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 avenue markets, every providing a distinct purchasing expertise. Whether or not you’re in search of luxurious designer labels, international manufacturers, or distinctive homegrown favorites, there’s a purchasing heart for you. On this article, let’s break down among the metropolis’s largest and hottest purchasing 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 purchasing mecca that has been drawing each native and overseas consumers 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 numerous weekend market on the earth.
On the market here’s a full gamut of merchandise possible, grouped into 30 sections. A market map will be normally seen on the entrance gate areas. To maximise your time right here, you possibly can 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 Highway (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 Sneakers
Part 7: Arts & Portray
Part 8: Carvings, Spa, Incense
Part 11th of September: Handcraft & Synthetic Flowers
Part 12, 14, 21-24: Clothes, Equipment, Sneakers
Part 13: Postcards, Souvenirs, Pet/Animal Stuff
Part 15, 19-20: Tableware, Ceramic, Silver, Residence Decorations
Part 16-18: Clothes, Mountain climbing Gear, Leather-based
Part 25: Ceramic & Silk
Part 26: Antiques, Residence Decorations, Picture Frames
Part 27-28: Handcrafts, Books, Miscellaneous, Others
Part 30: Clothes & Miscellaneous
Meals stalls are principally 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!
If you happen to ever get hungry from all of the bargaining, there are many eating choices round, serving varied Thai dishes. However what we suggest 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 likely one of the largest wholesale garment markets within the nation. It options each indoor and outside purchasing areas, touting principally garments and equipment. However different merchandise like toiletries, toys, medicines, and houseware are additionally obtainable.
Though the shops typically 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 value whenever you see one thing you actually like and really feel like you possibly can nonetheless get it at a a lot lower cost.
Don’t neglect to take a look at Pratunam Heart, a constructing on the coronary heart of Pratunam. If you’re extra comfy purchasing outdoors, 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 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 likely one of the largest and most favored wholesale and retail purchasing locations in Thailand.
From Thai designer collections to the newest worldwide tendencies, it delights consumers on the hunt for garments, equipment, footwear, and leather-based items. The vast majority of the outlets caters to ladies, 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 numerous. You’ll discover one thing for you no matter your age, gender or physique kind! You simply must comb via every ground.
To your purchasing information, listed below are the merchandise classes per ground/degree:
- 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): Girls, Males
- 2nd Stage (Oxford): Girls
- 1st Stage (Soho): Girls, Data 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 satisfy your companions after your purchasing 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 degree.
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 Procuring Mall
Additionally situated within the Pratunam neighborhood, the Palladium World Procuring Mall (or just Palladium) is the place to go for IT-related stuff — telephone equipment, tech devices, electronics, printing, cameras, and the like. However in fact, vogue gadgets and equipment additionally abound right here: the newest kinds, classic garments, textiles, costumes, and even college 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 obtainable.
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.
Situated within the Siam neighborhood, Siam Sq. is a purchasing and leisure vacation spot, immortalized in popular culture because the setting of the movie The Love of Siam. With over 400,000 individuals passing via this space day by day, it’s also generally thought to be the guts of purchasing within the metropolis.
Combining huge trendy malls with humble avenue vendor stalls, it caters to each younger and previous and all types of consumers, from cut price hunters to luxurious chasers. The leisure and purchasing space spans from Phayathai Highway to Henri Dunant and from Rama I Highway to the Chulalongkorn Campus. A skywalk hyperlinks it to close by purchasing facilities and the Ratchaprasong purchasing district.
Listed below are among the malls which can be ready for you across the Siam Space:
- Siam Paragon, principally 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 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. Protecting an intensive retail area space of 525,000 sq. meters, it’s hailed as one of many largest purchasing malls in Asia. A lot of the eating places, retail manufacturers, and outlets listed below are on the luxurious or high-end facet.
Listed below 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 via 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 varied 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 study 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 satisfaction 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 at first of #PrideMonth so rainbow decors and promos are in all places!
Location: 299 Charoen Nakhon Highway, 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: Every 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 heart, house to over 1200 outlets and kiosks. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly spacious. A lot of the clothes shops are on the primary two ranges, however among the prime flooring should not absolutely occupied, which make for a extra relaxed purchasing 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 purchasing alley! And once we discovered ourselves in the identical retailer as different consumers, they have been Thai.
The good majority of retailers are geared towards ladies, however there’s a good variety of males’s put on on the higher flooring. The truth is, Vins was in a position to buy a few stunning graphic males’s jackets! He was additionally in a position to 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, ladies, children, 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: Every day, 11:00 AM-10:00 PM.
Siam Shops Mall
Siam Premium Shops 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 satisfaction 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 possibly can count on an enormous 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
- Underneath 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 extra reductions if you are going to buy a number of gadgets directly. Sure, these are on prime of the revealed promos.
You’ll additionally discover the next luxurious manufacturers at Siam Premium Shops:
- Balenciaga
- Burberry
- Versace
- Ferragamo
- Boss
- Marc Jacobs
- Karl Lagerfeld
Additionally scattered across the web site are a number of picture spots, normally following the season’s predominant event. After 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 Shops Bangkok, it’s really situated in Samutprakarn Province, simply outdoors the town. It’s near Suvarnabhumi Airport, so you may do your last-minute purchasing right here, however 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 Shops.
Learn how to Get to Siam Premium Shops Bangkok: Take the BTS to Siam Station and head to Siam Paragon. Catch a shuttle bus to Siam Premium Shops. Fare: THB 150 per particular person.
Location: 989 moo 14, Tambon Bang Sao Thong, Amphur Bang Sao Thong, Samutprakarn Province 10570, Thailand
Opening Hours: Every day, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM.
What’s the finest purchasing spot in Bangkok?
Properly, that relies on your preferences. Primarily based on my commentary, amongst all these, the Chatuchak Weekend Market is probably the most budget-friendly and the employees 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 in terms of 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 luggage. Plus, timing is essential right here as most shops are open solely on weekends.
If you happen to’re excited by clothes, the Pratunam space is nice as a result of it has extra numerous choices. Platinum Trend Mall alone, whereas typically barely dearer than Chatuchak, is house to quite a lot of distinctive and quirky designs. The adjoining markets additionally promote extra inexpensive gadgets.
However when you’re after branded and extra premium gadgets, it’s between Siam Paragon and iconSIAM. Siam Premium Shops Bangkok has quite a lot of promos, which is nice when you’re cut price searching. However as a result of it’s a must to exit of your approach to attain it, ensure they carry your goal manufacturers earlier than going.
What’s the Finest Space to Keep in Bangkok for Buyers?
It’s a toss between Siam and Pratunam. Siam is surrounded by large purchasing 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 an extended stroll, maybe 15-25 minutes, however it’s not that unhealthy.
That mentioned, Siam space is far more well-connected than Pratunam by way of practice traces.
Listed below are among the prime lodges in these two areas as reviewed by Agoda customers.
Prime Motels in Siam Space
Prime Motels in Pratunam
Seek for extra Bangkok Motels!
Necessary Ideas when Procuring in Bangkok
- Watch out for pickpockets, particularly within the Pratunam space together with Pratunam Market and Palladium Trend Corridor. At all times regulate your valuables.
- Get larger reductions when you’re shopping for as a gaggle. Though haggling shouldn’t be practiced at most Siam-managed malls like iconSIAM and Siam Premium Shops, 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 gaggle, store and haggle collectively.
- Agree to satisfy at a particular place and time. These purchasing facilities are like a large maze. They alleys crisscrossing Chatuchak Market, Platinum Trend Mall, and Pratunam Market are slender and crowded. It’s simple to get misplaced and confused. If you happen to’re a part of a gaggle, select a meetup spot and time in case you get separated or when 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 Shops are a part of the tax refund program so make the most of it for further financial savings!
Written by: Yosh Dimen & Asta Alvarez