Bangkok is one of the most visited cities in Thailand. It is in it that not only the main attractions of the country are concentrated, but also huge shopping centers offering visitors a wide range of goods. Why is Thai shopping so popular among Russian tourists? First of all, these are the lowest prices throughout Thailand, which will especially please residents of provincial cities. All Thai goods are famous for their excellent workmanship, in addition, shopping in Thailand is always an appropriate bargain.
The best shopping malls in Bangkok are entire multi-storey buildings, divided into specific types of goods. There are hundreds of large city stores, so any tourist can easily find one of them. In most cases, every single floor of Bangkok malls is dedicated to a different type of product: children's clothing, shoe stores, or sports and fitness goods.
All shopping centers in Bangkok are usually concentrated in the tourist areas of the city, as a rule,within walking distance from the metro. This article will focus on the most interesting shopping sites that every visitor to this beautiful exotic country should definitely see.
Siam Paragon
The Siam Shopping Center in Bangkok is the largest shopping area. It consists of five floors, where only the highest quality goods from well-known world manufacturers are sold. On the territory of a huge mall, the best famous brands such as Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton and many others will be available to your attention. It is worth noting that if you went to the Siam shopping center in search of budget goods, then this decision is rather reckless, since the price category for most of the products here is slightly overpriced. But it is in this mall of Bangkok that monthly large sales are held.
Siam Shopping Center is equipped with the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia, which occupies an area of two underground floors. In addition, Siam Paragon has three food courts with a wide range of various dishes.
History
Siam Paragon is one of the oldest malls in Bangkok. His story begins in 1976, but this fact does not prevent him from being a brilliant competitor to his younger brothers.
Siam Paragon shopping center in Bangkok is a great place witha large selection of goods for visitors of any age category. The total number of stores located on its territory is over 300.
Central World
Central World is Bangkok's largest shopping center covering an area of 830,000 square meters. Of course, this is not only the leader in Thai sales, but also the largest shopping platform in Southeast Asia. This applicant practically does not need a separate introduction.
Central World Shopping Mall is an entertainment arena with more than 500 shopping malls, cinemas, bowling alley and many restaurants with completely different cuisines. It is here that millions of tourists come to shop, eat delicious food and have a great time.
MBK Shopping Center
MBK shopping center in Bangkok is very popular not only among tourists but also among local residents. This eight-story building with an area of 89,000 square meters was built back in 1986. MBK Shopping Center offers a wide range of different stores with a completely different focus, from clothing to cutting-edge technical products. Traditionally, as in any other Thai shopping centers, there is a separate food court here, where tourists can have a tasty and hearty snack between shopping.
At first glance, MBK Shopping Center, in comparison with the famous Siam Paragon shopping center, may seem quite simple, more like a bazaar. But this is where you can findLots of cheap and great stuff. Many tourists come here in search of entertainment, in which case Central World and Siam Paragon will be the best option for them. MBK Mall is an inexpensive and quality shopping with the best food court in Bangkok.
Pantip Plaza
Decided to get a brand new iPhone? Then you are here! Pantip Plaza is the largest store in Bangkok specializing in the sale of various appliances. In a five-story building, you can find absolutely everything that can interest the most dedicated electronics lover. Both branded Thai products and established global brands dominate here in large numbers.
Emporium
Shopping Mall Emporium takes pride of place in the hearts of all shopaholics. The mall is subdivided into several levels, each with its own structure. The first three levels are designed to demonstrate the fashion industry, while the ground floor has concentrated all the world's brands. Its great advantage can be its close location to the metro station, so if you are not used to renting your own transport for a vacation, then you won’t have to walk for a long time.
Siam Discovery
This is one of the most popular shopping malls among Thai youth who follow the main fashion trends. The Siam Discovery shopping center cannot be attributed to expensive and elite shopping, since both local and well-established ones are concentrated here.brands. In addition, it is in Siam Discovery that one of the branches of the Madame Tussauds wax museum has recently been operating.
Siam Center Bangkok
This mall can easily be classified as one of the oldest shopping malls in Bangkok. For the most part, Siam Center Bangkok is designed for young people. It sells a variety of sporting goods, equipment for surfing and skateboarding. Siam Center Bangkok can easily be classified as one of the best shopping centers in Bangkok according to the reviews of many tourists.
Terminal 21
Terminal 21 shopping center is the youngest Thai site. This is a truly amazing place, each floor of which represents the culture of a separate country. The name of the shopping center comes from the fact that outwardly it resembles an airport building. The visitor can easily travel to different world capitals by simply changing floor after floor. Here, every tourist can find products to their liking, ranging from little-known Thai brands to established firms such as Adidas, Nike or Levi's.
Amarin Plaza
This is a rather specific mall in Bangkok. Amarin Plaza is more suitable for expensive shopping, as many sections are given over to exclusive wellness treatments and sports activities. Here you can buy high-quality Thai products and other luxury items.
Gaysorn
Another contender inlist of luxury malls in thailand. This is a prestigious store, created in a unique and inimitable style, which is based on the presence of white marble and shiny chrome. Gaysorn is not intended for budget shopping, only the most exquisite goods from world brands are concentrated in this place.
Tax Free
A pleasant tax refund procedure awaits every tourist who arrives in Thailand and makes a purchase for a certain amount of money. The Tax Free system in this exotic country has a slightly different name - VAT Refund and guarantees a 7% refund of the total amount for which the purchase was made.
What are the rules for VAT Refund?
Thai VAT Refund system is a special yellow form in A4 format with an attached original receipt from the store. In addition, Thailand has a number of tax rules:
- Firstly, the amount of one purchase must be more than 2000 baht to receive a special check attached to the form.
- Secondly, the total amount of all purchases must exceed 5,000 baht.
Before making a purchase, you should make sure that the store operates under the VAT Refund system, as evidenced by the specialized blue and white logo shown in the photo below.
In order to take full advantage of VAT Refund services, you must:
- Be a tourist.
- Not listedcrew of one of the airlines.
- Fly out of the country through one of the international airports.
- The purchase period must not exceed 60 days.
Conclusion
Many large shopping centers in Bangkok practice a generous system of discounts, as well as periodically hold large sales, where prices for most of the products presented are lowered several times at once. Thailand is a country of contrasts, full of surprises! Happy shopping!
