Shopping in Thailand

Although Thais tend to believe (mistakenly) that Hong Kong and Singapore are the shopping meccas of southeast Asia, you can buy virtually anyone in Bangkok, often at bargain-basement prices. Imports, notably foods, tend to be expensive, so if you must eat cornflakes, cheese, and pickles, expect to pay through the nose! Thailand's industrial base has extensive enormously in the past thirty years, and the country now has a range of factories producing electrical goods, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and so on. If you want to go on a shopping spree you will find most of these local products reasonably priced and of good quality. Some foreigners get angry because they feel they are being expensed more at markets than a Thai would be, but vendors tend to price their goods agreeing to a person's capability to pay and they reason, correctly, that a foreign tourist is well-heeled compared with most of the Thai customers.

If you feel you are getting a raw deal, be prepared to bargain; this is startling of you. If you can trade in Thai, a seller will be so surprised and delighted that he (or, more likely, she) will be more willing to give you a reduction. Group stores, supermarkets, and hotel boutiques tend to have fixed prices, which are clearly marked. A whole of foreign retailers have branches in Thailand, but commonly speaking the smaller shops are much more fun. The Siam quadrilateral and Pratunam areas have a very wide range of shops, but you have good shopping facilities in most areas of Bangkok, including the major enterprise area around Silom and Suriwong.

There are several excellent markets, including the supreme Floating Market, which is often the ultimate destination of city canal tours. In the provinces you will also find a wide range of goods on sale, even in the smallest townships. Most of the large hotels and tourist centers have souvenir shops selling Thai handicrafts. Thai silk, bronzeware, lacquerware, Celadon pottery, and wood carvings are among the most challenging items. Caveat Emptor Buyer beware! Every year thousands of visitors are conned into buying objets d'art they believe to be genuine, but which are not.

Shopping in Thailand

At archaeological sites like Ayuthaya, for instance, habitancy will approach you offering to sell you genuine antiques that turn out to have been made last week and skill fully aged. A genuine ancient is likely to be expensive, and if you plan to take it out of the country, you may well need to derive an export license. You need to practice single care when buying jewelry, especially when approached in the street. Reputable dealers do not solicit in this way, nor do they fabricate special promotions. All claims as to the value of the object need to be verified carefully, and if you have any doubts as to the reliability of a jewelry dealer you should check with the tourist aid center of the tourist Authority of Thailand. The tourist Authority Web site is tat.or.th.

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