Bangkok Nightlife Area Guide

Posted on October 5, 2013 by koomatzu

Where to find the nightlife spots of Bangkok? Here is a breakdown of all the main nightlife areas of Bangkok:

Khaosan Road Nightlife Bangkok

Good for: Letting loose, hooking up with backpackers

Budget: $ – e.g. 280 baht for a bottle of Sangsom

There are tonnes of bars on Khaosan Road, mainly more geared towards tourists and foreigners. This can be both a good and a bad thing – it’s a place that will make most people feel overdressed, where you can let go and party to your heart’s content; music genres are a little more suited to western tastes but it can also be a little too touristy and crazy for some.

Among foreigners, Khao San Road is the most renowned nightlife area in Bangkok and it is a must visit at least once. It can be a bit douchebaggy at times, but it can still be a really good laugh, and the bars are reasonably priced because they’re used to dealing with young travellers and hippies.

Khaosan Road Bars

It’s pretty easy to just head to Khaosan Road or it’s adjacent road Rambuttri road and randomly tackle the crazy amount of bars. Bombay Blues is an interesting Indian restaurant with an underground bar and rooftop terrace serving shisha. Downstairs on Saturdays, there is a DJ who plays bollywood tunes.

The Brick Bar (look for Buddy Lodge and McDonalds) is one of the few bars on Khaosan Road which is popular with local Thais as well. The atmosphere is upbeat and they play live ska music complete with patrons skanking on the tables. Check out Brown Sugar,

Music and nightclubs on Khaosan Road

The Club is the most popular underground nightclub on Khaosan road and you can find it by looking it for a neon blue sign with a red octopus on it. Prices are super cheap, entry is free, it’s flip flop friendly and the atmosphere is full of pumped, backpackers dancing to techno, trance and house music.

RCA Nightlife Bangkok

Good for: An authentically cool, Thai night out

Budget: $$$ – e.g. 150 baht for a cocktail

RCA, short for Royal City Avenue, is a long road devoted to clubs, bars and live music for young Thai students and hipsters of Bangkok. You could describe the RCA as a chilled out, cool Thai equivalent of Khaosan Road, without so much of the craziness and loutishness of the drunken tourists. Clubs and bars at RCA are typically Thai style and different to the western standard, with open fronts and half the seating stretching outside onto the streets.

The nearest MRT is Petchaburi but it is a little too far to walk from here. The best way is to get a taxi – most drivers will know when you say RCA (and if you are farang, they will probably giggle). Just make sure to bring ID, no matter how old you are, you may get turned away at the door of some clubs otherwise. Also, don’t get to the RCA before 9pm at the earliest, the action and the live music don’t start until late there.

RCA Bars

When tackling Bangkok’s RCA, the best way to start is to just head there and pick a bar that suits you – there are so many of them after all. Some particularly cool bars at RCA though, are Cosmic Cafe, Taksura and Overtone. Cosmic Cafe and Taksura play host to some great indie live music and cover bands. The Overtone is a grungey, alternative style bar with live bands and a younger crowd of black-adorned music fans.

Nightclubs at RCA

Slim & Flix has a great mixture of music going on. The building is divided into separate parts: one area dedicated to R&B and hip hop, another section playing trance and drum n bass, and another lounge with live music performances. Route 66 is another renowned club at RCA worth checking out. Route 66 is equally huge, with half of the club stretching outside and young Thai clubbers dancing around the tables to dance and hip hop genres.

Nana, Soi 11 Nightlife Bangkok

Good for: Affordable rooftop bars and the big clubs of Bangkok

Budget: $$$ – e.g. Between 60 baht for a bottle of beer to 300 baht for a cocktail

Bangkok’s famous Nana Soi 11 is a peculiar combination of trendy, touristy and sleazy… You’ll get hassled by Tuk Tuk drivers, find yourself mobbed by prostitutes on the side streets of Nana Plaza (on the opposite side of Sukhumvit Road to Nana Soi 11) or be turned away from the mammoth nightclubs for being underdressed…

Nana Soi 11 has a bit of everything for everyone though: Laid back, cheap bars; pop-up streetwalk bars serving customers out of vans; sophisticated rooftop bars; chilled out live music and blues venues; and crazy, VIP nightclubs. All the bars and clubs are conveniently clustered together and the clientele of Nana Soi 11 are mainly Bangkok expats and tourists. You can get to Soi 11 by taking the BTS to Nana, it is only a couple of hundred metres from the station.

Nana Soi 11 Rooftop Bars

The rooftop bars in Nana Soi 11 are definitely worth checking out. Nest Rooftop Bar is a cool, dimly lit bar with cosy bed-chairs, sandy beach floors and live music during the later hours. Above 11 is a little quieter that Nest Rooftop Bar making it more suited for chatting with friends. Both rooftop bars are very showy with quirky decorations and creative finishing touches. They have great views and are a reasonable price for rooftop bars in Bangkok.

Bars on Nana Soi 11

Cheap Charlies is a laid back, quirky outdoor pub hidden down one of the side streets of Nana Soi 11. It’s very popular among expats who head there for some cheap pre-drinks before hitting the nightclubs later on. The bar is kitted out with old American-Western style decor and is a unique place to sit outside and watch the lively street from.

The Alchemist Bar is also worth a visit for those looking for a little more sophistication in their evening. Drink prices are a little higher – maybe around 200 baht per drink – but it plays some a good selection of live music in cool surroundings that aren’t too pretentious. You can find the Alchemist Bar just past Cheap Charlies down the side street on the left hand side of Soi 11.

If you walk all the way down Nana Soi 11 and follow the road to the left hand side, you’ll find a great selection of trendy bars, expat pubs and live music being played.

Nightclubs on Nana Soi 11 Road

Nana Soi 11 probably has the largest selection of nightclubs in Bangkok. Levels, next to the Angel Diner on Soi 11’s left hand side, is one of the most popular and mainstream of the clubs among expats on Soi 11. Insanity is perhaps the seediest of the Nana clubs. Located on Soi 12 and attached to a dingy American diner, it is mostly suited to expat and tourist men who are on the prowl for Thai freelance prostitutes. Insanity is your typical, kind of tacky, nightclub with lots of lasers and loud House and Techno music.

Bash tends to be the Bangkok nightclub that people visit in the later hours of the night. With no official closing time, Bash stays open when everywhere else has closed. Still relatively new, it plays a good mix of R&B and hip hop tunes. You’ll find Bash on the left hand side of Soi 11 next door to an Australian pub – it’s best to go later in the night after midnight at the earliest.

Q Bar is more of a VIP nightclub on Nana Soi 11, it’s located at the quieter end of the main road opposite Le Fenix and Nest. The music at Q Bar is a little lighter and easier to dance too, music genres are different depending on the DJ but House and Hip Hop are commonly played. Q Bar is a nightclub to dress to impress and is reported to attract a lot of celebrities who visit Bangkok. Entry costs 600 baht, however this high price creates an ambient, chic and mature atmosphere due to it’s selective crowd of people. From another point of view, some people describe Q Bar as a kind of arrogant, ‘fake VIP’ club of Bangkok.

Perhaps two of the most hailed nightclubs of all in Bangkok are Narz and Glow. Located some distance away from Nana Soi 11 near Cowboy Road on Soi 23, these two nightclubs are all about the music. With bass-heavy beats, dim lighting and a laid back attitude, these are the clubs for some serious dancing and bass appreciation in Bangkok.

Thonglor Nightlife Bangkok

Good for: Sophisticated bars, wine & dining

Budget: $$$$ – e.g. 280 baht for a cocktail

Thonglor soi 55 is the place for the trendy, the sophisticated and the wealthy. Nightlife is a little more spread out around Thonglor in comparison to the other nightlife areas of Bangkok. Choc-full of elegant restaurants, stylish bars and contemporary complexes, Thonglor is not for people looking for nightlife on a budget in Bangkok.

For a sleek and upscale night out in Bangkok, fashionably dressed to the nines and a mature glass of wine with friends, Thonglor is a perfect choice. People in Thonglor tend to be wealthy and refined, both Thai and local expats.

Bars in Thonglor

Notable bars in Thonglor include the unconventional, vintage bars such as Iron Fairies, an ominous, dimly lit bar furnished in the style of a fairy-filled, olden day blacksmith, and Shades Of Retro, a cool hipster bar/ antique furniture shop. Witches Tavern is another quirky, interesting bar & Italian restaurant offering free all-you-can-eat pizzas on Fridays.

For some more fashionable and contemporary wining and dining, make sure to check out Seen Space Thonglor, a small and slick complex with many sophisticated bars and restaurants. Some of the bars and eateries inside include Mr Jones’ Teddy Bear Orphanage, Roast Coffee Bar & Restaurant, Brew Beer & Ciders and Fatr Gut’z. Wine Republic, found around soi 10, is a simple, airy and spacious bar with modern background music and a laid back atmosphere. Club Nove, situated on Soi 9, is a very classy wine & tapas bar.

Live music & Nightclubs in Thonglor

Soi 10 is perhaps the best road to find Thonglor’s nightlife, these nightclubs attract a predominantly Thai crowd of people so make a good area to explore some of the real Bangkok nightlife. In keeping with Thonglor’s ‘hi-so’ vibe, the clubbers here tend to be all the beautiful, upper class folk – you can even spot a couple of Thai celebrities if your lucky.

So, for some standard house and dance music, head to Demo nightclub on Thonglor Soi 10, a New York graffiti filled, loft style club with a warehouse mood. Demo tends to attract a cool and sophisticated crowd of people, more mature and chilled out than the younger students who party next door at Funky Villa. It has a very cool interior, however it does charge a ‘farang fee’ – Thais go free but foreigners must pay 400 baht entry… Screw you Demo!

Muse, also on Soi 10, attracts a younger clientele and primarily hosts live music performances and gigs. It gets super crowded on Saturdays, so much so that you can barely move let alone dance. The good news though, is that entry is free to everyone! Racism free at Muse – Yay!

On Nut Nightlife Bangkok

Good for: Casual, Thai style beers

Budget: $ – e.g. 100 baht for a pint of Chang

On nut is not one of the key nightlife areas of Bangkok, it is not lined with fancy bars, expat pubs and pumping nightclubs like some of the other more popular and busy nightlife areas of Bangkok. However, there is an awesome night market in On nut which is well worth a visit for both shopping and chilled out socialising after work.

Bars in On Nut

On nut night market has a cosy area (very small by Bangkok’s market standards) of some very cheap clothing stalls (mainly for girls). However half of the market consists of a bar and food area with a live music stage and some very cheap beer. The bar area is under the protective cover of a tent like structure with plenty of food stalls perched around the outside with a choice of Japanese, Thai food, desserts and pancakes.

Despite worryingly coming from what appears to be an unrefridgerated cart, the sushi is very good and reasonably priced at only 120 baht per set. Beers cost from 40 baht per bottle to 100 baht per pint and they also sell beer towers. The atmosphere is very casual, a bit grimy, with Thai bands playing later in the evening. Head along to On Nut BTS after dark and simply follow the lights and the music.

Ekamai Nightlife Bangkok

Good for: Cool Thai atmosphere, chilled out bars

Budget: $$$ e.g. Cocktails at 160 baht

As with Thonglor, bars and clubs of Ekamai are rather spread out so you need to know where to go in advance before spontaneously turning up for drinks. Ekamai road (soi 63) provides a real, authentic experience of modern Thai nightlife. Foreigners don’t tend to frequent so many of the bars in Ekamai but it instead attracts mostly cool, young Thais.

Typical atmospheres at the bars in Ekamai lean towards the chilled out side with Thai acoustic music and cozy settings. Many of the hangouts in Ekamai offer a unique charm and quirkiness, it provides a nice break from the overly touristy, louder areas of Bangkok such as Nana and Khaosan Road.

Bars in Ekamai

Banrie Coffee is a very popular beer garden just off BTS Ekamai, on the corner of Sukhumvit 63. Drinks are cheap, food is great and there is live music throughout the night. Open 24 hours a day, the setting of Banrie coffee is relaxed and cosy with plenty of fairy lights illuminating the garden surroundings.

There is a particularly interesting and laid back cluster of bars around the soi 21 area of Ekamai Road Bangkok. Moose bar and the Tuba bar are located right next to each other on soi 21. Tuba bar is a quirky and casual hangout and part-time vintage furniture shop, it has some cool memorabilia decorations.

Moose bar is a slightly trendier and sleeker place but still with personality and a cool, chilled atmosphere. Just down the main road from the Moose Bar and the Tuba, you can find the Owl School pub, another quirky and cool hangout with live music and a cosy, small bar.

Live music & nightclubs in Ekamai

Nung len is a live music bar between soi 5 and soi 7 of Ekamai Road and is a popular hangout for all the trendy Thai locals of Bangkok. Booze Club (Ekamai soi 7) is reasonably priced, plays mainly hip hop music and has live DJs every night. Y50 Pub on Ekamai soi 21 is a chilled out bar come vintage furniture shop which has it’s own house jazz band and a DJ on Wednesdays.

We-Za, between soi 21 and soi 23, is a casual, small Thai style nightclub with loud music and cheap beer. Sonic, on the main road near soi 10, is one of the bigger, more well known clubs of Ekamai. It attracts a mixture of foreigners and local hipsters. It plays a variety of indie music, dance music and live music with different rooms and an outdoor terrace for different genres and DJs. Escobar is another popular club with trance, house and hip hop on the weekends.

Sonic, near Ekamai soi 10

Central World Shopping Mall Bangkok

Posted on October 2, 2013 by koomatzu

Bangkok shopping budget: $$$$

Average clothes prices: 250 baht +

In my opinion, Central World is one of the better gigantuan malls of Bangkok. Central World really is absolutely huge; on the upper floors it has it’s own red carpeted cinema, a luxury hotel, various rooftop bars and a plethora of restaurants – in fact a whole floor dedicated to all-you-can eat buffet restaurants. Suffice to say, it’s very easy to get lost within Central World’s many floors and sections.

Personally, what I like most about Central World, is that it doesn’t have a snobby aura about it like the other big Bangkok malls (*cough Paragon*); there’s a nice, balanced selection of designer shops and budget, big brand outlets. For those with a bit of extra cash, there are some cool brands such as DeFry01, Fox and SuperDry, as well as department stores with mini outlets selling Roxy and Billabong clothing.

However, those on a budget can enjoy shopping at Central World too. The H&M and XXI Forever stores at Central World Bangkok are particularly big and spacious with a great selection of clothes without being too crammed. H&M and XXI Forever often have sales on with cute clothing from around 200 baht.

Zen at Central World

The large section of Central World called Zen is great for some quick designer shopping in Bangkok. The Zen department store consists of different floors containing different designer sections – usually with decent sales on. If you’re lucky enough to catch one of the bigger sales, you might be able to pick up big brand clothing or designer shoes from 500 baht a piece.

If you’re on holiday in Bangkok though, you’re probably better off waiting until you get back home to buy these brands, as they are not any cheaper than in the west as many people believe. If anything, designer brands cost more in Bangkok. But for expats in Bangkok who are in need of clothes that are not just Thai style, it has a nice selection of international brands.

The cinema at Central World is perhaps one of the better ones in Bangkok. Kitted out with red carpets and luxury furnishings, it’s worth a visit on the top floor if you need a break from shopping. The nearby food court offers some pretty good food with great views out of the huge windows as well. Even if you’re not into shopping so much, Central World has loads of buffet and a la carte restaurants to choose from such as Yayoi, Fuji, Mos Burger and Bistro 7.

How to get to Central World Bangkok

You can take the BTS to either Siam or Chitlom depending on which direction you are travelling from in Bangkok. It’s very easy to follow signs to Central World from within the BTS station. The mall is just a 5 or 10 minute walk along the skywalk from either station.

Other places worth visiting near Central World in Bangkok are the Erawan Shrine, the Phallic Shrine, Amarin Plaza, Platinum Mall and Baiyoke Tower.

Siam Square Bangkok

Posted on September 30, 2013 by koomatzu

Bangkok shopping budget: $$$

Average clothes prices: 250 baht – 2500 baht

Siam Square is perhaps the coolest place to shop in Bangkok. Popular with young, funky looking Thais, the shops at Siam Square offer a real nice range of indie boutique shops and alternative brands for both men and women. The square consists of a number of small, indoor shopping centres and markets, separated by high streets and little boutique shops outdoors.

Siam Square definitely makes a pleasant change to shopping in one of the Bangkok malls – you can admire the cool graffiti dotted around the walls outside, take some time out in the peaceful park nearby, or chill out in one of the cute cafes such as the outdoor Travel Library Cafe. Siam Square allows you to shop both outdoors and indoors without feeling too claustrophobic like it tends to get when shopping at Chatuchak Weekend Market or the MBK.

Shops in Siam range from cheaper Thai fashion dresses and tops costing from 250 baht, to individually made, unique clothing at around the 2500 baht mark. The shops outside on the high street tend to be the more expensive ones, but they do stock more interesting and unique fashions.

In the indoor shopping centres, for example underneath the Lido Theatre on Soi 2, you will find cheaper high heel shoes, second hand sneakers, second hand vintage dresses, cool T-shirts and pretty maxi dresses – all very reasonably priced and a little more different to the standard clothes you’ll find in the more touristy markets of Bangkok.

There are a whole choice of styles in clothing, accessories and jewellery in the maze of indoor boutiques: from hand made bling or elegant and simple jewellery, to leather bohemian necklaces or studded alternative accessories.

If you love sneakers and street fashion, you will love Siam Square. If you check out Soi 1 and Soi 2 in particular, you will find numerous shops that sell a huge choice of really cool looking sneakers costing from 2000 baht and upwards. You can find Vans, Converse, Nike, Adidas and a whole lot of other brands in loads of different designs.

If you head through the True shopping centre from the BTS to get to Siam Square, you’ll also find an official Converse store at the back entrance. Many of these shops on soi 1 and soi 2 sell some really cool caps and accessories too – check my section on sneakers in my Bangkok shoe shopping blog to find out more details on specific street fashion shops.

Siam Square Night Market Bangkok

If you head along to Siam Square in the evening, all the hight street shops will be closed and the Siam Night Market will be open instead. The Siam Square Night Market is located right on the main Sukhumvit Road at the foot of Siam BTS – you can’t miss it. The market gets really busy during the night after the locals have finished work, but it sells some really cheap clothing and shoes.

Clothes for sale at the Siam Square Night Market are pretty much your typical, cheap Bangkok street market type; nothing particularly special – the t-shirts, tops and dresses for sale there tend to be the bulk-made fashions you see all over Bangkok. The night market is great for some carefree bargain hunting in Bangkok though. You can buy clothes from just 50 baht for a top there.

How to get to Siam Square Bangkok

Take the BTS to Siam and exit the station on the opposite side to Siam Paragon and Siam Center. If you walk along to the right of the BTS and past the building works, you’ll come across various maze-like walkways and roads which all lead into the square – Just don’t go to Siam Square too early – shops don’t tend to open until late morning or early afternoon.

Other popular areas nearby Siam Square in Bangkok include the MBK shopping Mall, Siam Center and Siam Paragon.

Bangkok Shoe Shopping Guide

Posted on September 27, 2013 by koomatzu

If you want to buy some specific kind of shoes in Bangkok – cheap shoes, sexy shoes, designer shoes or sports sneakers – look no further than my Bangkok shoe shopping guide.

I also have guides for clothes shopping, souvenir & gadget shopping, and a general guide on the malls and markets of Bangkok.

Where to buy cheap shoes in Bangkok

If you’re looking to buy dirt cheap shoes in Bangkok, then look no further than the stalls on the Bangkok streets. The street walks and markets in most of the busier areas of Bangkok will sell some really cheap shoes, flip flops starting at around 30 baht a pair and office shoes, ballet pumps or high heel shoes costing from 199 baht.

The busy streets of Bangkok areas such as Silom, Saphan Taksin, Victory Monument, Siam and Pratunam will have some of the best selections. Many of these super cheap shoes on the Bangkok streets aren’t particularly stylish or cool though, and comfort may be a problem as well – particularly if you have wider feet. If you just need a quick, cheap pair of shoes for a costume or interview though, these places definitely serve this purpose.

In Silom, search along the main streetwalks around Sala Deng BTS on an evening. At Saphan Taksin, check out Charoen Krung Road around the BTS and central pier area – there is a small, particularly good shop for cheap flip flops right next to the BTS station, just across the road from the songtaews. Head to Siam after around 7pm and you’ll find street stalls opposite Siam Paragon and many more up Ratchadamri Road next to Central World.

For some better quality, good value shoes in Bangkok, I highly recommend the shops Footin and Bata. You can find these shops in many of the more local Bangkok shopping complexes as well as The Mall Thapra in Talat Phlu, and the MBK at National Stadium. Bata in particular sells some comfortable, decent sports trainers for between 500 and 1000 baht while Footin sells a great range of cute, sturdy and comfortable sandals and flip flops from 199 baht per pair.

Another cheap place to try for better quality shoes in Bangkok is Siam Square. Siam Square have a variety of shoe shops selling high heels, pretty sandals and cool sneakers. You can buy colourful, handmade leather heels for 750 baht, fashionable Thai ladies shoes from 250 baht, and second hand, big brand shoes for around 200 baht a pair.

Where to buy cool high heel shoes in Bangkok

As above, for some cheaper high heel shoes in Bangkok, head yourself down to MBK or The Mall Thapra where you can buy some decent heels from Footin and Bata. For those looking for something a little more expensive, fashionable and with more of a WOW factor, the designer shops at Siam Center stock some really awesome designs.

You’ll find the bold designs of Villain SF on the first floor, Havaianas, Steve Madden and the slightly more affordable VNC on the second floor. In my opinion, Siam Center is by far the coolest place to shop in Bangkok for ladies shoes. Shoe prices vary from around 1000 baht to 20000 baht per pair, maybe less if you’re lucky enough to catch a good sale.

Where to buy cool trainers/ sneakers in Bangkok

Siam Square in central Bangkok is home to many indie boutiques and Thai fashion shops. You can find some cool, alternative sneaker/ trainers from both international and Thai brands costing anything up to 10000 baht per pair. Check out Sneaka Villa in Soi 2 Trendy Zone – you can find the stairs inside a small shop called London Brown, Sneaka Villa is just on the 2nd floor.

Also nearby Sneaka Villa is Humankind Factor on the second floor of the Lido Theatre near Soi 2, and INFRD (also on Soi 2). On the next main road, Soi 1, you can find the Outcast Store, and the king of all sneaker shops, Vii Athletic Club. As well as some really unique and awesome Thai brand sneakers, you’ll find a good range of Vans, Adidas, Nike, Converse and Reebok in most of these shops.

In particular, Bangkok’s Vii Athletic Club has a huge choice of cool, pimpin’ design sneakers for both men and women, plus a few t-shirts, hats and accessories. It sells New Balance, Supra, Vans, Converse, Adidas, Nike, Nike 6.0, Mad Foot, Victim of Vanity plus a whole second floor dedicated purely to sports shoes. This is my favourite sneaker shop in Bangkok – hands down. Sneaker prices range from 2000 baht up to nearly 10000 baht.

I’ve not visited myself, but Superrzaaap!! just on Soi 9 apparently has a decent stock of sneakers in Bangkok as well.

Humankind Factor

MBK shopping mall is another useful place to shop in Bangkok for big brand trainer and sneaker shops, with various sneaker shops scattered throughout. Keep your eyes peeled for Genesis which sells some awesome designs. For sports shoes on a budget at the MBK, Bata sells decent, basic sports trainers for less than 1000 baht.

For those who don’t mind the concept of second hand shoes, there are few markets with large sections dedicated to used trainers such as Converse, Vans and Nike. Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok has a particularly huge section selling second hand sneakers, or you might like to try the Train Market and street stalls of Siam (try around the Pratunam area where the river meets the Ratchadamri Road – Petchaburi road intersection). Again, Siam Square has a few small shops scattered around that sell small selections of cool, second hand sneakers.

Bangkok Clothes Shopping Guide

Posted on September 18, 2013 by koomatzu

Looking for cheap clothes, bargain designer brands, knock offs like Armani and Hollister fashions, or plus size clothing in Bangkok? For specific shopping needs in Bangkok, check out my shopping guide below.

Alternatively, click here for a guide on typical Thailand shopping prices or learn more about particular areas mentioned below in Bangkok Markets or Bangkok shopping malls.

Clothes Shopping In Bangkok

Where to buy cheap, affordable clothing in Bangkok…

For shopping on a budget in Bangkok, one of the cheapest markets to go clothes shopping is Pratunam, a wholesale clothes market. Most of the sellers in Bangkok buy their stock from Pratunam market so you can at least be sure that you’re getting a bargain, although it is much cheaper to buy in bulk at Pratunam market.

You can find Pratunam market near Baiyoke tower on Petchaburi Road, prices typically range from 100 – 250 baht for clothing such as cardigans, leggings, printed t-shirts, colourful dresses, harem trousers, vest tops and shirts. It’s mainly better for women, there aren’t so many men’s clothes around Pratunam.

Pratunam Market

Another very popular market for cheap clothes shopping in Bangkok is Chatuchak, just off of Mo Chit BTS station. Chatuchak has pretty much everything including Bohemian, indie and Thai fashion styles of clothing, accessories and shoes; prices range from just 150 baht to 250 baht per item of clothing.

You know it’s a cheap place to shop in Bangkok when all the locals shop there. To shop where all the young Thai locals shop (sorry chaps, mainly just ladies clothes), be sure to check out the street markets of Siam and On nut. These are both night markets so the best time to visit is sometime after 6pm in the evening. They have everything from hair accessories, shoes for 200 baht, cute Thai fasions, handbags and a few knockoff brands such as Superdry and Hollister.

You can find these cheap bangkok shopping markets at Siam opposite Siam paragon just off Siam BTS and along Petchaburi Road just off Chit Lom BTS. On nut is also easy to find just off of BTS On Nut opposite Tesco Lotus. Prices start from just 30 baht for a muscle vest to 150 baht for a cute, Thai vintage dress.

Thailand is pretty notorious for it’s knockoff clothes, bags, sunglasses, watches and… well, knockoff everything really. Perhaps the best place to go for knockoff brands in Bangkok is the MBK centre. MBK has absolutely loads of knockoff clothing such as Superdry, Billabong, Diesel and Lacoste.

Patpong night market also sells a particularly large selection of knockoffs, however this market can be a little overpriced and a ripoff. You’ll find knock off Raydan and Oakley sunglasses in pretty much all the markets such as Chatuchak and Patpong.

Where to buy mid range clothing in Bangkok…

For some slightly better quality clothes shopping in Bangkok but not too expensive, try out the shopping mall Terminal 21. Ignoring the designer shops on the bottom floor, the upper floors tend to all be small, boutique, indie designer shops and a good majority of them are decent quality, unique and reasonably priced. Terminal 21 is located right at BTS Asoke station complete with signposts to guide you.

Prices range from 250 baht for an individually designed, printed t-shirt to 3000 baht for evening dresses. Terminal 21 is ideal for lovely cocktail dresses, casual indie clothing, cool shoes and accessories. It even has a whole floor for men’s clothing and is laid out with a different country theme on each floor.

Siam Square, directly opposite Siam Paragon at Siam BTS, is a market complex with shops both indoors and outdoors. There are some pretty dress shops, cool sneakers shops, a wealth of shoe shops and some cute indie boutique shops. Prices range from 200 baht to 1000 baht for dresses and other items of clothing. The fancier shoe shops and skater style sneaker shops move up to about 2500 baht but offer some unique and funky buys.

Plenty loads of individual boutique shops to be found in Siam Square

You may also like to check out my post on the shop Warehouse Export, which sells bargain import brands and good quality clothing for between 150 and 450 baht per piece.

Where to buy designer brands in Bangkok…

The most prominent malls for designer brand shopping in Bangkok are Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Central World. Emporium shopping mall at Prom Phong BTS is another popular designer mall, though it is very expensive. Siam Center is a probably the coolest mall in Bangkok; more interesting than the others with distinctive shops, cool high heel shoes, unique sunglasses and a less mall-like atmosphere.

Designer clothes actually tend to be more expensive in Bangkok than in the west, so it’s best not to be under the illusion of finding bargains while on holiday in Bangkok. However Zen, a department at Central World, tends to have sales on frequently making the brands there a little more affordable. If you’re looking for some massive designer brand sale bargains, Amarin Plaza at BTS Chit Lom almost constantly has some sort of event on it’s ground floor from Billabong to Nike to Karen Miller, and many other brand sales of up to 90% discounts.

Where to buy plus size clothes in Bangkok…

For larger, plus size clothes shopping in Bangkok, Patpong Night Market may be a good option to try. Mainly for men, in particular they offer shorts with a larger waste size for westerners. Alternatively, there is a very specific chain of shops in Bangkok called Warehouse Bilberry which sells clothing up to plus size XXL for both men and women. Prices are very reasonable and good quality as well, starting at around 220 baht for a dress or shirt.

Where to buy men’s clothing in Bangkok…

I feel for men in Bangkok… shops, markets and malls are very much geared towards the female shopper in Bangkok. However, there are some very cool shorts and t-shirts for sale at Chatuchak market and Baiyoke Tower. If you head to the fourth floor of Baiyoke tower, there are some really cool T-shirt designs with parody Star Wars prints and many other designs from around 200 baht.

Shopping at Baiyoke Tower in Bangkok is even better if you are planning on buying a few things as they have some good wholesale deals. They also have some cool shorts with interesting and colourful designs. Similarly, Chatuchak market also has a good range of T-shirts, trainers (sneakers whatever) and shorts with a great choice of both indie, bohemian and Thai style designs.

Because of Chatuchak market’s sheer size compared to Baiyoke Tower, there is much more choice and prices start from around 150 baht for a T-shirt (Although every man I have met in Bangkok absolutely loathes shopping at the jam-packed and maze-like Chatuchak market!).

Check out my shopping blog post on where to buy sneakers in Bangkok for some more really cool men’s clothing, caps and other gear.

Volunteer In Thailand

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Happy

Volunteer In Thailand For Free

Surprisingly enough, there are a lot of charities in Thailand and volunteering agencies around that charge volunteers who want to volunteer for them. Understandably charities in Thailand desperately need donations and have to get funding however they can, but I just can’t help but feel a little mugged off at the thought of forking out extortionate amounts of money to lend a helping hand volunteering in Thailand. Some people really don’t have excess money to make substantial charity donations – all they have to offer is their time to volunteer.

If you look hard enough though, there are plenty of amazing charities that genuinely need people for free volunteering in Bangkok, without expecting donations in return.

No Cost Volunteering In Bangkok

Teaching English. GoodWill charity in Bangkok help disadvantaged women, usually from hilltribes, learn valuable skills to increase their work opportunities and avoid life in the sex industry. They often need people to volunteer in Bangkok to teach english or IT skills a couple of hours a week. Hill Tribe Education Projects charity helps support and educate children in hill tribes in Thailand, who have few rights and little support from the government.

Or check out Bangkok Volunteer Teaching on Facebook for an interesting mixture of teaching volunteer work in Bangkok on offer, such as teaching guitar, for various charities.

Mercy Centre, an orphanage and centre for disadvantaged children in Bangkok, often have volunteer openings for art, music and language teachers or general fundraising and office work.

General volunteer work. In Search Of Sanuk & Foundation for Slum Children help support poor families from the Bangkok slums by educating on parenting and taking care of the children. Thai Craft help support village artisans and their Thai crafts, volunteer work for them varies greatly from simple ‘checkout bagger’ positions, to skilled photography position.

Meetup Bangkok Volunteers is a simple community group of expats and Thai locals who meetup and take part in volunteer work in Bangkok. It’s quite an informal group so it’s especially useful for people who want to volunteer in Bangkok without making a commitment. You can sign up for a range of volunteer days with Meetup including making books for school children or road tripping on jungle trips to help provide medical care for Thai hill tribes.

Where to volunteer in Thailand

Active Aid International is a very useful, free directory of grassroots organisations and community projects. It is a very useful website to search for honest charities to volunteer in Thailand for free with.

Trains In Thailand

Posted on April 1, 2013 by koomatzu

Do trains in Thailand get fully booked?

Do I need to book the train in advance in Thailand? In my opinion it is best to book ahead when travelling by train in Thailand just to be sure to avoid disappointment. I especially recommend it around new year and before the dates of the full moon party if travelling South. It’s not easy to book trains in thailand though… it’s a real ball ache actually. You can’t book Thailand trains online through the official Thai railways website – either you have to do it through a travel agency or make an extra trip to the train station itself before hand. If you are very lazy like myself though, you may find www.thailandtrainticket.com a useful website to book Thailand trains online.

Hualumpong Train Station Scam

I did not book the train ahead when I took a trip to Koh Samui this weekend in Thailand. The trains and buses to the islands and beaches of Thailand get pretty full up what with them being one of the biggest attractions for foreigners. However, having the prematurely anti-social spirit of a grumpy, elderly woman, I also did not realise that I was travelling around the busiest time of the full moon party. I had my hotels sorted, transport planned by the exact memorized Thailand train timetable… We arrived at Hualumpong train station one hour early before the 19.30 train was supposed to leave Bangkok for Surat Thani and nonchalantly approached the man on the tourist information counter for a timetable.

After asking a colleague about our train, the Thailand tourist information guy then informed us that the trains to Surat Thani were actually all fully booked that day. At this point I was starting to panic that I had screwed up our plans. But it wasn’t a problem – he explained to us that there was also a bus that went there… only it was due to leave in 10 minutes time. He bought us to another Thailand tourist information office and handed us over to the travel agent. Again, the new man reasserted that there was a bus about to leave in 10 minutes but it may be fully booked. My panic bar crept up slightly more… He phoned someone up to check for us and eventually turned back to us. “They have last two seats left. But they cost this much:” He got his calculator out and punched the numbers into it – 1300 baht each.

Now, from my experience living in Thailand so far, it’s never a good sign when people get out the calculator. People normally expect you to haggle when they get out the calculator, so obviously they type in some ridiculously over priced figure to start off. I did not expect to haggle over a bus ticket in an official-looking booth in a train station though. I enthusiastically nodded my head with relief. Yayy we got the last two tickets! So lucky!

…. 50 minutes went by after we bought out train tickets. Not only did the bus not leave 10 minutes after we had been told it would, but about 15 people entered the office after us and bought tickets for the very same journey. He’d just lied to us to panic us into paying more for our tickets -_-

I don’t think joint bus and ferry tickets from Bangkok to Samui should cost any more than 1000 baht. Maybe they can cost even less than this I am not 100% sure as maybe I was ripped off the 2^nd time I bought tickets also! Who knows? Either way, I’m not sure what happened. It is a possibility that the trains were not fully booked and the overly helpful Thailand tourist information guy just got paid commission from bringing tourists to book bus tickets. On the other hand though, it was four days before the full moon party and it’s a very popular route for tourists in Thailand afterall.. Being ripped off though, particularly on the very first day of a trip in Thailand, can be really demoralizing and frustrating.

Be warned and do not make the same mistake. Try booking the train in Thailand in advance and don’t let people panic you into paying more than you should. Hopefully someone else can gain something from this experience and some good may come from my gullibility. 😉

Bangkok Gadget Shopping Guide

Posted on January 28, 2013 by koomatzu

Where to buy gadgets and phones in Bangkok

The two malls with the biggest selection of technology and gadgets are MBK and Pantip Plaza. MBK has a whole floor teaming with booths selling mobile phones, accessories, cameras, laptops, cables and other computer bits and pieces at a reasonable price. It’s best not to go on holiday to Thailand with the mindset ‘I‘ll wait until I get to Thailand to buy it, it will be cheaper there‘. Well it’s not. Big brand clothing and technology is more expensive in Thailand than it is in western countries surprisingly.

You can, however, buy some cheap knockoff mobile phones, cables and other computer accessories at not too bad quality in Bangkok. For example, a knockoff mobile phone make of a Samsung Galaxy S4 is just 3500 baht – it looks exactly the same and seems to function pretty well too.

For a more specialised shopping mall catering for gadgets and mobile phones, make sure you head to Pantip Plaza Technology Mall. Pantip Plaza is pretty much like something out of an apocalyptic sci-fi film (Blade Runner comes to mind) – messy, disorganised, lots of wires and blinking lights everywhere… It’s definitely worth a visit though! You’ll find Pantip Plaza on Petchaburi Road right next door to Platinum Fashion Mall near Baiyoke Tower.

Pantip Plaza

For a more trustworthy shop to try, completely free of dubious knockoff brand mobile phones and gadgets, you may want to visit a Big C. Big C is kind of like Thailand’s equivalent to Walmart or Tescos. Head to the top floor of any Big C and you’ll find the technology section with plenty of the latest gadgets and mobile phones at possibly the most reasonable price in Bangkok.

Where to buy Thai souvenirs and holiday gifts in Bangkok

For your typical Thai crafts to buy as souvenirs or gifts from your holiday, you can pretty much head to any Bangkok market and find a stall selling bags, carvings, lights and sarongs etc. MBK mall has a huge selection of all the standard Thai souvenirs on it’s top floor.

Chatuchak weekend market and Asiatique offer a huge choice of hand made Thai trinkets with a few added quirky, unique gifts as well. Chatuchak in particular has a great section of home furnishings, teak wooden lamps, Thai silk quilts and wall hangings.

If you’d prefer somewhere in Bangkok a little quiet to shop for your Thai souvenirs and gifts, try Amarin Plaza in Chitlom. The Amarin Plaza mall is very quiet (I don’t know how it’s still even open) and has a whole floor dedicated to Thai crafts and gifts. Please be aware, that Amarin Plaza will not be as cheap as Chatuchak or Asiatique.

Safety & Travel Tips In Thailand

Posted on January 21, 2013 by koomatzu

Everybody learns better from their own experiences… trial and error. But, to those who don’t have the same ‘it will never happen to me’ attitude as I do, and for a smoother and more enjoyable trip to Thailand, here is a guide for some lessons I learned the hard way, take heed…

Avoid getting mugged and ripped off in Thailand:

If it is your first time to Thailand and you’re feeling a little clueless as to how much to pay when shopping, check out our Buying Guide before heading out. Most stalls will expect you to haggle in Thailand and this is not easy when you have no idea how much something is worth in the first place.

Check your change. This applies especially for 500 notes, which look very similar to 50s. I bought 70 bahts worth of doughnuts at Mister Doughnuts, thinking it was a large chain I figured it might be a good idea to break up my 1000 note in my pocket. The cashier handed me my change, I glanced at it quickly to make sure it was right but then the next day when I checked my pocket, it turned out to be a 50, not a 500. D’oh!

Avoid pushy tuk tuk drivers. When a tuk tuk driver approaches you in Bangkok, and mentions it being some kind of special day – Holy day, Happy buddha day, National tourism day, whatever – or insists wherever you happen to be going is closed… don’t buy it. He will most likely just take you to a suit shop or gem shop as he get’s paid commission for taking you there. Unless you actually want to buy a suit, it’s not the most pleasant experience as you will more often than not be chased out by the offended shop owners.

It is a common occurrence, particularly in Chatuchak Market, to have your bag slashed with a knife and the contents stolen. If possible, keep your bag in front of you and be very aware of the people around you in busy places like this.

Bag snatchers generally tend to work on motorbikes and in Thailand it is perfectly acceptable for motorcyclists to drive on the sidewalk. Although most motorcyclists are perfectly honest citizens, be aware when you hear them approaching and always have your bag on the opposite side to the roadside of wherever they will be driving in order to deter them. Avoiding short strapped ladies handbags and wearing your bag across your shoulder will help enormously.

Bag snatchers have been known to drive by and steal bags which female tourists place beside them when they get on Tuk Tuks. Wherever you are, always keep a hold of your belongings – wrap the strap around your leg… whatever you can.

Shopping Guide: Prices In Thailand

Posted on January 19, 2013 by koomatzu

Thailand Shopping Price Guide

Haggling and bargaining for prices in Thailand is standard shopping practice but it’s not always so easy for a foreigner shopping in Thai markets when, for example, you don’t know how much clothing typically costs; Not to mention when you are buying something in an foreign currency as well. Some of the street vendors in Thailand can be… a little untrustworthy and sneaky when it comes to giving prices to a ‘farang’…

They may well act charming and generous, offering you discount and ‘special prices’, but in reality some of them will take advantage and you may well end up paying as much as five times the actual price. So for anybody new to shopping in Thailand, wondering how the hell much stuff is supposed to cost and worrying if they’re being scammed or not… here is a rough Thailand shopping price guide for you!

Please note that these prices are rough… they are merely the cheapest prices I have found so far in Thailand and individual products may differ in quality and value:

Average prices in Thailand

Small pineapple or melon chopped fruit bag 10 baht
Whole dragon fruit chopped 15 baht
Corn on the cob 15 baht
Pack of 5 pomelo segments 20 baht
Large rose apple or pineapple fruit bag 20 baht
Small bottle of pomegranate juice 40 baht

Ipod cover 100 baht
Knockoff Beats By Dr Dre earbuds 80 baht
Knockoff Beats By Dr Dre Headpones (Medium)150 baht
Knockoff Beats By Dr Dre Headpones (Large) 300 baht
Fake Samsung Galaxy S3 3500 baht
Large suitcase 1500 baht
Fake knockoff sunglasses – Rayban, Oakley 100 baht

Standard T-shirt 200 baht
Fake knockoff SuperDry T-shirt 350 baht
Ladies Denim Jacket 390 baht
Ladies Jeans Shorts/ Hotpants 80 baht
Embroidered Handbag 100 baht

Thin (faux) Leather Belt 50 baht
Chunky Leather Belt 150 baht
Sarong or pashmina 50 – 199 baht
Crochet Cropped Cardigan (bolero) 250 baht
Ladies Vest 35 baht
Plain Leggings 100 – 150 baht
Flip Flops From 40 baht
Fake Havaiana Flip Flops 150 baht
Ladies Rope Thonged Sandals 250 baht

Thailand shopping tip:

Never pay more than 300 baht for a low quality pair of shoes in Thailand. If the price is more than 500 baht, then they should be decent quality shoes… even some of the fancier malls in Thailand price some good shoes from 390 baht – so bare this in mind. And for a price of more than 800 baht, you can some very nice quality shoes. I will add more when I can, but anybody: please feel free to contribute more Thailand prices (or correct)!