Tried a local hair salon in Thailand for the first time💈

I have been an overseas nomad since 2019, usually in Southeast Asia (with a brief interruption in Covid-19).

I am writing this article on January 22, 2023, but I have been in Pattaya, Thailand since late November 2022.

When you stay in Thailand for a long time, you need to get your hair cut, but unlike the salons in Japan where you are used to going, you are anxious about it.

I was the same way, but even in Thailand, in Bangkok, there is a salon run by a Japanese stylist, and I always went there. I used to go to a salon in Bangkok where there was a Japanese stylist.

However, even though it is only a 2–3 hour bus ride from Pattaya to Bangkok, it is a hassle to go there just for that, and a day trip is tiring, so I decided to challenge myself to get a cut at a local salon.

So I took the safe route and went to a salon in Central Festival, a large department store in Pattaya. I got a haircut, shampoo, and conditioner for 350thb (about less than 1,400 yen). I paid by credit card.

I felt that the result was not bad, although I thought it was a bit messy compared to Japanese hair salons.

Once I got over the hurdle, I felt that I could use local hair salons more often, but only because I had put on the brakes.

So this time, I decided to choose a more local salon in the city.

I chose a salon near Lompo Market in the Jomtien area of Pattaya.

A panel in the salon helps you visualize the finished styling

As expected, the salon here is different. The salon is an open space with twinkling lights even at night, so mosquitoes and moths kept coming close to me while I was getting a haircut.

I was getting my hair cut while avoiding them, but the lady who was cutting my hair was just laughing at me the whole time while I was avoiding them.

I guess that’s the way it always is.

Towards the end, the mosquitoes and moths had retreated, but if you look closely, you can see that there were quite a few on the ground🤣

There were more before I took the picture.

The price was about 250 THB = less than 1000 Yen for a shampoo and blow dry. It was cheaper than QB House, which is synonymous with a “quick and cheap haircuts” in Japan.

There were many bar beers (outdoor girl bars in Thailand) around the salon, so there were many other salons in the area.

The woman on the right in the photo waved me in, but I was defeated by her overtures.

A friend of mine told me on Instagram that four years ago, the price was 80thb (less than 250 yen), so it seems like the price has gone up a lot.

So I will come back to a local hair salon again next time.

Cornrows seem to be popular with European and American, Russian women.

TETSUYA🇯🇵