Hi Guys,

Once again, your help and advice would be appreciated.

I have been invited to a Thai wedding when I am next in country and was curious about the dress code.

The wedding is between a farang man and a Thai girl. I don't really want to have to pack any formal clothes or shoes. Is smart/casual ok? Sandals?

I don't want to offend anybody......

Ta

HoJo

Depends upon who is getting married and where!

Upcountry common folks ... no problem ...

Major city important family ... Dress Up!

As said on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Always dress up for a party etc, you can always say you have somewhere else to go after!

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Edited August 22, 200619 yr by chippie

I dress up for all Thai weddings regardless of where they are or who the people getting married are.

I think this is especially apreciated by less well off, less well connected Thais.

It is Thai custom to invite respected people to weddings, in extreme this might be a member of the Royal Family.

It is almost certain that having a foreigner at a wedding is considered as something special, so I dress up, suit, Thai, highly polished shoes, button-hole.

My observation is that Thai hosts and guests love this, it is affording them with respect and they really do apreciate that.

Learning a few words of Thai incase you are asked to speak to the guests is always a good idea.

My favourite, and a speach that goes down tremendously well includes the following:

I start by thanking the couple for their invite and drop in a comment about fine Thai hospitality.

I then add 'Khun Sursak (or whoever), told me he was marrying a pretty girl, but today I have discovered he was not telling me the truth.

Pause......to let that sink in

'Kun Apinyar (or whoever) is not just pretty, she is absolutely beautiful'

Believe me, her parents will be calling you their farang son for life.

Singha vest, dayglow pink speedos, Jesus creepers and black knee high socks, you'll go down a storm

Here's a couple of photo's for you

chippie

Resize pic.before post please.

having only been to 2 weddings in Thailand I would say that my opinion differs from GH's ..

Upcountry I wore chinos and good loafers and a shirt and necktie <The necktie came off immediatelt for the party afterwards.> I was dressed more smartly than any of the men in either family other than the fathers and the groom. A suit would have been way out of place there.

The other wedding was in BKK and it was a Hi-So girl and a farang getting married. The whole thing was done to the 9's and ANYTHING less than a suit would have been out of the question!

(Language isn't an issue for me ..and I agree ... nice to know at least how to offer a proper toast in Thai!)

To the OP ... bring good pair of shoes ... and a shirt ... have a new suit made here. If you are overdressed just take the jacket off and you are good to go

Here's a couple of photo's for you

chippie

Resize pic.before post please.

Who are you?

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Never say in 1 post what youcan say in 4!

You wore shorts to a wedding?

Hey Chippie, the fella in pics 3+4 in the white shirt, is that the Emperor Ming from the Flash Gordon series

Oh wow, I've just realised it's you. Can I have your autograph?

Edited August 22, 200619 yr by kurgen

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Never say in 1 post what youcan say in 4!

You wore shorts to a wedding?

My conection kept f*&king up, didn't realise i'd sent them.

Yes, I went up country to see a friend and didn't know we were going to a wedding, I didn't bring any long trousers with me.

Sorry, so very sorry.

Hey Chippie, the fella in pics 3+4 in the white shirt, is that the Emperor Ming from the Flash Gordon series

Oh wow, I've just realised it's you. Can I have your autograph?

Yea, and about as oriental as he was.

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Never say in 1 post what youcan say in 4!

You wore shorts to a wedding?

My conection kept f*&king up, didn't realise i'd sent them.

Yes, I went up country to see a friend and didn't know we were going to a wedding, I didn't bring any long trousers with me.

Sorry, so very sorry.

Learn the lesson? In Thailand ALWAYS carry clothes that are considered appropriate to go into temple etc ....

Though truthfully I have been caught out once .... so

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Never say in 1 post what youcan say in 4!

You wore shorts to a wedding?

My conection kept f*&king up, didn't realise i'd sent them.

Yes, I went up country to see a friend and didn't know we were going to a wedding, I didn't bring any long trousers with me.

Sorry, so very sorry.

Learn the lesson? In Thailand ALWAYS carry clothes that are considered appropriate to go into temple etc ....

Though truthfully I have been caught out once .... so

Yes Dad, so sorry.

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Regarding your upcountry wedding pictures you explained in a later post that you would not normally wear short for such occasion, which means, I guess, that these pictures do not answer the OP’s question.

Regarding your city wedding pictures I wonder if all farang guests were dressed as casually as you.

---------------

Maestro

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Regarding your upcountry wedding pictures you explained in a later post that you would not normally wear short for such occasion, which means, I guess, that these pictures do not answer the OP’s question.

Regarding your city wedding pictures I wonder if all farang guests were dressed as casually as you.

---------------

Maestro

Where did I say that?

Yes they were.

Want to see the pics?

Regarding your city wedding pictures I wonder if all farang guests were dressed as casually as you.

Where did I say that?

You didn’t, nor did the pictures show it. That’s why I asked.

To the original poster: I never saw any man, neither farang nor Thai, dressed like that at a Thai wedding in Bangkok. My conclusion: it probably depends not only on the place, but also on the persons getting married (as indicated by another poster)

--------------

Maestro

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Never say in 1 post what youcan say in 4!

You wore shorts to a wedding?

My conection kept f*&king up, didn't realise i'd sent them.

Yes, I went up country to see a friend and didn't know we were going to a wedding, I didn't bring any long trousers with me.

Sorry, so very sorry.

Learn the lesson? In Thailand ALWAYS carry clothes that are considered appropriate to go into temple etc ....

Though truthfully I have been caught out once .... so

Yes Dad, so sorry.

no prob ....... live and lern

Thats my Can-Can in the background.

Here's a couple of photo's for you. The first two are up country and the next two in the city.

All depends on the wedding I guess.

Never say in 1 post what youcan say in 4!

You wore shorts to a wedding?

My conection kept f*&king up, didn't realise i'd sent them.

Yes, I went up country to see a friend and didn't know we were going to a wedding, I didn't bring any long trousers with me.

Sorry, so very sorry.

Learn the lesson? In Thailand ALWAYS carry clothes that are considered appropriate to go into temple etc ....

Though truthfully I have been caught out once .... so

Yes Dad, so sorry.

no prob ....... live and lern

Ignore this one chippie, he's just bitter seeing others having a good time since his 'partner' has declined his offer of moving to Phuket with him.

It seems that not only have I offended the wedding guests but also the readers of this forum by dressing incorectly.

Funny that my Thai GF, her friends and familly, my friend, his wife and all the guests were quite pleased to see me and that no one took offence at the time.

Next time i'm at the village i'll repremand the locals for being so poor also.

I was just going to post that according to my experience (five weddings in different social classes, in Mae Sot, Chiang Mai and Bangkok), you *usually* do NOT need to dress up to the same extent as you would be expected to in the West.

If you want to fit right in you just wear regular shoes (much better than sandals), a pair of ironed trousers and a clean, ironed short sleeved shirt, make sure you have showered and shaved... and that will be fine for most occasions except perhaps for the extreme high society. It wouldnt be wrong to ask your friends who are getting married though.

When I got married in the village I wore a suit, my best man? wore an old t-shirt and older jeans, although I was dismayed the Thais just took it in their stride, I wonder who had the right attitude?

Howard, my advice, follow GuestHouse's advice, you won't go far wrong.

To JD and Lacoste, is there one post you two are not going to flame each other on, just an observation.

Good Luck Howard, most of all just enjoy it.

Moss

I always wear what my Thai wife tells me and I am always appropiately dressed for the occassion. Do not take advice from farang men about this. Ask the Thai woman who is getting married what you should wear and you will not go wrong.

<snip>

/Mod Edit - fuel for further flames deleted.

Edited August 23, 200619 yr by Jai Dee

Never forget to don the patented "nosomchaino" wallet guard with attached stun gun. You will relax and enjoy every wedding you go to

Thanks to all. Its been very helpful.

The Groom wears a suit at an upcountry wedding. Never seen anyone else wear a suit. I've never been to a hiso wedding so can't advise there but from my experience at literally hundreds of country weddings, pants (trousers for the birts ) and a nice short sleeved shirt, even a polo, is fine.

As for Chippie's shorts, well, your'e a farang, you can get away with it and no one will really mind You came, you had a good time, which was enough for everyone, I am sure.