Bangkok is understood for a lot of issues: ornate temples, delectable meals, and vibrant nightlife. All these make the Thai capital a juggernaut on the planet of tourism. But when there’s another factor you shouldn’t miss, it’s a possibility to buy ’til you drop.
All all through Bangkok, you’ll discover colossal vogue malls and road markets, every providing a special buying expertise. Whether or not you’re searching for luxurious designer labels, international manufacturers, or distinctive homegrown favorites, there’s a buying middle for you. On this article, let’s break down among the metropolis’s largest and hottest buying institutions. (This checklist is in no specific order.)
WHAT’S COVERED IN THIS GUIDE?
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Formally opened in 1942, the Chatuchak Market is a sprawling buying mecca that has been drawing each native and international buyers and distributors. Welcoming greater than 200,000 guests, it’s inarguably the busiest within the nation. Composed of over 15,000 stalls, manned by 11,500 distributors in a 35-acre land space, it’s dubbed as the biggest and most numerous weekend market on the planet.
On the market here’s a full gamut of merchandise conceivable, grouped into 30 sections. A market map might be normally seen on the entrance gate areas. To maximise your time right here, you’ll be able to take a photograph of the map to information you when you store. Notice that there are three entrance gates: on Kamphaeng Phet 2 (Entrance 1), on Kamphaeng Phet 3 (Entrance 2), and on Phahonyothin Street (Entrance 3).
To provide you an outline, listed below are the stuff you’ll see per part:
Part 1 & 29: Antiques, Equipment, Books, Thai Devices
Part 2-4: Teen Clothings and Equipment
Part 5-6: Used Clothings and Footwear
Part 7: Arts & Portray
Part 8: Carvings, Spa, Incense
Part 11th of September: Handcraft & Synthetic Flowers
Part 12, 14, 21-24: Clothes, Equipment, Footwear
Part 13: Postcards, Souvenirs, Pet/Animal Stuff
Part 15, 19-20: Tableware, Ceramic, Silver, House Decorations
Part 16-18: Clothes, Climbing Tools, Leather-based
Part 25: Ceramic & Silk
Part 26: Antiques, House Decorations, Photograph Frames
Part 27-28: Handcrafts, Books, Miscellaneous, Others
Part 30: Clothes & Miscellaneous
Meals stalls are largely clustered in a single space close to Entrance 1. Others are scattered across the market hallways. So, flex your bargaining muscle mass and store to your coronary heart’s content material!
For those who ever get hungry from all of the bargaining, there are many eating choices round, serving numerous Thai dishes. However what we advocate is Moo Yang Mae Sumontha, a hidden stall inside Chatuchak Market serving moo yang (grilled pork). However its model is roasted honey glazed, which is extremely tender, succulent, and correctly cooked.
Location: Kamphaeng Phet 2 Street, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Nearest Stations: Chatuchak Park MRT Station, Chatuchak Park BTS Station, or Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station
Opening Hours:
Saturday-Sunday, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM (Entire Market);
Friday, 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Wholesale Solely);
Wednesday-Thursday, 7:00 AM-6:00 PM (Plant Part Solely).
Pratunam Market
With retail shops unfold throughout Ratchaprarop and Phetchaburi Roads in Ratchathewi District, Pratunam Market is without doubt one of the largest wholesale garment markets within the nation. It options each indoor and outside buying areas, touting largely garments and equipment. However different merchandise like toiletries, toys, medicines, and houseware are additionally out there.
Though the shops usually cater to wholesalers, they nonetheless fortunately accommodate retail patrons or those that purchase in small portions. Haggling is regular, so don’t be shy to barter the worth whenever you see one thing you actually like and really feel like you’ll be able to nonetheless get it at a a lot cheaper price.
Don’t overlook to take a look at Pratunam Heart, a constructing on the coronary heart of Pratunam. If you’re extra comfy buying exterior, simply watch out of the passing autos.
Location: Ratchatewi District, Bangkok
Nearest Station: Ratchathewi BTS Station
Opening Hours: The market is open 24/7, however most outlets begin working at 11:00 AM. The perfect time to buy is between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Platinum Style Mall
On the opposite facet of Petchaburi Street and throughout the Pratunam Market space, Platinum Style Mall entices shopaholics and fashionistas from across the globe. Showcasing a plethora of vogue kinds and merchandise, it is without doubt one of the largest and most favored wholesale and retail buying locations in Thailand.
From Thai designer collections to the newest worldwide traits, it delights buyers on the hunt for garments, equipment, footwear, and leather-based items. Nearly all of the outlets caters to girls, however your complete Stage 4 is devoted to males’s put on. However on the primary three flooring, you’ll nonetheless discover males’s garments and unisex shops each dozen of stalls or so. It’s composed of greater than 2,500 outlets, housed in a multi-level air-conditioned constructing. It’s not nearly quantity, although. It’s additionally numerous. You’ll discover one thing for you no matter your age, gender or physique sort! You simply have to comb by way of every ground.
To your buying information, listed below are the merchandise classes per ground/stage:
- sixth Stage (Meals Heart): Meals & Beverage, Souvenirs, Cell Equipment
- fifth Stage (Orchard): Children, Leathers, Equipment
- 4th Stage (Camden): Males, Leather-based Merchandise
- third Stage (Nathan): Ladies, Males
- 2nd Stage (Oxford): Ladies
- 1st Stage (Soho): Ladies, Data Counter
- Basement Stage (Ginza): Denims, Style Garments, Meals & Beverage
You may get misplaced within the maze-like colourful hallways that look related. Simply set a selected place and time to fulfill your companions after your buying spree.
For foodies, you will see that a lot of the eating locations on Stage 6 and the Basement Stage. The Meals Heart, the mall’s meals junction, and the eating places are on Stage 6, whereas the cafés and dessert locations are on the basement stage.
Location: 222 Phetchaburi Street, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
Nearest Station: Chit Lom BTS Station or Siam BTS Station. From both station, take the elevated R-Stroll by way of Gaysorn Village.
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9:00 AM-8:00 PM.
Palladium World Purchasing Mall
Additionally situated within the Pratunam neighborhood, the Palladium World Purchasing Mall (or just Palladium) is the place to go for IT-related stuff — cellphone equipment, tech devices, electronics, printing, cameras, and the like. However after all, vogue gadgets and equipment additionally abound right here: the newest kinds, classic garments, textiles, costumes, and even faculty uniforms!
Palladium’s basement additionally beckons blingholics and gemmaphiles who’re attempting to find their subsequent treasured jewellery — silver, gold, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and extra! Therapeutic massage companies and eating locations are additionally out there.
Location: 555 Ratchaprarop Street, Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
Nearest Station: Chit Lom BTS Station, Siam BTS Station or Ratchaprarop Station
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10:00 AM-8:00 PM.
Siam Sq.
Positioned within the Siam neighborhood, Siam Sq. is a buying and leisure vacation spot, immortalized in popular culture because the setting of the movie The Love of Siam. With over 400,000 folks passing by way of this space day by day, additionally it is generally thought to be the center of buying within the metropolis.
Combining huge trendy malls with humble road vendor stalls, it caters to each younger and outdated and all types of buyers, from cut price hunters to luxurious chasers. The leisure and buying space spans from Phayathai Street to Henri Dunant and from Rama I Street to the Chulalongkorn Campus. A skywalk hyperlinks it to close by buying facilities and the Ratchaprasong buying district.
Listed here are among the malls which might be ready for you across the Siam Space:
- Siam Paragon, largely mid-range to high-end manufacturers
- Siam Heart
- Siam Discovery
- CentralwOrld
- MBK Heart
The flagship retailer of GENTLEWOMAN, a Thai model, can also be inside Siam Sq..
Location: 388 Rama I Street, Pathum Wan, Bangkok
Nearest Station: Siam BTS Station
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM.
iconSIAM
IconSIAM is a part of the multi-awarded mixed-use improvement property on the west financial institution of the Chao Phraya River. Since its opening in November 2018, it has already amassed a number of design awards. Protecting an in depth retail house space of 525,000 sq. meters, it’s hailed as one of many largest buying malls in Asia. Many of the eating places, retail manufacturers, and outlets listed below are on the posh or high-end facet.
Listed here are among the sights ready for you at iconSIAM:
- Siam Takashimaya, the primary Takashimaya in Thailand. This iconic Japanese division retailer carries greater than 500 trusted manufacturers, round 170 of that are Japanese.
- Sook Siam, an indoor floating market with greater than 3,000 native companies from everywhere in the nation have been introduced right here to showcase the cultural roots of Thailand by way of their merchandise — crafts, meals, and extra — whereas paying tribute to the floating markets in neighboring provinces.
- Sights Corridor, situated on IconSiam’s sixth ground, which hosts numerous occasions and reveals. The final time we visited, DA VINCI ALIVE BANGKOK takes the spot. It options all of Da Vinci’s genius and legacy multi function place. Right here, you’ll get to marvel at replicas of and be taught an important deal about his masterpieces!
- Cruise Pier, the leap off level for a lot of boat cruises. IconSiam is located on the west financial institution of the Chao Phraya.
IconSIAM additionally takes pleasure in its general look and aesthetic. Since its opening in November 2018, it has already amassed a number of design awards. Its interiors are additionally dressed relying on the event. Our final go to was initially of #PrideMonth so rainbow decors and promos are in all places!
Location: 299 Charoen Nakhon Street, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok
Nearest Station: Charoennakorn Station (Sky Prepare Gold Line through Krung Thon Buri BTS Station) or Saphan Taksin BTS Station (then ferry from Sathorn Pier to IconSIAM)
Opening Hours: Day by day, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM.
Union Mall
If you wish to keep away from the gang, head over to Union Mall, situated on the Lat Phrao junction in Bangkok’s northern facet. Union Mall is an eight-story retail middle, house to over 1200 outlets and kiosks. But it surely’s nonetheless fairly spacious. Many of the outfitters are on the primary two ranges, however among the high flooring are usually not totally occupied, which make for a extra relaxed buying expertise.
You see, whereas most vacationers congregate in Platinum Mall and Chatuchak Market, Union Mall is extra frequented by locals. Once we final visited, it was a wet weekday afternoon, and there have been many occasions after we have been the one clients alongside a full buying alley! And after we discovered ourselves in the identical retailer as different buyers, they have been Thai.
The good majority of outlets are geared towards girls, however there’s an honest variety of males’s put on on the higher flooring. In reality, Vins was capable of buy a few stunning graphic males’s jackets! He was additionally capable of haggle a bit.
However like Platinum Mall, the sheer range of choices right here is kind of spectacular. You’ll discover a retailer for males, girls, youngsters, grownups, skinny and plus-size!
Location: 54 ซอย ลาดพร้าว 1 Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Nearest Station: Phahon Yothin (MRT Blue Line)
Opening Hours: Day by day, 11:00 AM-10:00 PM.
Siam Retailers Mall
Siam Premium Retailers is Thailand’s first luxurious outlet mall. It’s operated by the Siam Piwat Simon Co., the identical retail and improvement company behind Siam Paragon, Siam Heart, Siam Discovery, and IconSIAM.
It takes pleasure in its assortment of 145 premium vogue heavyweights together with designer luxurious labels, worldwide ready-to-wear staples, and native manufacturers, organized in a flat, outdoor-mall setup. However one of the best half: you’ll be able to anticipate a giant SALE at any time of the yr. Which shops and the way a lot low cost is up for grabs range per season, however there are promos year-round.
Once we visited, we have been greeted by these reductions for choose gadgets:
- Calvin Klein – as much as 80% OFF
- Michael Kors – as much as 70% OFF
- Havaianas – as much as 60% OFF
- Puma – as much as 50% OFF
- Below Armour – as much as 50% OFF
- American Eagle – as much as 50% OFF
- Adidas – as much as 40% OFF
- Coach – as much as 30% OFF
Some shops additionally supply further reductions if you buy a number of gadgets directly. Sure, these are on high of the printed promos.
You’ll additionally discover the next luxurious manufacturers at Siam Premium Retailers:
- Balenciaga
- Burberry
- Versace
- Ferragamo
- Boss
- Marc Jacobs
- Karl Lagerfeld
Additionally scattered across the website are a number of photograph spots, normally following the season’s major event. Once we final visited, they have been celebrating #BangkokPride Month so rainbow decors have been throughout. They have been additionally gifting away free rainbow umbrellas to those that add photographs taken at these spots.
Right here’s the catch, although. Though it’s named Siam Premium Retailers Bangkok, it’s really situated in Samutprakarn Province, simply exterior town. It’s near Suvarnabhumi Airport, so you would do your last-minute buying right here, nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly out of the best way.
Nevertheless, there are direct shuttle buses at Siam Paragon that may take you to Siam Premium Retailers.
Easy methods to Get to Siam Premium Retailers Bangkok: Take the BTS to Siam Station and head to Siam Paragon. Catch a shuttle bus to Siam Premium Retailers. Fare: THB 150 per individual.
Location: 989 moo 14, Tambon Bang Sao Thong, Amphur Bang Sao Thong, Samutprakarn Province 10570, Thailand
Opening Hours: Day by day, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM.
What’s the greatest buying spot in Bangkok?
Properly, that is dependent upon your preferences. Based mostly on my commentary, amongst all these, the Chatuchak Weekend Market is probably the most budget-friendly and the workers entertain haggling extra, particularly when you’re buying a number of gadgets. Chatuchak is touted as probably the most numerous market this facet of the world, and it’s most likely true since you’ll discover different gadgets aside from clothes. However relating to simply attire and equipment, lots of the stalls promote related merchandise. You’ll discover a number of institutions promoting the very same shirts, clothes or baggage. Plus, timing is essential right here as most shops are open solely on weekends.
For those who’re fascinated with clothes, the Pratunam space is nice as a result of it has extra numerous choices. Platinum Style Mall alone, whereas usually barely costlier than Chatuchak, is house to a whole lot of distinctive and quirky designs. The adjoining markets additionally promote extra reasonably priced gadgets.
However when you’re after branded and extra premium gadgets, it’s between Siam Paragon and iconSIAM. Siam Premium Retailers Bangkok has a whole lot of promos, which is nice when you’re cut price searching. However as a result of it’s important to exit of your approach to attain it, make certain they carry your goal manufacturers earlier than going.
What’s the Greatest Space to Keep in Bangkok for Consumers?
It’s a toss between Siam and Pratunam. Siam is surrounded by big buying malls, whereas Pratunam is a cut price retail paradise. The perfect half, these two areas lie facet by facet and are inside strolling distance of one another. It’s an extended stroll, maybe 15-25 minutes, nevertheless it’s not that dangerous.
That stated, Siam space is far more well-connected than Pratunam when it comes to practice strains.
Listed here are among the high inns in these two areas as reviewed by Agoda customers.
High Lodges in Siam Space
High Lodges in Pratunam
Seek for extra Bangkok Lodges!
Necessary Suggestions when Purchasing in Bangkok
- Watch out for pickpockets, particularly within the Pratunam space together with Pratunam Market and Palladium Style Corridor. All the time regulate your valuables.
- Get greater reductions when you’re shopping for as a bunch. Though haggling will not be practiced at most Siam-managed malls like iconSIAM and Siam Premium Retailers, it is extremely a lot welcome at Pratunam institutions and Chatuchak Weekend Market. And also you’re gonna have far more bargaining energy when you’re shopping for a number of gadgets directly. So when you’re a part of a bunch, store and haggle collectively.
- Agree to fulfill at a selected place and time. These buying facilities are like a large maze. They alleys crisscrossing Chatuchak Market, Platinum Style Mall, and Pratunam Market are slim and crowded. It’s straightforward to get misplaced and confused. For those who’re a part of a bunch, select a meetup spot and time in case you get separated or when you resolve to go on separate methods.
- Carry your passport and avail of VAT Refund. Most shops at Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery, Siam Heart, CentralwOrld, iconSIAM and Siam Premium Retailers are a part of the tax refund program so make the most of it for additional financial savings!
Written by: Yosh Dimen & Asta Alvarez