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Shopping Information
Over the last decade, the capital of Thailand has grown into
the epitome of a modern Asian city. Commerce is fast and furious,
the streets choked with traffic and fumes and sky-scrapers
have sprung up all over the metropolis. Bangkok is
a serious competitor to Hong Kong and Singapore as the ultimate
Asian shopping destination, yet beneath it all there remains
a 'Thai-ness' that is enchanting to travellers, many of whom
make this their first port of call.
Getting about
Bangkok is infamous for its hellish traffic jams, which can
bring the city to a complete standstill during the day. While
some world cities built mass transit systems underground,
Bangkok looked heaven-wards for a solution - with the opening
of the Skytrain in late 1999. The railway's two lines,
which together stretch for 14.7 miles along Silom and Sukomvit
roads, serve the main business and tourist areas. Skytrain
is a cool, calm, quick alternative to sweating it out in the
back of a stationary taxi. A single ride costs 30 baht.
Alternatively, take a tuk tuk - a sort of motorised
rickshaw, which, although not air-conditioned, can weave in
and out of traffic more niftly than a taxi or a bus.
Opening hours
Most shops are open seven says a week, from 10am to 8pm,
though some may close at 6pm. Those in the city centre may
stay open as late as 10pm, and stalls in the night markets
of Patpong and Sukhumvit Road trade until the small hours.
Payment
The Thai currency is the baht and, although it has stabilised
somewhat against the dollar since the economic collapse of
1997, prices are still comparatively cheap. Most malls, department
stores and top restaurants now happily accept major credit
cards.
How to haggle
Except in shops displaying a 'fixed price' sign, haggling
is the norm all over Thailand. Where a vendor doesn't speak
English or has a hearing disability, they may tap prices into
a calculator and invite you to do the same. There is a real
knack to getting the best possible price without loosing your
humour or offending the vendor. Begin by asking the price
of an item. Whatever they come up with, ask again what their
'good price' or 'Thai price' is. It should be significantly
lower.
Offer about 60 percent of that amount, and inch up with every
offer. If you are pleasant and friendly, you should get a
'last offer' of somewhere between the two. If you want to
buy more than one of an item, you should be able to get a
further discount by offering something along the lines of
'two hundred baht for two'. Try not to start haggling unless
you really mean to buy, as it is considered bad form to back
off after reaching an agreement. Also bear in mind that street
vendors aren't well off so don't go overboard. These people
need to eat too, even if it means selling for a poor price
rather than not at all.
Getting a VAT refund
If you buy goods from shops display a 'VAT Refund for Tourists'
sign and are a non-Thai who has been in the country for less
than 180 days in the last calendar year, you can claim the
VAT back at the airport before departure.
Markets
& shopping districts of London
Chatuckak Weekend Market
Market culture lies at the heart of the community, and the
myriad stalls of Bangkok, which cater to the food and household
needs of the locals, offer up intriguing sights and smells
to the curious traveller.
Chatuchak Weekend Market is Bangkok's biggest and
best. Also known as JJ's by the locals, it covers and
area equivalent to five football pitches and is made up of
more an 8000 stalls. According to a Thai saying, you can buy
anything at Chatuchak 'from a toothpick to a warship'. That
may be a slight exaggeration, but there's certainly no shortage
of household furnishings, clothing (new and used), antiques,
traditional crafts, exotic foods, herbal remedies, musical
instruments and much, much more.
An estimated 200,000 shoppers flock here every Saturday and
Sunday, when the market is open form 8am to 6pm. The best
way to get to Chatuchak is to take the Skytrain to Morchit.
On leaving the station follow the crowds - you can't miss
it!
One word of warning: Bag-slashers and pickpockets are out
in force at Chatuchak, especially in the afternoons, when
it is very crowded. Carry cash next to your body and wear
back-packs on your front.
Patpong Night Market
Patpong is Bangkok's legendary red-light district. After
dusk, the go-go bars are buzzing and even if you're not expressedly
'looking for a good time', this place is a hive of activity.
The Night Market at the main draw for the majority of tourists.
It occupied the entire length of one of the central Sois (streets).
While the Swiss are famous for their watches and the Italians
for designer suits, the Thais are renowned for their copycat
culture. They are pass masters at mimicking expensive merchandise,
and Patpong Night Market is the place to come for clothes,
bags, watches, DVDs and other designer knock offs. Fakes are
often so good it's hard to tell the difference - except, of
course, in the prices, which are cheap and negotiable.
It is actually illegal to buy fakes in Thailand, so you should
be aware that they may be seized as trademark violations by
zealous customs officials on your way home. What's more, if
you do choose to buy a fake you're forfeiting your consumer
rights and if it goes wrong or falls to bits there's no way
you're going to get a refund.
Sukhumvit Road
Sukhumvit Road is an increasingly popular alternative to
famous Koh Sahn Road for cheap accommodation and lively night-life.
The Ministry of Sound recently opened a nightclub here,
and there are great restaurants and bars in the area.
The Skytrain runs along the length of Sukhumvit Road and
some of the best malls and department stores in Bangkok are
just a station or two apart. For those who are ready to shun
air-conditioned comfort in the pursuit of bargains, the stalls
which line the sides of the street sell a wide selection of
Thai made merchandise. You probably won't find much here that
you couldn't get in Patpong or Chatuchak, but they stay open
late so you can cram in a bit of shopping on your way back
to the hotel of an evening.
Thailand Grand Sale
Throughout June and July each year, Bangkok hosts a special
shopping event aimed at attracting tourists with amazingly
low prices on Thai-made merchandise. The Thai Grand Sale is
jointly organised by TAT and Visa International, and as many
as 750 retail shops, department stores, hotels, restaurants
and tourist attractions participate, each offering discounts
of between 10 and 80%.
Look out for the distinctive red 'Thailand Grand Sale' sticker
on the window. If you shop at more than one participating
outlet throughout your trip you can collect reward points
and receive a greater discount on your next purchase.
Visit the Thailand
Grand Sale website
Shops
River City
The River City complex might look like just another modern
mall, but the third and fours floors are the hub of Bangkok's
trade in all things old and beautiful.
The glass-fronted galleries are well-lit to show off the
detail of the pieces they house - be they original antiques
or tasteful reproductions. Antiques from all over Asia find
their way here, and the most venerated being century's old,
gold-covered images of Buddha.
Don't be fooled by the calm, non-crowded ambience of River
City. It may seem devoid of the shopping hoards, but this
is a specialist market and 80% of shoppers make a purchase
- more than enough to keep the businesses housed here afloat.
River City Shopping Complex
23 Trok Rongnamkaeng
Yota Road
Sampantawong
Bangkok 10100
Asian Galleries
Asian Galleries is a well-established antiques company which
has been located within the River City Shopping Complex for
more than fifteen years. There are actually two Asian Galleries
shops, run by the brothers Chongthanavanit: on the fourth
floor there are exquisite original antiques while on the third
a good selection of reproductions, expertly crafted in company's
own workshop. Those with a penchant for interior design need
no longer re-mortgage their house just to deck it out - only
an expert will be unable to tell the real thing and a reproduction.
Asian Galleries
Suite 342 River City, 3rd Floor
23 Yota Road
Samphantawong
Bangkok 10100
Tel: 66 2 237 0077 ext 342
Fax: 66 2 237 2644
Mail to: asian *at*
asianet.co.th
Elephant House
Cherie Aung-Khin is a Myanmar-born antiques expert. Her budding
interest in antiques brought her to Bangkok 20 years ago,
where she worked as an assistant in an antiques shop before
founding her very own, four-storey Elephant House.
The Elephant House is now one of the best established antiques
shops in Thailand. One-time Vice President of the Antique
Association in Bangkok, Cherie has an encyclopaedic knowledge
of South East Asian art.
The antiques market has seen something of a decline in recent
years, partly because more and more people are prepared to
pay top dollar for shoddy antiques and even poor copies. This
has not deterred Cherie. Despite never having been trained
in design, she draws influence from the antiques she encounters
each day and pieces she sees in museums around the world.
Her own stylish range of lacquer and rattan furniture is manufactures
in her factory in Myanmar and shipped all over the world.
The Elephant House
286/69-71 Soi pattana
Suriwongse Road
Bangrak
Bangkok 10500
Tel: +66 2 233 6973 / 6974 / 6281
Fax: +66 2 631 4690 1
Email: elephant
*at* ksc15.th.com
Central Chidlom Department Store
You may think you've come to Thailand to escape the same
old department store merchandise you can find back home, but
believe me, after a few minutes haggling in a hot and humid
market you'll be clamouring for the air conditioning.
Founded in 1957, the Chidlom branch of Central is the oldest
and largest department store in Thailand. Its 7 floors are
laden with all the useful items, clothes and household goods
you would expect, but they'll be a good deal cheaper than
back home. Don't miss the Thai-made products on the 6th floor,
where there are beautiful, high quality souvenirs from all
over the country.
Central Chidlom participates in a number of promotions throughout
the year, including the Thailand Grand Sale in June and July.
Whatever time of year you visit, you can be sure to save 5%
if you sign up for the Central Visitor Card.
The best way to get to Central Chidlom is to take the Skytrain
to Chidlom station and follow the signs directly to the 3rd
Floor.
Central Chidlom
1027 Ploenchit Road
Lumpini
Bangkrak
Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 2 2655 7777
Fax: +66 2 2655 7855
Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. - 9.30 p.m. daily
Thai crafts and Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, Bang Sai
Thailand is well known for its craft traditions, which date
back centuries. Different items are maede in different parts
of the country - such as Nielloware and batik printing form
the south, silk and cotton weaving and intricate fan painting
from the north and clay pottery from the north east.
As with most capital cities, crafts from all over the country
converge on Bangkok. But for the biggest variety and a chance
to see craftspeople at work, its well worth making the 45
minute trip out of Bangkok to the Royal Folk Arts and Crafts
Centre at Bang Sai, near the ancient capital Ayutthaya.
Founded by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit in 1976, the Centre is
like a school-cum-village, which ensures that age-old craft
techniques are passed down to the next generations, whilst,
at the same time, allowing rural Thais to earn some extra
income after the harvest has been bought in. Several hundred
able-bodied and disabled students are in residence at any
one time, and there is a total of 28 different crafts they
can learn here.
While visitors are welcome to wander into the classrooms,
the best way to get a complete picture of Thai crafts is at
the Craft Village. Peaceful, serene and set around
an artificial lake, the village is made up of clusters of
houses in the architectural style of a specific region. While
the upstairs have exhibitions of local living, craftsmen practice
their native crafts on the ground floor or cook up flavoursome
dishes from their homeland for passers by to try.
You can buy all the crafts made at Bang Sai in the on-site
shop, as well as in Chitrala shops in all the major towns.
The craftsmen receive a fee for their work and all profits
go to the ongoing development of the project.
Bangsai Arts and Crafts Centre of H.M. Queen Sirikit of
Thailand
Bang Sai, Ayutthaya 13290, Thailand
Tel: (+66 35) 366666-7 Fax: (+66 35) 366668
E-Mail : bangsai *at*
wnet.net.th
Accommodation, books
& Travel
Bel-Aire Princess Hotel
Bel-Aire Princess is a comfortable 4-star hotel located on
Sukhumvit Road, Soi 5. Just a short walk from Nana Skytrain
station it is within easy reach of Bangkok's tourist and shopping
highlights. It has a pool, fitness centre, bar and restaurant
so you can wind down after a hard days sightseeing away form
the hubbub of Bangok.
Bel-Aire
Princess
16 Sukhumvit Road
Sukhumvit Soi 5
Bangkok 10110
Tel: 66 2 253 4300
Fax: 66 2 255 8850
Email: bela *at* dusit.com
Qantas Airways
Qantas Airways operates direct daily flights to Bangkok from
Sydney, London, Rome and Helsinki.
Qantas
Airways
For more information on Qantas schedules and their frequent
flyer programme
J & J Tourist Taxi
One way to get to know Bangkok is to travel around town with
J&J Tourist Taxi. While your stuck in the infernal traffic,
your friendly, English-speaking driver will act as your guide,
telling you a little about the main sight to see and well
as offering handy information about travel in Thailand. They
will recommend places to go depending on your interests and
will even put together custom itineraries to help you get
the best out of your stay in Bangkok.
J & J Tourist Taxi
Book online or tel: 01 846 2014.
Book
The Treasures and Pleasures of Thailand
by Ron and Caryl Rae Krannich (Pub. Impact Publications, 2000)
A brilliant handbook for anyone intending to do some serious
shopping in Bangkok. Written by real-life travelling shopaholics,
this book reveals the scams, brings bargains to light and
sends you packing to shopping Nirvana. |
BANGKOK BAZAAR
