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Shopping Tips &

What to Buy in Thailand


Here are some of the useful tips on shopping in Bangkok as well as in Thailand; you may find it worthwhile. Shopping in Thailand is very cheap. Practice your bargaining skill – it’s fun. Some shops will allow you to bargain – just try, especially to the street hawkers. However, don’t bargain when you buy things at department stores or supermarkets.

TIPS ON BARGAINING:

To get the best value for your money, here are some tips when to practice your bargaining skill –

  • If you enter a shop, you should observe if the goods or products are with price tags. If not, you should bargain.

  • In some shops, they may put their price in alphabetical code either in Thai or in English. You see it, but you don’t understand, however, the shop owner or its sales know. For example, they may put - ‘ABD’ on their tag which might code for A = 1, B=2 and D=4; it could meant for 124 Baht, 1,240 Baht or 12,400 Baht, depending on intrinsic value of the products. You can also bargain to this shop.

  • Some shops, although they put the exact readable price tag, you may bargain, but bargain in a cautious way.

  • With street vendors, you might bargain up to 50%, but also be cautious (also recommended at 10-30%). However, don’t be surprise if you ask a street vendor selling watches to discount from 600 Baht to 300 Baht, and they say “Yes, take it!”

Generally, you can bargain from 10-30%.

 

WHAT TO BUY IN THAILAND - 

There are many things that attract large numbers of people from all over the world to Thailand, making it a leading tourist center in this part of the world. Among the main attractions are its great varieties of valuable products that can be bought at favorable prices. To give you an idea of what are the real good buys in this country, here is a brief description of some of them arranged in the alphabetical order.

Antiques among the most sought-after items are: sawankhalok pottery from the Sukhothai period, carvings and sculptures, ornamental wood fragments once adorning palaces, puppets, masks, silver bowls and betel- nut containers. When the authenticity is in doubt, ask the dealer to guarantee the return of the item. 

Cotton and Batik are internationally well known because of their fine flexible texture and durability. They are often used for both clothing and household items like table line, bedspreads, cushion covers and rugs. Among them, the most attractive are those made by the hill tribes living in the North, with fine and delicate embroidery. 

REMEMBER THE OLD TRICKS –

After bargaining and the shop-owner say “No”, don’t feel embarrass!  Act as though you don’t want it and walk away. If they call you before you disappear, you win!   If they don’t, you can always return and buy it – No shame or embarrassment in this case.

Never bargain in Department Stores, Supermarkets, or in big shops, they will be very surprise!

Garments ready made garments are sold almost everywhere in Bangkok or other cities at roadside stalls, in special garment markets and in large department stores, where the garment sections always occupy the largest space. Foreign visitors are among their frequent customers. Thai garments not only sell briskly on local markets, but also have been the number one export commodity of Thailand in recent years. That is because of the low labor cost, cheerio raw materials, fashionable designs and fine workmanship. 

Gems & Jewelry Thailand has become a new leader in the worlds for gems and jewelry since the early 80s. This is possible because, first rich mines of high-grade gemstones, notably rubies and sapphires, have been found in Kanchanaburi and Chantaburi provinces; secondly, Thailand has plenty of skillful craftsmen and expert designers; thirdly, the cost of labor and the overhead costs are comparatively low in this country; and fourthly, Thailand imposes no import or export duty on raw or cut stones. That is why all kinds of precious stones are sent to Thailand of cutting. 

Gold Ornaments most of the large gold shops in Bangkok are located in Yaowarat Road. Some are more than half century old. They are all thriving. They have many foreign customers, especially those from another countries in Southeast Asia. They prefer to buy gold ornaments in Thailand because of the large choice, excellent workmanship and beautiful designs. Pure gold ornaments are also available in some jewelry shops. 

Leatherware with plentiful supplies of high quality raw materials and cheap manpower, Thailand is an is real place to shop for leatherware of good workmanship at reasonable prices. Some of the products are exported to foreign countries to be re-exported after foreign brands are stamped on them. 

Mudmee (tied-dye) Silk Mudmee is a kind of Thai silk produced in the Northeast of the Kingdom. It is so ccalled because of its peculiar dyeing process, by which the silk threads are tied in the desired pattern before dyeing. It was introduced to the market outside by Her majesty queen Sirikit, as part of her rural development efforts. Today mudmme is popular among the Thais. Clothes made of mudmee silk are regularly worn by members of the royal Family. 

Pewterware - Some of the best handmade pewterware of the world come from Thailand. Thai pewterware is made of 97% pure in tin 3% antimony and copper, and is lead free. 

Pottery - Sangkhalok stoneware made by potters from China 700 years ago was a distinctive product well known all over Southeast Asia. Later, the art died out and was revived in Chiangmai only some three decades ago. Now there are several factories making this peculiar kind of ceramics called celadon. Their products include vases, lampshades, dinner sets, tea sets and variety of souvenir articles. 

Silk Fabric - Introduced to the world market only after World War II, Thai silk is perhaps already too well known to need further recommendation. It is hand reeled, hand woven and hand printed and so has a natural uneven look and a coarse texture, which give it its uniqueness. The two main production centers of Thai silk fabric are Chiang Mai and Bangkok. 

Silverware - The making of silverware is a very ancient art in Thailand. Its use has enjoyed great popularity among the Thai people for centuries. Thai silverware, especially ornaments, is also in great demand on the world market with the United States, European countries and Australia as its main customers. This is because Thai craftsmen have maintained the traditional fine workmanship of their ancestors and the government which prescribes that the content of pure silver in silver products must not be less than 95.5 percent. The two main production centers of silverware in Thailand are Bangkok and Chiangmai. 

Wood Carving is an ancient art of the Thai people handed down from the Sukhothai period about 7 centuries ago. Today, most of the wood carving workshop are concentrated in the northern provinces, such as Lampang, Phrea, Nan and, especially, Chiangmai. The products may be divided into 4 categories: furniture, household utensils, decorative objects and articles used as souvenirs. Large quantities of small articles are exported to Europe, the U.S.A. and Japan. 

Other Handicrafts there are several other kinds of handicrafts that are of artistic value, such as Thai dolls, lacquerware, nieloware, brassware, bronzeware, articleial flowers, etc. All of the above you can conveniently obtain from large department stores, shopping plazas or in the shopping areas in Bangkok, Chiangmai, Phuket and Pattaya, where youÃÍl find that there are just too many good things to buys and you may be at a loss how to make a choice.

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