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Suriwong/Silom Area
Predominantly a business area, there are never the less a reasonable
range of shops including Robinsons and Central Department Stores
- both of which have basement supermarkets, and a number of specialty
stores within Central Complex selling jewellery, gemstones, antiques,
ceramics, leather goods, men's and women's clothing, handicrafts,
Thai silk and cottons, electrical and photographic goods, shoes
etc. In the back lanes behind Bangkok Bank building, lies Soi Lalai
Sap, a lunchtime market that gets going at noon and goes til about
2.00pm. Bargains can be found in clcothing accessories, leather
goods, knickknacks and food. Also in this area is Jim Thompson's
main store, selling a great range of silk, ready to ware, accessories
and furnishings. At night, the area opens up as Bangkok's major
nightlife centre, with markets lining the streets in Silom and Patpong,
selling all manner of goods including cheap clothing, watches, souvenirs,
leather goods and the like. Easy access by Sky Train which runs
along Silom from Sathorn Road and Ratchadamri Road.
Mahesak/Silom/New Road Area
The area is a major gemstone dealing and jewellery manufacturing
area. Boutiques, art galleries, department stores and shopping arcades,
including the River City Complex, sell a wide range of items, with
particular emphasis on antiques, tailored clothing, and contemporary
Thai and Asian paintings. Can be a little expensive so bargaining
is a must. Take special care at jewelry stores to procure certificates
of authenticity for products bought.
Phloenchit/Pathumwan Area
The area encompasses several department stores and shopping centers,
such as:
Central Chidlom
Bordering on the Sukhumvit area along Ploenchit Road, Central Chidlom
is Bangkok's original favourite department store, revamped only
a couple of years ago after a fire destroyed it in the early 1990's.
Has everything you want of a department store in terms of essential
items, a reasonable selection of fashion and clothing items, a good
supermarket, Starbucks and the Oriental Bakery.
World Trade Center
houses Isetan and Zen departments stores, both of which have
a full range of household products, essential items, fashion clothing,
shoes, accessories, electrical products, stationary, sporting goods,
as well as well stocked supermarkets selling the usual dry goods,
fresh fruit, vegies and bakery products.
- Thailand's principal duty-free shopping outlet is located on
the 7th floor
- Asia books, Kinokuniya Books, and Tower Records
- Furniture stores (antique and modern)
- Children's clothes stores
- Sporting goods stores
- Jewellery stores
- Material stores and dress making
- Beauty salons
- Restaurants, coffee shops
- Cinemas, ice skating rink and lots lots more
Siam Square
an entire block of specialty stores catering predominantly to the
teenage market. Lots of funky shoe and inexpensive clothing stores
for teens, bookstores, music stores, restaurants and cafes, cinemas
etc.
Siam Center
opposite Siam Square, caters to a wider age group but offers the
same range albeit slightly more up-market. Boots Pharmacy is found
here.
Siam Discovery
next to Siam Square, has a range of international designer stores
selling fashion clothing, accessories and shoes, imported furniture,
decorator shops, bookstore, gift shops, etc. Great coffee shops
and restaurants.
Gaysorn Plaza
formerly chocked with high fashion stores and nothing else, Gaysorn
Plaza now has an interesting mix of clothing stores, decorator and
furniture stores, galleries, Boots Pharmacy, and almost 2 floors
of small shops selling Thai Crafts from all over Thailand in what
is called the Thai Crafts Museum. Upmarket in look, it is never-the-
less a great place to look for gifts to take home. Particularly
beautiful are the range of home spun and woven Thai silks and cottons
in bolts and made into ready to wear clothing.
Narayana Phand
next to Gaysorn Plaza and opposite World Trade Centre, this is Bangkok's
original center for Thai handcrafts and cheap souvenir goods. Come
here for your plain coloured silks, cutlery, Thai style clothing,
gift cards, rice paper gift-wrap, furniture and figurines, wooden
home ware, ceramics, and jewellry. Downstairs in the basement are
stalls selling cheap imitation brand name leisure wear such as jeans,
shorts, shirts, children's clothes, leather goods and accessories.
They also sell household items, cheap videos, tapes and CD's. Definitely
worth a stop as prices are quite reasonable and vendors are friendlier
than their jaded counterparts in Patpong and Sukhumvit areas.
Mahboonkrong
The original shopping mecca for teenagers, Mahboonkrong is a rabbit
warren of small shops and stalls selling clothing, accessories,
cosmetics, shoes, music, food, electronic equipment, books and more
located on 5 floors between Tokyu Department store and The Pathumwan
Princess Hotel. Don't go there if you're claustrophobic - do if
you like to watch Bangkok's young and trendy strut their stuff.
Sukhumvit Road Area
Concentrated largely between Soi Nana (Soi 3) and Soi Asoke (Soi
21), are several shops, shopping centers and department stores offer
a broad range of Thai and imported items.
Robinson's Department Store
A small branch found opposite Soi 8, it has a small collection of
household items and clothing, plus a good supermarket well stocked
with fresh food items and Japanese cooking ingredients. A food hall
is in the basement.
Asia Books
a large branch in a 3 story building 2 doors down from Robinson's
. A great selection of English reading materials - both fiction
and non-fiction. Good place to browse when the weather and trasfic
are bad. Smaller branches found in the Landmark Hotel on Soi 4,
and in the Times Square Complex opposite Robinson's Department Store.
Emporium Shopping Center
located on Sukhumvit Soi 24 with a handy Skytrain link that lets
you off right at the 3rd floor. Not for bargain hunters, the Emporium
has many top designer stores including the likes of Louis Vuitton,
Loewe, Versace, Calvin Kline, and local designer stores, plus a
range of other specialty stores including book stores, music stores,
furniture and decorator stores, beauty salons, etcc. Also featuring
a department store with all the usual stuff, there is a supermarket
and food hall attached that offers everything from Thai to Eueuropean
food, fast food, bakeries and coffe shopes. A number of good restaurants
are located within the complex too. Great place to browse and see
where the truly wealthy population of Bangkok hang out on their
weekends. A cinema complex is located on the top floor.
Other complexes along Sukhumvit include Times Square opposite Robinson's
Department Store, and the Ploenchit Centre, next to the Marriot
Hotel on Soi 2. They contain a few shops - mostly fashion stores,
beauty salons, gift shops and small restaurants. Hidden within the
back sois off Sukhumvit and stretching along it's entire length
for miles are literally hundreds of places selling all manner of
homeware, arts and crafts, furniture, material artifacts etccc.
A walk around Sukhumvit in the cooler weather (or even in the hot
if you're acclimatised! ) can reveal some real finds if shopping
in the main complexes is not to your fancy.
Pratunam/Phetchaburi Road Area
This area is best known for its inexpensive readymade clothing,
which is sold partly in a street market, where determined bargaining
is required for best prices. From World Trade Centre walk over the
bridge into the Pratunam area and you will be in the thick of it
- streets lined with clothing, food and accessories, and now several
markets set up at night time similar to Patpong in Silom. Round
the corner in Phetchaburi Road is Phantip Plaza where you can pick
up cheap computer and electronic goods, software and accessoriess.
Care must be taken in this area at nighttime.
Banglamphu
The riverine section of Bangkok is favoured by back-packers for
its budget accommodation. The area offers inexpensive items, especially
readymade clothing, leather foods, footwear, cosmetics and curios.
Bargaining is recommended.
Other Shopping "Musts"
Chatuchak Weekend Market
A large market set on grounds along Phahonyothin Road. Find an incredible
range of products including old and new clothing, household products,
handicrafts, pets, and pot plants and food. This market is a paradise
for browsers and bargain- hunters alike, and now is made easily
accessible via Skytrain that runs directly to it. Open early Saturdays
and Sundays til late in the afternoon. Can be very hot and crowded
so take your hat and be careful of your bag. It's worth taking a
copy of Nancy Chandler's Map of Bangkok wih you - has a good breakdown
of where to find what at Chatuchak (Available at Asia Books Store)
Lang Krasuang Market
Facing Khlong Lot, on Atsadang Road, between the Royal Hotel and
Ministry of Interior, a row of shop houses sell moderately priced
second-hand goods, including antique cameras and typewriters, musical
instruments, radios and all manner of electrical goods. Bargaining
is essential. Woeng Na
Woeng Nakhon Kasem
Better known as Thieves Market, located between Yaowarat Road and
New Road, near Phahurat, this area sells antiques, including Thai
and Chinese objects d'art, porcelain, brassware, copperware and
furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Bargaining is essential.
China Town
The best place to by fabric (imported fabrics including cottons,
synthetics and linen) sewing accessories, household items, hair
accessories, gold, herbal medicines, imported fruits and Asian snack
food, China Town is an absolute delight. Covering a large area around
Yaowarat Road an
Charoen Krung Road, the small streets and alleys surrounding the
main roads are where all the action and interesting places are.
Not for the feint hearted however - the streets are narrow and crowded
and you must watch your bag carefully. If you're looking for material
and clothes, start at Sampeng Lane (parallel to Yaowarat Road),
and walk down to Pahurat Cloth Market . You'll see a mixture of
Thai, Indian, Chinese and Malaysian influences along the way. Gold
shops are mainly situated along Yaowarat Road, as are
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