Shopping in Bangkok is a ‘must do’ on any trip to Thailand. The place is a shopaholics dream city with many different shopping malls ranging from the sophisticated Emporium to the legendary Mah Boon Krong or MBK as its better known. The best thing about these malls is the transport between them can be so easy if you plan it right but the worst thing about them is you will never have enough time to visit them all on just one short trip, I mean the Central World mall has over 500,000sqm of retail space alone, but then again this is the biggest in Bangkok.

When you’ve had enough of shopping in the malls there are all those markets to get around as well. With over 15,000 stalls, the famed Chatuchak Weekend Market is the biggest outdoor market in the world I believe but I’ve not been to them all so correct me if I’m wrong here. Then you have your night markets in the Patpong area and floating markets at Damnoen Saduak to name just a few.

With so much shopping to do in such a short time it’s a good idea to be prepared. I’ve listed a few things that I think could help when shopping in Bangkok and also may help to make your shopping trip that bit easier.

Plan Your Shopping Trip – You should have a idea of how many days you will be in Bangkok so plan what days you want to go shopping. Early morning and late evenings are the best time to visit those markets with the temperatures and tourist numbers not yet peaked. Visit the air conditioned malls at the hottest time of the day for some lunch and leisure shopping. Its best to try and have an idea what you want to buy and plan where to get it, this will target focus your shopping in Bangkok instead of wandering about in the heat and humidity wondering where to go next.

Transport – Bangkok has a multitude of ways of getting around the city, tuk-tuk, taxis, Skytrain and underground are just some of them. Although very inexpensive public buses are best avoided, you will waste a lot of time trying to find the right bus. Taxis and tuk tuk’s are often your best method of transport in Bangkok but watch out for those that want to take you some where else first. Make sure before setting off the driver wants to take you to your destination without any detours. I have, more than once, been driven a few hundred meters and then got out because the driver changed his mind about the destination. Another thing to consider with your taxi and tuk tuk is the Bangkok traffic, it’s notoriously bad at certain times of the day and getting stuck in traffic won’t help your shopping plans.. The skytrain and underground are both air conditioned means of transport but unfortunately don’t cover all of Bangkok. If you can get either of these close to your final destination then walking a short distance may be the best plan at certain times of the day.

Opening Hours – Bangkok shops open anywhere between 9-10 am and stay open until around 8-10p six days a week, with Sunday closing. The biggest shopping malls however may still have some shops open on a Sunday but I wouldn’t advise planning any shopping for that day.

Comparing Prices & Haggling – Like other shopping trips you do, don’t just buy the first item you see. Shop about a little and check out what others have that item on sale for. If you are in a mall shop with a price tag save yourself the embarrassment and don’t try to haggle with the shop assistant. If getting a bargain is what you are after ask about a Tourist Discount Card or VAT refunds at the airport. The best place to try your haggling skills is on the street market stalls. Bartering, haggling or bargaining on stalls is very normal and indeed will be expected in most cases. The first price you get from a vendor will be marked up considerably and it is your job to try and get them down to a price that both you and they are happy with. There are many different ways to haggle and each person will have their own technique and it will develop the more you do it. In the high tourist areas like Patpong it would not be uncommon to offer a price less than half of the vendors asking price. Some points to remember when trying to get your item for a cheaper price is to treat it a bit like a game. Have fun with the vendor smile lots and be polite. Getting angry and shouting because they wont come done anymore on a price won’t help and in fact they may refuse to sell to you. If you are unhappy with the price thank them for their time, smile and walk away, if they really won’t come down any more they will let you go, but if they want that sale then maybe you have just won the game when they lower the price.

Safety - Bangkok is no different than any other major city when it comes to petty crime. Although you are on holiday to enjoy yourself don’t let your personal safety slip. Remember to keep you possession close by you and if in a crowded area don’t carry your rucksack or bag behind you. Pickpockets are common in busy areas so take care of your wallet and purse and always know where it is.

What To Wear – Bangkok is a hot and humid city all year round so what you wear to combat these conditions should be thought about carefully. Your first priority should be a good pair of walking shoes. The streets of Bangkok are not that easy to traverse, often resembling obstacle courses with exposed manholes, potholes, vendor carts, the odd beggar and garland maker. There is nothing faster than a broken toe to stop a shopping trip so although maybe cool and trendy sandals and reef shoes should be left in the hotel. Cool light weight cloths will help when outside but if you plan a full day in an air conditioned mall maybe something a little heavier would be best. Oh, and beach wear is never best in Bangkok except by your hotel pool. My first purchase when I arrive in Bangkok is always some bandanna’s and some wet wipes. These help freshen you up on a long shopping trip. Quick tip – keep the wet ones in the fridge if you can.

These are just some of my tips on how to make shopping in Bangkok easier than normal, there will be many more I’m sure. One thing I will say is that if you are traveling to Thailand with children then none of these tips will help easy the pain of shopping with children.

To get the perfect Pad Thai you have to go to Thailand and spend some time eating at the street vendors in Bangkok, now this isn’t for everyone as the hygiene at these places may not seem to be that important to them. I have taken various family members and friends, from the UK, to my favourite vendors but some of them have down right refused to even sit at a table and wait while I eat, but that’s their choice and loss.

Pad Thai looks such an easy dish to do when you actually watch the Thai people but it is very hard to replicate back in the west, in-fact its hard to replicate even when you live in the country. The basic ingredient of rice noodles can be your 1st stumbling block as the type used in Thailand are often not available in the west. The ideal type are the thread rice noodles not the broad rice noodles and they must be softened first before you start the dish. In Thailand this step is not necessary as the noodles they have seem softer and only take 30sec or 1min to soften in the wok with some water.

The list of ingredients are also a point of disagreement, with everyone having their own recipe and style and some people actually saying their is an official recipe that other don’t follow. The following list of ingredients are what I have seen go into the majority of Pad Thai’s in Bangkok, it should be noted that the amounts have been omitted as this is a very personal preference.

• Thin Rice Noodles (pre-softened)
• Firm Tofu (cubed or strips your choice only make it bite size)
• Dried/fresh/frozen prawns (shrimp)
• Meat (your choice which, bite size pieces, can be omitted for vegetarian option*)
• Cooking Oil
• Shallot (chopped)
• Garlic (crushed roughly)
• Egg
• Pad Thai Sauce (see below for more on this)
• Crushed Red Dried Chillies
• Beansprouts
• Crushed Peanuts
• Spring Onions
• Lime

Pad Thai Sauce

The sauce used for Pad Thai various from vendor to vendor but after some time I believe that the pad thai sauce is far more simple than I first thought. To make a Pad Thai sauce combine equal amounts of tamarind paste and fish sauce (about 3tablespoons of each) with 2tablespoons of palm sugar, bring to a simmer and stir it gently until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is runny, this takes about 2-3mins.

An even easier method to making pad thai sauce is to add fish sauce, brown sugar and oyster sauce directly to the noodles as they get stir fried in the wok, I’ve seen this done many times by street vendors often replacing the brown sugar with palm sugar.

The Method

Again there are much differences on how best to bring all these ingredients together, so what I suggest here is just that, a suggestion.

Heat the wok and add 1-2tablespoon of oil, shallots and garlic. The wok should be on a medium high heat but be prepared to increase it as the stuff is added. Fry these for about 30 sec then add prawns and meat and cook it quickly moving the stuff in the wok all the time. Add the tofu, fry for 30 sec then add the noodles all the time ensuring the food is moving in the wok, If the noodles start to stick add a few tablespoons of water. After about 2mins move all the food to one side of your wok and crack in the egg on the free side and fry it rapidly while moving it about, when it is almost cooked move the noodles mixture onto the egg and add the pad thai sauce, or sauce mix, and fry for a few more minutes. Last thing to go in is the beansprouts, spring onion and chillis, mix these through the Pad Thai and remove from heat after about 30secs.

Plate the food up and sprinkle crushed nuts over the top, serve with a wedge of lime, beansprouts and peeled cucumber on the side of the plate, with fish sauce, dried chillies and more crushed nuts as the accompaniments. This is, to me at least, the perfect pad thai.

When people arrive in Bangkok the heat and humidity often saps their energy, so much so they miss out on some of the cities most wonderful sights. I have listed, in order, the top 5 things to try and see while in the city, why only 5 you may ask? There will be other post on this site detailing things to do, see, experience and avoid while in Bangkok, so with all the lists combined there should be enough to fill most short trips to Bangkok.

I would suggest that you try and spend at least 3 full days in Bangkok to see most of the things the city has to offer, that’s without the sideline trips to places such as Kanchanaburi or the floating market which take a full day themselves.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN BANGKOK

• The Royal Grand Palace – The number one must do while in Bangkok. To save time and enjoy the place more it is best to spend a little extra on this and book an organised tour and guide and best of all get a personal guide for you and your group, just not one who stands outside the entrance and touts.

• Wat Po & the Reclining Buddha – This temple is older than Bangkok itself and was enlarged in 1801 by King Rama I, the founder of Bangkok. Among many of the buildings on the grounds you will find the reclining Buddha lying cramped up in a temple just large enough to house it.

• The Temple of Dawn at Wat Arun – A different kind of temple along the river that is often missed but if you like temples and are already on a river cruise this is worth a visit.

• Wat Traimit & the Golden Buddha – This very unremarkable temple hidden at the end of Chinatown is home to the worlds largest golden Buddha. Weighing over 5Tons and standing 15 feet tall this sitting Buddha has been estimated to be worth US$1Million.

• The Jim Thompson House -Thailand is renowened for its silk and without Jim Thoampson it may not be that way. He revived the trade after moving to Thailand to settledown in the 1940’s and falling in love with Thailand traditions and people.

You will hear people say that you don’t need a guide for many of the tourist sights in Bangkok as it is cheaper to get your own transport and find your own way around. This is so true, it will save you a few £’s, $’s or Baht, but take the advice from someone who has done it both with and without a guide, you see a lot more, have a more structured day and save your short trip time with a professional guide. On top of these benefits from using a guide service it is also a very good way to get to know a little more about the people of the country.

There is only so much someone can say about a building so after all the tourist chat, Thai people like to find out about other countries and in return like to talk about their own. This is a perfect way to gain an insight to what it’s like to work and live in Thailand, but don’t think of the person that guides you as an employee think of them as your friend in Bangkok and who knows maybe you may make a new friend half way around the world.