Showing 1-17 of 17 results
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Ámantee
Although well outside of the city centre, this 'repository of Oriental and Tibetan art and antiques' is well worth the trip. Consisting of several interconnecting wooden Thai houses holding a variety of classy items, the peaceful compound also boasts a café, accommodation and occasional cultural events.
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Baan Silom
This open-air colonial-style shopping centre is the art-school kid brother of Bangkok malls. Changing exhibitions of contemporary art can be taken in at La Lanta Fine Art, and ultra-funky Thai-designed necklaces, rings and bracelets are available at Kit-Ti's Jewellery. Art and design books are available at a branch.
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Gallery F-Stop
Many Bangkok restaurants added art work to the dinner menu in an effort to rescue art from the 'dead zones' (traditional museums). Gallery F-Stop (hosted by Tamarind Café) stands apart as the city's only restaurant-gallery for photography.
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H Gallery
Housed in a refurbished colonial-era wooden building, H is generally considered among the city's leading private galleries. It is regarded as a jumping-off point for Thai artists with international ambitions, such as Jakkai Siributr and Somboon Hormthienthong.
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House Of Chao
Dusty old antique shops littered with precious and not-so-precious junk are rare in Bangkok, but this subdued spot is haphazardly filled with teak treasures from Thailand and Burma.
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House Of Gems
The name 'House of Gems' is an interesting sales pitch for a shop claiming to sell dinosaur droppings. If you look in the window, dry cross-sections will teach you the subtle difference between the 'gems' of a carnivorous dinosaur, compared to its herbivorous friends. Don't say we didn't tell you that there's nothing you can't buy in Bangkok.
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Mae Fah Luang
Another handwoven tradition, these cotton textiles are produced as part of HRH the late Princess Mother's program to transition northern Thailand villages away from opium production. Bolts of fabric are sold alongside ready-to-wear women's designs that update this ethnic-hippie fabric into new millennium styles.
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Maison Des Arts
Hand-hammered, stainless steel tableware haphazardly occupies this warehouse retail shop. The bold style of the flatware dates back centuries and the staff applies no pressure to indecisive shoppers.
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Monk's Bowl Village
The only surviving village of three founded by Rama I, Baan Baht (Monk's Bowl Village) still hand-hammers eight pieces of steel (representing Buddha's eightfold path) into the distinctive alms bowls used by monks to receive morning food donations. Tourists instead of temples are the primary patrons these days and a bowl purchase is usually rewarded with a demonstration.
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Nandakwang
To properly outfit a modern bohemian, you'd need to head up to arty Chiang Mai. Luckily, this Chiang Mai-based store has a Bangkok satellite selling its home-spun chic purses, high-quality woven cotton clothing and household wares. The earnest stuffed animals would make a nice gift for the young ones. There is a branch in Siam Discovery Center (4th floor).
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Old Maps & Prints
You could poke around in this shop for hours, flipping through the maps of Siam and Indochina, laughing at early explorers' quaint drawings of 'the natives' and sighing with delight at the exquisite framed prints.
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Phu Fa
Gifts with a cause make that fuzzy feeling fuzzier. This new outlet sells products from HRH Princess Srindhorn's economic development program for rural villagers. The Thai-made products are mainly kid-friendly: notebooks, change purses and handwoven Karen textiles.
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Rasi Sayam
Once you tire of souvenir kitsch, head to Rasi Sayam for objets d'art . Based in a Thai house, it sells delicate woven wall-hangings and intricate baskets, as well as pottery and sandstone statues.
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River City
Only got time for one antique shop? This four-floor complex of art, antiques and auctioneers is a one-stop shop for a Burmese Buddha image, black silk or a benjarong (traditional royal Thai ceramics) tea-set, and you pay for the quality. The stores can arrange to ship your buys back home.
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Silom Galleria
The only reason to visit this spooky half-deserted mall is for the contemporary Asian art exhibitions hosted by the various galleries inside. To avoid disappointment proceed directly to the back, or alternatively, check the posters in the lobby to see what's on display at the better galleries such as Thavibu or Tang.
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Silom Village Trade Centre
It's blissfully easy to wander around this cluster of shops. Some vendors sell the ubiquitous touristy fare while the antique shops have carved teak wall decorations to turn your house into a traditional Thai home.
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Thavibu Gallery
Thavibu is an amalgam of the words Thailand, Vietnam and Burma. The gallery specialises in contemporary paintings by younger and emerging artists from these three countries.
Showing 1-17 of 17 results
