So we will pack very light in the classic travel backpack, although we aren't "backpacking" we are on the move every few nights for 3 weeks, with hired drivers, flights and car rental. What is your suggestion for lugging our the items we buy along the way in Thailand? Should we buy a piece of luggage there? We could use another piece of good luggage. Do they sell good luggage for a good price? Or should we pack large duffles in our backpacks? We are probably going to buy art, crafts, silk, small home items, etc..


Thanks.

I always take an extra suitcase full of bubblewrap. However, you can buy luggage at good prices in Thailand, especially in Bangkok.

some of the luggage is good and some is only servicable for a trip or two...bags can be as cheap as $5-10...they have metal cases, cloth cases, leather cases, etc...almost anything you want, but not necessarily the names you might know...if i saw i name i knew, except in a department store, i would consider it to be a fake...

Could you find a tumi bag in a department store and if so would it be much less than in the states?

They carry Tumi in Central Chitlom, reasonable range of styles, not cheaper than the US tho, at some discount maybe same price else a tad higher I'd hazard a guess tho I haven;t bought Tumi in the US for a while. They also have a good range of Samsonite and Delsey. The luggage section at Central Chitlom is well stocked and if you are open to brand sure you will find something decent. If you want a specific Tumit style you may not find it coz they may not have the same range as a US store.

as i said above, outside of a store like central chitlom, i would expect bags to be fakes, especially if you find them a bargain....not to say they are not good or decent quality but probably are not the genuine article...

I had a lot of goodies to bring home one time, and I bought a very large (huge) cloth type suitcase. It was good for only one trip (HOME) and my goodies arrived in one piece. The suitcase, however, was falling apart. The handle for pulling it along came loose at the bottom and was no longer usable. Son and one of his friends did use the suitcase one more time to and from BKK because they knew they would be carrying a lot of stuff. It made the trip, but I don't think I would give it to any airline ever again, at this point. The bag was cheap, probably $15. You get what you pay for!!

But I also bought a smaller carryon hardsider (Polo copy) on 4 wheels, and I've used it a number of times. It has been a very good bag, and the price was about $25.

Carol

Thanks all for your advice. We leave in 5 days for our Thailand trip. Our Christmas stockings were full of travel accessories only making me more excited.

I bought a good quality suitcase in Chiang Mai. One of the big ones that can stand up on 4 wheels. It is a Thai brand name, I believe. Could have gotten comparable quality at about the same price back home in the USA. Good price, not great, but solid and only had to haul it one way.