Analyzing Asian Women from My Own Unique Perspective! Thai Women: 79% Gal Level - Stylish Women Who Evolve Uniquely

Thailand: A Nation Blending Global and Unique Cultures

In 2013, Bangkok, Thailand, was predicted to be the city attracting the most tourists worldwide. The number of visitors reached 15.98 million annually. For comparison, Tokyo ranked 16th with 5.8 million visitors. (Source: MasterCard Survey, World Travel Destination Rankings 2013)
Furthermore, Bangkok has become a leading international city lined with global corporations.
Yet simultaneously, Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia without a history of colonial rule, allowing its unique culture to take root. A blend of global sensibilities and distinct local culture. This time, we'll spotlight Thai girls and take the liberty of analyzing their "gal" factor.

Effortlessly cute yet boldly individualistic: High-level Thai fashion

Source: Asian Girls Survey

When it comes to Thailand's fashion scene, Siam Square in Bangkok is the epicenter. With many cram schools in the area, it's a trend-setting destination where people of all ages flock to shop, primarily high school and college students.

Since the 2005 reduction in apparel tariffs, the entry of international brands and the emergence of luxury department stores have reportedly heightened Thai women's fashion consciousness year after year. However, they don't just shop at luxury department stores; they skillfully combine their purchases from tented markets and select shops.

A phrase frequently heard in interviews was "I want to wear fashion that's different from others."
Furthermore, the desire among many to "wear fashion that expresses themselves" may be a driving force behind this "mix" of shopping venues.

Source: Asian Women Survey

So, what exactly is the unique fashion of Thai girls? "I want to copy Japanese fashion, but Thailand is too hot to copy it easily. Still, I enjoy seeing knitwear and boot fashion in Japanese magazines (gal magazines)."

For Thai girls, Japanese gal fashion might function less as real-world clothing and more as a "study tool" to see items they rarely encounter, helping them stand out from other girls.

They also strongly prefer "simple and comfortable clothing." Rather than layering or "piling on" layers like in Japan, the key is how effortlessly, coolly, and stylishly they can look in a single piece.

Indeed, their fashion somehow seems to follow a one-piece girly principle.

A feature on Thailand's one-piece girly gals.
The protective details are cute

The top looks cool at first glance, but it has a girly bear (?)
Image provided by: Gal Traveler Kayo Goto

Strong focus on appearance. Even dental braces become a fashion item.

Source: Asian Women Survey

Alongside fashion, Thai women spare no effort in beauty. For instance, 40% expressed openness to cosmetic surgery—the highest among surveyed countries.

Even more surprisingly, they leave no detail untouched when it comes to decorating!
"Orthodontics even became a trend in Thailand. Fashionable girls attach colorful rubber bands to their braces, turning them into fashion accessories."
Apparently, many schools in Thailand have strict dress codes. For girls, their teeth might be the only space left to express their style.

Even guys approve: "Girls with braces are cute. You can tell they're trying hard to look good." Even Japanese gals, who study makeup day and night to achieve near-plastic-surgery-level looks, haven't quite gotten to the point of decorating their teeth.

Thailand's Gal Level: 79% Fashion Enthusiasm That Even Japanese Gals Admire

Following last time, we've again arbitrarily analyzed Thai girls' gal-ness through three lenses: LOVE (Heart), DECO (Technique), and GUTS (Body).

Thai girls' gal-ness = 79% (with Japanese gal-ness set at 100%)

This result stems from their exceptionally high DECO (Technique) score.
In Thailand, the mainstream fashion trends are Western-style. Unlike other Southeast Asian countries, they seem to gather information directly from the West, not through influences from Korea or Japan.

Therefore, while their "gal-ness" isn't about "copying" Japanese gals, their pursuit of Kawaii—as seen in their teeth—to the point of "going that far" to express themselves and enjoy fashion shows significant parallels with Japanese gals.

According to the aforementioned 2013 World Travel Destination Rankings, 973,000 tourists visit Bangkok annually from Tokyo, ranking second only to Singapore. Japanese trends, currently seen as a spice to Western styles, may well increase their presence through human exchange in the future.