Bangkok is a shopper’s paradise and part of your trip to Thailand should certainly include a day or two browsing the shops and shopping centres of the city. The range is impressive and the prices low. You can escape the heat into the plush sophistication of air-conditioned shopping centres, or join the curious in the chaotic lanes of Chinatown. Then there’s the cornucopia of Chatuchak Market and endless souvenir and handicraft vendors along the Sukhumvit and Silom Roads.
When shopping in Bangkok, look out for Thai silk, Asian antiques, charming handicrafts, tailored suits, electronics, clothing, shoes, and gemstone jewellery, for excellent value.
Markets
From the crowded and famous Chatuchak weekend market to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Bangkok is full of traditional vendors offering great value… more
Malls
Whether you’re looking for cheap footwear, designer-wear or an iPod, Bangkok’s many shopping malls will spoil you for choice… more
Souvenirs
You can’t leave Thailand without a handful, or bagful, of charming Thai handicrafts as souvenirs; find the best of the street vendors on your final night… more
Silk
Thailand’s signature product makes a fantastic gift or garment – pick up a silk scarf and tie or go the whole hog with a quality outfit made from the best… more
Shopping for wholesale export goods in Bangkok
Many come to Bangkok simply to shop wholesale for export goods, taking them back to the boutiques and flea markets of Europe and beyond - agents will help you negotiate and arrange shipping. Most visitors, however, are simply shopping for bargains in between their holiday, which is all part of the fun.
In Bangkok’s urbanised cityscape, there are shopping centres and department stores everywhere. When out shopping in Bangkok you can discover ultra-chic and trendy shopping centres, such as the Emporium or Central Chitlom, where the store guides read like a who’s who of designer labels.
Then there are the all-encompassing, mega-shopping centres like MBK or Seacon Square in which, seemingly, every product you can think of is available. You can also break up your shopping trip by catching a movie in the multiplex cinema, going ten-pin bowling, having a Thai massage, or dining at any one of the many excellent restaurants.
Technology junkies can get their shopping fix at one of Bangkok’s IT shopping centres, such as the bustling and lively Pantip Plaza on Petchaburi Road, or the slightly calmer and more modern Fortune Town on Rachadapisek (Rachada) Road. This, surprisingly, is very worthwhile, since you can buy well-known brand laptops, hard drives, thumb USBs, WiFi transmitters and even genuine software, at significant discounts.
Lanna Handicrafts is a leading online artisan store which offers the very best in high quality souvenirs from Chiang Mai and the northern Thailand region. There are authentic tribal designs, antiques, teak furniture, textiles, art and much more at the best possible prices from suppliers you can trust.
But the shopping in Bangkok doesn’t stop there either. No trip to Bangkok is complete without a visit to the colossal Chatuchak Weekend Market, in which you can pick up your ideal holiday souvenirs at knock-down prices. And there are countless other markets and gatherings of street stalls all over Bangkok, meaning that bargain hunters will be spoilt for choice when shopping in Bangkok.
But perhaps the ideal souvenir from Thailand is some expertly woven Thai silk, or a perfectly tailored suit from one of Bangkok’s many tailors or silk shops. Some very good Thai antiques can be picked up in Bangkok, too; and for those who are thinking of shipping bulk wholesale goods back home, Bangkok is the ideal place to do this in Thailand due to its excellent air, sea and land transport network.
