A Bangkok Shopping Guide
Ma Boon Krong Shopping Complex
Bangkok ShoppingBangkok Shopping Guide to Thailand's most glamorous and glitzy shopping malls, enormous and eventful department stores, beautiful and bountiful boutiques, vibrant and bustling street stalls, charming and diversified markets, adventurous and dazzling night bazaars, to name but a few. Whatever your budget may be, Bangkok has got to be one of the best shopping mecca's in the whole of Asia. Ma Boon Krong Shopping Complex
Bangkok ShoppingShopping MallsMa Boon Krong Shopping Complex also known as the MBK Center is a huge marble shopping mall situated in Bangkok's downtown Pathum Wan district and adjacent to the Chulalongkorn University. It was originally one of the biggest malls in Asia when it was first founded in 1985. It measures 330 metres long with 2,500 shops using an area of 89,000 square metres on a total of eight stories.MBK houses a large cinema complex, a bowling alley, karaoke rooms, internet cafes, gaming parlors, numerous restaurants and fast-food outlets including a 5,000 seat food court on the 5th floor. There are jewellery, electronics, leather, photographic, art, furniture and health stores as well as a 4-story department store called Tokyu. The centre is also well known for it's variety of negotiable products including cosmetics, mobile phones and fake designer clothes. What many tourists are totally unaware of is that there is this huge underground shopping section located beneath the building where all the locals shop. The area is a buzzing hive of activity where even more bargains can be purchased. To find it you would either have to accompany a local friend or you would need to ask a store owners for directions. It is fascinating to see what conspires in these often hidden places. Well worth the experience even if you wish not to buy anything.
Pantip Plaza
Bangkok ShoppingShopping MallsPantip Plaza is an five story IT shopping mall situated on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok's Ratchathewi district. There are hundreds of small shops specializing in computer hardware, software and assorted accessories including photographic equipment and mobile phones and of all descriptions.The mall is abuzz with huge crowds especially over the weekends and it can get rather noisy at times with persistent vendors over eager to promote their goods. They often hassle potential customers including tourist wanting to find bargains. Things to watch out for are hawkers selling counterfeit software and DVD movies as you try and negotiate your way around the centre. You will often hear them utter sexy movie while showing you a movie cover or two and gesturing you to follow them to some hidden compartment behind their store or one further away. They are aware of random police searchers but are not afraid to take chances. Part of the mall's success and notoriety however, is due to the many counterfeit items sold there. Sometimes it may be difficult to know which is which. It is best to insist on a valid receipt or invoice which includes value added tax otherwise it may cause problems for you later on. You won't be able to claim a vat refund or a guarantee at the airport when leaving the country if you don't have a receipt. The mall outside is a hive of activity with tiny stalls selling all sorts of items from cheap batteries, alarm clocks, lighters and a whole host of other bizarre looking articles. Tuk-Tuk drivers are all over the place offering to take you anywhere around the city at over-rated prices. Otherwise it can be a thrilling experience.
Central World Plaza
Bangkok ShoppingDepatrment StoresCentral World Plaza was formally called the World Trade Center. It's the second largest shopping complex in south-east Asia situated in one of Bangkok's busiest shopping precinct at the Ratchaprarop intersection in the Pathum Wan District. It measures a total of 1,024,000 square metres with the actual shopping section measuring some 550,000 square metres. The biggest complex is in the Philippines.Originally the complex started out as an eight-story mall opening in 1990 but has subsequently undergone massive re-construction having acquired new owners in 2002. The basic architectural structure of the building didn't exactly arouse any emotions. It looks more like a large rectangular box than anything else but lately things have dramatically changed. Once you are inside the real beauty unfolds. Lifestyle mega-store ZEN is a upmarket department store that occupies seven stories with a floor space of some 50,000 square metres. A modern 15 screen cinema complex named SF World Cinema is located on the eight floor and a number of Thai cinema premieres are held there every year including Bangkok's International Film Festival. It also houses some first-class luxury theatres. There is a central food hall on the seventh floor which can be essentially two fold allowing you to do some gourmet shopping in a supermarket while stopping over for a meal at any number the of smaller outlets and restaurants there. Some of the regular brand names include Marks and Spencer, Guess, Lacoste, Starbucks, Toys "R" Us. Hush Puppies, Playboy, Swatch, Panasonic, Bata, Rolex etc.
China Town
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