Horrible Traffic in Bangkok

Most of the popular malls are fairly easy to get to if you take the bts/mrt, dont even think about getting into a cab. By the time you reach your destination you wont be as enthusiastic about shopping anymore.
If quality is a criteria for you, you would probably be more interested in malls like Siam Paragon , Central, Emporium , etc these are just a few of the many amazing malls you will find in Bangkok.

Siam Paragon Shopping Mall

Chatuchak Market

For people on a budget places like Siam square, Chatuchak, Pratunam, Plantinum mall and Suam lum night bazaar would be more appropriate. Here you can bargain and get a discount on pretty much anything. Never settle for the first price. Most things are pretty standard for example the 199 THB products, and there really is no need to ask for a discount on them. A very notorious market is silom (pat
pong) where you can buy fake branded items. Here you would need to bargain alot as the shop keepers will normally start at atleast 3 times what they would sell for. Over all Bangkok has something for everyone, its a shoppers paradise.

Dont forget the VAT tag if quality is a criteria for you. And also the 7% VAT refund at the airport (minimum purchase of 2000 baht per day and store and over all 5000 baht shopping bill is required)

Article submitted by  Benish Paracha

Before we get into it, I’d just like to mention that bargaining will only work in some malls, if you go into Paragon Shopping mall or Central Shopping Mall or any other big retail stores your bargaining skills won’t work. So it really depends on where you shop. In Thailand there is a grey market for almost everything you need. So if you go to one of these grey markets you’ll get more ‘bang for your buck’.

So you’ve walked into Platinum shopping mall and you see a scarf and absolutely love it, you ask the shop keeper and she says its 600 THB what do you do? Buy it? Absolutely not. If you shop in a grey market such as Platinum Shopping mall or MBK shopping mall you never buy the first price they quote you. Usually tourists fall into the trap of “oh it’s so cheap I’ll get it” it’s not cheap at all, the shop keepers like tourists who don’t know how to bargain so they can double or triple the actual price, so what do you do? You bargain. Here is how.

This doesn’t just apply to clothing and apparel. All kinds of goods even electronics goods, if you buy them from retail shops in big department stores you’ll be paying a hefty cost. All electronics goods in Thailand are marked up by at least 2 times the original prices. For example if you buy a game console such as the Xbox 360 or PS3 or the Wii from Emporium you’ll be paying triple the actual price. However go to a grey or a black market in “Sapan Lek” you’ll paying the same price as you would in the US or in some cases even cheaper. There are drawbacks however, your product won’t have warranty if they’re bought from the grey or black market. You’ll have to weigh your options here. Most electronics goods don’t break down that easily, so when your buying as long as you test the goods, your mostly set. For Apple products its a little bit different if you buy Apple products in the grey market you’ll find that its about 500 THB -1000 THB cheaper than the iStudio’s and you can also Apply for the warranty with the grey market Apple products, the iStudios will take the grey market products for repair as well so there is absolutely no point in buying the iPods from the retail stores.

Most of the people who live in Thailand know where all the grey market and the black markets are located, so you’ll probably never see a local buy any electronics from the department store unless they’re really hi-so and have too much money to spend.

A lot of foreigners buying goods in Thailand get tricked into thinking that its ‘Cheap’ to buy stuff from Thailand. Its actually not if you don’t know what your doing. Some shopkeepers will also have a double standard pricing scheme. Stay away from these at all costs. How do you know? Well its very difficult unless you speak Thai. Its generally a good idea to go shopping with a local who knows the language. Just by initiating the conversation in Thai can lower the price of products by 2000-3000 THB at the least.

Once I was walking around in MBK looking to buy a phone, I saw a foreigner looking at a shiny new phone and I overheard him bargaining the price with the shop keeper. I overheard the price being something like 27,000 THB for the phone. So I decided to go to the same shop a few minutes later and ask about the price of the same phone. I initiated the conversation in Thai and asked about the price, low and behold he quoted me the price of 19,000 for the exact same phone! Just some food for thought.

Its generally also smart to ask a few shops for an average price for the items your interested in buying, just to give yourself an idea of how much something should cost. Once you have an idea you’ll be a much more successful bargainer. So next time you go shopping be sure to bargain! Happy Shoppin!

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This chic room also has a bamboo light pendant between 2 Single beds creating right calming and cozy ambient for you.

All the rooms have recently been redesigned and are also equipped with excellent modern facilities, including:

• Broadband Internet Access (Wifi Service)
• Stylish 32” Flat Screen LCD TV Service with many Entertainment Channels
• Air conditioning
• Refrigerator
• Water Thermos

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There is also a Japanese table tucked under the King sized bed making the room flexible for having meals.

All the rooms have recently been redesigned and are also equipped with excellent modern facilities, including:

• Broadband Internet Access (Wifi Service)
• Stylish 32” Flat Screen LCD TV Service with many Entertainment Channels
• Air conditioning
• Refrigerator
• Water Thermos

THB 1620 / night

$53.99 US / night