If you didn’t know chut thai rentals were a thing, let me put you on Sense of Thai Bangkok.

Chut thai in English means “Thai clothing.”

It is a traditional garment worn by men, women, and children for special occasions like weddings, festivals, and various other celebrations.

Traditional Thai costume rentals have recently become a trend, and is the perfect way to experience Thai culture firsthand. If you’re looking for a fun couples activity or you want cute pictures to look back on, be sure to add this to your Bangkok itinerary!

Sense of Thai Bangkok – The Best Thai Costume Rental in Bangkok

Address: 11/1 Maharaj – Tha Tien, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand*
Phone Number: +66 94 321 5225
Hours: Open daily from 10:00AM to 6:30PM
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sense_of_thai/

*It is located on the second floor of Tha Maharaj mall across the river from Wat Arun.

Pricing

Despite their selection being a little more luxurious, Sense of Thai offers affordable all-day rates.

Their prices are as follows…

• Women starting from 600 to 900 THB (~$17 to 26 USD/~$22 to $34 CAD)
  • Accessories like necklaces, earrings, and handbags are included.
  • Umbrellas are 100 THB (~$3 USD/~$4 CAD) extra.
• Men starting from 600 to 800 THB (~$17 to 22 USD/~$23 to $30 CAD)
  • You can choose to add long socks for an additional 50 THB. (Less than $2.)
• Children 400 THB (~$11 USD/~$15 CAD)

My boyfriend didn’t get the long socks because was almost 40°C!

Photography services are available as well. More on that under the “Photoshoot Locations + Photography Services” section below.

Making a Reservation

If your schedule allows, I highly recommend booking an appointment as early as possible. (You can do so via LINE.)

Sense of Thai receives so many customers and message requests every day that it took over a week before I got a response from them. Luckily, after I finally received that initial reply, our exchange was fairly instant thereafter.

Walk-ins are welcome, but do expect a 15 to 30-minute wait.

Arriving for Your Appointment

Besides arriving on time for your appointment, here are a few other important things to note.

What to Wear Underneath

There are many different types of traditional clothing in Thailand.

The most common one for ladies is the chakri where a shawl-like sabai wraps around the upper body and exposes one shoulder. What this means is that you should avoid collared shirts/tops and wear a a strapless bra or tube top underneath.

 

For gents, you can either go shirtless or wear an undershirt inside.

As for bottoms, regardless of gender, you can simply wear your own underwear.

Hair & Makeup

Sense of Thai unfortunately does not offer any hair or makeup styling services. You will either have to hire someone on your own or reference online tutorials.

Shoes

Shoes are also not included in Sense of Thai’s rental package.

For formal occasions, locals typically pair chut thai with heels and dress shoes. However, if you are visiting as a tourist, chances are that you will be walking lots. Feel free to wear whatever shoes you feel the most comfortable in.

I wore a pair of light beige sandals that were easy to walk in yet still matched my gold chut thai. My boyfriend, on the other hand, wore neutral colored New Balance sneakers.

Other Things You Should Bring

A common mistake travelers make is forgetting sun protection.

Bangkok gets extremely hot, especially during the summer months. Make sure to bring a water bottle, a handheld fan, and a UV umbrella. I cannot stress this enough! Even with a mini fan and ice cold water, my boyfriend and I almost suffered a heatstroke!

The Rental Process

After checking in, the staff will show you around the store and help you pick out an outfit.

You are allowed to try up to two outfits. Additional fees incur if you still cannot make up your mind and wish to try more.

Once you have made your choice, Sense of Thai’s staff will help you get dressed. (Men typically don’t require any help, but chut thai for ladies are more complex to put on. Don’t worry, there are private changing stalls.)

Ladies can then choose from gold or silver accessories and the entire process takes no more than 30 minutes give or take.

Don’t forget to leave your clothes and other belongings in the store, and you’re ready to venture off into the city!

Photoshoot Locations + Photography Services

A photographer is available for hire on an hourly basis starting at 2,600 THB (~$74 USD/~$97 CAD). This does not include any transportation or admission fees to temples and a 7-day advance notice is also required.

You are allowed up to five guests per photoshoot group and all files will be sent over via Google Drive within seven days.

Do keep in mind that tourists are prohibited to wear a chut thai inside The Grand Palace. That said, the most popular photo spot is Wat Arun.

Since my boyfriend and I opted to take our own photos on a tripod, we wanted to go somewhere that was less crowded.

Wat Ratchanaddaram above. Its iron castle structure is inspired by temples in India and Sri Lanka.

Wat Ratchabophit.

The inside was sadly closed for public visitation when we went.

Wat Ratchanatdaram and Wat Ratchabophit are two of my favorite Bangkok temples to shoot at. Compared to Wat Arun, they are relatively off-the-beaten-path and we could take all the time we needed without worrying about getting our things stolen.

Returning Your Chut Thai

You have until close to make your return.

If I remember correctly, you get a paper ticket or receipt of some sort. Show this to the staff and they will grab your original clothes for you. You can then make your way to the change room and throw your worn chut thai in the return box on the side when you are done.

My Verdict

Overall, I was very pleased with the rental experience at Sense of Thai Bangkok.

They have an extensive selection of various colors, and their staff are very helpful when it comes to giving advice on what style suits each person.

The store environment is clean and bright. More importantly, it is air conditioned!!! Many chut thai rental shops are small stalls off the side of a street. Before you even leave, you are already sweating through your clothes.

Now one minor thing I did notice was that my skin turned green from the silver necklace and side strap. Given the extreme heat and the high volume of customers they get, it’s understandable why they don’t invest in better, more expensive jewelry. Nothing a little soap and water can’t fix though!

Hope my Bangkok Thai costume rental guide gives you a better idea of where to rent Thai costume in Bangkok.

Don’t forget to pin this review for later and you may enjoy these other Thailand guides.