Student uniform at Thai universities and colleges
Student uniforms in Thailand are a frequent question of foreign applicants. They have a long tradition and can be found at any Thai educational institution. Therefore, the different ways to carry the uniform also show the different social states of the institutions.
Very few international programs leave it up to the students to wear uniform or not. Most freedom is probably given in Bangkok due to international influences. Outside Bangkok, student uniform is rule. If this appears strange to you, look for a program with a quite high percentage of foreigners, but never forget to ask
before you register.
Anyway, the pictures below show how fashionable female students wear their uniforms, in particular on Bangkok campuses. They are the stage for the presentation of hair cut, make up, handbag, and shoes, and as such, very successful!
Below, you find links the the policies of some Thai universities on student uniforms:
You will often be told that wearing student uniforms is an old Thai tradition. When you get to hear that, smile friendly and don't say anything. It's certainly not an old tradition to wear western style dresses. The duty of schools and other educational institutions to force their students into student uniforms is one of the cultural mandates of Plaek Pibulsonggram, a military dictator in the 1940s. For more details, read the articles on Struggling to understand Thais, 'Thai-ness', and 'Thai Culture'?
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In a course on Desktop Publishing in 2008, some IIS-RU students made a brochure for foreign students, telling you about trends and symbols in Thai student uniforms in Bangkok and, certainly, where you can buy one.
(PDF, 5.6 MB) |
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