

    Next summer I will go to Bangkok for a period, a period to Chiang Mai and a period to Koh Chang.
    Is there much difference in price?
    Where can I have it made best?
    Is there a tailor culture at all on Koh Chang?

  10. Bob Bekaert says up

    In Krabi they had the nasty habit of pretending to shake your hand but then you
    literally dragging them into their store.
    After 2 times such an experience I quickly made a wai before he could grab me and yes, you have to answer a wai with a wai. So that was: missed the hand, too bad for him.

    • john says up

      I just nod to them kindly. Can gen wai from me.

  11. Nelly says up

    We had big problems with Manhattan Taylors years ago in Bangkok. Even the hotel security had to be involved. they didn't want to give back our own clothes that we had given for copy before we had paid. While we were not satisfied and did not want some of the clothes made. In the end they chose eggs for their money.

  12. Stephan says up

    We always go to Gulati (73 Sukhumvit Soi 3, Corner of Soi Nana Road), good quality and lots of choice.
    The whole family has been going here for about 20 years, highly recommended. Not the cheapest but quality is superb.

  13. C. Schoonhoven says up

    For 10 years I have had 2 suits made every year at Kento tailors in Phuket on the OTOP market.
    You will be helped supper, only you have to come by at least 3 times in between to Easter.
    The suit from the first year is still in the closet. Shame to throw away. It may be like new.
    When buying a suit, you have to make sure that you buy a suit with a high average.
    Then the suit is a bit thicker, but that is better if you wear the suits in Holland.
    You can handle everything. Turn-up on the leg, 3.4.5 buttons on the sleeve, lapel hole and of course the model.
    I always go for double breasted. 2 rows of knots 3n straight knots with 2 slits.
    Perfect suits for the businessman. And that for years for the same price € 95,00 per pack. Awesome!

  14. John Hoekstra says up

    If there are men at the door, that's the first sign to avoid that tailor. I also find it funny that these “handshakers” often wear bad shirts and sports shoes under their trousers.

    If you want to spend a little more I would say "Tailor on Ten" in Sukhumvit soi 8.

  15. Nicky says up

    We once drove to Manhattan by a tuk-tuk driver. Big mafia gang. The tourist police had to be involved to get our own clothes (which we had given as an example) back, as well as part of the deposit. We ended up taking a part that was good.
    They wanted us to fit in with them. Sure, they knew it wasn't right. Through the mediation of the tourist police, they finally came to the hotel. Was a rotten end to a nice stay

    • john says up

      it was a learning experience. Here it was the tailor where you were delivered. The lesson is: never let a tuktuk or whatever drop you off at a tailor, eatery, diamond shop or whatever. Then it is doubled off. Once literally through the tuktuk and later again but in a different sense through the shop.

  16. john says up

    I always wonder where these shops derive their right to exist. Here in CM they are every 100mtr. and I rarely, if ever, see anyone go in there. The same applies to the opticians: large stores, a huge range and an extensive staff. How is it possible that profit is still being made here?

    • johny says up

      At those opticians you pay more for glasses than in the low countries. Profit margin on glasses is extremely high, so they don't have to sell many.

  17. Endorphin says up

    Does anyone have an address of a good one in Chiang Mai?

  18. nicky says up

    Just buy your fabric at the market and find a good tailor
    we have a female here in chiang mai, she makes me a skirt for 5 euros. Neat and tidy, incl. zipper, button and loops. we also let her do other sewing jobs. at least that way the locals have something too

    • Maryse miot says up

      Nice to know Nicky, but why call that woman 'female'? Bit derogatory.
      Seamstress, tailor, clothing maker, entrepreneur… in short, enough terms that suffice.

      • PEER says up

        Hello Marise,
        Maybe that's because we sometimes talk about a guy who does “our garden” or a guy who is “handy with mopeds”.
        In Thailand that might mean that we are being very generous by paying 190 Bath to make a skirt.
        It might take her all day. Must have a sewing machine, electricity, zippers, buttons and thread.
        But in fact that “woman” has earned half a Thai daily wage by making that skirt.
        Is that helping the local population?

    • Annemarie says up

      Can you also indicate where this tailor is located in Chang Mai?
      Do they also have travel fabric there?

  19. Rick de Bies says up

    Unfortunately, I also have some bad news about purchasing a tailored suit. The salesman in Cha-Am tried to cheat us of a higher amount by discussing all the extras and later having them manufactured without consent. So be warned be clear in your wishes otherwise it will be a costly affair!


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