Where to go Shopping in Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is a shopper's paradise.  There are department store chains, shopping malls, wholesale shopping areas, roadside stalls, weekend shopping markets, night bazaars, second-hand shops, and what nots.  If you are visiting Bangkok for few days, apart from places to see and things to do in Bangkok if you still have some time left on your hands to go shopping, then you might want to hit one of these malls or markets.

In this post, I am listing down some great places for shopping in Bangkok.  Which shopping mall or shopping market in bangkok should you go to?  Depends on the time you have in hands and what you want to buy.  If you ask me, I would choose to shop at Chatuchak Market, Samphaeng, MBK, and Platinum shopping mall, in that order.
 

very popular with tourists - MBK

MBK (abbreviated from Mahboonkrong)
- Most tourists go here; has made sellers aggressive because of indians bargaining too much then dropping the deal
- Easy access via bts skytrain to avoid traffic helps
- great shopping for local or lower end brands, everything from clothes, accessories, electronics to mobile phones, footwear, and souvenir is possible here
- One-stop shopping at reasonable prices
- Has several restaurants + huge food court and movie screens


Emporium
- Higher end shopping, usual mall, has bookstore, music store, etc
- Has Gourmet supermarket, food court, many restaurants, and movie screens
- Benjasiri Park adjacent to the mall

The Platinum Fashion Mall

Platinum Mall
- Two buildings, too many shops, too many sections, thankfully indoor air-conditioned
- Too many trendy clothing and accessories, but too much terrible traffic area
- Ample food court stalls, ample parking spaces
- Good prices, good bargain, good variety 

Pratunam Market aka Indra Market
- Out in the open, market especially for clothes, lot of wholesale shopping
- Near platinum, so can go to one or the other in the same place if you don't like one.
- Prices almost close to Samphaeng if you do not want to travel so far

Yaorat - Chinatown in Bangkok

Samphaeng
- After chatuchak market, this is the second cheapest shopping place in bangkok
- Great for clothes, electronics, stationery items, soft toys, edible items
- Many shops for accessories such as purses, bags, belts, artificial jewelry, hair, footwear, etc
- Some shops sell only wholesale (3 items, 6 items, or more)

Samphaeng Market

- Very crowded, narrow streets, be careful of pick-pocketers
- A lot of restaurants and food shops, a big china town "Yaorat" and many gold shops
- Nearby is Phaurat which has many Indian shops and restaurants, religious items shop, Indian grocery items, Indian movie/dvd shop, etc
- Far from city and a lot of walking from one street to another, go by bus come back by cab


The Mall (at Ramkhamhaeng), The Mall (at Bangkapi)
- Some local, some foreign brands, but reasonable...chain of stores
- Usual mall that has footwear, perfumes, clothes, lingerie, toy section, kids section, etc
- Has food court downstairs, no movie screens, but usually Major Cineplex (theatres) are located nearby

Esplanade
- A little like The Mall, a little like Emporium
- Food court, movie screens, popular for young crowd

Terminal 21 shopping mall

Terminal 21
See post and photos of Terminal 21
- Various local + foreign brand stores
- Great ambiance and interior décor
- Nice food court, has movie screens 

Shopping at Siam area
- Roadside many small stores and shops
- Most youngsters shop here for trendy stuff, but according to me a little expensive
- Lots of restaurants on main roads

Chatuchak Bangkok

Chatuchak Weekend Market
See post and photos of chatuchak market
Cheapest shopping market possible and best shopping in bangkok, however:
a) problem: very far from the city; solution: can take the mrt underground train
b) problem: too big, too much walking; solution: can go early morning by 8
c) problem: open only on weekends; solution: can use saturday + sunday, skip sightseeing
d) problem: too many shopping bags to carry in mrt; solution: take cab back home
e) problem: hard to get vegetarian food; solution: carry lunch box from home, get fruits and juices there
f) problem: half shops in the open, half covered, very hot; solution: wear light clothing, carry tissue, some prickly heat powder, stay hydrated

Gateway Ekamai
- Regular mall with independent small stores and food outlets

Central World, Christmas Tree - Dec 2012

Central World 
- On the similar lines of Siam Paragon
- Been tradition every Christmas to have tallest Christmas tree and New Year midnight countdown
- Usually beer garden and band playing outside


Central Chidlom
- Like The Mall, may be standard a level higher
- Food Loft has various country cuisines

Siam Paragon 2nd floor car showrooms

Siam Paragon
- Huge hi-so mall with all big brands and even higher end shopping than Emporium
- Second floor has car showrooms of Porsche, Lamborghini, Maserati, etc
- Has Gourmet supermarket, food court, and movie screens
- Walking distance to Siam Discovery, another mall with many individual brand stores and restaurants

roadside markets; this one was at Asok

Ramkhamhaeng Market
- Close to ABAC university, mostly student crowd shopping here, very reasonable prices
- Open market along the main road spread out over 1 km
- Evening more small stalls are put on the roadside, can and should bargain
- I mostly used to shop here when I was a student
- There are many such roadside markets, some small some big, in every few kilometers

Pantip Plaza - "the computer city"

Pantip Plaza
- The only dedicated electronics and computer mall
- Find everything from hardware components to software copies
- Cheaper TVs, laptops, and other gadgets

 


Shopping at Nana area
- Stores and shops at the main road, can and should bargain
- Nana is noyorious area you may see many pubs, bars, foreigners, and Thai girls
- Many Indian-operated suit/tailor stores around, look for package, bargain


Big C
- Lower end superstore, mostly for grocery
- Can also get every household item, clothes, cosmetics, footwear, bedding, and bakery here

Amarin Plaza during New Years

Amarin Plaza, Gaysorn Plaza
- Opposite Central World, and opposite to each other
- Amarin has mixed higher and lower scale brands, Gaysorn is an upscale shopping mall
- Amarin has good silk items, jewelry stores, designer wear sales once in a while
- There are many such Plaza's and Malls here and there around the city


Your turn: have you shopped in Bangkok? where did you go/what did you buy? do you have any suggestions or recommendations?  do you have any additional, use info, to add to this post and help other readers?
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