Siam Discovery
This seven-story mall is filled with shops selling funky international brands, with a heavy focus on fashion like Siam Center next door, but also housewares and hobby items.
38 Best Places to Shop in Bangkok, Thailand
Many tourists are drawn to Bangkok for its relatively cheap silk, gems, and tailor-made clothes. But there are many other goods worth seeking out: quality silverware, fine porcelain, and handmade leather goods—all at prices well below those in western shops. The already reduced prices can often be haggled down even further—haggling is mainly reserved for markets, but shopkeepers will let you know if they're willing to discount, especially if you start walking away.
Don't be fooled by a tuk-tuk driver offering to take you to a shop. Shop owners pay drivers a commission to lure in unsuspecting tourists. Patronizing reputable dealers will help you avoid getting scammed on big-ticket items like jewelry .
Thai antiques and old images of the Buddha require a special export license; check out the Thai Board of Investment's Web site at www.boi.go.th/english for rules on exporting and applications to do so.
The city's most popular shopping areas are along Silom Road and Surawong Road, where you can find quality silk; Sukhumvit Road, which is rich in leather goods; Yaowarat Road in Chinatown, where gold trinkets abound; and along Oriental Lane and Charoen Krung (New Road), where there are many antiques shops. The shops around Siam Square and at the World Trade Center attract both Thais and foreigners. Peninsula Plaza, across from the Anantara Siam Bangkok hotel in the embassy district, has upscale shops. If you're knowledgeable about fabric, you can find bargains at the textile merchants who compete along Pahuraht Road in Chinatown and Pratunam Road off Phetchaburi Road. You can even take the raw material to a tailor and have something made.
Siam Leather Goods
This shop in River City is a good stop for shoes and jackets, along with leather everything else, including pants, skirts, purses, belts, and other accessories.
Siam Paragon
This giant mall has 250 stores, including all the big international brands from Porsche to Chanel, plus a multiplex cinema and tons of restaurants. In the basement, there's SEALIFE Bangkok Ocean World, an underwater marine park where you can dive with sharks.
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Siyan Market
If you’re serious about tracking down quality Bangkok street food, you should visit both Ratchawat Market and this market less than a mile away on the same road. The setup is much the same here, with fresh meat and fish from early to late morning, and vendors selling fresh fruit, prepared dishes, and traditional Thai sweets all day long. There is a small group of lunch vendors in the center of Siyan Market serving curries and stir-fries, though the street stalls tend to have better offerings.
Sretsis
Three Thai sisters, darlings of the local design scene who have gone international, created Sretsis, a feminine design label that has fashionistas around the world raving. Heavily inspired by classic romanticism, Sretsis works with silk, chiffon, satin, and large prints to create passion and glamour that work just as well at a private dinner as on the red carpet.
Terminal 21
Connected to the BTS Asok station via a broad walkway, the various levels at this upper-middle-class mall represent different parts of the world. There's a San Francisco section, for instance, complete with cable cars and a miniature Golden Gate Bridge, plus a London floor, an Istanbul floor, and many others. The food court on the top floor is one of Bangkok's best, and there's a multiplex cinema. There's another Terminal 21 branch on Rama III Road.
Thai Benjarong
This massive ceramics shop has a huge inventory and makes dining sets, bowls, and vases to order. The specialty here is benjarong---intricately designed traditional Thai bowls and plates made with five colors (black, yellow, red, green, and white) and outlined in gold---but there are other designs as well.
TonyBoot
The master cobbler here can copy just about any men's or women's leather shoe, ankle boot, or boot, or create a bespoke design, and have it finished within seven days. Prices run $150–$250 or more, depending on the materials selected. Leather jackets, bags, wallets, cuffs, and other accessories are also available.
