The economic crisis has hit the catwalk. Mode Management Co, the country's largest modelling agency, normally takes in up to 60 million baht annually, but last year revenue dropped to 32 million baht.

Mode's mission used to be adding 50 new models to its portfolio on a monthly basis. But these days it can hardly take care of 20 new faces. This is because the agency also has to shoulder transportation and lodging costs for the models when they have to travel to jobs.

Even a top model like Rasee "Organ" Watcharapolmek is feeling the pinch on her slender waistline.

She says her job offers have dropped by almost half. On some assignments, she has cut her fees by 20% to accommodate cash-strapped clients.

Compare that to the "good times", when she was working up to 20 days a month and earning five-digit figures for each job.

"My model friends complain about the scarcity of jobs. Some who are not so popular and not known faces on TV can go for a month without work," she said.