How to book nails in Bangkok: a quiet phrase guide
Most nail salons in Bangkok do not take bookings through their websites. They take them through LINE — and sometimes Instagram DM, though that is fading. This guide is a small set of phrases that work in either channel, with the Thai script, a rough romanization, and a sense of when to use each one.
It assumes no Thai fluency. It also assumes you would rather send one clear message than three friendly ones that go unread.
Why LINE, and not DM
A surprising number of Bangkok studios will explicitly ask you not to message them on Instagram. The phrase "❌ No DM" or ไม่รับจองทาง DM ("no booking via DM") appears in roughly a third of nail studio bios in this index. The reason is mundane: Instagram DMs are buried under collab pitches and spam, while LINE is where their actual booking schedule lives.
So the practical pattern is this:
- Find the studio on Instagram (or in this index).
- Look for a LINE ID in the bio — usually written as
LINE: @somethingorID: @something. - Add them on LINE first, then send the message.
If a studio truly has no LINE — increasingly rare — DM is the fallback. Treat it the same way: short, direct, no small talk.
Five short phrases that work
These cover roughly 80% of bookings.
1. Asking if a time is available
Use this when you have a specific slot in mind. Studios respond fastest to specific times — vague messages ("when are you free this week?") sit longer because they require more work to answer.
If you are male, replace คะ/ค่ะ with ครับ (khrap) — these are politeness particles, not honorifics, and they end almost every sentence.
2. Asking the price of a service
Common services and their Thai keywords:
- ทาเล็บเจล (tha-lep gel) — gel polish
- ต่อเล็บ (tor-lep) — nail extensions
- สปามือเท้า (spa mue-thao) — hand & foot spa
- ต่อขนตา (tor-khon-ta) — eyelash extensions
- แว็กซ์ (wax) — waxing
Many studios offer all five and price them separately. Asking the price of one does not commit you to the others.
3. Asking the location
Most studios will reply with a Google Maps pin or a BTS (Skytrain) station reference. If the reply is only in Thai and you need clarification:
4. Confirming the appointment
You may also need to send a deposit (มัดจำ, mat-jam) — typically 100–300 THB transferred via PromptPay. Studios will send you a number or QR code. This is normal and refundable in most cases if you cancel ahead of time.
A note for visitors: PromptPay requires a Thai bank account. If you do not have one, ask the studio whether they accept a credit card payment link or cash on arrival — though some private studios may decline a booking without a deposit confirmed in advance. It is best to clarify this in your first message rather than at the door.
5. Canceling or rescheduling
Most studios are forgiving with 24-hour notice. Less than 24 hours, you may forfeit the deposit. Same-day cancellations are generally not appreciated — say so plainly rather than disappearing.
Reading the price list
Prices on Instagram captions and price boards usually appear in Thai numerals, Arabic numerals, or both. Both forms mean the same thing.
| Arabic | Thai | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ๐ | zero |
| 1 | ๑ | one |
| 5 | ๕ | five |
| 100 | ๑๐๐ | one hundred |
| 500 | ๕๐๐ | five hundred |
| 1,000 | ๑,๐๐๐ | one thousand |
The currency is the baht (บาท, baht), written as ฿ or THB. As a rough orientation for nail services in Bangkok:
- Basic gel polish (hands): 250–500 THB
- Gel polish with simple art: 500–900 THB
- Gel extensions: 900–1,800 THB
- Spa add-ons: 150–400 THB
These are wide ranges because Bangkok has both 200-THB neighborhood studios and 3,000-THB premium salons. Use this index's data layer to see typical ranges by area.
Reading their replies
A few patterns to expect.
- จองคิวล่วงหน้านะคะ
- please book in advance. This is common; many studios are booked 2–7 days out.
- ไม่รับ walk-in ค่ะ
- no walk-ins. Almost universal in private studios. Even if the studio is empty when you arrive, they will not take you without an appointment.
- นั่งคิว
- queue / first-come first-served. The opposite — usually mall salons.
- ขอดูรูปแบบที่อยากทำได้ไหมคะ
- can I see a reference picture? They want a screenshot of the design you have in mind. Pinterest and Instagram screenshots are standard; the studio will reply with whether it is feasible at your slot length and budget.
- ปิดวันจันทร์ค่ะ
- closed on Mondays. Mondays and Tuesdays are the most common closure days for nail studios in Bangkok.
When things change
A few common situations.
Running late. Send a short message with your new ETA. Most studios will hold the slot for 10–15 minutes silently, longer if you ask.
The design takes longer than expected. Studios usually quote in 30-minute increments. If the artist asks "shall we add 30 minutes?" (เพิ่มเวลาอีก 30 นาทีไหมคะ, peum welaa eek 30 na-thee mai kha?), they are also asking whether you can afford the time before the next booking arrives.
You arrive and the design you wanted is not possible. This happens — gel art, in particular, depends on the artist's specialty. It is normal to be offered a substitute design. It is also fine to politely decline and reschedule.
A note on tone
Thai service messages have a softness to them — particles like นะ (na), ค่ะ/ครับ (kha/khrap), and the openness to questions ("จะลองดูได้ไหมคะ?" / shall we try?). You do not need to master this tone. A direct message in English, ending in thank you or kha/khrap, reads as polite enough.
What does feel curt, in practice, is:
- A single-word message ("price?").
- Sending the same studio three messages 30 seconds apart.
- Asking for an answer immediately at 11 pm.
Send one clear message. Wait. They will reply — usually within a few hours during the day, often by evening.
Beyond this guide
This guide stays at the level of phrases. For other practical questions — which areas of Bangkok have which kinds of studios, what a Russian manicure is, how price tiers differ by district — see the other guides in this index. None of them recommend a specific studio. We map, we do not rank.
If a phrase here is wrong, awkward, or missing a useful case, we want to know. The contact link is at the bottom of every page.
Filed under: Guides — Booking & Language. Last updated 29 May 2026.