Shopping in Bangkok!

Written on July 2, 2010

The next best thing to Bangkok other than food is the SHOPPING!!!

Almost all the major shopping areas in Bangkok is connected to a BTS Skytrain or MRT station, making it so much easier to shop. From the station you can walk straight into a shopping mall via the bridges. No need to walk on the busy Bangkok roads. The LRT in Malaysia should take note of this.

The BTS Skytrain

Interior of BTS Skytrain

Once you get to either the MRT or BTS, get yourself a map. Its the best thing to help you get around. I relied a lot on this. I used the stations as my point of reference when I'm checking on where to go. It's quite straight forward, even the signages are well placed. So you shouldn't have a problem getting around unless you are really, I mean really bad with directions.

The sign at a BTS Station that points you to the last station.

There's lots of shopping malls in Bangkok that can rival KL anytime. The Mall Bang Kapi was the first mall that I stepped into. It was my first day in Bangkok and I was brought there so that I could get some food for the next few days. The supermarket reminded me a lot like Jaya Jusco, but it wasn't. I was glad that I could get lots of stuff here that you won't usually find on our supermarket shelves in KL, and they're cheap too.

The first weekend, I went to MBK shopping mall which is quite similiar to our Sungai Wang Plaza. Again, the food here was alright, the things to shop here was great!! I found some nice short sleeved shirts here for only RM20. I may sound overly excited and surprised, but that's because I could never find nice, like really nice short sleeved cotton shirts for myself in KL.

MBK Shopping Mall - great bargains to be found here

There's also Pratunam Market, more like Petaling Street style and Platinum Fashion Mall across the street from it, which has air-conditioning. Then there's Prantip Plaza which is an IT mall, where you can get IPhone for as low as RM500, I have no idea where its from though. From here the mall gets more upscale. Emporium and Siam Discovery is for the sophisticated, Siam Paragon is for the yuppies.

The trendy Siam Paragon

Sadly though I couldn't visit CentralWorld because it was still closed due to the recent unrest. I took the BTS and its passed right beside it, I could see the burned area. It looks sad that Bangkok's pride of the shopping malls was damaged. But its set to return soon!!

Besides the malls, Bangkok also has 2 famous street markets. Suan Lum Night Bazzar is only opened from 7pm till late and has rows and rows of stalls that sells almost anything. Lots of bargaining goes on here, and you must really bargain to get the good deals.

The entrance to Suan Lum Night Bazaar

The shops are well lit and airy too!

Chatuchak Weekend Market is another famous shopping spot. Here, there are rows, rows, rows, rows and rows of stalls that sells everything, I mean really EVERYTHING!! You want to get a live lizard, branded shoes and bags, paintings, house decor and cutlery and clothes and plants and accessories, here's the place to go and get them dirt cheap. They even have 'movers' office here to help you ship your things back. You will need to put on your best bargaining skills. It's amazing yah!! I went there almost every weekend and still I find new shops.

So, go around visit all the malls first and then when you're done with that, then only you go to Chatuchak to do your shopping. It the best place to buy presents too!!

The layout of the entire Chatuchak market.

Access to all these shopping place is easy, just hop onto the MRT or BTS and it takes you straight to the front door of the malls and markets. The trains are fast, punctual, cheap, air-conditioned and CLEAN!

Don't worry about food or drinks. It can be found in abundance at every corner of Bangkok.

Next trip : the Sights and Sounds of Bangkok!