-
Pratunam Market
A common folk market, Pratunam sells a bit of everything and is the best stop for an extra piece of luggage, an umbrella or fluffy Cookie Monster slippers.
-
Promenade Arcade
A low-key but noteworthy stop, Promenade Arcade shelters several of Bangkok's influential décor designers. On the 2nd floor, Gub features the creations of ML Chiratorn Chirapravati and Kongpat Sakdapitak; the pair, along with other like-minded designers, have created a bright, irreverent world of lamps, chandeliers and paintings, and their showroom is like a thrift store on acid. Sakul Intakul, the acclaimed floral designer, displays his flower vessels (that's a 'vase', kiddo).
-
Propaganda
If Propaganda is truly trying to live up to its name, then count us as officially indoctrinated. It's hard to resist the charms of this fun, stark-white shop with all sorts of functional design pieces created by Thai designers, like Chaiyut Plypetch's lamps featuring the anatomically cartoonish Mr P. Housewares with an attitude. Another branch in the Emporium.
-
Raja's Fashions
Raja's thrives on a top-notch reputation for men's tailoring (it seems to have besuited Bangkok's entire US expat population). Just wait for the final fitting when Raja will tell you, like every one of your predecessors, 'You came in good looking and now you're looking good'. Why change a winning formula?
-
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.
-
Ratchada Market
Most night markets are dominated by knock-off Vuitton but this one fancies vintage and Vespas instead. In Thailand, Vespas were once only workhorses used to deliver bolts of linoleum, but a boho crew of Thais have joined the global trend of outfitting these retro scooters as portable fashion accessories and this weekly flea market is both their supply house and showroom.
-
Rim Khob Fah Bookstore
For the pseudo nerds, this bookstore has lots of glossy books on Thai arts and culture. Without committing loads of baht, you can sample an array of skinny scholarly publications from the Fine Arts Department on such topics as What is a Buddha Image? .
-
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.
-
Sampeng Lane
Sampeng Lane is a narrow artery running parallel to Th Yaowarat and bisecting the commercial areas of Chinatown and Phahurat. The Chinatown portion of Sampeng is lined with wholesale shops of hair accessories, pens, stickers, household wares and beeping, flashing knick-knacks. In the vicinity of Th Chakrawat gem and jewellery shops abound. Weekends are horribly crowded, and it takes a gymnast's flexibility to squeeze past the pushcarts, motorcycles and other roadblocks.
-
Sampeng Lane Market
You can get anything you want in Sampeng Lane as long as you appreciate the concept of economies of scale. Sandals? Take a 12-pack. Inflatable Superman? They've got five for around ฿400 . If you look hard, you'll find some shopfronts selling tea and tobacco, just like in the old days.
-
Advertisement
-
Siam Center & Siam Discovery Center
These sister centres fill in the budget range between proletariat MBK and luxe Siam Paragon. The Discovery Center has a little of everything, but mainly stylish home-furnishing stores. Follow the pouty, mobile-phone crowd to link with Siam Center, which has recently been rebranded to the younger set with more fashion and thumping techno.
-
Siam Paragon
This mega-mall gobbled up the old Siam Intercontinental gardens and threw up a gleaming glass complex that has struck competitive fear into the existing malls. With a 15-million-baht price tag, Siam Paragon epitomizes the city's fanaticism for the new, the excessive, and absurd slogans. Check out the audacious aquarium and the Siam Opera Theatre.
-
Siam Square
The closest Bangkok comes to a boutique district is this open-air shopping complex. This is ground-zero for youth fashion, wedged between MBK and Chulalongkorn University. Closet-sized boutiques line Soi 2, 3 and 4. Some winners include: September (Soi 3, Siam Square), AB-Normal (room number 21, under Siam Theater) and It's Happened to be a Closet (Soi 3, Siam Square).
-
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.
-
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.
-
Soi Lalai Sap Market
Literally 'the soi that melts your money away', this street is jam-packed at lunchtime with Thai secretaries bargaining for fake handbags, homewares and polyester clothing. Rejects from brand-name factories in Cambodia sometimes make an appearance here.
-
Suan Lum Night Bazaar
Only a few years old, this night-time souvenir market was just finding its niche when developers announced its closure. Possible redevelopment includes Thailand's tallest skyscraper, yet another mega-mall and maybe even a faux floating market. But court battles between competing interests have kept the night bazaar in limbo. Although there are still some vendors, no one knows how long they'll remain before being evicted.
-
Sunny Camera
Dedicated Nikon-heads should head directly to Sunny Camera to satisfy their gear addiction. There are other branches on the 3rd floor of MBK (tel: 0 2620 9293) and on Th Charoen Krung (tel: 0 2235 2123; 1267-1267/1 Th Charoen Krung).
-
SV Jewellery
With a big showroom on bustling Th Charoen Krung, SV Jewellery isn't just a shop for girly baubles and body decorations. You'll find cuff links in all sizes, shapes and attitudes, silver elephants, enormous gleaming photo frames and key rings.
-
Taekee Taekon
This atmospheric shop has a decent selection of Thai textiles from the country's main silk-producing areas, especially northern Thailand, as well as assorted local knick-knackery and interesting postcards not widely available elsewhere.
-
Advertisement
-
Tamnan Mingmuang
As soon as you step through the doors of this museumlike shop, the earthy smell of dried grass and stained wood rush to meet you. Rattan, yan lipao (a fern-like vine), water hyacinth woven into silk-like patterns, and coconut shells carved into delicate bowls are among the exquisite pieces that will outlast flashier souvenirs available on the streets.
-
Thai Nakorn
This family-owned enterprise has been in business for 70 years and often fills commissions from the Royal family for nielloware and silver ornaments. Silver-moulded cases and clutches, ceremonial bowls and tea sets are also among the offerings. If you can navigate the language, ask to go behind the showroom to witness the aged artisans at work.
-
Thanon Khao San Market
The main guesthouse strip in Banglamphu is a day and night shopping bazaar, selling everything but the baby and the bath water. Cheap T-shirts, trendy purses, wooden frogs, fuzzy puppets, bootleg CDs, hemp clothing, fake student ID cards, knock-off designer wear, souvenirs, corn on the cob, orange juice... You name it, they've got it.
-
Thanon Sukhumvit Market
Leaving on the first flight out tomorrow morning? Never fear about gifts for those back home; the street vendors will find you with faux Fendi handbags, soccer kits, 'art', sunglasses and jewellery, to name a few. You'll also find stacks of nudie DVDs, Chinese throwing stars, penis-shaped lighters and other questionable gifts for your high-school-aged brother.
-
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.
