In Bangkok’s incredibly urbanised cityscape there are shopping malls, street markets and department stores everywhere offering not only fashion but Thai wares and souvenirs, silks, computer gadgets, ipods and anything the shopper desires. Travellers may also wish to experience Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai boasts a world renowned night bazaar.
Chatuchak Market Bangkok (Weekend Market)
Covering 35 acres of land with over 15,000 stalls and more than 200,000 visitors every Saturday and Sunday, Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is the mother of all markets and possibly one of the biggest and most famous markets in the world. If bargain-hunting gives you an adrenalin rush, get ready for a head-spinning, earth-moving experience. Conquering this massive market is no easy feat though. The reward for taking a lot of patience along - together with a bottle of water - is that you can find pretty much anything here.
Patpong Night Market, Silom, Bangkok
After recently cleaning up its act, Patpong Night market has become one of the 'must' night shopping destinations for avid shoppers. Found in the built-up area known as Silom, the place is always busy and chaotic with all the commotion from the GO-GO bars nearby and lots of tourists. This market in Bangkok's notorious nightlife district is often the first and easiest stop for many tourists just arriving to Bangkok.
Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Opposite Lumpini Park, Bangkok
This market is frequented by expats on their way home from the office, locals and tourists. Suan Lum could best be described as the VIP outdoor market of Bangkok, covered walkways with centrally-located snack bars provide perhaps the most luxurious (outdoor) market shopping experience in the city. Several bars along with Thai, Italian, German, and even Mexican restaurants are conveniently within the market area, close enough to analyse the crowd while enjoying a drink, yet away from the market's hustle-and-bustle. In the same area, dinner shows featuring classical Thai puppetry can be enjoyed at the famous Joe Louis Puppet Theatre. On the other side of the market's curious Khmer-looking temple walkway, lies a large outdoor beer garden, food court, and concert venue all rolled into one. Beer and food are accompanied by live Thai cover bands performing the latest local and international hits on stage.
Baiyoke & Pratunam Market, Bangkok
This expansive market consists of three major shopping centres: the Bai Yoke Garment complex 1 & 2, which has wholesale deals on garments; Indra Square, has fashion clothing and accessories for men and women, along with silk items, jewellery, and touristy Thai crafts; and the City Complex, which also offers fashionable clothing marketed towards young ladies, plus a few shops selling jewellery and crafts. Outside and between the complexes vendors and small shops sell shoes, t-shirts, 'brand-name' items, CD's, and various knick-knacks. Food vendors push their way through the large crowd to hawk the usual fruit and skewered foods, there is a food centre on the second floor of Indra Square.
Platinum Fashion Mall Bangkok
A relatively new shopping centre in the Petchburi area, Platinum Fashion Mall caters especially to wholesale clothing, selling a similar range of clothing to the Pratunam Market across the street, except in air-conditioned comfort. The mall has six floors which are filled with small outlets, most of them specialising in women's clothing and fashion accessories. Since this is a wholesale mall, you can get items at very reasonable prices.
Pantip Plaza (IT Mall), Bangkok
The entirety of Pantip Plaza is dedicated to computer and technology items. The multistorey shopping centre on Petchaburi Road offers a wide selection of stores, selling everything from computers and computer-related accessories, including; parts, printers, digital cameras, MP3 players, PDAs,laptops, computer software and much more.
Bangkok Chinatown Shopping
Busy, bustling and hot, shopping in Chinatown is very different from your typical mall outing. Tiny alleys come crammed with a huge assortment of goods, crowded with porters manoeuvring wooden carts around customers. The main road, Yaowarat, has lots of fascinating Chinese pharmacists with containers full of strange looking herbal remedies and probably the highest concentration of goldshops in Thailand.
Lynn Allen - My professional experience began in education both at Primary and Secondary level. This afforded me the means to gain writing skills, ...
