Bangkok is thought for a lot of issues: ornate temples, delectable meals, and vibrant nightlife. All these make the Thai capital a juggernaut on the earth 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 on the lookout for luxurious designer labels, world manufacturers, or distinctive homegrown favorites, there’s a buying middle for you. On this article, let’s break down a few of the metropolis’s largest and hottest buying institutions. (This record is in no explicit 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 overseas customers 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 most important and most various weekend market on the earth.
On the market here’s a full gamut of merchandise possible, grouped into 30 sections. A market map may 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 whilst you store. Be aware that there are three entrance gates: on Kamphaeng Phet 2 (Entrance 1), on Kamphaeng Phet 3 (Entrance 2), and on Phahonyothin Highway (Entrance 3).
To present you an summary, listed here 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 Sep 11: 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, Dwelling Decorations
Part 16-18: Clothes, Mountain climbing Tools, Leather-based
Part 25: Ceramic & Silk
Part 26: Antiques, Dwelling Decorations, Picture 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 tissues and store to your coronary heart’s content material!
In the event you 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 Highway, 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 among 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 accessible.
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 if 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 neglect to take a look at Pratunam Heart, a constructing on the coronary heart of Pratunam. In case you are extra snug buying exterior, simply watch out of the passing automobiles.
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 most effective time to buy is between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Platinum Trend Mall
On the opposite facet of Petchaburi Highway and throughout the Pratunam Market space, Platinum Trend Mall entices shopaholics and fashionistas from across the globe. Showcasing a plethora of vogue kinds and merchandise, it is among the largest and most favored wholesale and retail buying locations in Thailand.
From Thai designer collections to the most recent worldwide tendencies, it delights customers on the hunt for garments, equipment, footwear, and leather-based items. The vast majority of the outlets caters to girls, however the 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 various. You’ll discover one thing for you no matter your age, gender or physique sort! You simply must comb via every flooring.
In your buying information, listed here are the merchandise classes per flooring/stage:
- sixth Stage (Meals Heart): Meals & Beverage, Souvenirs, Cell Equipment
- fifth Stage (Orchard): Youngsters, Leathers, Equipment
- 4th Stage (Camden): Males, Leather-based Merchandise
- third Stage (Nathan): Girls, Males
- 2nd Stage (Oxford): Girls
- 1st Stage (Soho): Girls, Info Counter
- Basement Stage (Ginza): Denims, Trend Garments, Meals & Beverage
You may get misplaced within the maze-like colourful hallways that look related. Simply set a particular place and time to fulfill your companions after your buying spree.
For foodies, you can see 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 Highway, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
Nearest Station: Chit Lom BTS Station or Siam BTS Station. From both station, take the elevated R-Stroll via Gaysorn Village.
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9:00 AM-8:00 PM.
Palladium World Buying Mall
Additionally situated within the Pratunam neighborhood, the Palladium World Buying Mall (or just Palladium) is the place to go for IT-related stuff — telephone equipment, tech devices, electronics, printing, cameras, and the like. However after all, vogue gadgets and equipment additionally abound right here: the most recent kinds, classic garments, textiles, costumes, and even faculty uniforms!
Palladium’s basement additionally beckons blingholics and gemmaphiles who’re looking for their subsequent treasured jewellery — silver, gold, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and extra! Therapeutic massage companies and eating locations are additionally accessible.
Location: 555 Ratchaprarop Highway, 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 via this space each day, it’s also typically considered the guts of buying within the metropolis.
Combining huge fashionable malls with humble road vendor stalls, it caters to each younger and previous and every kind of customers, from cut price hunters to luxurious chasers. The leisure and buying space spans from Phayathai Highway to Henri Dunant and from Rama I Highway to the Chulalongkorn Campus. A skywalk hyperlinks it to close by buying facilities and the Ratchaprasong buying district.
Listed here are a few of the malls which can 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 be inside Siam Sq..
Location: 388 Rama I Highway, 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 growth 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. Overlaying an intensive retail area 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 here are on the luxurious or high-end facet.
Listed here are a few of 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 via their merchandise — crafts, meals, and extra — whereas paying tribute to the floating markets in neighboring provinces.
- Sights Corridor, situated on IconSiam’s sixth flooring, which hosts numerous occasions and displays. The final time we visited, DA VINCI ALIVE BANGKOK takes the spot. It options all of Da Vinci’s genius and legacy multi functional place. Right here, you’ll get to marvel at replicas of and study a fantastic deal about his masterpieces!
- Cruise Pier, the soar 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 in the beginning of #PrideMonth so rainbow decors and promos are all over the place!
Location: 299 Charoen Nakhon Highway, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok
Nearest Station: Charoennakorn Station (Sky Prepare Gold Line by way of Krung Thon Buri BTS Station) or Saphan Taksin BTS Station (then ferry from Sathorn Pier to IconSIAM)
Opening Hours: Each day, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM.
Union Mall
If you wish to steer clear of the group, 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. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly spacious. Many of the clothes shops are on the primary two ranges, however a few of the high flooring will not be absolutely 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. After we final visited, it was a wet weekday afternoon, and there have been many occasions once we have been the one prospects alongside a full buying alley! And once we discovered ourselves in the identical retailer as different customers, they have been Thai.
The nice majority of retailers 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 lovely graphic males’s jackets! He was additionally capable of haggle a bit.
However like Platinum Mall, the sheer range of choices right here is sort 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: Each 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 growth 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 the very 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 fluctuate per season, however there are promos year-round.
After 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
- Beneath 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 are going to buy a number of gadgets without delay. Sure, these are on high of the revealed 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. After we final visited, they have been celebrating #BangkokPride Month so rainbow decors have been throughout. They have been additionally freely giving free rainbow umbrellas to those that add images taken at these spots.
Right here’s the catch, although. Though it’s named Siam Premium Retailers Bangkok, it’s truly situated in Samutprakarn Province, simply exterior the town. It’s near Suvarnabhumi Airport, so you might do your last-minute buying right here, but it surely’s nonetheless fairly out of the way in which.
Nevertheless, there are direct shuttle buses at Siam Paragon that may take you to Siam Premium Retailers.
How one can 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: Each day, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM.
What’s the greatest buying spot in Bangkok?
Effectively, that relies on your preferences. Based mostly on my statement, amongst all these, the Chatuchak Weekend Market is probably the most budget-friendly and the workers entertain haggling extra, particularly in case you’re buying a number of gadgets. Chatuchak is touted as probably the most various market this facet of the world, and it’s most likely true since you’ll discover different gadgets aside from clothes. However with regards to simply attire and equipment, most 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.
In the event you’re all for clothes, the Pratunam space is nice as a result of it has extra various choices. Platinum Trend Mall alone, whereas usually barely dearer than Chatuchak, is house to numerous distinctive and quirky designs. The adjoining markets additionally promote extra inexpensive gadgets.
However in case you’re after branded and extra premium gadgets, it’s between Siam Paragon and iconSIAM. Siam Premium Retailers Bangkok has numerous promos, which is nice in case you’re cut price looking. However as a result of it’s a must to exit of your strategy 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 large buying malls, whereas Pratunam is a cut price retail paradise. The most effective half, these two areas lie facet by facet and are inside strolling distance of one another. It’s a protracted stroll, maybe 15-25 minutes, but it surely’s not that dangerous.
That mentioned, Siam space is far more well-connected than Pratunam by way of practice strains.
Listed here are a few of the high motels in these two areas as reviewed by Agoda customers.
Prime Resorts in Siam Space
Prime Resorts in Pratunam
Seek for extra Bangkok Resorts!
Essential Ideas when Buying in Bangkok
- Watch out for pickpockets, particularly within the Pratunam space together with Pratunam Market and Palladium Trend Corridor. All the time regulate your valuables.
- Get greater reductions in case you’re shopping for as a gaggle. Though haggling shouldn’t be practiced at most Siam-managed malls like iconSIAM and Siam Premium Retailers, it is rather a lot welcome at Pratunam institutions and Chatuchak Weekend Market. And also you’re gonna have far more bargaining energy in case you’re shopping for a number of gadgets without delay. So in case you’re a part of a gaggle, store and haggle collectively.
- Agree to fulfill at a particular place and time. These buying facilities are like a large maze. They alleys crisscrossing Chatuchak Market, Platinum Trend Mall, and Pratunam Market are slender and crowded. It’s straightforward to get misplaced and confused. In the event you’re a part of a gaggle, select a meetup spot and time in case you get separated or in case you resolve to go on separate methods.
- Deliver 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 further financial savings!
Written by: Yosh Dimen & Asta Alvarez