Grab your denim, drape the sabai – join #BangkokCityChallenge today!

The Bangkok City Challenge blew up around luk thung singer Kratae Rsiam's track repping the capital's energy - a song that became the soundtrack as she and thousands of others posted videos in brightly coloured sabais thrown over jeans at Bangkok intersections and tourist spots across the city. The trend's hit millions of views, launched a challenge with over B200,000 in prizes and pulled in Thai influencers, actors and regular people all recreating the look.

The sabai – a silk shawl about a foot wide, draped diagonally across one shoulder with the tail flowing behind – has been around for centuries. It came out of cultural exchange with Indian textiles and Southeast Asian traditions, worn historically by noblewomen and in royal courts. By the mid-20th century, it had settled into ceremonial use – classical dance performances, formal events, special occasions – rather than everyday wear.

So why pair it with denim? Because the mix is actually doing something interesting – and kind of necessary. What emerges is a visual language that holds two things at once: irreverence and respect, without either one cancelling the other out. It's not cosplay. It's definitely not pastiche. It's contemporary Thai identity sorting itself out in real time on social media – the kind of thing that happens when tradition finds room to breathe in everyday life again. And it's here because people want to actually wear the thing, not just preserve it behind glass.

The trend sidesteps both sterile preservation and shallow appropriation – there's reimagining at play here, a recalibration of where it fits in daily life, pulling it out of ceremonial corners and into the Bangkok of right now. That it's all happening through a challenge tied to a song about the city's energy just drives the point home: this is cultural soft power, sure, but it's also just people having fun with their wardrobes.

Kratae's also hosting a gathering on February 5 from 4pm at Vintage Vespa Thailand in Songwat – an open invitation for anyone who loves Thai culture to wear the sabai, create content and celebrate the trend. The aim is to capture this 'Thai dress fever' moment and champion the kingdom's soft power through Bangkok City – all alongside 100 classical Thai dancers performing a ceremonial offering dance.

Schedule

3.45pm  – Brahmin blessing ceremony
4pm       – Thai classical dance performance (100 dancers in ceremonial offering)
4.20pm  – Bangkok City event: 'Thais in sabai' unite
5.30pm  – Artist and celebrity interviews

Where to get the sabai

For full costume rentals with the sabai included, try SENSE OF THAI on the second floor of Tha Maharaj Mall (walk-in or book via KKday) – they've got over 1,000 designs and will style you up. 

Siam Crown in Chinatown does walk-ins with no booking needed. 

Charis Thai Studio near Sanam Chai MRT offers premium packages with hair and makeup.

If you're buying silk to DIY your own, hit The Silk Zone of Old Siam Plaza – dozens of independent vendors selling authentic Thai silk, including ready-made shawls, at fair prices (B500-800 per metre for quality stuff). 

Jim Thompson has locations across Bangkok (Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, The Emporium) for higher-end silk scarves and wraps. 

Phahurat Market in Little India is bargain-hunting heaven if you want to compare prices. 

Chatuchak Weekend Market also has silk vendors scattered through the stalls.

Whether this becomes a lasting shift in how traditional Thai garments show up in contemporary fashion or just stays a zeitgeist moment tied to one very catchy song, it's too early to call. But it's safe to say the sabai's thriving right now, denim and all.