I usually don’t spend a lot of time shopping while on the road and prefer to buy my essentials before traveling. However, Bangkok is an exception. I simply love shopping in Bangkok for the variety of styles, latest fashion and dirt cheap prices. Yes, it is even cheaper than India so its wise to take an empty suitcase while traveling to this mecca for shopaholics.
Bangkok Last Minute Travel Guide
Are you headed to Bangkok for shopping and its multitude of other top attractions like – Getting a spiritual Sak Yant tattoo, utilizing your brain cells at a mystery room or staying in a unique hotel?
Well then, you are in the right place. If you are planning a last minute Bangkok trip here is a quick book guide to top tours and best hotels near shopping plazas to try.
Best Hotels in Bangkok Near Top Shopping Centers
Centara Grand at CentralWorld – Excellent location for shopaholics heading to Bangkok with close proximity to Platinum mall and central world – two of the biggest and best malls in Bangkok for budget and mid range shopping.
Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 – As the name suggests this hotel is literally in the most unique and interesting mall of Bangkok – Terminal 21. A shoppers paradise and in one of the coolest districts of Bangkok – Sukhumvit.
Top Tours to Try When in Bangkok
3 Hour Cycling Tour Across Bangkok
Bangkok by night covering temples, market and food on a Tuk Tuk
Railway market and floating market tour in Bangkok
Bangkok Shopping Guide – Where to Shop in Bangkok for All Budgets
Shopping in Bangkok can get out of hand if you are not careful. During my very first trip to Bangkok, I literally broke the bank, paid extra baggage and bought a 42 inch flat screen TV – all thanks to my wild shopping spree. Over the years, I have calmed down a bit and know exactly where to go and what to buy, without putting a dent in my wallet.
Bangkok has an array of malls and street shops dotted all over town – with plenty of day, night and weekend markets as well. A first time visitor would surely be perplexed. To simplify this process, I have created this Bangkok shopping guide based on my 7 trips to this metropolis.
Budget Shopping in Bangkok
Being a thrifty shopper, I love budget wholesale malls and the array of street markets in Bangkok. If you are like me and wondering where to shop in Bangkok on a budget or looking for street shopping in Bangkok, then read this section.
Here are my favorite places to visit in Bangkok for shopping on a shoestring budget –
Platinum Fashion Mall
This is my #1 choice for cheap shopping in Bangkok and I make it a point to spend few hours in this mall every time I visit the city. Platinum has different sections and floors for each category – shoes, accessories, women’s/men’s fashion and handicrafts.
It is easy to get lost as there are hoards of lanes, floors, 3 different mall sections and a ton of shoppers. However, once you get a hang of it, you can easily navigate your way around.
Here’s a short video I took while walking around Platinum fashion mall to give you a feel of the place –
This is a wholesale mall, which means if you buy 3x of any item you get a discount. It’s worth to bargain as you can usually get the same price for 1 item as well.
Tip – Stalls along the escalator are the cheapest – I have seen denim shorts/jumpers and even jeans being sold for a measly 50 Baht (Around $1.4)!!!
If you step out of the mall, there is a row of thrift stores outside as well.
2023 Update on Platinum Mall -Earlier Fashion Platinum Mall used to have separate zones for footwear and bags, both those zones are shut now. There is only one zone (the main one) with different floors of course, for all your needs – majorly clothes, but also shoes, accessories, bags (not too many) etc.
Platinum mall remains my favorite option for shopping in Bangkok for clothes.
Pratunam Market
Just opposite Platinum mall is this bustling Bangkok shopping market with hoards of vendors selling wholesale clothes, shoes and accessories all day long. This is one of the best street shopping options but in Bangkok, be very careful with your money as pick pocketing is very common.
Pratunam starts from Petchaburi road and goes all the way up to Baiyoke towers – where you can find some more budget shops. Shops are open till 2100 hours but then the night market starts with a different variety to choose from. Both day and night markets are worth checking out.
Bangkapi Mall and Adjoining Markets
Bangkapi mall offers a wide variety of clothes, accessories and shoes in a huge indoor mall. Alongside restaurants and fancy lounge areas. The mall itself has branded showrooms but you can still find discounted deals and amazing deals sometimes. However, the best part are the outside stores in an open area called the Tavanna market. You would often find better bargains and variety outside. Of course the clothes and shows are not branded but isn’t that half the fun of street shopping in any case?
Indra Square
Indra Square is just next to Pratunam and the only real difference is that this is another mall where you can shop indoors, in Air con if it gets too hot outside. Rates are tad higher than the Pratunam street shops outside, with less margin for bargains but still the clothes, bags and accessories found here are a steal.
Pantip Plaza (Electronics)
This is your ultimate go-to place if you are looking for highly discounted electronics. This IT mall is a 2 min walk on the same side as Platinum fashion mall. You can literally buy anything and everything to satisfy your geek pleasures here. From laptops to latest phones, cameras, mp3 players, printers, games and all sorts of hardware and software, Pantip is ‘the’ place to buy electronics.
Even retailers from other parts of the country come to Pantip to get a bargain and cut the middleman costs. There are a lot of shops to choose from and it can get overwhelming at first. I would recommend spending some time checking out different shops and prices in order to get the best bargain electronics.
BONUS tip – Best weekend street shopping market in Bangkok is surely Chatuchak weekend market.
Mid-Range Shopping Malls in Bangkok
Mid range malls in Bangkok are excellent and offer different styles with better quality than the wholesale malls. You also get more space as lanes are much wider and less crammed. Everyone needs food whilst on a long shopping spree and there are plenty of lovely restaurants, cafes and even vegan Bangkok eateries to choose from.
Click here for a complete list of foods to try when in Bangkok.
MBK
MBK shopping center is the most popular mid-range option for travelers and locals. It tops the list of best malls in Bangkok, hands down. If you are in search of what to buy in Bangkok for ladies, this mall has it all.
With over 2000 shops to choose from and few budget stalls as well, it drives a lot of shoppers looking for pocket friendly goods, without having to rummage through narrow lanes. Spread across 8 huge floors, it is a shopaholics dream.
This mall has everything from clothing to electronics and even food court and supermarket. So unlike the wholesale malls, you literally get everything under one air conditioned roof. No wonder shoppers flock in hoards to MBK center everyday.
Central World
Central world plaza is one of those more spacious malls. You can choose from two major department stores of 500+ shops for your shopping pleasures. The rates are definitely higher than MBK but the quality is by far superior. Plus, if you head to the back of department stores, they often have sales at throwaway prices (when they have a few pieces of a style left).
Terminal 21
Terminal 21 makes it to my list simply for the unique factor. Each floor is designed keeping different city markets across the world in mind. So every floor has its own unique city theme – Paris, Rome, Caribbean, Tokyo, London, Istanbul and San Francisco. Even the toilet interiors are done keeping the floor theme in mind. Considered as one of the high-end malls it is worth a visit and highly recommended.
Luxury Shopping Options in Bangkok
Okay so in all honesty, I have only ever been to Siam Paragon and that too for window shopping. I don’t care so much about brands and simply buy what I want and like and brand names are not what determine my shopping choices. However, for those who are looking for the latest and best original brands head to one of these ultra lovely malls – Siam Paragon, Central Embassy, Emquartier & Emporium. Even if you are not looking to shop, these are definitely worth going to just to ogle at interiors and do some people watching.
Getting There
Public Transport – Bangkok has a excellent public transport network – tuk tuk, taxi, skytrain, bike taxi – You have plenty of options. However, tuk tuk’s and bike taxi’s usually go short distance and taxis during peak hours are hard to find. Your best and fastest bet is walking to the nearest BTS (skytrain) station to catch the train to your next stop. However, if you are looking for comfort and hassle free transportation, opt for a private tour/car hire.
Private Transport – The most convenient way is to simply hire a car or take a shopping tour of Bangkok. I took a customized tour which was priced at 40 Euros for 6 hours and is definitely worth it. Considering I got stuck in traffic for 2 hours that day,a taxi would’ve costed a bomb. I could choose where to go and since I just had one day for shopping and wanted to re-visit all my favorite spots, renting a cab was the perfect option.
If you want to spend entire day in one or two malls (Which you can, provided you have ample time in Bangkok), public transport would be just fine.
Map of Shopping Malls and Markets in Bangkok
Other Useful Resources
Top 10 Shopping Experiences in Bangkok
5 Best Places to Shop in Bangkok (Get a guy’s take on the shopping scene)
10 Great Places to go Shopping in Bangkok
FAQ’s about Shopping in Bangkok
What items are cheap in Bangkok?
Pretty much everything from electronics to fashion clothing, shoes and accessories. Bangkok is a true mecca for shopaholics.
What to buy in Bangkok for ladies?
Women, you can go crazy shopping in Bangkok - head to the malls for latest fashion trends. Be it clothes, shoes, accessories or more.
Which is the most unique mall in Bangkok?
erminal 21 is surely the coolest and most unique designed as a different tourist destination on each floor.
Which is the best wholesale mall in Bangkok?
For clothes and latest fashion accessories as well as shoes, head to Platinum mall Bangkok.
Which are your favorite places to shop in Bangkok? If you are looking for what to buy in Bangkok then where would you prefer to go? Tell me about them in comments below so I can check them out when I re-visit and add them to my Bangkok shopping guide.
This alongside regular visits to Indian jungles in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, fueled her zest for adventure, nature and wildlife.
Now she is a renowned travel blogger, outreach expert and has worked with over 500 travel brands in the last 15 years.
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Oh man Bangkok! I wish I had known about most of these options, I might still have some good buys! I was only there for two days, and a friend’s cousin or something was showing us around so quickly I got whiplash. We only made it through Chatuchak Market and the Sampeng Lane Market in Chinatown. While things were cheap, I found a lot of knock offs (which as someone who worked for four years part time at a designer bag store, I just can’t) and the quality was over all pretty bad (all the things I did get have long since torn or fallen apart).
Terminal 21 looks so interesting. I love places that have themes to them. Now I’m curious to see what the Tokyo floor looks like 🙂 I still haven’t had a chance to shop in Thailand, so when I do I’ll have to refer back to this post. Thanks!
Wow, some of those shopping centers would be so cool just to view the architecture and design of the location. I love to pick up useful items when I travel. One year I did a dress from each city. I could use some jewelry these days. Looks like Bangkok has a lot of amazing pieces to choose from.
Pratunam and Terminal 21 are my two favorite malls in BKK. So many things to buy, way too many floors, I get a bit crazy and end up getting things I don’t even use sometimes!
looks like there are many amazing options from markets to mega malls. I would be more partial to hunting through the markets to see of i could find something amazing
Ooh this is such a comprehensive guide especially with how to get there instead of just where to shop. I really love gadgets so would probably enjoy the electronics place! Thanks for this resource.
I always try to hit the markets when I’m travelling. I’ve never thought of going to the big shopping centers. They certainly make for a cool experience!
This is so helpful thanks. I prefer budget shopping (if I shop at all) and now I’ll know where to go when I go in December.
I love Bkk night markets! Especially Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin!! I bought the most items over there. Almost stop at every stop I pass by, and didn’t manage to finish shopping the rest of the columns! Definitely going back! And there was this maggie & omelette stall which was delicious! Luckily I manage to effectively lose some weight before I head over to bkk~
Wow kim such useful info – I neeeeed to check this market out and boy did you say MAGGIE!! damn girl, I am drooling.