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Culture Shop: A cheapskate fashionista's guide to shopping in Bangkok

It is mind-blowing and yet strangely fitting that the words “bang” and “buck” (or in this case, “bak) could easily pass off as lexigrams* of the name Bangkok. This certainly vindicates the practitioners of the psychic wordplay as “bang for your buck” aptly describes the whole Bangkok experience. That is… if you have the cheapskate spirit.

Shop at every stop

This river city takes shopping to a whole new playing field with stores, malls, department stores, bazaars, and markets at every street corner. This is one place where even the most hopeless of shopaholics would flatline in impulse-buying overload.

Chatuchak, its most famous shopping destination, in itself has an area that is even bigger than the whole of Intramuros and much, much bigger than the night market in Suan Lum. It is, thus, not at all strange that no one, who has ever gone through its labyrinth of about 5000 stalls, has managed to finish it in one go. Yet despite the apparent chaos, more than 150,000 people brave the market each day.

Chatuchak is a merry mix of fashion items, books, antiques and home furnishing, plants, food, handicrafts, artworks and ceramics at dirt cheap prices compared to malls and department stores. Many people attest that prices in Chatuchak are the best in Thailand. Never leave the market without going to the section dedicated to young Thai designers who want to showcase their work. Standouts are Cupcake Design, Bambino, Pang Leather, Apil Chic, and Teen Uthai Custom knives.

Tourists will find anything and everything in Chatuchak except maybe… their way. With a crazy maze-like layout and stalls teeming with shoppers, getting lost is a guarantee. Although the map at the information center in Gate 1 helps, navigating the crisscrossing aisles is confusing, frustrating and did I mention, hot?

Bangkok’s version of “Divisoria” and “168” is probably Bobe and Platinum Mall. The Bobe wholesale street market that biyaheras swear by is a long stretch of cheap finds that are not necessarily cheap-looking. Unlike Chatuchak, it is open everyday from morning until late at night. Those who want cheap prices at mall (read: air-conditioned) convenience can go to Platinum Mall and the other two malls near the area. This is, purportedly, the go-to mall of Bangkok’s fashionista set. Suan Lum, the popular night market is also a must-see although most items sold there can already be found in Chatuchak. From the price perspective, it is best to go to Chatuchak, Platinum and Bobe to check the base price before heading off to the other shopping spots.

Fresh Blood

Malls like Gaysorn, Paragon and Siam Discovery, all conveniently located in Siam Square, offer a less chaotic shopping experience. The atmosphere is upscale and yet, not intimidating. Shopping is leisurely done, even static as if the quality of the product can speak for itself and yet, the air is also surprisingly, quite young. Think Greenbelt and Glorietta where designer boutiques, high-street brands and the local retail giants play house with the young professionals and urbanites.

Boutiques of Bangkok’s up and coming brands may be the attraction. FlyNow, for one, impresses right from its window display to the smallest neckpiece in its display case inside. Window dressing is kick ass. Designs are the right combo of rocker chic and boho. There are some unique, bordering on the odd, cuts that strangely work, even complementing the figure, when worn. Other local brands worth checking out are Lofty Bamboo in MBK; Senada Theory and Kloset in Gaysorn; EQ:IQ, Baking Soda, and 5 CM in Siam Discovery; and Jaspal in Paragon. At the outskirts of the Siam Center, there are a host of local boutiques and specialty shops that cater to the younger and hipper clientele. This area has earned for Siam Square an artsy reputation, much like the SoHo of New York.

Tricks of the “Train”

What is great (or worse depending on who's paying) about the markets and malls in Bangkok is their proximity to public transportation. All are within walking distances from the sky train (BTS) or the subway. Although fare is not exactly cheap, ranging from about 40 to 60 baht per ride— about P80 to P120— it is already a bargain if you factor in Bangkok’s traffic problem. A definite money saver if you are planning to tour the city on foot is BTS’s ride-all-you-can card, which is just 120 baht (P240) for one day. And get this, the train closes at 12 midnight, so you can even take it when shopping at the night markets. So plan your trips wisely.

Naturally, it is preferable to stay in a hotel that is close to the skytrains as opposed to mall proximity. While being near a mall is convenient, check the access first because you may have to actually go through the mall from the train or subway. This is not anymore convenient when getting back late at night. Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok easily comes to mind as most convenient since the hotel is just several steps away from the Saphan Taksin station and the pier. This gives tourists greater mobility even when sightseeing since a lot of the great sights in Bangkok can be seen (and accessed) from the Chao Phraya river. There are also cruises like the Shangri-La Horizon, which take tourists groups to the sights.

Money… Matters!

Maybe it’s the math but most tourists wouldn’t delve in the business of forex beyond the actual exchange of currency. But those looking for great bargains should brush up their conversion skills because currency can make a difference between cheap and expensive in Bangkok. Without going through a long diatribe of equations and numbers, the long and short of it is this: Between Philippine Peso and US Dollar, exchange the dollar. Just this October, peso was valued at 0.5 baht while a dollar’s value was 30 baht. That puts the peso-dollar exchange of P43 to just 21.50 baht. If there is no service tax, it might even be better if you convert peso to dollar and then have it converted to baht in Bangkok. This, of course, is not permanent advice. Exchange rates are erratic so the best thing to do is be aware and work those calculators!

Use cash sparingly if you can. When shopping abroad, credit cards are best because bank rates are generally better and more stable, plus you get points for using the card. Be careful though with hidden charges and service fees especially when withdrawing money from ATMs abroad. Clarify with the bank on their out-of-the-country purchase policies. Or better yet, go for credit cards with features meant for travelers. The Allied Bank Mabuhay Miles World MasterCard, for instance, gives separate peso and dollar billings, allowing their clients to pay in either currency plus a 1 mile/P33 mile conversion in Philippine Airlines (PAL). That’s on top of the doubled points earned when the card is used to purchase PAL tickets.

Here's another cheapskate secret in Bangkok: tourist discount cards. Tourists can get their cards when they present their passports in booths in malls like Siam Paragon, Emporium, Zen, Robinsons and MBK, where the card is honored. The card entitles tourists to a 5% discount. There is also a 7% refund with stores that have the “VAT Refund for Tourists” signage.

Nirvana for the cheapskate

Bangkok may be a haven for the spendaholics of the world but it is nirvana to the cheapskate. The “best bang for your buck”— endless selection, shopping convenience, excellent workmanship and reasonable prices— is the least that one can expect from the city that may have spawned the term “biyaheras.” For any cheapskate, that is just orgasmic!

For more information on Allied Bank Mabuhay Miles Mastercard, call 818-9-818 or log on to www.mabuhaymilesmastercard.com. For bookings in Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok and flight schedules to Bangkok, log on to kbsbookingonline.com or kbsthailand.com.

What you need to know when shopping in Chatuchak

1. Shopkeepers are more inclined to give the lowest price early in the morning. It opens on Saturday and Sunday at 7 AM.

2. Wear comfy clothes and shoes.

3. Start haggling at 50% of the price.

4. Hongnam is Thai for comfort room! Memorize the word. You’ll need it.

5. Maps are available in the information office in Gate 1. Or better yet, buy the Nancy Chandler Maps. She color-coded and illustrated the whole market.

Labels: Bangkok, Bazaar, budget buying, budget shopping, Chatuchak, cheapskate, commuting, fashionista, Paragon Mall, Thailand, Tiangge

posted by Amyline Quien Ching @ 9:41 PM