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

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.