Places to Shop

KRUNG THEP - Bangkok in Thai Language

Places to Shop

Though not as well known for shopping as Hong Kong or Singapore, Bangkok is actually a great shopping city with everything from international retailers offering haute couture to street vendors selling "antique" opium pipes and phony Rolex watches (which may be confiscated—with no compensation—by customs agents). Bangkok's most popular exports are its lovely silks and silk products, jewelry, celadon pottery, lacquer ware, masks, carvings and antiques. If a price seems too steep, chances are you can talk it down. The language barrier isn't a problem: Every street vendor carries a calculator, and without a word spoken, the calculator passes hands sometimes six or seven times before a settlement is reached. Treasure hunters won't want to miss the Weekend Market at Chatuchak Park on the north end of the city. Silom Road, near Patpong Road, is a hive of activity every night.

Shopping in Bangkok is not limited to one or two major streets, and there are many areas throughout the city affording ample choice and easy access. The following is just a selection of some of the principal shopping districts.

Silom - Surawong - Patpong

Silom Road is the main artery of Bangkok's commercial heart and is paralleled by Surawong Road, while Phatpong runs cross-wise between the two. In addition to housing dozens of specialist shops and boutiques representing all the major buys, this area also boasts branches of Central and Robinson's department stores and several shopping plazas. Street stalls also abound, most notably at Patpong's famous night market and nightlife entertainment.

Silom - Mahesak - New (Charoenkrung) Road

Silom leads into New Road which parallels the Chao Phraya river, and notable shopping opportunities include gems and jewellery stores (Mahesak Road is a gem trading centre), Oriental Plaza and River City Shopping Complex.

PhloenChit - Ratchadamri Road

Found here are, among other, Central, Sogo, Gaysorn Plaza, Isatan, Zen, TAT's Thailand Duty Free Shops, Amarin Plaza, Peninsula Plaza with a host of luxury shops, World Trade Center and , not least , NarayanaPhand pavilion, the official handicraft center selling items from all parts of the country.

Sukhumvit Road

Like Silom, Sukhumvit is one of Bangkok's main thoroughfares, and the long road is lined with shops, boutiques and modern shopping plazas. Several good hotels are located on Sukhumvit Road. You can also find several custom tailor shops, mostly owned by Thais of Indian Sikh origin. There are hundreds of establishments, small and large, which can produce the perfect fit in virtually whatever style you want in just a few days or even hours at a very reasonable price.

Pratunam - Phetchaburi

A highlight of this district is Pratunam Market, one of Bangkok's biggest traditional centers for ready-to-wear clothing of all kinds. Famous for great bargains in ready-to-wear fashions, jewelry and leather goods, this vast lively and characterful bazaar is jam-packed with stalls and countless peddlers which attract large crowds. Street level purchases and bargaining can often be more fun for visitors who want a bit more local color than what the high-rise shopping centers offer.

Several ready-to-wear garment shops can be found in Baiyoke Tower. A place of real bargain for ready-to-wear garments. If you are looking for good deal on ready-to-wear garments, then visiting Pratunam market and Baiyoke Tower should be on your list.

Bobae Tower/Market

BOBAE market is well known to be the center of garment wholesale for over 30 years. Today, Bobae Tower revolutionizes the garment wholesale business by having well over 700 shops all under one roof with our- condition and facilities for the customer's convenience making BoBae Tower the biggest garment wholesale center in Thailand. By having over 700 wholesale shops selling best quality garment products at reasonable prices is the reason why you should shop at BoBae Tower. Furthermore, BoBae Tower offers you shipping services to send your cargo worldwide. BoBae Tower is situated in the heart of Bangkok where transportation is the most convenient. For more information, click here or visit "www.bobaetower.com"

Banglamphu

Situated close to the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Banglampu has a lively market where clothing is a popular buy. New World and Tang Hua Seng department stores are located in this area. You can also get good deal in Banglamphu on leather products. Banglamphu is located in the same area as KHAOSAN, the famous place among budget travelers.

Chinatown

Chinatown is centred on Yaowarat Road and Sampheng Lane, Bangkok's Chinatown offers a profusion of gold shops as well as two nearby traditional shopping places and "Thieves Market".

Pahurat

It is the little India in Bangkok and is the famous cloth market in town.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Chatuchak Park located adjacent to Vibhavadi Rangsit Highway (leading to the airport),the Weekend Market, open on Saturday and Sunday, is a Bangkok landmark where you can buy just about everything from clothing to potted plants -- a paradise for browsers and bargain-hunters alike.

Baiyoke Tower

Located next to Bangkok's tallest building is one of the city's renowned ready to wear garment center.

Pinklao - Nakhon Chaisi Road

This area offers a variety of shops located conveniently close to the southern bus terminal. There are a few department stores like Central and Pata Department store located here.

Ratchadaphisek Road

An up-and-coming commercial district with a branch of Robinson's department store and the offices and showroom of the Department of Export Promotion

Beyond Bangkok

The main city for shopping outside the capital is Chiang Mai which ranks as one of the world's largest centers for handicrafts and cottage industries. The extensive range of local products includes silverware, lacquer ware, cotton and silk, hill tribe clothing, Burmese tapestries and hand-painted umbrellas Pattaya also offers plentiful shopping for Thai goods, while virtually all other tourist centers give ample opportunity for buying gifts and souvenirs, as well as local specialties.