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Bangkok Shopping Guide | Into the Shopaholic’s Lair

Bangkok is never Bangkok without its shopping attraction—in fact, its malls draw more tourists than its temples, day in and out. Whether you are a backpacker scrimping on a tight budget or the fur-collared, chihuahua-trotting madame, there is always something here that fits your fancy and budget.

With a multitude of choices, having a Bangkok shopping guide is as necessary as getting a city map to make your retail therapy a sure cure.

Bangkok is any shopaholicโ€™s paradise! From stylish fashion trends and accessories, to the latest gadgets and what-have-yous, the retail traffic here is just so maddening. Crowded flea markets, side street stalls and sleek malls are just aplenty. There are shopping complexes that are still on full swing at 2am and some opens at 5am!

 

Thailandโ€™s capital city is one of Asiaโ€™s biggest retail addresses of all the finest brands in world. It is also one of the fashion hotspots when it comes to locally produced labels. But Bangkok is also a galaxy of counterfeit goods and that is where it stands in both fame and notoriety.

With almost everything in a bag, it is good to know where to get those Baht-blowing stuff and discover new troves of dizzying finds.

 

Siam Paragon

If you want to tug the latest luggage from Louis Vuitton, clutch a sleek Prada, tote the best Hermes or sashay down in Versace and Jimmy Choo, then Siam Paragon is exquisitely for you! Located next to the Siam skytrain station, this mall has not only become a popular convergence of people and events but also of notable international brands. Siam Paragon is where you define the word splurge!

Location: Rama I Road, Pathumwan

Operating Hours: Open daily from 10am to 9pm.

How to Get There: Take BTS skytrain to Siam station. The mall is right beside the station.

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Gaysorn

If you feel like not brushing elbows with anyone, then head to Gaysorn. Here, there are no crowds and probably less window shoppers because the brands under its roof are exclusively just the finest labels. It is surely intimidating inside but if YOU ARE THE BRAND, then it shouldnโ€™t be an issue at all.

Location: Ploenchit Road, Pathumwan

Operating Hours: Open daily from 10am to 9pm.

How to Get There: Come to Gaysorn in style, itโ€™s the least expectation. But if you are curious, take the BTS skytrain to Chitlom station. Walk towards the side of Central World Mall. Just before you reach the end of the walkway, you will see Gaysorn on the right side. Erawan Mall is also along this line, itโ€™s on the left side (but honestly, itโ€™s boring in Erawan—its attempt to look luxurious ends up in a drab experience).

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Photo courtesy of www.tripadvisor.com

Central World Mall

A landmark mall in this part of the city, Central World houses an eclectic mix of retail outlets from upmarket local brands to mid-range and luxury international names. Its ambience is caught in between posh yet unpretentious and selective yet complete. Overall, Central World projects an image of a relaxed shopping experience.

Location: Pathumwan-Ratchaprasong

Operating Hours: Open daily from 10am to 9pm

How to Get There: Take the BTS skytrain to Chitlom station. Walk past Erawan Mall and Gaysorn.

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Terminal 21

Designed to suit the international city vibe of Bangkok, Terminal 21โ€™s airport-themed mall offers a wide range of international choices from European to American and from Asian to Middle Eastern brands. It is a fun mall with good choices of retail outlets, restaurants and year-round sale. Get ready with your credit card boarding pass because there is always something to bring back home from Terminal 21.

Location: Sukhumvit Soi 19, Klongtoey

Operating Hours: Open daily from 10am to 9pm.

How to Get There: Take the BTS skytrain to Asoke station or MRT subway to Sukhumvit station. You wonโ€™t miss it as the mall is directly linked to these stations.

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Photo courtesy of www.thaiticketmajor.comย 

Chatuchak Weekend Market

If there is a place in Bangkok that defines retail therapy, then it must be Chatuchak. With over a thousand stalls jumbled in one place, getting lost is common & a Bangkok shopping guide is surely a handy tool here. It sells almost everything—cheap souvenir shirts, fancy accessories, handcrafted leather pieces, home dรฉcor, tour tickets, massage services and even pets. It is the largest flea market in Bangkok and also the hub of all those faked labels, so be mindful of what youโ€™re buying. All guidebooks say, โ€œcome in earlyโ€ but the reality is, even if you do, there will always be hordes of shoppers ahead of you. So just come and enjoy the experience.

Location: Phahon Yothin Road, Chatuchak

Operating Hours: Open from 4:30PM to 9:00PM on Saturdays & Sundays only.
How to Get There: Both the BTS Skytrain and MRT Subway terminates in Chatuchak Park. BTS station is Mo Chit while MRT station is Chatuchak.

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Pratunam Market

Around this block in central Bangkok is the popular Pratunam Market where cheap and huddle more are the operative words. It is actually the convergence spot of wholesalers but the retail shops around Pratunam also offer their goods at dirt-cheap prices. This shopping district is famous for trendy fashion items, souvenirs and food.

Location: Intersection of Ratchaprasong and Petchaburi

Operating Hours: Open daily from 10am to 8pm

How to Get There: Take the skytrain to Chitlom station and walk straight to Ratchaprasong road. Find the intersection to Petchaburi road and cross to Pratunam Market. This should be about a 500- meter walk. Better yet, take Bus No 13, 2 or 511.

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Photo courtesy of www.bangkok.com

Asiatique

Once a trading port, Asiatique is now the brightest riverside amusement complex in Bangkok. It houses restaurants, fun rides, bars and hundreds of small boutiques mostly selling upscale local brands. It has a unique collection of trendy, chic, vintage and artsy fashion stuff of Thai ready-to-wear and some Western brands out of the mainstream mall displays.

Location: Chareonkrung Soi 74-76

Operating Hours: Open daily from 5:30pm until midnight.

How to Get There: Take the BTS to Saphan Taksin Station, exit towards Sathorn Central Station. Take the free ferry to Asiatique.

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MBK

MBK is another popular shopping landmark in this side of Bangkok. Donโ€™t get fooled by its huge and posh-looking faรงade because it actually sells a wide-range of cheap to mid-range priced items. It is popular for local fashion lines, handicraft souvenirs, packed dried fruit candies and gadgets. MBK is the best place to find local brands with very good craftsmanship and if you are into high quality fakes, this could be your social climbing haven.

 

Location: Phayathai Road, Wangmai

Operating Hours: Open daily from 10am to 10pm

How to Get There: Take BTS skytrain to National Stadium Station

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Photo courtesy of www.fineartamerica.com

Pantip Plaza

Pantip Plaza is a 1-stop shop for all your electronics lusts. Cellphones, tablets, MP3 players, gaming consoles, pocket WIFI, speakers, headsets, laptops, desktops, digital cameras, TVs and what-have-yous are all here under a single roof. From the original to Made in China, from the tiniest chip to the biggest LCD, Pantip Plaza is wanderland for tech savvy shoppers.

 

Location: Petchaburi Road

Operating Hours: Open daily from 10am to 9pm

How to Get There: Take BTS skytrain to Phaya Thai Station, take exit 2 and ride a tuktuk to Petchaburi Road.

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Photo courtesy of www.arrive.com

Talat Roi Fai

Way out of the tourist radars is Talat Roi Fai, a haven for vintage stuff, chic local brands and high quality Thai accessories. Here, you will not find the usual cheap Chang Beer sandos, I Love BKK souvenir shirts or those funny elephant pants not even locals would wear. Talat Roi Fai caters to a select Thai market that is youthful but with exquisite taste for vintage art and those who like unique stuff done by local contemporary designers. This spot is popular among a special breed of Thai teens and yuppies as it is also home to a lot of wildly themed restaurants and bars.

 

Location: Srinakarin Soi 51. Behind Seacon Square.

Operating Hours: Open only Thursdays-Saturdays, from 5PM til 12mn.

How to Get There: Take the BTS skytrain to either On Nut or Udom Sok station. Take a songtheaw to Srinakarin. It normally stops across Seacon Square. Take the footbridge to cross to the other side. But the best way is to take a taxi if you are not familiar where to find the songtheaw loading bay.

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I know shopaholics like you trust your instincts but in a city where every major street corner has all these devilishly tempting show windows, a Bangkok shopping guide surely helps.

 

Happy shopping!

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