Shopping Advice Please
 

Hi All - I am off to Jakarta, Bali, Bangkok and Chiang Mai/Rai. The plan is to see some culture, the people, the places, etc. I'm thrilled I'm not setting the itinerary (for once!) so the research is not my job :-) But, I do know we will have shopping time. I just don't know WHAT I should be shopping for. People say they have "everything" there but I sure could use some ideas and help as to what that means. I plan to capture a few treasures of the area, but also love jewelry, leather, clothes and would like to bring home treats for my boys (early 20's) and hubby. (Been saving my pennies!)

In Bangkok, you can also try MBK, at the National Stadium stop in the Skytrain. It is a huge shopping center, with an entire floor full of little stands selling mobile phones and other small electronic devices.

Also in Bangkok, L'Arcadia for quality antiques. Not the cheapest but definitely the real thing.

Info for you here:

http://www.mcdougalladventures.com/t...cadia-antiques

Chiang Mai covered night shops have the best selection of artist products. Also, the Sunday Market. Folding metal lamps--very cool and some are quite big. Carved items (you may need to ship) and drawstring lightweight summer trousers (some are tie die others are just plan black or white). Covered market, the artists take photographs and create oil or pastel pictures--we saw one of a grandfather and child looking out to sea, really nice for the kid when he grows up.

Bring suitcase, business card holder, or other similar items to the umbrella village outside Chiang Mai and the artists there can paint a dragon or other motive in different size on them. You can then fix them in place.

Chiang Ria and Chiang Mai you can also get some textile products and Thai Beer teeshirts (with red bulls on them) my older nephews liked a lot.

The Siam Paragon Mall was filled with western shops--high end Fifth Avenue style. Great aquarium. For local products go instead to Jim Thompson for silks (they also package nicely)-ties and scarves for relatives, plus some leather goods. His old home is a nice place to visit and have lunch--we didn't get there unfortunately. The W/e market might be the place to pick up cool things for the kids.

Bali furniture - you may need to ship. Jakarta-puppets.

Thanks to all - can anyone shoot off a list of the types of things I am likely to find? Puppets in Jakarta - sounds cool and I will definitely check that out, furniture might be too big. I'm getting so excited about this trip!

Whatever you look for, you'll probably find. If you are interested in crafts, you'll find many. Here are a few ideas:

Puppets: the best are made in central Java, and you'll find those in Bali and in Jakarta. There are three types of traditional puppets you'll find, some are carved in the round, with elaborate heads and batik clothing, some are flat, buffalo-skin shadow puppets with intricate piercings, and some are flatter wooden puppets.

Textiles: Bali is known for batik, but you'll also find some songket and ikat weavings both in Bali and in Jakarta. You'll find beautiful silks in Thailand, both hand-woven silks and gorgoeus machine-made silks in amazing patterns (the best of which are from Jim Thompson in Bangkok).

You'll find lovely woodworking in both Indonesia and in Thailand.

Jewelry: You'll find intricate silverwork in Bali (Celek). Sapphires and rubies are an excellent buy in Bangkok, but do make sure you know what you are doing and always use a reputable jeweler (NEVER go to a jeweler recommended by a tuk-tuk or taxi driver or to any "sale" sponsored by the "government" as these are scams).

In Bangkok you can find lovely teak carvings, sandstone carvings and a fair bit of red lacquerware.

You can see an example of the carving I mean on my site in the post about L'Arcadia.

Do take care about purchasing religious antiques in Thailand as there are laws prohibiting the export of certain items, namely Buddha images. I don't know the detail of these laws. Perhaps one of the Thailand experts knows more?

Also, celadon color china from the area around Chiang Mai.

Love this thread :)

Ok, what is celadon color china?

I'm excited to hear about the sapphires and rubies - yes, a good jeweler - every have something custom made?

I read on a thread about having clothes made for others - son wants me to bring back a tux. Can I take measurements with me and do they need to be metric? It might need an adjustment here, but that's true when you buy them off the rack in US.

How about electronics? Good buys or fun things?

Celedon is actually a process as opposed to a color, but the term celedon is often used to denote a particular color of green. I have some classically green celedon pieces I purchased 20+ years ago as well as some blue celedon.

I have a jeweler I've been using in Bangkok for 20+ years. They have lots of ready-made stock as well as doing custom work. SJ International. Call for pick-up at your hotel. I don't have their card with me right now, but I've posted their phone and address many times on this board. Do a search here and you'll find it.

Don't even try to have clothes custom made for someone else. The whole point of custom clothing is to have something tailored specifically for you. They take many (dozens) of measurements and the clothing still needs tweaking - sometimes major tweaking - which is why you have multiple fittings.

Electronics are not generally good buys. You can get lower prices in the US, especially on the internet. Also, you have to make sure you have an international guarantee. Buying electronics is more hasssle and more money than it's worth.

Great info - many thanks!

Kathie, I'm interested in the dishes and am wondering if there is anything to worry about with the glaze, lead, etc. if I buy something to use everyday.

Also have you seen flatware - stainless or sterling? Would LOVE to get a set of sterling flatware (am I dreaming?).

I will definitely check out SJ International jeweler and may have more questions after I do some research on stones here. The hard part is the variance in quality and personal taste.

Clothing question: is it easy to take something and have it copied when the person for whom it is intended is not there? I'm thinking take son's suit to have it copied for tux. Or is it worth it? I have NO clue what having clothes made costs.

Thanks again everyone - this is such a help and I so appreciate it!

Others who post here regulary have purchased stainless flatware. I don't know about sterling flatware in Bangkok.

I would ask about any lead content in the glaze at the place that sells the celedon.

Prepare yourself for gem shopping by looking at sapphires and rubies at a good jeweler in your home town. (Avoid mall jewelers that advertise half off all the time.) Have a jeweler show you what makes a good sapphire or ruby, the most desirable colors, look at stones through a jeweler's loupe.

Persoanlly, I wouldn't take along a garmet of your son's to have copied. You won't be getting custom tailored clothing. It won't have been tailored for him, every fabric has different give and stretch, etc.

Hi Sammie - regarding celadon glazed pottery - you'll find a lot in Chiang Mai - there are a couple of notable kilns there. Celadon is a type of glaze - originally made in China to resemble jade. It can range from very pale green to dark green to blue but should always have a sort of "Fat" look to it. It frequently has a crazing in the glaze. You won't have to worry about lead etc as its a stoneware glaze and they aren't used at that temperature. The crazing in the glaze will not really affect its use but it can stain with very strong foods - like curry. However you can get it out again. The Chiang Mai kilns (shops) will also produce some other colours - but celadon only refers to the greenish ones.

There is some very nice stuff there but also a lot of cheapish copies that aren't worth having. Try to go to the actual potteries - one at least is in the town area.

I've been a professional potter for over 25 years and celadon is my speciality - I absolutely love it but its not everyones choice.

For flatware in Bangkok take a look at Almeta, www.almeta.com. Also, there is a good shop in Gaysorn Plaza. U could also buy flatware at The Night Bazaar, Jatujak or the shops around the Oriental Hotel.

Just passed the umbrella town is a large celadon factory. Can't tell you if that is one of the better ones or not--you might wish to do some research first. Often people purchase good quality plates to use for display or for platters/presentation pieces for special dinners. However, sure you can also get everyday use ones--just a matter of practiciallity of bringing/shipping home.

Someone said something about religious icons. Would one of those Balinese looking heads constitute a religious icon? Does anyone know what I mean and can I buy one in BKK? (I am not going to Bali). Thanks!

MBK shopping center sells knock-off watches, Pantip Plaza sells software, DVD's, your boys will like those gifts, please, we're not discussing ethical things here.

I would NOT take clothing for someone else to be copied. We did that (using a tailor regularly recommended on this board) and the finished product was nowhere near the same size as the copied item. Unless you can do multiple fittings, it is just not worth it.

Thanks everyone - you have so much good information to offer and I so appreciate it. Ok, can the have something copied for kid back home. Lacoste shirts perhaps? I will see what goodies I can find that do not involve personal fit. I know I will be overwhelmed when I see the offerings. I hope I can be strong and really shop. I tend to see too much and say forget it, I can't decide. A "quality" my husband thinks is not all bad.

You'll find lots of knock off polo shirts etc like La Coste, Timberland, Lauren etc on the stalls on the streets. Also things like Billabong if your kids like surfing gear. Some of the true brand stuff like that can be found at the Fashion Outlet shops (about 4 around town but the easiest is in the Big C complex opposite World Trade Centre. They have a limited range of whats around so you have to just look and trust to luck for that day- it can be very very cheap though. They have Levi jeans etc to. You can get jeans out at the weekend markets very cheaply - around 200bt for the brand names. Just check them all over as sometimes the cut is a bit odd. Still at 200 bt its not a great risk - just frustrating to get things that don't fit.

Wow! Thanks for the info on Big C complex and outlet stores. I've had a request for LaCoste and Polo and if they are the real thing for a couple bucks more, I'll do that. I've ordered Nancy Chandler map in hopes to do some shopping homework so I can shop and not spend all my time doing it. (I am not a good shopper - but willing to work on those skills!)

So many good ideas here - thanks to everyone - I expect to be totally overwhelmed by it all. I've heard of a book, Treasures and Pleasures of Thailand - anyone have an opinion on it?

Sammie - the la coste on the street stalls are definitely copies - but actually very good and they wash and wear very well.

What you find at the Fashion Outlet will be other brands. I've bought abercrombie and fitch, nautica etc for myself (knitted tops) - Billabong for surfies, the levis (but dearer than the market) and other such things. Definitely worth a look but its just whats there then. There is also a levi outlet store out on Sukhumvit Road (beyond Jim Thompson outlet) but the usual problem there is they only carry fairly small sizes.(thai size)

If you want the knock off stuff off the stalls then you'll find it on the street outside Big C area and also up and over the bridge to the north (very close) is Pratunam markets - the wholesale clothes market. (as well as all round the city) Stalls outside have most of the knock off and inside there are lots and I mean lots of clothing traders - you can buy one or a hundred pieces! Its very hot in the market so beware and take it easy.

I believe the only "real" Polo for sale in Thailand is at Central Chit Lom. Polo does not yet have a store in Thailand, but I believe they will be in Siam Paragon this year. There are plenty of fakes everywhere, even at some of the big stores. The only places for real goods are the high end shops in the upscale malls, and the prices are very high. Thailand has luxury taxes that can exceed 200%.

The best shopping is for Thai made goods at local shops & markets.

MaryW - Are the knock off LaCoste/Polo etc. obvious knock offs or do you know that because of where you bought them and the price. I'm not trying to fool anyone, but curious.