Actually Jack is in France for final fittings and will return to Bangkok May 14. He visited mills in Italy: Vresace, Scabal, Loro Piana and one other I do not remember from his email and ordered fabric to be shipped to him by the end of this month.

DonTopaz you are absolutely correct. Original Italian, French and English fabrics are subject to big duties in Thailand. There is no way, absolutely no way, people are buying super 150's wool/cashmere or Scabal or Holland and Sherry fabrics/suits at $350 etc. Not maybe, not perhaps, it is categorically not possible.
There is little to no cashmere in Bangkok. The classic line is "wool/cashmere" blend. Just go online and check out the price of a real wool/cashmere blend (just the fabric) and you can see for yourself. Almost all of the fabrics sold in Thailand have fake selvages saying things like super 150's wool cashmere etc. Just take a lighter to the fabric and you will see. Black smoke, plastic smell etc.
There are some tailors that do sell good, real fabric and these are the places where you can get some amazing deals. But can you get a $2000 suit for $350, absolutely not, real fabric costs real money!
As for comparing Hong Kong to Bangkok for suit making, when comparing Hong Kong tailors with Bangkok tailors people often compare the big, expensive high end tailors of Hong Kong such as Ascot Chang to some small hole in the wall tailor in Bangkok. That is obviously not fair. But compare a reputable bangkok tailor with them and you will see the quality and choice selection is very similar. The big difference is price. Bangkok is much cheaper. This is for two main reasons. Labour is cheaper bangkok, and the big one is rent. Rental prices are huge in Hong Kong when compared to Bangkok so overheads are much higher.
It is important to realise that almost all fabrics used/bought in Hong Kong and Thailand come from the same source. China. So fabrics, prices and selection are similar.

So to sum up. There are some excellent tailors in Bangkok and great suits, shirts and more can be made at a fraction of the price you would pay in the west. However, It is important to realise the truth and make an informed, smart choice as to where and what you buy.

The only qualifier may be is that the Ar,mani or canali 150 Superfine on the rack in the US at $1500+ is made from the same wool blend fabric used by Jack at Monte sarto or the Raja brothers.

StanKase,
I hate to sound like a party pooper but unfortunately there is absolutely no way you are buying an armani or canali 150 Superfine for $350-$425 as you mention. Just go online and have a look at some prices of fabric. check out http://www.johnfosterdirect.com/fine...etails/en/1614

the fabric alone without shipping and no tax and no mark up from the tailor is over $400!!!! You need to realise that almost all the big bolts of fabric you see in Thailand have fake names/selvadges on them.

If you are in the NJ/NY metro area and arewilling to put up $1000 we can have an independent person judge the suits my friend brought back in August.I checked so that's the only reason I would put up that kind of money. And he paid $1400 for 3 suits.

I know this is an old thread but I found it so interesting. I even found my sister-in-laws post regarding Monet Tailors. So now that it is 2013 do you all still recomment Jack at Monet?

We will also be in Hoi An so where should we have clothes made.

Quality is MUCH better in Bangkok than in VN.

Never mind the quality, feel the width! - It is not just materials, it is the quality of the work....and quite frankly mostly it's a joke. Thailand is not known for tailoring western clothes; there is no tradition of it......I often see people sporting their tailor-mades here and at home and they are really just an embarrassment. If you have tailor-made at home - and for a good many years I had to - you will immediately see that the product on sale in Thailand is not anywhere near the mark......unless of course you pay the full price, in which case you will just as likely get something not quite as good as at home.

Check up on stitching and cutting before you go to a tailor's and then compare the thai product with the real thing.