Thesuea pat (Lao:ເສື້ອປັດLao pronunciation:[sɯ̏apát],Northern Thai:เสื้อปั๊ดNorthern Thai pronunciation:[sɯ᷇apát]) orsuea pai (Lao:ເສື້ອປ້າຍLao pronunciation:[sɯ̏apâːj],Northern Thai:เสื้อป้ายNorthern Thai pronunciation:[sɯ᷇apa᷇ːj])[1][2] is a type of shirt worn by women from different ethnic backgrounds inLaos andNorthern Thailand and other areas inSoutheast Asia. These ethnic groups typically include theLao, theTai Lue, Tai Khun, and theTai Yuan etc.
The suea pat is a long-sleeved shirt with no buttons. It is worn by wrapping the right side of the front panel of the shirt over the left side of the front panel, and the two panels are tied together via strings. Suea pats fromLuang Prabang,Laos typically have large golden collars.
The words "suea pat" and "suea pai" are made up of words ofTai origin. "Suea pat" and "suea pai" literally mean "wrapping shirt";suea (Thai:เสื้อ,Lao:ເສື້ອ) means "shirt", whilepat (Thai:ปัด,Lao:ປັດ) andpai (Thai:ป้าย,Lao:ປ້າຍ) mean "to wrap sideways, to smear."
In present-day Laos, women wear suea pats to ceremonial events such as weddings.[3] Each year inLuang Prabang, the winner of the Miss Songkran contest who becomes the next Miss Songkran, ornang sangkhane (Lao:ນາງສັງຂານLao pronunciation:[náːŋsǎŋ.kʰǎːn]), gets to wear a suea pat underneath apha biang which is a scarf-like cloth that wraps diagonally from the lower right waist to the upper left shoulder.
Suea pat is traditionally made with indigo-dyed cotton, silk or velvet. There are different variations of the suea pat among variousTai-speaking people.
Basic components of the suea pat include a collar, front panels, back panels, sleeves, and tie strings. There are tassels at the side of the garment, though not always present. Modern versions typically of Lao design may use fasteners or buttons in lieu of strings. The collar can be done with intricategoldwork or be left plain. A cuff matching the collar is sometimes present and the sleeves can be full or three-quarters length.
The cross-collar design is likely an influence of Chinese fashion as late as theMing Dynasty.
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