Guest reader Posted January 11 Posted January 11 NOTE -- Visited Papaya Vintage (see below) on last trip. Recommended if you've got the time. From The Telegraph Talad Rod Fai is a great place to browse an evening away, with countless eateries, bars and tents selling handicrafts - MANJIK PHOTOGRAPHY Thais love shopping, and the sheer variety of items on offer can be as overwhelming as it is exhilarating. Clothes and textiles, jewellery, electronic hardware and DVDs (not all of them above board) are among the things you'll find. Chatuchak Weekend Market One of the world's largest open-air markets, so huge that an electric train (free of charge) whisks visitors about. Some 15,000 stalls sell furniture, ceramics, plants, trendy clothes, souvenirs, traditional medicine, books, animals and much more. Prices are pretty reasonable and it’s a great place for people watching, with thousands of Thais and foreigners clogging the lanes between the stalls. In recent years, young Thai designers have set up shop to sell interesting paintings, jewellery and other unique handicrafts. Plenty of small eateries and drinks stalls save marathon shoppers from exhaustion. Contact: chatuchakmarket.org Prices: £-£££ Papaya Vintage A little out of town but not far from Chatuchak Market, Papaya Vintage is a warehouse crammed with curios, vintage objects, clothes and furniture, Vespa scooters and life-size Star Wars figures. It’s delightfully chaotic and the sheer volume of artefacts from the 1960s onwards is almost overwhelming. The upper floor houses several studios where pop videos and advertising spots are shot, naturally using the sheer infinite choice of props on the three floors below. For those who like kitsch, flea markets and memorabilia, Papaya is a great shopping experience. Contact: papaya-studio.com Prices: ££-£££ The Railway Market – Talad Rod Fai Located behind a shopping mall a little way out of town, this huge night market, also known as Srinagarindra Train Night Market, specialises in antiques and antique-style items, but also offers all the stuff that can usually found at night markets (which is pretty much anything). That said, the items for sale are generally more interesting than those found at other markets, whether they are handmade curios or vintage cars. Almost a universe of its own, this expanse of multi-colored tents, along with countless eateries and bars, is a great place to browse an evening away. Address: Soi Srinagarindra 51, Khwaeng Nong Bon Contact: 00 66 818 275 885 Opening times: Thurs-Sun, 5pm-12pm Prices: ££ Paul’s Antiques Set downtown in a 1960s bungalow in a lush tropical garden, this shop-cum-furniture restoration business specialises in antiques from around Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on Burmese objects. It also produces new furniture and design items from reclaimed teak, including coffee tables made from old window shutters and an erstwhile teak boat remodelled as a book shelf. The bright showrooms hold an impressive collection of items including vintage photographs, an array of sculptures, ceramics (including Angkor period pieces) and musical instruments, but the furniture impresses most. It’s even possible to watch some of the restoration work going on. Contact: paulsantiques.com Prices: £££ Dasa Book Café Quite possibly Bangkok’s best second-hand bookshop, and surely its largest, Dasa is run by an erudite American and offers more than 18,000 well-organised fiction and non-fiction titles, from bestsellers to obscurities, and including many books on the region. It's housed over three floors in a house of narrow, creaking stairs and loaded shelves, a stone’s throw from the Emporium Shopping Centre on Sukhumvit Road. Dasa also offers cakes and fresh coffee, sells music CDs and organises occasional author events. Incredibly, all titles are listed online and prices are reasonable. Contact: dasabookcafe.com Prices: ££ Continues at https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/best-shopping-bangkok-170000096.html Quote
thaiophilus Posted January 11 Posted January 11 If you visit Chatuchak and see something you like, buy it now! If you think you'll come back later if you don't find something better, the odds are that you'll never find the stall again. floridarob, vinapu and Mavica 3 Quote
vinapu Posted January 12 Posted January 12 11 hours ago, reader said: The Railway Market – Talad Rod Fai Located behind a shopping mall a little way out of town, this huge night market, also known as Srinagarindra Train Night Market, specialises in antiques and antique-style items, but also offers all the stuff that can usually found at night markets (which is pretty much anything). That said, the items for sale are generally more interesting than those found at other markets, whether they are handmade curios or vintage cars. Almost a universe of its own, this expanse of multi-colored tents, along with countless eateries and bars, is a great place to browse an evening away. Address: Soi Srinagarindra 51, Khwaeng Nong Bon Contact: 00 66 818 275 885 Opening times: Thurs-Sun, 5pm-12pm Prices: ££ that market can be accessed by Yellow monorail from either Samroing or Lat Prao, closest station is Suan Luang Rama 9 10tazione 1 Quote
