Where to Find Tailors in Bangkok: Sukhumvit, Silom, MBK and the Old Town

Bangkok is a big city, but its tailors are not spread evenly across it. Most sit along one road, Sukhumvit, under the Skytrain. A second group works around Silom, the business district, and the old riverside road of Charoen Krung. One of the busiest malls has tailors inside it, and the old town near Khao San Road has its own small cluster by the river. Knowing which is which, and how to reach each one, makes it easy to fit fittings around the rest of your trip.

Where are most tailors in Bangkok?

Most of Bangkok's tailors are on Sukhumvit Road and its side streets, between BTS Nana and Phrom Phong. Six of the ten tailors on our Bangkok list work there. The others are on Silom Road, inside MBK Center near Siam, and in the old town near Khao San Road. Each area is easy to reach by rail or river, as the matrix below shows.

Sukhumvit: Nana, Asok and Phrom Phong

Sukhumvit Road starts in central Bangkok and runs east for about 300 miles (488 km) to the Cambodian border. In the city, the BTS Sukhumvit Line runs on top of it, so every tailor here is a short walk from a Skytrain station. The side streets, called sois, are numbered from west to east, with odd numbers on the north side of the road and even numbers on the south.

Nana

Three tailors on our list work around BTS Nana. Rajawongse Clothier, family-run since 1961, is at 130 Sukhumvit Road, next to the Landmark Hotel, by Exit 2. Narry Bespoke Tailors, opened in 1977, is on Soi 11/1, about two minutes from Exit 3, and opens every day, public holidays included. Jesse & Son is on Soi 10, 5 to 7 minutes from Exit 4 or from BTS Asok.

Asok

Asok is where Sukhumvit crosses Asok Montri Road, and it is the best-connected stop on the road: BTS Asok links to the MRT Blue Line at Sukhumvit station, and the Terminal 21 mall stands at Soi 21. Nordic Bespoke and Galaxy Tailor share Soi 18, both about five minutes' walk from BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit. Nordic Bespoke is open daily until 10pm; Galaxy Tailor is open Monday to Saturday and closed on Sunday.

Phrom Phong

Phrom Phong, around Soi 39, is home to the EmQuartier and Emporium malls and Benjasiri Park. Unique Tailor, family-owned since 2002, is at 400/3 Sukhumvit Road, between Soi 20 and 22, 5 to 7 minutes' walk from BTS Phrom Phong or BTS Asok.

Silom and Charoen Krung

Silom is Bangkok's financial district, in Bang Rak, lined with office towers and some of the city's best-known hotels. The BTS Silom Line serves it at Sala Daeng, which links by skywalk to MRT Si Lom, and at Chong Nonsi and Surasak. Peninsula Bespoke Tailor, family-run since 1969, is at 839 Silom Road, on the corner of Soi 17 and Pramuan Road, 5 to 7 minutes' walk from Exit 3 of BTS Surasak. It opens from 9am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 6pm on Sunday.

Charoen Krung, which opened in 1864, was the first road in Thailand built with modern construction methods. It runs from the old city through Chinatown and Bang Rak, the old European quarter, past riverside hotels. The MRT Blue Line runs beneath its northern stretch, with stations at Sam Yot and Wat Mangkon, and further south, BTS Saphan Taksin stands near the road at Taksin Bridge, beside Sathorn pier. Narry Bespoke Tailors has its second showroom at 1408 Charoen Krung Road.

Siam and MBK Center

MBK Center opened in 1985 and has eight floors and around 2,000 shops, restaurants and services. It is linked to BTS National Stadium by a skywalk, and BTS Siam, where the Sukhumvit and Silom lines meet, is a short walk away. King Fashion Uni, family-run since 2002, is in Room 3D-72, Zone D, Soi C, on the third floor, and opens daily from 10am to 9pm. It also offers free hotel fittings and delivery.

Banglamphu and Khao San Road

The old town by the river is the most atmospheric of the tailoring areas. Phra Athit Road runs along the Chao Phraya past Phra Sumen Fort, and Soi Ram Buttri runs beside the temple of Wat Chana Songkhram, which faces Khao San Road. Tailored By Luis, family-run since 2001, is at Erawan House, 17/1-2 Phra Athit Road, with a second branch at 258 Samsen Road. Manchester Tailor BKK is at 30 Soi Ram Buttri. Both keep late hours: Tailored By Luis until 11:30pm from Monday to Saturday, and Manchester Tailor BKK until 11pm every day.

There is no BTS or MRT station nearby. The easiest way in is the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Phra Arthit pier (N13), the nearest pier to both tailors. From Silom, take the boat north from Sathorn pier, beside BTS Saphan Taksin; boats run from early morning into the evening, so check the last departure for your return. Both tailors will also come for you: Tailored By Luis offers free hotel and airport pickup, and Manchester Tailor BKK a complimentary private car.

Phahurat: where can you buy fabric in Bangkok?

Phahurat is Bangkok's Little India, beside Chinatown and the Sampheng market. A Sikh community settled here more than a century ago and built a textile trade that still thrives, and the golden-domed Siri Guru Singh Sabha gurdwara is the neighborhood's landmark. Fabric shops line Phahurat Road and spill into Chakkraphet and Tri Phet roads. MRT Sam Yot is about 300 meters (330 yards) to the north, and Memorial Bridge pier (N6) is at the western end of Phahurat Road.

Most visitors choose fabric from their tailor's own books, which run from standard blends to finer wools from Italy and England. If you do buy fabric in Phahurat, ask your tailor first whether they will make it up and how much to buy. A two-piece suit usually needs about 3½ to 3¾ yards (3.2 to 3.5 m) of fabric in a standard 59-inch (150 cm) width, and more for a waistcoat, a large check or a tall figure.

How do you get around Bangkok's tailor districts?

The Skytrain, the subway and the river boat between them reach every tailoring area. The BTS runs from early morning until about midnight every day.

Which area should you choose?

Start with where you are staying and how much time you have. Fittings mean two or three trips to the same shop, so a tailor near your hotel, or one that comes to you, saves the most time.

• Staying on Sukhumvit: six of our ten tailors are within a few BTS stops, from Nana to Phrom Phong.
• Staying near Silom or the river: Peninsula Bespoke Tailor on Silom Road, or Narry Bespoke Tailors' showroom on Charoen Krung.
• Staying in the old town: Tailored By Luis and Manchester Tailor BKK are close to Khao San Road.
• Shopping around Siam: King Fashion Uni in MBK Center, linked to BTS National Stadium.
• Short on time: choose a tailor that collects you or comes to your hotel, wherever you stay.

To compare the tailors themselves, see the 10 best tailors in Bangkok and our Bangkok city guide. Then use our day-by-day trip plans to fit your fittings around the rest of your stay, and read getting a suit made in Bangkok for the whole process.

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