Rong song high or low: what each looks like and how to ask for it

Rong song (รองทรง) is the haircut most Thai men grew up with, and it is still the most searched men's cut in Thailand: "รองทรงสูง" (high) about 74,000 times a month and "รองทรงต่ำ" (low) about 49,500 times, according to Google Keyword Planner (Thailand, October 2025 to September 2026). The two differ in one thing: how high the short part goes.

What rong song is

The back and sides are cut short and blended up into longer hair on top, so the head has a clean shape with no step. Barbers usually cut the bottom with clippers and blend the rest with scissors over a comb. The point where the short sides meet the longer top is the "line", and its height gives the cut its name.

Rong song sung (รองทรงสูง): high

• The short part goes high, close to where the head starts to curve towards the top.
• Neat and sharp; shows the shape of the head.
• Suits men who want a clean look for work, and hair that sticks out at the sides.
• Needs a trim every two to three weeks to stay sharp.

Rong song tam (รองทรงต่ำ): low

• The short part stops just above the ears; more hair stays on the sides.
• Softer and fuller; good if your head is narrow at the top or your face is long.
• Grows out more gently: three to four weeks between cuts.

There is also a rong song klang (รองทรงกลาง), a middle height, if neither feels right.

Rong song or fade?

Both are short on the sides. A fade goes down to very short or to skin with clippers and has no line at all; a rong song keeps a little more length at the bottom and is blended with scissors. A fade looks sharper and more "barbershop"; a rong song looks classic and tidy. See our guide to fades.

What to say in the chair

• "รองทรงสูง" or "รองทรงต่ำ": every barber and haircut shop in Thailand knows both.
• How short at the bottom: a clipper number, for example "เบอร์ 1" (very short) or "เบอร์ 3" (short).
• How much off the top: "ตัดด้านบนนิดเดียว" (just a little off the top) or show with your fingers.
• Neckline: "ท้ายทอยกลม" (rounded) or "ท้ายทอยเหลี่ยม" (square).

A photo of the cut you want is still the surest way.

Where to get it

Rong song is a standard cut: nearly every barber and men's haircut shop does it. FeelGlow lists 225 of them in Bangkok, with the nearest BTS or MRT station. Barbers and men's haircuts in Bangkok.