Shopping in Bangkok

Bangkok, the capital of the Buddhist Kingdom of Thailand, is one of Asia's great shopping centers. This exuberant, bustling, frenetic, vibrant and very exotic city offers exciting shopping opportunities to buy the likes of gems, ceramics, intricately designed curios shimmering and colorful Thai silk, cosmetics, ready-to-wear clothing, textiles, antiques, wood carvings and watches.

Siam Paragon  nearest public transport station: Siam Square Sky train
Siam Paragon is an upscale shopping mall in Bangkok. It is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia. Opened on December 9, 2005, it includes a wide range of stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater (consisted of 15 large size theaters with one of the them having the biggest screen and seating capacity in Asia) and the Siam Ocean World aquarium (the largest aquarium in South East Asia) and an exhibition hall and also an opera concert hall. It also has a large bowling alley and karaoke center.
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Emporium Shopping Mall  nearest public transport station: E5 - Phrom Phong Sky train
Emporium Shopping Mall Sukhumvit Soi 26, is an absolutely amazing shopping centre and some would say the best in Bangkok, it has a cinema, and a lot of quality designer wear. They also have an excellent food court at ridiculously cheap prices, which offers diners a lovely view over the adjacent small park. They regularly have very good sales, which are always worth checking out with discounts anywhere from 15 - 80% off at times. This is a must visit on your shopping spree in Bangkok. A tourist card which you can apply for at the store will give you 5% or 10% discount off regular priced items.
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Central World Plaza  nearest public transport station: E1 - Chitlom Sky train
Central World Plaza shopping Mall in Bangkok. Better know under it's former name: the World Trade Center. Hosts excellent beergarden from November till the end of February. It comprises of the ZEN, Isetan and Duty Free shopping centres, with hundreds of additional small shops to go with it. It is the most central of all the shopping locations.
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Phantip Plaza  nearest public transport station: N1 - Rajchathewi Sky train
There is really only one place to buy Computer Software, DVDs and VCDs and that is at Phantip Plaza, on Petchburi road near the Amari Watergate Hotel. Everything under the sun and computer related can be found here. With seven floors of shopping heaven for computer buffs, copy is very much the thing here. So if you are buying something at regular prices be very careful. The shop on the top floor is very reliable, and offers mainly original soft and hardware. Due to a lot of police restrictions, which seem to change month by month, the shops sometimes will refuse to sell you copy software directly instead they have to send it to you by EMS (registered post) there is not normally any problems with this. However this does mean that you should visit this computer heaven early in your trip, if you plan to buy some software, so that the sellers have enough time to send it to you. Three days should normally suffice at the most. Having said that please note that these restrictions change all the time, and you will even see vendors removing all the latest DVD's, CD's, VCD's and software very quickly only for it to reappear minutes later once we presume the inspection is finished.
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MBK  nearest public transport station: W1 - National Stadium Sky train
MBK (Mahanakorn) is 6 floors of little shops that sell assorted goods. Everything can be bought here at very good prices. It is hectic and busy especially at the weekend, but if you are looking for a bargain this is a great, if not a tiring place to start. They have two shops that we can strongly recommend, and deserve a mention simply because a lot of people look for this and don't find them. The first is on the sixth floor and is called Seven Sis, here you can have words printed on to pretty much anything, hats, t-shirts, shirts, you name it. The beauty is that not only is it great value, but it is also stitched and not screen, this means that your t-shirt or whatever will not fade out in the wash or even start peeling. You can either buy the t-shirt there, or take your own. Take a look at the picture of the shop by clicking here. The other shop too mention will do any form of printing for you, name cards (although they are cheaper on the sixth floor near SevenSis, stickers and posters. The stickers really are very well done, and can be designed any way that you want. The shop is called Number One DESIGN, and is on the third floor. Take a look at the picture ? Click here. You should also not miss the food court on the sixth floor, it must be one of the biggest in Bangkok, the food is great, and everything is amazing value. Yes ALL the pics of Bangkok the food court included are here take a look ! MBK basically has everything you could ever need, from unique items mentioned above to Mobile Telephones (be sure to ask whether the phone is 'second hand' or not) to excellent fake Louis Vuitton bags, to originally made local shoes and such. If the fake Louis bags interest you then all we can say is that you will need to ask and look around as they are not on display and we prefer not to mention the shops that carry them. MBK is a shopping must on any visit to Bangkok.
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Chatuchak Weekend Market  nearest public transport station: Kamphaeng Phet Subway (MRT)
It would be no exaggeration to say that hardly any especially Bangkok doesn't know Chatuchak Market. This is The Worlds Biggest Weekend Market selling practically everything under the sun, from the smallest nails, to foods, trendy fashions, antiques intricate wooden carvings, masks from far-off lands, adorable fluffy dogs, colorful fish of every hue and singing birds. You can find all this and more at amazing Chatuchak market. There are almost 9,000 individual booths overflowing with every imaginable type of wares to catch your fancy. Once inside the market, you will be catch up in a world of bursting crowds and stalls stretching as far as the eye can see. If you are thinking of decorating your home, searching for that perfect piece of furniture or decoration, be it antique, modern, Thai or Western? Or perhaps a lovingly created ethnic handicraft to brighten up your space? Ceramic products, whether they be tea cups, coffee mugs, pots, traditional Thai Benjarong or ceramic dolls. Well, come to Chatuchak Market and chances are you won't go home empty-handed. Feeling a little hot and weary from your journey ? A bit hoarse from all that bargaining ? Then its time to seek out some cool, refreshing drinks or something light and tasty to re-charge your batteries before another round of shopping. Chatuchak Market has and endless selection of food and drinks, ranging from small beverage stalls on almost every soi or corner , iced refreshments, noodles, rice & curries, rice with roast pork, chicken rice and Thai-style fast foods. Apart from bringing together interesting products from all corners of Thailand.
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Pratunam Wholesale Market  nearest public transport station: Phetchaburi MRTA Subway Line
Pratunam wholesale Market in Bangkok is one of the two major markets in Bangkok. It is a maze of alleyways, backstreets and basement areas that aggregate into one large retail and wholesale market. Essentially it is a clothing market that has something for everybody, because although the area is geared to wholesale business, the small shops will gladly sell you a sample of their product at retail price.
The concept is different to other markets. Usually markets consist of makeshift stalls that are taken down at days end but Pratunam consists of permanent shops and also roadside stalls both fiercely vying for the consumer Baht.
You will find the Pratunam area deluged by international buyers who are there to export finished Thai products in to their own country. Unlike China, there are great opportunities to buy wholesale with out having to place very large orders with the suppliers. Best buys are T-shirts, jeans, ladies fashion and souvenirs of Thai made products.
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Night Market ( Suan Lum Night Bazaar)  nearest public transport station: Lumpini MRTA Subway Line
Open from 5pm to midnight and later the bazaar resembles something of a market mixed with a fairground in a park. The bazaar is not just is place to go to find a bargain, be it clothing, CD or handicrafts.
It is more a night out and this can include a spot of shopping, a tasty meal from one of the many food vendors, and listening to some live entertainment.
There is the Joe Louis Puppet theatre and the Beer Garden where Thai bands provide the music with international beers on sale.
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Flower Market  nearest public transport station: Rajini Express Boat Pier (see Chao Praya Express Boat Map)
Pak Khlong Talat is located along the Chao Phraya River. It is a very fragrant and colorful market in Bangkok. The air in the Flower Market remains charismatically fragrant as numerous colorful and aromatic flowers freshly brought from the surrounding provinces fill the entire market place. It remains open the whole day. The best time to visit this market is between 2 pm and 4 pm as this time flowers are brought from the provinces located nearby.
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