Bangkok Shopping Guide

Ma Boon Krong Shopping Complex

Bangkok Shopping

Ma Boon Krong Shopping Complex

Bangkok Shopping

Shopping Malls

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 Shopping

Shopping Plazas

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 Shopping

Depatrment Stores

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 theaters.

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

Bangkok Shopping

The Markets

Before you begin your day out to the markets here, you may just want to focus your attention on one particular area at a time. This way you can explore your chosen market in more depth. Be aware that there is a vast variety of markets you can take in. You can easily spend a day visiting the various floating markets such as the one at Damnoen Saduak or those at Taling Chan though they are not all in the same area. You could if you like visit a combination of two markets on any given day. More than that would be far too much though not impossible.

A market you simply should not miss is Chatuchak Weekend Market but for this to happen, you would need to be in the city over the weekend as the market is only open on Saturday and Sunday for tourists and the general public. Here you will find a wide variety of merchandise. Chinatown is another fabulous market to spend some quality time and best of all, this market is open all day every day.

The Bangkok shopping experience continues to expand to a heck of a lot more markets such as the clothing market at Pratunam where you can purchase all sorts of inexpensive fashion garments as well as a huge variety of handicrafts, jewellery items and various other assorted paraphernalia. Go crazy spending.

The Market at China Town

Bangkok Shopping

More Markets

If you have time to spare and would love to educate yourself a little bit more as to the way in which a great many locals do their daily shopping, then take a trip to one of the open-air markets. Klong Toey Market is perhaps the best example of a traditional Thai wet market because of the fresh produce in which it trades.

Thewet Market is similar in that it is also a wet market (hence the name) but slightly different as are all the markets of this type. There you'll find not only fresh plants and flowers but also fresh produce such as fish and vegetables.

For all backpackers out there wanting to buy cheap anything then I suggest you try the street market in Khao San Road where you'll find just about everything you might need for further travel to the various locations around the country as well as to other neighbouring nations. Assorted travel related equipment such as rucksacks, hiking boots are readily available for sale at very reasonable prices.

A Typical Fresh Produce Market

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