Retail Therapy in Thailand: 10 Places to Go Shopping in Bangkok 

The weather isn’t the only thing that’s hot in Thailand. With colorful floating markets to upscale malls, it’s obvious the country also has a hot shopping scene! 

The mall culture is almost unmatched. As such, travelers flying to Thailand, whether shopping for pasalubong or fashionable items, often find themselves drawn to Bangkok's retail centers.  

But where are the best places to go shopping in Bangkok? Whether you’re a Thailand newbie or a repeat visitor, here are our top recommendations. 

10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Bangkok

This list proves that Thais, especially those in the capital, live and breathe shopping. Start shopping ‘til you drop here: 

🛍️ Siam Paragon 

Photo: Siam Paragon website

• Address: Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at Siam Station. 
• Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

If you want to indulge in luxury shopping in Bangkok, make a stop at Siam Paragon. The retail center houses high-end brands, such as Hermes, Versace, Bulgari, Chanel, and more. 

But shopping for fashion items isn’t the only activity at Siam Paragon. You’ll also find car showrooms of Aston Martin, Bentley, and Maserati. 

Cinephiles, on the other hand, will have a great time at the Paragon Cineplex. The cinema complex features 16 screens and 5,000 seats, making it one of the country’s largest multiplexes.  

🛡️ Stay Protected with Travel Insurance

Before you head to Thailand for sightseeing and shopping, make sure to avail of travel insurance. Enjoy financial protection from accidents and inconveniences, such as delays and baggage losses. 

Explore your options with Moneymax. Check out the following: 

Provider	Starting Premium for a 4-Day Trip	Coverage	Features
OONA Insurance	₱299	Up to ₱5 million coverage in medical, hospitalization, and travel inconveniences	24/7 worldwide protection and assistance services Car rental excess protection Cashless medical assistance
PGAI Travel Shield Insurance	₱361	Up to ₱2.5 million coverage in medical and emergency expenses benefit	24-hour worldwide assistance Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation  Cashless settlements of claims up to the policy limit
PGA SOMPO TravelJOY Plus	₱463	Up to ₱2.5 million coverage in medical expenses	Covers infants and adults up to 75 years old (up to 99 for Schengen countries) 24/7 hotline assistance and mobile support Loss of money and travel document cover Cashless benefits in case of emergency treatment or hospitalization

🛍️ King Power Rangnam 

Photo: King Power website

• Address: 8 King Power Complex, Rangnam Road, Phayathai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at Victory Monument Station. From there, take an eight-minute walk toward your destination. 
• Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Where to shop in Bangkok for a duty-free haul? Head to King Power. 

This duty-free retail brand has multiple branches across Thailand, but if you’re downtown, King Power Rangnam is the place to go. This branch is home to many international fashion brands, such as Prada, Burberry, Kenzo, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, and more. 

For jewelry and watch collectors, King Power Rangnam features Omega, Montblanc, Emporio Armani, Cartier, and Chopard. 

💳 Shop Conveniently and Earn Rewards with a Credit Card 

With a credit card, you don’t have to scramble with foreign bills and coins to pay for your shopping haul. Plus, each transaction, whether you’re buying flight tickets or paying for dinner, earns rewards, like points and miles. With the right card, you can also enjoy low foreign transaction fees!

Compare the best credit cards for travel and apply via Moneymax:

Credit Card	Travel Benefits
UnionBank Rewards Card	3x non-expiring rewards points when you shop and dine here and abroad Worldwide acceptance Rewards at participating restaurants, shopping outlets, and leisure establishments nationwide
Metrobank Platinum Mastercard®	1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend Points redeemable for air miles
Metrobank World Mastercard®	2x rewards points for international purchases Exclusive access to airport deals
HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate	5% rebate on travel and shopping transactions Free travel accident and travel inconvenience coverage Exclusive deals at shopping, travel, dining, and health and beauty merchants worldwide
Security Bank Platinum Mastercard	Dual currency billing 2 complimentary lounge access annually in more than 1,300 lounges in 500 airports worldwide Unlimited access to A Lounge, Marhaba Lounge,  and PAGSS Lounge Up to US$200 coverage with Mastercard E-Commerce Purchase Protection  Free travel insurance
Security Bank World Mastercard	6 complimentary lounge access annually in more than 1,300 lounges in 500 airports worldwide Free travel medical insurance worth up to US$100,000 with COVID-19 coverage Exclusive automatic cashback offers from participating stores overseas
BPI Platinum Rewards Card	2 BPI Points for every spend on foreign transactions abroad or online worth ₱20 Low forex conversion rate of just 1.85% Up to ₱10 million in travel insurance coverage 0% interest on airline installment all year round Up to 4 free lounge access annually to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide
BPI Signature Card	2 BPI Points for every ₱20 spend Complimentary lounge access to PAGGS at NAIA 1 and NAIA 3 Preferential exchange rates on foreign currencies 24/7 worldwide concierge by Visa

🛍️ EM District 

• Address: 622 Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at Phrom Phong Station. 
• Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

Still can't get enough of luxury shopping? Visit The EM District, a shopping complex composed of three malls: Emporium, EmQuartier, and EmSphere. 

With six floors of high-end brands, Emporium offers a truly indulgent shopping experience. Here you'll find Dior, Prada, Cartier, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton. 

EmQuartier, meanwhile, offers more than just shopping. Simply walking around the mall is a treat with its stunning architecture and interior design. While it has upscale boutiques, you can shop on a budget with brands like Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo. 

Lastly, EmSphere epitomizes the shopping collective’s ambition with its unique glass dome design. If you’re looking to shop for homeware, you’re in for a treat since this mall is home to one of Thailand’s IKEA stores. 

Read more: Home or Office Makeover? Where to Buy Furniture in the Philippines

🛍️ ICONSIAM

Photo: ICONSIAM website

• Address: 299 Soi Charoen Nakhon 5, Charoen Nakhon Road Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at Krung Thon Buri Station.
• Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

By now, you must have noticed that Thailand has an affinity for shopping. This is further reinforced by ICONSIAM. 

Located on the riverside, this Bangkok shopping mall is built by the company behind Siam Paragon. One of the best things about this mall is that it caters to shoppers with varying budgets. Not only does it host high-end brands like Prada, Rolex, and Dior but it also serves as a home to midscale names like Adidas, Havaianas, and Uniqlo.^[1] 

If you want to experience Japanese-style shopping, ICONSIAM features the iconic Takashimaya. This Japanese department store has seven floors of lifestyle products, ranging from cosmetics to clothing. 

🛍️ Platinum Fashion Mall Bangkok 

• Address: 222 Petchburi Road, Thanon Petchburi, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at Chit Lom Station. From there, walk toward your destination.
• Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Where to shop for clothes in Bangkok? Platinum Fashion Mall is arguably the best shopping mall in Bangkok for clothes. 

This massive mall offers reasonably priced clothes, bags, and accessories. Step inside and you’ll remember our very own 168 Mall. 

Want to go shopping for cheap in Bangkok? Get wholesale prices at Platinum Fashion Mall when you buy a specific number of items from the same shop. For that reason, this mall serves as a haven for small shop owners and distributors. 

Read more:

• Wardrobe Makeover? Check Out These Online Clothing Shops for Deals
• Stay Cool in the Heat with These Summer Outfits in the Philippines

🛍️ Chatuchak Weekend Market 

• Address: 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok
• How to get there: If you’re taking the BTS Skytrain, alight at Mo Chit Station. If you’re taking the MRT, alight at Chatuchak Park Station. 
• Opening hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (or much later depending on the stores)

Also known as JJ Market, Chatuchak Market draws in both locals and tourists for its sheer size and diverse offerings. Here, you can find more than 8,000 stalls offering a multitude of items, from clothing to plants. 

Other items in this Bangkok shopping district include handicrafts, ceramics, and even pets (although it may be difficult to bring them home due to regulations).

Old books and antique collectors may find what they’re looking for at this market. Just a word of caution: if you plan to buy collectibles and antiques, bring along someone who can scrutinize them. 

🛍️ Damnoen Saduak Floating Market 

• Address: Damnoen Saduak, Ratchaburi
• How to get there: From Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal, take bus no. 78 bound for Damnoen Saduak.
• Opening hours: 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

While not located in Bangkok, the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market^[2] deserves a spot on this list for its unique shopping scene. About two to three hours away from the capital, this famed floating market offers everything, from locally made handicrafts to fresh produce. 

If you want to experience the colorful chaos, hop onto a boat and navigate the canal while bargaining with vendors. You can watch also the action from the bank and even capture a photograph or two. Enjoy people-watching as you eat generous helpings of boat noodles or dumplings.

Read more: How to Bargain: 8 Negotiation Tactics to Get the Best Deals

🛍️ Pantip Plaza 

• Address: Phetchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at Chit Lom Station. From there, walk toward your destination. You may also ride a tuk-tuk or taxi from the station. 
• Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Pantip Plaza is one of the best malls in Bangkok when it comes to electronics. Shop for a new phone, computer, camera, or memory card. Some stalls also sell secondhand equipment. 

While a lot of shops at Pantip Plaza sell authentic and top-of-the-range items, other merchants sell fake and pirated products. So be wary—if the price is too good to be true, it probably is.

🛍️ MBK Center 

• Address: 444 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan District, Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at National Stadium Station. 
• Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

Where to shop in Bangkok if you’re looking to tick several items off your to-do list all at once? With MBK Center’s eight storeys and over 2,000 shops, you can do your shopping and errands in one day. After dining or watching a movie, you can go to the mall’s service zone to apply for a passport (that is if you’re a local), make a deposit to your bank account, or send a package. 

MBK Center is also home to Don Don Donki (Don Quijote), a Japanese discount store. So if you miss the feeling of shopping at a Don Quijote outlet or have never been to Japan, MBK Center is the place to go. 

🛍️ CentralWorld  

• Address: 999/9 Rama I Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok
• How to get there: Take the BTS Skytrain and alight at Chit Lom Station. From there, walk toward your destination.
• Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

With 830,000 square meters of retail floor,^[3] CentralWorld is one of the largest places for shopping in Bangkok. It offers more than just shopping, as it contains an upscale cinema complex and a large collection of restaurants and cafés. 

Popular stores at CentralWorld include the Apple Store, Uniqlo, H&M, Atmos, Cath Kidston, and more. Top dining establishments, on the other hand, are After You, Di Tai Fung, Garrett Popcorn, Haidilao Hot Pot, and Hinoya Curry, among others. 

CentralWorld is also close to other popular shopping destinations, such as MBK Center and Platinum Shopping Mall. 

Read more: 4 Unique Traits of a Smart Shopper

Final Thoughts

Thailand isn’t only known for its temples, delicious cuisine, pristine beaches, and warm people.  It also has a reputation as a shopping haven, as made obvious by its humble floating markets and colossal malls.

So if you’re flying to this country, make sure to check out these best places for shopping in Bangkok!

Sources: 

• ^[1] ICONSIAM Directory
• ^[2] Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Profile
• ^[3] CentralWorld Profile