The MBK Center is different from the other shopping malls in the Patum Wan district, most of them are luxurious, with high-end brands only while the shops at MBK offer copies of high-end brands for low-end prices. And because of this very reason, it can get quite crowded in MBK, with an average of 100 thousand shoppers a day 7 days per week.

The shopping mall MBK has an total of 8 floors, with about 2000 stores, restaurants and entertainment including a 4 floors Tokyu department store. As every other large mall in South East Asia, the MBK center also has an food court, supermarket, fast-food joints, an entertainment plaza and cinema to watch movies. Shops include just about anything imaginable from clothes, bags to accessories for computers till hair, electronics, barber shops, ice cream vendors to high end restaurants. There’s several floors dedicated to electronic devices as cellphones, PDA’s and computers.

One of the unique factors about this mall is that you can actually discount your products on the higher levels/floors. It seems that the prices get cheaper as you go up. This is because most of the vendors sell similar goods as on the street markets where the price is also negotiable, but most important because regular Thai people shop here mainly.

Opening Hours Mon- Sun 10 am – 9 pm

MBK Center
444 Phayathai Road
Patum Wan 10330
Bangkok, Thailand
+66 0 2620 9000
www.mbk-center.co.th

Despite the fact Siam Paragon can be crowded at times the mall remains fantastic high-end shopping mall located in the heart of Bangkok surrounded by many sightseeing attractions. The spacious stores and walkways make it comfortable walking around even during peak times. Siam Paragon offers anything imaginable for sale spread over 6 floors, besides regular department stores, shopping facilities, a grocery store and restaurants it also offers entertainment at many levels, such as the multiplex movie theater (average price per ticket 140 baht, about $4,25us) consisting of 15 large size theaters, which of the main theater has largest screen and biggest seating capacity in Asia. As well the Siam Ocean World (underwater world) located beneath the Siam Paragon shopping mall which holds the largest aquarium in South East Asia, the mall even has its own exhibition hall and a Thai Art Gallery, as well an opera concert hall. On the top floors, there’s several entertainment centers where you can play games and win toys, a large bowling alley and karaoke center named Blu-O Rhythm & Bow.

When going to Siam Paragon for grocery shopping, or a quite bite enter upon street level for the food court and the huge gourmet supermarket. There’s not many supermarkets in Bangkok that compete in size. For a more convenient way of entering the mall, walk the spacious elevated walkways of the BTS Skytrain, for easy access to the Siam Paragon elevators. Be prepared to walk through metal detectors prior to entering the mall with security checking bags.

A few of the exclusive products sold in the Siam Paragon mall are expensive jewelry, watches, clothing and even cars from high end international brands such as Gucci, Hugo Boss, Burberry and Ferrari just to name several. As earlier mentioned the mall has a total of 6 floors, here’s a complete breakdown (in the back of the building there’s the Siam Paragon Department Store, covering all floors).

Basement floor: Siam Ocean World
Ground floor: Food Court, Gourmet Supermarket.
M floor: Beauty Hall, The Luxary
First floor: Fashion Venue, The Lingerie Salon.
Second floor: Paragon Men, Sports Mall Global (as well public showrooms Maserati, Lamborghini and Ferrari cars).
Third floor: Read and Write, Paragon Kids.
Fourth floor: Paragon Mall Ultra, Paragon Living, A passage to Asian Arts and Crafts, IT City.
Fifth floor: Multiplex Movie Theater, Paragon CinePlex, KrungSri IMAX, Blu-O Rhythm & Bow, Edutainment Center.
Sixth floor: Siam Opera, Edutainment Center.

Spread out over the five actual floors (the Siam Opera isn’t part of the actual mall) with Siam Paragon, in-between and next to luxury shops you will find literally hundreds of restaurants, from fast-food joints, ice cream vendors to high-end restaurants with about any international cuisine you can think of.

Opening Hours Mon- Sun 10 am – 10 pm

Siam Paragon
991/1 Rama 1 Rd, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Tel: (+66) 0 2690 1000
www.siamparagon.co.th

The 6 floors shopping center offers a wide selection of stores, selling about any electronic or computer related accessories including printers, digital cameras, MP3 players, cellphones and TVs. What Pantip Plaza is (in)famous for, is it’s piracy of DVDs, games and software being offered for 100-150 Thai Baht (about $3.00 to $4.50us) per CD, starting the moment you walk into the mall.

When looking for a specific item such as an wireless mouse, webcam or USB stick it’s advised to take a stroll and compare prices from the many vendors within the mall, allowing yourself to find the best deal. It’s also an handy stop when your having issues with electronic devices while on travel, as most of the shops offer instant repair service on no cure no pay basis. Spread within the mall, next to and in-between the many hardware shops are the restaurants of Pantip Plaza. Just as in every Bangkok mall there’s literally tens of restaurants from fast-food, food-court, ice cream vendors to complete restaurants offering À la carte menus.

Pantip Plaza is an great place for buying electronic devices, although as an traveler you need to be aware that products such as new laptops, phones and cameras will only be a fraction of the costs less than elsewhere in Asia, Europe or North America. Think ahead of time when buying electronic devices on your holiday as you will most likely inquire problems when required after sales assistance back home.

Store, vendor and restaurant owners in Pantip Plaza are free to operate own hours within the Pantip Plaza opening time, therefore most of the stores close down by 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Although you might not be a techno-freak, it’s defiantly worth visiting for it’s high fascinating value.

Opening Hours Mon- Sun 10 am – 9 pm

Pantip Plaza
604/3 Petchaburi Rd. Petchaburi Ratchathewee
Bangkok, Krung Thep Mahanakhon 10400, Thailand
www.pantipplaza.com

Shopping at Happy Gift is truly a kids and adults fantasy, if you are looking for something specific may that be mouse pads, clothing, jewelry, pillows or chocolate paper clips from Hello Kitty to Disneyland. You will find it all, if you can’t find, get lost or in need of any help or information inquire one of the at least 50 employees they have throughout the store. At the 1th floor next to the cashier there’s an information counter where you can contact Mr. Wassamol Naktham the area manager.

The brilliance of this store and they way to display their merchandise, also due to the fact it has five floors makes you feel guilty not buying anything from the store which is like most shops in Chinatown opened from 9 AM in the morning till 6 PM evening.

The exact address and contact details you can find below.

Happy Gift, IT Works CO LTD.
303 Wanit 1 Road.
Chakkawat Samphanthawong
Bangkok 10100

T: 02-2226-0299
C: 08-9110-8778

The main street of the Chinatown area is Charoen Krung which means “Prosperous City” and actually was Bangkok’s first paved road, it’s English name “New Road” therefore couldn’t be more inappropriate. Now just because the road was paved first, doesn’t necessarily mean they maintained it. Chinatown streets nowadays are bumpy, there’s trash everywhere especially the narrow market roads, not to mention the smell of the street food vendors.

Chinatown is known for its food carts and small shopping roads like Truk Chom where you can find anything from flowers, kids toys, souvenir, fashion accessories, kid clothing, rugs, furniture cotton to whole sale shops. Walking the narrow streets watch out for fruit vendors and motorbikes passing by, there’s small signs placed all over Chinatown by the police to watch out for pick pocket thieves. Believe it or not the narrow streets even have multiple ATM’s on each side of the street.

Most of the shops in Chinatown are opened from 9 AM in the morning till 6 PM evening, most of the street vendors will start clearing the day around 5 PM. When visiting Chinatown, one of the recommended shops, actually department store to visit is called Happy Gift. Another popular Bangkok travel destination nearby Chinatown is called Wat Traimit (The Temple of Golden Buddha).

These pictures date Saturday 24th of October 2009 Chinatown, Bangkok.

Besides the fact that Patpong is famous worldwide for its sex and pussy shows, it has become more family friendly. Throughout the whole area there’s a night market, mixed in between the Gogo bars there’s regular massage parlors offering traditional Thai massage, restaurants, live music venues, pool halls to enjoy a good meal or beer.

Because Patpong has developed itself to a leading night area in Bangkok, it does mean that it has come with several disadvantages you need to be aware of, on your night out in Patpong be careful for pickpocketing and hustlers offering you cigarettes, drugs, sex shows and body massage. They get a commission and cut from your bill, which results in the bar charging you higher prices.

No visit to Bangkok is completed without a night out at Silom Road, Patpong. Buy souvenirs for your family at home, enjoy in the live music venues after a traditional Thai massage and a tasty meal. In Patpong it’s all possible.