Shopping in Bangkok - Where to Go, What to Buy

Based on what you wish to buy, you will find it easier if you knew the prime areas for your shopping needs before you choose your hotels or finalize other details of your itinerary. Here is how to make the best of your Bangkok shopping agendas:

1. Jatujak (Chatuchak) Weekend Market

To Buy: everything
When: only on weekends

The famous Bangkok weekend market is a super-vast space of land filled with shops selling fashion accessories, clothes, home wares, food, gardening stuff, aquariums and fish, antiques etc. Click on the link of the title above to read more about how to get there. If you miss this or aren't in Bangkok on a weekend, check out other bazaars listed below.

2. Suan Lum Night Bazaar

To Buy: everything
When: 18:00 - 00:00 (every day)
How to get there: Take the MRT subway to Lumpini station; the market is near Lumpini Park, a short walk from the station.

This is a smaller version of the Chatuchak and is hosted under covered walkways. Your kids can also enjoy a puppet show while at the market.

3. MBK Mall

To Buy: mostly fashion accessories, gadgets, mobiles
When: 10:00 - 21:00 (every day)
How to get there: Take the BTS to National Stadium station. The BST station is directly connected to the mall.

When, and if, you find the street markets hot and tiring, take refuge at MBK. You will find almost everything at the Jatujak market (except for craft stuff) at MBK at identical prices and under an air-conditioned roof. The Japanese departmental store 'Tokyu' is housed within the mall. Absolutely the best place to shop in Bangkok.

4. Platinum Fashion Mall

To Buy: clothes and fashion accessories, 3 or more
When: 10:00 - 21:00 (every day)
How to get there: In the Pratunam Area, near Central World.

If you wish to buy wholesale (3 or more of a thing) and most of us do, because we need to take back so many gifts or simply for ourselves - Platinum Fashion Malls gives you wholesale prices and is very popular with the young crowd.

5. Central World Plaza

To Buy: everything, brands
When: 10:00 - 21:00 (every day)
How to get there: Near Pratunam Area

The largest shopping mall in all of Asia, Central World is truly a world class mall. For your kids, the mall has a Build-A-Bear Workshop and for you, a countless number of international and local brands including The Body Shop and the B2S Book Store.

6. Gold Shopping

Gold is available at cheaper rates in Thailand but to be sure you are sold only the highest quality stuff, shop only at Yaowarat Road in Chinatown and preferably with either of the two of the oldest and trustworthy shops - Hua Seng Heng and Tang To Kang
The best way to get to Yaowarat to take the subway to Hualampong and then get a taxi to Yaowarat (pronounced Yaowaraat).

7. Pratunam Market area

It's located at the intersection of Ratchaprarop and Phetburi roads. You can reach the market by BTS Skytrain Sukhumvit Line at Ratchathewi Station; from there, exit down the right-hand stairs, take a right at the next main intersection, Ratchathewi, and walk down Phetchaburi Road until you see Platinum department store, the market is directly across the street from Platinum Fashion Mall.

8. Handicraft Stores

To Buy: Thai Handicrafts
When: 10:00 - 21:00 (every day)
How to get there: opposite World Trade Centre (Baiyoke Tower) on Ratchadamri Road
Subway: Sukhumvit; Skytrain: Ratchadamri

Gaysorn Plaza's Thai Craft Museum and Narayana Phand which is a government run craft store has everything you will need to see in Thai handcrafted specialities including Lacquerware, Wickerwork, yan lipao etc.

9. Jim Thompson Factory Outlet

To Buy: Silk Products
When: 10:00 - 21:00 (every day)
How to get there: 153 Sukhumvit Soi 93 Bangkok, near BTS On-Nut Station

The famous silk wares of Jim Thompson are available in different outlets in several malls including Siam Paragon. But for real good bargains, head to the factory outlet. Here you will find many gifts to take home like small purses, cosmetic cases etc, handbags, ties, photo frames etc. made using the fabrics from the previous seasons.

10. Siam Malls

To Buy: Everything
When: 10:00 - 21:00 (every day)
How to get there: BTS Station National Stadium (the station is connected directly into the mall) - opposite MBK mall

The Siam Discovery, Siam Center and Siam Paragon malls are all inter-connected and can be reached directly by the BTS station which leads into the Siam Discovery Mall on one end and the MBK mall on the other end. So, you can move from MBK to the Siam malls through the sky train station without having to step down on the road. The malls have all the brands you can ask for, an outlet of Asia Books and Kikokuniya Books. Asia Books in Siam Discovery has a little play area for smaller kids to keep busy while you browse books. Siam Paragon has showrooms of swanky cars like Lamborghini, Audi, BMW etc. and you can the latest models on display. The ground floor has a wonderful food court and a very large Ocean World where you can take your kids to.

If you have more time on your hands, browse through the Siam Square Market (near MBK and Siam Malls), Silom area market, Sukhumvit area market and the King Power Duty Free shops.