Shopping In Thailand

For something different after sweating half your body weight in the blistering heat of Bangkok there is always shopping.

Not only does Thailand offer your traditional and cultural attractions, it also offers modern comfort and conveniences. Case in point, if the heat and humidity is getting to you, a good alternative is to bask in one of the many malls that lines Rajdamri Road. There is a whole range of malls for everyone to choose from. From vast spacious malls with brands you have heard of in Siam Paragon and Central World, to unique little shops in Siam Center and Siam Square. And for those after bootlegs, knockoffs, cheap clothing, and local gifts there is always Maboonklong (MBK). The best part is all these malls are within walking distance from each other.

The key to shopping in Thailand is negotiation. I’m sure if you have friends that have been to Thailand before they can attest to this. Just about every store in Thailand, as long as it’s not a chain or name brand store, there is always room for negotiation. Most shop owner knows enough English to discuss price with anyone to make a sale but be warned, the fact that you are a foreigner is enough reason for these people to try and take advantage of you. I don’t have any tips about bargaining since this is a skill that some people are just born with but if you aren’t happy with the price they are quoting, just walk away.

As for eating, you really can't go wrong once you enter one of these places. Personally I prefer Central World for its vast selection of quality restaurants. But if you prefer something more to what the locals indulge in you can check out the food court on the 7th Floor of MBK. This food court offers you a glimpse of local Thai dishes that you don't usually see outside of Thailand. For those that aren't as adventurous,
the 5th floor of MBK offers a little more upscale food court with more international flavor for you to choose from.

Entertainment wise there’s your bowling and movies for you to waste your time on. I used to live in New York and let me tell you, the theaters here are like heaven sent. Not only is it like a fraction of the price (about $3 – 4 USD) but it’s also clean and comfortable. Most of the big budget blockbuster movies will open about the same day as the US or a week or two behind but some other movies might not even make it over here. And for movies that doesn’t make it here in the theaters you can always pick up a bootleg DVD from one of the various shops in MBK.

This is just a brief introduction to some of the shopping you can do in Thailand. There are other places that we have yet to touch on like Floating Market, Jatujak (Sunday Market), Pantip (Computers equipments) and Suan Lum Night Bazaar (Souvenirs) which we will dig into in a later article.

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