oops - I spelled it wrong - rizzuto is who gave info on a tailor for jeans.

Where is the best place for DVD's - someone here mentioned 80 baht so recommendation for the place to buy "good" pirated ones would be a great help

Does anyone have information on the custom-made jeans in Bangkok..as in, who makes them and are they actually made of denim?

I can't remember the exact name. It's something to do with 'silver' or 'star' and it's on the ground floor of the MBK Centre in central Bangkok (Monorail Station National Stadium). They're not actually made to measure. What they do is find a pair of Levis your general size and then tailor them to fit your requirements. Before you ask, yes, I am a bloke, but I was there on business last year and had to hang around with four female colleagues who all bought jeans and seemed pretty pleased with the results. Sorry I can't be more exact with the name. BTW my colleagues were also rather taken with the shoes. In any case, if you're at all into shopping, the MBK is a must.

Thank you, Graham. We have a Levis place like that here in NY, but obviously the one in BKK will be much cheaper.

With all the shopping that awaits I wonder if I will get any sleep at all!? (!!) I wish I had planned a few more days in that city.

Hey, HT
I'll bet Linda would LOVE a pair of custom made jeans by Brad's friend (can't give you the name right now). This guy is now having them made in Italy?? They are pricey, but I'll bet really cool. They are patchwork if I remember correctly. Maybe I can get Brad to chime in here and tell you about them.
Carol

(P S ... just home from Europe last night)

peacheysmokey

Here's my blurb on BKK shopping.

You asked about a central shopping district. YES, there is one. It's all basically along one street. It begins at the National Stadium skytrain station (the other end of the skytrain line that you would take from the river hotels, by the Pen). MBK (MaboonKrong) is located right at this station. Start at MBK and then it's very easy to walk from mall to mall right along the skytrain route and on the many crosswalks above the Bangkok traffic!

Just across from MBK (diagonally) is Siam Discovery/Siam Center. You will enjoy both of these malls, I think. Both are several floors with shops you don’t find other places. There is a Starbucks if you arrive earlier than the shops are opening. Across the "fountain" area from Siam Center is the Siam Paragon mall. Very upscale. The food court in the basement level is fantastic!! Do give it a try when out shopping. The Exotique Thai store on the 4th floor has some lovely items for souvenirs/gifts. Also, there is a very nice Jim Thompson store on the first floor.

If you leave Siam Paragon, you can either take the skytrain one stop, or walk (easiest to do in my opinion… just use the walkway underneath the skytrain) to the next mall... Central World Plaza. It is on the same side of the street as Siam Discovery/Center/Paragon. Central World mall also has many shops that are not in the other malls. One of my favorites is NaRaYa, for cute cosmetic bags, wallets, purses, made out of fabrics (not silk).

Directly across the street from Central World is a very upscale mall called Gaysorn Plaza (again, same SIDE of the street as all the others). I have never really found much in this mall, although the Thai crafts on the 4th floor are nice. Look BEHIND Gaysorn and you will see the Thai Craft Center (NariPhand). Prices are much better here. If you look in the basement lever, you will find a “market” atmosphere where haggling is expected!!

Now, a little bit further down the street beyond Gaysorn(past the Bangkok Holiday Inn) is a wonderful department store called Central. This one is called Central "ChitLom" because it is connected to, and located at, the ChitLom skytrain station. I always enjoy this department store. One of my favorite hair dressers in Bangkok is in a small beauty shop in a little walkway just past “The Little Kitchen” restaurant. OD does my hair just about every time I’m in Bangkok. He speaks good English and is very kind.

If you take the skytrain a few more stops further down the SAME STREET, you will find the Emporium mall. The Emporium department store gets good reviews. I also like a small restaurant there called Greyhound. The Emporium has a nice selection of shops.

Jim Thompson silk is really GORGEOUS stuff!! I'm sure you will fall in love with it. Furnishings, fabrics, scarves, and the most BEAUTIFUL handbags and cosmetic cases EVER. You will find a JT department at Central Chitlom store along with a JT store at many of the better hotels; and there is also a shop located at ZEN department store at Central World Plaza, to name just a few of the places where it can be found. I'd really try to find the time to take a look at JT stuff. Plus, there is a new location at Paragon mall. If you like what you see, you might just venture out to the JT Outlet. It is past the last skytrain stop (On Nut) where you would take a taxi. The outlet is about 4 or 5 floors. There is a lot of fabric, not quite so many clothing and accessories items, although the 4th floor is fun to check out!!

I won't go into the many shopping markets where you haggle over prices and buy things very cheap, although the Weekend Market at Chatuchak is certainly entertaining... although HOT and CROWDED on a Saturday morning. Chatuchak is located at the END of the "other" skytrain line at Mo Chit station. (There are TWO skytrain lines and they intersect at SIAM PARAGON area) Another option for getting to the weekend market is the subway line. If you get off of the subway at the station AFTER the one that is called Chatuchak Park (or something like that), you will exit the subway station directly INSIDE the weekend market! Couldn’t be easier! Taxi back to your hotel if you have lots of bags from a successful day at the weekend market and are laden with goodies! Oh, and there is a new JJ Mall, located just outside the Chatuchak grounds. It’s worth a stop if you go to the market, but otherwise I don’t think I’d make a special trip out here at another time. Just my own opinion.

I believe SuanLum is still going strong. I was just by there in July and it was still in business. I did not stop to shop but it's a fun night bazaar. The Joe Lewis puppet theater is located here, as well as a huge ferris wheel. This market is more pleasant than the weekend market, in my opinion, because it is in the evening when the temp has dropped a bit. Plus, there is a very lively food/entertainment complex where you can sit and relax! The selection is not quite so large as Chatuchak, however. And maybe a little bit more expensive.

Carol, your hunch was right Linda wants the info if and when you get it....email me :)

Aloha!

Peter, I'm going into shock right now. Brad is here, and I just asked him about ARTISAN Jeans (by Lucio). Brad says they START at 1600 euros for the most basic pair! YIKES!!!! Do you want more information???

They come in a wood box, the buttons are silver, pretty upscale..

Brad says he doesn't know about a web site for Lucio yet. But he does have a phone number, if you want that, for next time you are in BKK.

Cough, cough.... I almost choked on my pizza over the price... LOL

Anyway, Linda would probably really love a pair...

Carol

Carol,

OK....I am now officially hiding this post :)

Aloha!

Is anyone surprised that Carol is a shopping expert? HT, too late.

Yipes! HT, maybe you could ask the editors to delete that info. LOL

ht, like lily of sj would rationalize with me, "how long have you been married, maybe at least 20 years?", well then, isn't linda worth at least 80 euros a year?

of course she is, and more...so whats the problem? :-D

Ken, Lily is quite the salesperosn, isn't she?

Shopping expert! WOW!! Thanks for that title!

Andy, wouldn't Beth like a pair of Lucio's jeans as well??

I can't wait to see a pair of these jeans.. no, I'm not buying any. Cough, cough, choke, choke...

Carol

My husband always brags to others that I'm NOT a shopper.

Well, I want you all to be the first to know, I just added an EMPTY mesh duffel bag to my luggage just in case there is something in Thailand for me to bring home next week!!!

Thanks.

kathie, she is the best.

Hey Ken,

Brad says you and he and Maeng really enjoyed your evening at Tawandang. So glad you enjoyed our favorite nightclub in BKK.

Carol

carol, again, its the best, will go again. cheers to brad.

Someone mentioned buying cheap CDs and DVDs in Thailand. Question: Will they play on a US machine? I ask because we took a couple of DVD movies with us on this trip and they would not play in any of the machines we encountered (on a sailboat and in a resort lounge). We were told that the specifics <i>(and boy am I in way over my head understanding why a DVD works at all)</i> are different in Thailand (Asia) and therefore our US DVDs would not function. Wondering if its the same the other way round.