Bangkok

xevioso3 · #1 19-08-2007, 08:48

hey folks...I really appriceate your advice. I have actually made some calls to Bangkok and Phuket trying to get straight answers but of course they want to chat in person cuz they will all give me "such a deal".

I will be bringing my fabric with me from San Francisco for shirts and jackets...it's stuff they may or may not have there but I want to make sure.

Can anyone reccommmend a tailor, preferably who specifically handles the work, and not the salesmanship, but who would be willing to deal with a farang? I just want someone to measure me, I give him my fabric, and he goes to work.

I want to bypass the touts and the Indian/Pakistani/Skih gentleman who act as front for the workmanship on this trip - - I don't need the middleman. Any advice in this regard in Bangkok or Phuket would be helpful.

Dodger · #2 19-08-2007, 11:41

Going direct to the tailor, who actually makes the suit you may have problems with telling them what you want, because the only ones i know do not come into contact much with farang and do not speak english very well. There are three tailors workshops here in Kamala, none of them to my limited knowledge speak good english.

We can all recommend a tailor, nepalese, indian etc, saleman from his shop or from personal experience and they will all agree a deal to make you suits etc from your own material.

Get a few quotes on the first day from a few shops for making a suit from their material, gives you the top price. Ask to see some of their current work, so you can check their tailors craftmanship. Of ask here for recommendations of tailors in BKK or Phuket that have done good work. I beleive there has been a recent thread on this subject, try putting tailors in the search engine, will give you a few names of shops that use good tailors.

Build some rapore and once you decided on which shop to use, go back in and ask him how much he will charge for using your material. They are open to deal with farang and done with a smile you will get a great deal for a well made suit.

Oh yeah, do not leave it to the last minute as thats when in my opinion you get the rushed, shoddy workmanship. Make sure to give them a week, so you can go back many times for refittings etc.

xevioso3 · #3 19-08-2007, 13:22

thank you!

Robaht · #4 19-08-2007, 13:47

Probably qualifies as a middleman, but this is the tailor that I use in Bangkok right next door to the Landmark Hotel. They measure you and then one of their tailors comes and get the measurements and the fabrics - you could meet the head tailor but I don't think you'd ever see the "sweathouse".

Rajawongse

The guys in there are very nice and speak excellent English and they have quite a few famous customers since they seem to do a lot of work for the US Embassy. If you want to bring you own fabrics I'm sure it is not a problem but give them a call and ask. Or you may find they have what you are looking for.

Cheers, Robaht

Schmeen · #5 20-08-2007, 06:21

The shops are by their own admission, fabric salesmen. That's where they make thier money, so they wouldn't be interested in handling your business.

The actual sweatshop for the top Sukhumvit tailors is in Soi 11.

Head to the end and make the left turn past Q Bar, right at that point, past the sub-soi that links into Soi 3 and it's in that area there. I can't be more specific, because it's years since i have been there, but i do know it's still there.

pablo · #6 20-08-2007, 06:27

[quote]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmeen

The shops are by their own admission, fabric salesmen. That's where they make thier money, so they wouldn't be interested in handling your business.QUOTE

This was my exact thought, on the subjuect...as well.

It's kind'a like asking to bring your own bottle, to a bar.

Good luck.

Pablo

nelsonone · #7 20-08-2007, 06:53

[quote=pablo;370624]

Quote:

This was my exact thought, on the subjuect...as well.

It's kind'a like asking to bring your own bottle, to a bar.

Good luck.

Pablo

agree....but strange...that happens in LOS too.........55555

Pentire · #8 20-08-2007, 14:21

I would suggest that along with your fabric you take a suit which fits you perfectly then just head for a sweat shop with your Thai girl and ask them to copy it same same having previously recieved a quote from one of those Indian gentlemen to give you a bench mark.
I reckon you'll pay about 500 Baht to have a suit made with your own cloth.

xevioso3 · #9 21-08-2007, 00:55

Well, the fabric I'm bringing is unusual by Thai standards. I will be buying a suit or two at these places using their material, so hopefully that will allow me to give them my own fabric for a number of the jackets and shirts I'll have made. I suppose if one won't do it I''ll go to the other. But at least now I have an idea of the price. I'm getting some unusual men's jackets and blazer's made, and when I was in Thailand, they didn't have a lot of unusual patterns or fabrics by San Francisco standards. The quality of their fabric was excellent, but more "formal". I go to dance clubs and parties allt he time, so I was looking for something more wacky. But I do need a good suit made so I will get a more normal one made there too. Anyways, thanks for the advice!

Schmeen · #10 21-08-2007, 06:23

That changes everything.

I'm sure the 'fabric salesmen' will be more than happy to meet you.

Dodger · #11 21-08-2007, 11:21

It does change things Schmeen but my experience has been different to yours.

My friend brought over some material, we visited only two tailor shops here in phuket and both were happy to make a suit for him from his material, they told us exactly the markup they would add for their services, measuring, fitting etc. Also as I posted earlier, if you go direct to the tailor who makes the suit his command of english is possibly going to questionable, again form my experience, three tailor here in kamala, none of the people in them speak passable english.

So as I concluded before, it is surely worth a few hundred, from memory think it was 3 or 4 hundred baht to deal with a fluent english speaking indian, who understands what you require and can also discuss this with the tailor who is going to make it?

The cost of one suit in the states is going to blow away the cost of three or four made here, a couple of baht to the middle man for peace of mind must be worth it surely?.

Okay just my opinion.

ticking12 · #12 06-05-2008, 05:09

I used Beethoven Suit near emporium (soi 26, its right on sukhumvit road, tel 022586805) back when I lived in Thailand, Usually takes them about a week to make it from first measuring. As for custom fabrics I don't know, best to call and ask, the main guy's english is very good and it seems to be a real Thai family business (even saw a kid there playing counterstrike upstairs).