Shopping
Bangkok has become one of the top shopping areas in Southeast Asia. In recent years, numerous modern shopping malls have been built and these attract top name stores with quality merchandise. Fortunately the wonderful street markets continue to flourish where price outperforms quality and bargaining is common practice. Hypermarkets (superstores), notably the British Tesco and the French Carrefour, are everywhere, and have unfortunately forced many small retailers out of business. If you can't be bothered to venture outside, most of the major hotels have shopping arcades with quality stores and merchandise with prices to match.
Bangkok street market
This is the granddaddy of all street markets. If you can't find it here you don't need it. There are 35 acres of stalls selling everything from hardware to handicrafts. Animal lovers please turn a blind eye; the live animals are not always cared for in the best manner. The bargaining begins each Saturday and Sunday morning soon after 9am, and some stalls stay open until the sun goes down. It gets hot and crowded. Over 200,000 people are expected each day. Watch out for pickpockets and not-so-old antiques, and do not expect to cover everything in one visit. Clothes and handicrafts are a great buy but you must bargain. There's also food and flowers, CDs and luggage. We doubt you'll find a better selection of goodies anywhere else in Thailand. Best way to get here is by SkyTrain or subway; get off at Mo Chit and follow the crowd.
Double your shopping pleasure with two giant malls, joined by a fourth-floor walkway. Avoid the weekends when the area gets very busy, as this is the place where the younger, trendy Thais like to hang out. The Siam SkyTrain station is right at the door and there is a 2,500 space parking garage for those brave enough to drive. There are close to 400 stores, a mammoth movie complex and too many restaurants to mention. There are always special events and sales taking place. Like most of Bangkok's malls this complex is open from 10am to 9pm seven days a week. The Siam side of things is more young and trendy, and the Discovery tends to be a little more exclusive. The movie theater is on the sixth floor of the Discovery Center; call 02658 0454 to discover what comes in English or with English subtitles. Movie times are shown every day in both The Bangkok Post and The Nation.
A THAI CHRISTMAS
We were concerned that on our first Christmas visit to Thailand, a Buddhist/Muslim country, we might miss the Western-style celebrations. We took with us decorations and pre-wrapped gifts to make it more like home. We need not have bothered. The large stores in Bangkok were full of gift ideas for Christmas and published glossy inserts suggesting gifts for him, her and the younger ones. We saw many Thai spirit houses decorated with tinsel, and in a Muslim village in Phuket we saw men wandering around with Santa hats on. The Tesco stores throughout the kingdom sold everything from fake trees to wrapping paper and make-believe snow balls. One truly cosmopolitan touch: Heard over the holidays at the Italian restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok - Bing Crosby singing White Christmas.
If you're looking for quality (not bargain prices) then this upmarket, trendy complex with six floors of stores, cinemas, art galleries and restaurants may be the place to spend a few hours. To give you an idea of size there are two Starbucks here, along with numerous boutiques, bookstores, a supermarket and some fine dining. What surprised us most was the number of top-quality jewelry stores, which are grouped together on the first floor. We saw very few customers, though, and that could not be blamed on lack of selection; choice was abundant in all of the top-name shops. Closest train station is Phrom Phong and there is a large parking lot if you come by car. Sukhumvit 24, tel. 2664 8000.
It's hard to know whether this area comes under shopping or nightlife, but since we only came here to shop we'll leave it here. These two roads - Patpong 1 and Patpong 2 - are jammed with stalls selling clothing, ceramics, wood carvings, genuine fake watches, leather goods and lots of luggage. We bargained hard, but not enough, for two suitcases (we bought an identical one for less in Phuket). Alongside the stalls are a mass of bars, discos and the "a-go" dancing joints, so named for those who go in for a dance and then depart with their dance partner for a few additional steps. It's a sort of lending library of ladies. We didn't venture into any though we received plenty of invitations. We asked why the place was so popular and were told, "The girls are so friendly." Enough said. There is a McDonalds on the corner and they do sell hamburgers. Just off Rama IV, and every taxi driver understands "Patpong."
This place is "far out" in more ways than one. First, it is the largest shopping mall in Southeast Asia, with more than 400 outlets to shop, dine and even ice-skate. And it is far from the city center in a new eastern suburb on Srinakarin Road. To get here from downtown you take the SkyTrain, then a bus; if you're driving from Silom you take Rama IV expressway to Bang Na Road, turn left into Srinakarin Road and make a U-turn into the complex. Once you're here there's enough to occupy most folk for a week. There's a book store with a million books (hopefully this volume will find shelf space one day), a theme park with boat rides and a roller coaster, a bowling alley, multi-screen move theater and mini-golf course. Then there are shops, hundreds of them. Feeling a little hungry? You'll find the all-American Sizzler among the eateries on the fourth-floor restaurant area.
At the intersection of Ratchadamri Road and Rama I Road, tel. 02222 9855, this eight-story shoppers' delight is home to numerous trendy shops in addition to the Zen and Isetan department stores. Lots to keep you busy: a movie house, ice-skating rink and restaurants. The government-owned Thailand Duty Free Shop is on the seventh floor. Outside you are in the midst of Bangkok's fashionable Ratchaprasong shopping area. For-top-of-the-line items step inside Gaysorn Plaza, home to such names as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Christian Dior, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Burberry, Christian Lacroix, Lanvin, Celine, Loewe, La Perla, Tag Heuer, Hugo Boss, Omega, Aigner, Alfred Dunhill, Daks and Bally. Nearby are the Peninsula Plaza and the Amarin Plaza, both listed below.
Across the street from the World Trade Center, this operation is partly owned by the government to promote and sell official handicrafts from throughout the kingdom. Everything here - items in bronze, silk, wood and ceramic - is made in Thailand. 127 Ratchadamri Road, tel. 02252 4670.
Highly-priced and -prized fashions from local designers, top imported brands and gourmet shops make this plaza upscale in every way. 153 Ratchadamri Road, tel. 02253 9672.
Homesick Americans can find solace here, site of the first McDonalds to open in Thailand. There is also a Starbucks and a Radio Shack. Sogo brings you the best in Japanese merchandise. 494 Ploenchit Road, tel. 02255 0831.
This four-story complex claims to be the largest art-and-antique center in Southeast Asia, with close to 200 shops selling top-of-the-line art, antiques, jewelry, handicrafts and a better class of souvenirs. It's a great location, overlooking the Chao Phraya River, and the well-priced restaurants are worth a visit. Auctions take place every month. There is a free river-shuttle service for those staying at any of the riverfront hotels. On Si Phraya Road, tel. 02237 0077, close to the Royal Orchid Sheraton hotel.
This is the shopping spot if you are looking for anything related to computers. Pirated software is a big seller at this five-story mall; however, it is often closed, after a police crackdown to stop the illegal sales. Unfortunately without the illicit products this place would cease to exist. Computer peripherals - the mouse I am using right now cost $3 - and computer repairs are cheap. Many of the store operatives do not speak English but they have an uncanny knowledge of computers and all the latest software. Many times new programs are available here before they hit the US or European markets. You'll also find computer books, DVDs of the latest US movies, cameras and small appliances at bargain prices. The plaza is near the Amari Watergate Hotel on Petchburi Road in the Pratunam district, a central area well served with good street markets and good hotels. 604 Phetchburi Road, tel. 02254 9797.
- Buying electronics in Thailand does have advantages. Telephones and some computer equipment are so cheap that it is worth taking the risk that it will not work well when you get home. We discovered that things assembled in Thailand, like desktop computers, can be very cheap, but items imported into Thailand fully assembled, like laptops, are expensive. If you have a problem when you get back home, do not expect a smile from the repairman when you say you bought it in Thailand.
Hard to believe, but this seven-story mall used to be the biggest shopping center in Bangkok. It's still huge, with enough space to house a 40-lane bowling alley and a seven-screen movie theater. The stores are noted for women's fashions, food, jewelry, luggage and electronic gadgets. MBK is easy to get to; it adjoins the quality department store Tokyu, which has a bridge linking it to the National Stadium SkyTrain station. 444 Phayathai Road, on the corner of Rama I and Phaya Thai, tel. 02217 9111.
The major hotels all have astounding displays of fresh flowers, and this is the market where most of them come from. The market takes place every day in the early morning hours, next to the Memorial Bridge, where the Chao Phraya River meets the Khlong Lawt, one of the city's major canals. This is Thailand's largest fruit, vegetable and flower market and you need to be here at 2am to watch the boats and trucks arrive laden with produce. The sights and smells are worth the early-morning visit.
If you decide to visit the Pak Khlong flower market, described above, you might consider a visit to this nearby bazaar beforehand. Trading starts around 7pm and closes at 2am, and you'll find it a lot cooler than the Chatuchak weekend market thanks to the gentle wind from the river. Not a popular tourist spot, and you'll find clothing prices equal to or better than Chatuchak. Despite the late hour, do not forget that bargaining is still expected.
- Check clothing sizes carefully. Thai people are generally small, and what they consider a large size might not be large enough. We bought a pair of underpants in a Bangkok department store. The label said "extra, extra large" but when unwrapped the item proved to be a perfect fit for a small boy.
Stamp Market
Stamp collectors are in for a treat every Saturday and Sunday morning, when there is a stamp market in front of the General Post Office at 1160 Charoen Krung Road. Over a dozen stamp dealers set up shop under a tent in the parking lot. The trading starts around noon and continues until 5pm. Chairs are provided so that you can scan the collections in relative comfort. There's a full assortment of philatelic items, first-day covers and souvenir sheets, as well as individual stamps.
While you're here, the post office itself is worth a visit. It's a large building with 36 serving positions and even opens on Sundays. Normal hours are from 8am to 10pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1pm on weekends. There is a pack-and-wrap department in case you want to mail something home, and a special counter for philatelists (that's stamp collectors). You'll find a heavy concentration of stamp-dealers' shops near the post office, but most of the dealers who frequent the market do not have shops. We wonder how the stamps keep their quality in these hot and humid conditions.
- AUTHOR'S NOTE: The post office is presently phasing out its telegram-and-telegraph section. We wonder w-w-w- why?
There is a stamp museum on the first floor of the Metropolitan Postal Bureau behind Sam Sen Nai Post Office, tel. 2712439 or 2331050, right outside the Saphan Kwai SkyTrain station. In addition to viewing stamps of the world, you can buy stamps and plenty of philatelic paraphernalia. The post office is . If you find yourself in front of the Paola Memorial Hospital you are on the wrong side of the tracks. Admission is free and the museum is open from 9am to 4pm, Tuesday thru Saturday. If your traveling companions aren't into stamps they can visit the nearby Sapha Kwai market, open every day from the wee hours, with every kind of fresh food. There are several dressmaking and tailor stores next to stalls selling a range of textiles.
Flag Market
If flag- or emblem-collecting is more your scene, you need to visit an area they call the flag market behind Wat Bowon Niwet on Phra Suman Road, in the Bang Lamphu area. There are a half-dozen shops here that specialize in flags and related paraphernalia. And the houses in the area are an architectural quirk. They appear to be single-story from the outside but they are actually two stories once you get inside. The temple is important too; King Rama IV was chief abbot before he became king, and King Rama VII and the present king were monks here.
It would be wrong to leave the shopping section without mention of Central Department Stores, Thailand's biggest department store chain (1027 Ploenchit Road, tel. 02655 7777). This is their flagship store near the Chit Lom SkyTrain station; there are numerous branches in Bangkok and throughout the nation. Everything you would expect to see in a popular department store including excellent children's clothes, everything for the home and well-priced designer fashions. You'll also find a Jim Thompson silk shop here, a name synonymous with the best in Thai shopping. These stores are normally open from 10am to 10pm.