Is leather/suade cheap in Thailand? What would you expect to pay for a good quality leather jacket?
Also, where is the best place to buy cosmetics(Clarins), Thai shopping malls or airport?

Cosmetcis buy in Department stores all over Bangkok, not necessarily cheap, depends on your home country(?) when comparing prices.

Leather I am not sure about, belts are cheap, as to quality of Jackets I am no expert.

I agree with James about leather. I've never purchased any there. Cosmetics can be purchased at department stores like Central (Chidlom skytrain station) or Zen at World Trade Center or Tokyu at MBK Center.

(James, has the name World Trade Center just changed to something else???)

My personal favorite dept store is Central Chidlom. My personal favorite shopping center is MBK! MBK has to be seen to be appreciated. It is unlike anything we have in the US.

I remembered this post this morning, whilst I was in a leather shop on the Sankampaeng Road in Chiangmai, so I decided to have a look at leather jackets.

The quality looked fine and the leather ranged from hard shiny leather to very soft suede. My only criticism would be that they were all what I would call ?Bomber? style, i.e. they had an elasticised waistband. Not a styling I like, but that is a personal thing.

The prices ranged from about 8,000 Baht to 12,000 Baht, but despite all the signs saying ?Fixed Price?, we were immediately offered a 50% discount. I don?t know if this was because we were locals. Possibly as a tourist, you would have to bargain a bit.

If u are looking for specific products, sizes, etc u may be better off buying at Central rather than the aiport as the variety there is not always reliable. At Central u will get a 5% visitors discount and if u spend more than 2000 can also claim VAt so net net will pay almost the same as the airport,

Thanks everyone for your responses. Does'nt look like Thailand is really the place to buy leather. I'm sure there will be lots more to entice me!!