Assembling Authenticity: The Afterlives of U.S. Army Uniforms in Thailand

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14764/10.ASEAS-0115

Keywords:

Collective Memory, Thai Collectors, U.S. Military Uniforms, Vietnam War, Vintage Fashion

Abstract

In Thailand, U.S. military vintage clothing and insignia from the Vietnam War era are highly sought after by passionate collectors. This article explores how Thai collectors engage in a practice of ‘assembling authenticity’ through their pursuit and acquisition of these items. By examining collectors’ intimate relationships with these material objects, this article reveals how personal memories and understandings of the war are shaped, often diverging from grand historical narratives. Furthermore, the competitive dynamics within the Thai collecting community, where Vietnam War materials become a form of capital that collectors leverage for commercial and social benefits, is investigated. The role of collectors’ networks in negotiating and trading these items is also examined. By attending to these various dimensions of Thai collectors' engagement with U.S. military vintage fashion, this article explores the possibilities these sartorial materials hold for recreating and reshaping memories of the Cold War era within the Thai collecting arena. Through this exploration insights into the complex interplay between material culture, personal and collective memory, and the social worlds of collectors are offered.

Author Biography

Chaiyaporn Singdee, Chiang Mai University

This research article was supported by The Thailand Research Fund, Royal Golden Jubilee (RGJ) Ph.D. Program, and the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), PHD 0121/2561. Moreover, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Professor Dr. Pinkaew Laungaramsri, and the Sociology and Anthropology Department at Chiang Mai University for their endless support. Additionally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Professor Dr. Katherine Bowie, Dr. Michael Culinane, and the Center of Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for their kind guidance and unforgettable friendship. Their contributions have been invaluable to this research. 

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Photo by Frans Ari Prasetyo

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Published

2024-10-28

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2024)

Section

Current Research on Southeast Asia

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Copyright (c) 2024 Chaiyaporn Singdee

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