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Column【National Character of Asian Countries】The Surprising Side of the Generous and Tolerant Thai People
- Release date: Oct 30, 2025
- Update date: Oct 30, 2025
- 55 Views
Thais generally have a laid-back personality. They brush off minor troubles or worries with the Thai phrase “mai pen rai,” meaning “It's okay, don't worry about it,” and enjoy their daily lives.
Yet the people of this Land of Smiles also value appearances. Possessions are said to reflect social status, making branded items with logos popular. Thailand is also a sexually tolerant country, where idols appearing in same-sex romance dramas have recently become influencers, gracing advertisements throughout the city.
Having lived in Thai society for many years, I wish to share insights into the Thai character and successful examples of Thai-born brands that effectively respond to this character.
目次
1. Does appearance determine social status!? People care about appearances and want to look better.
In October 2024, actor Rapeepat (known as Nam) posted this message on Facebook alongside a photo of his pickup truck: “A car is a vehicle, not a measure of social status. As long as it gets you where you need to go, that's all that matters.”
This came at a time when a large-scale fraud case had been uncovered, leading to the arrest of several celebrities who owned dozens of luxury cars purchased with ill-gotten gains. The post garnered numerous supportive and admiring comments and was widely covered by the media, becoming a hot topic. The sheer scale of this reaction also suggests, conversely, that in Thai society, cars are seen as a measure of social status and that people are sensitive to car brands.
Thais generally tend to gauge others' social status based on appearance. Owning luxury items often commands respect, and many people favor high-end cars and designer bags. Consequently, they can sometimes come across as pretentious.
Rapeepat's Facebook post
Related article about Rapeepat: Matichon Online
https://www.matichon.co.th/entertainment/news_4861250
In Thailand, many people place great importance on appearances and pay close attention to their belongings and clothing. Regardless of gender, people take care to style their hair, be mindful of their teeth alignment, visit nail salons, and wear perfume to avoid causing discomfort to others through body odor or sweat.
That said, luxury goods remain the preserve of a small affluent minority. For the middle class and younger generations, high-end brands are not necessarily accessible. What captures their attention are products that appear “well-put-together” while remaining within reach—essentially, items that “look expensive.” Furthermore, the fact that they are “hard to get due to popularity” is another key factor stimulating their desire to purchase.
Even among Thai women's fashion brands, original bags can sometimes be the catalyst for a breakthrough.
In 2023, the bucket bag released by the fashion brand Rally Movement (https://www.instagram.com/rallymovement/)gained attention for its unique design and large “Ra” logo. As of September 2025, it remains so popular that new batches sell out the same day they are announced.
Additionally, Merge (https://www.instagram.com/merge.official_/), launched in 2020, is another rapidly growing brand gaining attention. It focuses on jeans tailored to the body type of Thai women—narrow waists and full hips—while offering unisex fashion. The Merge A Day Bag, a tote bag released in September 2024, has become a must-have item generating buzz, with multiple sizes and colors set to debut by 2025. It's now considered an essential piece that everyone should own.
Each brand's bags are priced at approximately 2,500 baht (about 11,500 yen). This price range is affordable even for students.
Actress and model Araya (known as Chompoo), renowned as a female fashionista, is now in her mid-40s and a mother raising three children. Her Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/chomismaterialgirl/) boasts over 11 million followers. She is a celebrity who enjoys immense popularity across a wide demographic, from women of her own generation to Gen Z. College girls often say, “My mom follows Chompoo, and that's how I started checking out her fashion too.”
Chompoo posts photos on Instagram pairing Thai brand bags like Rally Movement and Merge with cute, glamorous styles. Influenced by this admired influencer, affordable Thai brand bags are gaining appeal as trendy fashion items.
Watching people come and go in Bangkok's shopping malls, I feel there are more stylish individuals now than decades ago. While social media is flooded with posts of people sporting Western brands and enjoying OMAKASE, in reality, many are simply enjoying fashion that suits their means. Many popular brands feature unique designs or distinctive characteristics, and trend-conscious individuals seem to have a tendency to “own them to show off.”
2. Open-minded about sexuality… LGBTQ+ idols and talents thriving
Thais are often noted for their sexual tolerance. Thai students tell me it's common for coed schools to have boys mingling with groups of girls, and boys who embrace feminine traits or cute styles are accepted naturally. Moreover, cool girls admired by other girls can sometimes become more popular than the most popular boys.
A Thai friend with teenage children says, “I could naturally accept my child being LGBTQ+.” From their own experience, having diverse sexual orientations within communities like schools and workplaces meant they never felt any discomfort. While over a decade ago, there was still some hesitation about being openly LGBTQ+ at work, as global acceptance of diversity has grown, awareness within Thailand itself seems to be increasing even more.
Against this backdrop, BL (Boys' Love) dramas depicting male-male romance gained popularity in Thailand about ten years ago and have since amassed a large fanbase both domestically and internationally. In recent years, hit GL (Girls' Love) dramas depicting female-female romance have also emerged. In Thailand, idols appearing in BL and GL dramas have become highly influential figures among young people, particularly among their dedicated fanbases.
Around 2024, advertisements featuring the main couple from the GL drama “ใจซ่อนรัก The Secret Of Us,” commonly known as Ling and Aom, became increasingly visible throughout Bangkok. They appear in advertisements for a wide range of brands, including the country's largest drugstore chain Watsons, daily necessities and food/beverage brands like PANTENE and Ichitan, as well as companies like Grab and Oppo. Ling and Aom project a sophisticated aura, seemingly leaving a favorable impression on many people.
Major Thai manufacturers frequently feature couples who gained popularity through BL and GL dramas in their advertisements and promotions. Product information tends to spread rapidly on social media, primarily driven by their strong fan bases.
According to female university students, they often watch YouTube channels by LGBTQ+ influencers these days. Their friends do the same, and it seems that catchphrases among young people sometimes originate from statements made by LGBTQ+ talents.
For example, Nisamanee (commonly known as Nutt) is a transgender woman who won the Best Swimsuit Award at the transgender women's beauty pageant “Miss Tiffany 2012.” She is also known as a beauty blogger and operates the YouTube channel “Nisamanee.Nutt” (with 2.49 million subscribers), making her one of the popular influencers active in various fields.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nisamanee_nutt?hl=en&g=5
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NisamaneeNutt
Nutt is also active as a KOL for the lip brand Lip It. This brand is under Karmarts, a major Thai cosmetics and skincare manufacturer that owns popular brands including Cathy Doll, and is widely sold in drugstores and convenience stores. It offers lip base products like lip balms and lip primers, which contain moisturizing ingredients and provide sun protection. Prices are around 100 baht (approximately 470 yen). Nutt's beauty and high profile significantly contribute to promoting these products.
https://www.instagram.com/lipit.official/?hl=en
You might spot men in the cosmetics section of drugstores. Starting with Nutt's Lip It, many Thai cosmetic brands don't restrict by gender, with no distinctions for men or transgender women. It's common for individuals to freely pick products that suit them.
3. Summary
Thais care about appearances and place importance on outward presentation. They also tend to strive for sincerity regarding their own sexuality and that of those around them. In Bangkok, new brands and products emerge constantly, and it's not uncommon for them to be replaced within a short period. A trendy shop that once drew long lines might be replaced by a different store just a few months later. While Japanese products carry an image of “high quality,” Thai consumers can also be fickle and easily bored. Therefore, in a market with such rapid product turnover, it's crucial to keep things fresh and exciting, and to create visually appealing content that captures attention on social media.
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Author profile
TNC Lifestyle Researcher
I've been living in Bangkok, Thailand for 19 years now. In recent years, trendy cafes have been popping up in Bangkok's Old Town and Chinatown, and I enjoy taking leisurely strolls while hopping from one cafe to another.
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Editor profile
Chew Fong-Tat
Malaysian researcher who has lived in Japan for 14 years and has handled many surveys on ASEAN countries.