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Friday 21 December 2012

bangkok: TErminal 21


















Beautiful place to take photos. Not really sure about the shopping..
Remember to visit the toilets too..

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Bangkok Shopping: Yaowarat, supermarket, chatuchak, Pratunum, Platinum, Siam Square, Terminal 21, Asiatque

In bangkok, the key words for cheap shopping is "wholesale"
Especially in places like Yaowarat, Chatuchak, Platinum Mall and Pratunam Market.
They can offer you more than 40% discount if it is wholesale.
Usually they don't offer additional discount after wholesale price. 
However, the number of pieces required differ from shop to shop.
Yaowarat is good for accessories.
Chatuchak is good for clothings.
Pratunam which is opposite platinum is for clothings and some accessories.
Platinum mall is a lot of clothings and shoes.

Yaowarat which is know as chinatown is a shopping paradise in the morning for accessories as seen from the photos below.
The bad thing is there is no train service to the area so the only way is by taxi or tuk tuk. Just tell the taxi driver chinatown shopping. They should be able to lead you to right location.
Go in the late morning or early afternoon. Just follow the human traffic.
In bangkok, sometimes a map is not really useful because there are only a few road signs and they are in thai.
But is much much cheaper than singapore prices. Remember Wholesale.

Chatuchak has a large number of shops selling various stuff clothings, accessories, home decoration and even soaps.
It is only opened during the weekends. 
I will suggest around 10am as the weather gets too hot for comfort in the afternoon.

Only Chatuchak can be reached by train, BTS is MO Chit or Mrt Kamphaeng.
Sometimes the wholesale and single piece does not differ by a lot so I just buy one piece.

Only Platinum mall is air-conditioned so is the place to visit in the hot afternoon.
However, you have to take a taxi down and sometimes the traffic is not really good.
The good thing about platinum mall is not because is neatly organised  You can take note of the price and the shop unit number and walk around before you make a decision, there are some pricing discrepancy at times. 
However, the wholesale price differ by the per piece by quite a lot so is usually buy wholesale or just don't buy.

Pratunum is a bit messy and crowded but I think they have the best prices for clothings.
Buy 3 cardigans at 300 bahts.
And 3 dresses at 420 bahts.
It opens in the morning so can visit Pratunum and then cross the overhead bridge to platinum mall.

Chinatown
Chinatown



Chinatown



chatuchak

Chatuchak

Chatuchak


Chatuchak



Pratunam

Pratunum

Platinum fashion mall
There is a market at Siam Square every night, opposite Siam Paragon. Get of at Siam Station and look. You will see the whole street filled with stalls.
They should be operating around 6pm -11pm.
Some shops start earlier and some shops only packed at 12 midnight.
The price is  not as competitive as the above shopping, but is reasonable and bargain. They don't do wholesale here.
However, some of the clothings are not found at places above and there are nice clothings and accessories for sale.
This is a very crowded place, so do take care of belongings.
 
Terminal21 is not really a shopping paradise.
Will recommend it for photo taking. 
Will post some photos of it soon.




Asiatque is the new market by the river.
I was curious about this upcoming market so I visited it. 
However, you have to take the BTS and then transfer to a free ferry.
I don't think is worth the travelling all the way because the things are almost the same as other markets. The place is hot and stuff although I visited it in November.
There are a few interesting restaurants around there.
Will not be visiting it again.



Anyone who read my blog knows I am a fan of supermarket.
I visited the big supermarket at basement of Siam PAragon, is just at Siam Station
 and the Big C supermarket, opposite Isetan Central world. Always go there after going platinum mall, on the way to chit lom bts station.
There are huge variety of snack and even a salad bar.
Lot of interesting snacks and flavours.
The supermarket at MBK seems boring when compared to the other two supermarket.






Sunday 16 December 2012

bangkok food 2

Arrived at hotel around 11pm.  Bought a CP grilled Korean chicken. It was quite cheap, less than $2. The staff at 7-11 will heat it up.
Was still feeling very hungry.. Holiday Inn has a small restaurant beside it, order Tom Yam seafood soup, around $10. There was a lot of ingredients and a big bowl of well-cooked rice.


Hotel Breakfast.
There are pastries and cornflakes too.



Food at Chinatown (Yaowarat)
Dim Sum, Milk Tea and coffee, Peanuts, doughnuts grilled snacks, bird nests drink, and also pomegranate juice.
Never go hungry when you are shopping.

I like MBK steamboat. Lot of ingredients. And there roasted duck, pork or meat too.
It is not very cheap but I think is quite value for money.
Around $10-$15 per person, depends on what you order.

Bubble tea.. found almost everywhere in bangkok.
Find their version a bit sweet but is still delicious.
Pearls are chewy

cupcakes and pastries and variety of snacks are available at Siam paragon
At siam paragon, Supermarket shopping can be fun.
They have a wide variety of pretz at cheaper price, hi chew, and seaweed are cheaper.
There are interesting snacks worth trying too.
I visit the big C and Siam PAragon supermarket.

Was not hungry.
Simple dinner..
Thais seems like to eat sticky rice insead of white rice.

Time for a drink at the resturant near the hotel.
Find it a bit expensive for bangkok standard.



Food at Chatuchak.
Eat it when you have a strong stomach, not advisable for people with weak stomach.
Fruits. Fried food. Bubble tea icecream. snacks and stalls selling traditional thai like papaya salad.

Or Tor Kor
There is something like a  food center, outdoor.
The place is cleaner and less crowded than Chatuchak.
The best is the braised duck noodles, no wonder I saw a lot of people ordering.
Was trying out the pomelo, as it looks so pretty. Bit sour, sugar provided.
Pad Thai and mixed vegetables rice with clams and green curry chicken.
Good. :D

Samboon seafood restuarant.
I think is value for money.
This meal cost us around than $40. We had fried oyster, prawns with glass noodles, fried curry crabs and fish maw soup.
I like it more than eating seafood at chinatown.
Chinatown price are also around this.
The place is very clean and nice. The waiter and waitress are attentive and polite. 
However, be careful of fake Samboon seafood restaurant.
I seen Samboon restaurant or the name looks somewhat alike.

Was tired. Drop by macdonalds for a coke float.
Look, they sell corn pie and pineapple pie.


Burger king. Slight different in menu and slight difference in singapore price. Not a must try.
Macaroons at terminal 21

High tea at Grand Hyatt, Erwan.
I will recommend reservation if you are going on a weekend.
Thai style high tea.
The salty dishes and sweet desserts.
Consist of both thai desserts and western desserts.
Mango tea and Mango sticky rice.
The portion is for two.
Value for money. Good to spend one or two hour relaxing after all the shopping and walking.

Food at roadside stall. I did not try this time round. Some of them looks quite delicious.
Exploring 7-11 again. Terayaki chicken, melon milk and CP Tomyam Wanton.
I recommending the wanton. the spiciness is nice with prawn wantons.
They should sell it singapore.

MAcdonalds. Porridge available.
They offer four different sauces for fries.
So interesting.
MAcdonalds is slightly cheaper than singapore.

SomTam at Siam Square. Quite a famous eatery.
All this for less than s$20, I think around $16
The fried chicken is good. Fried to perfection.
PApaya salad look harmless but it is quite spicy.
The fish is also crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
The soup is good but not a must order.
Cakes available at Somtam but I did not try them out.

The ice cream looks so delicous. Near som tom but I was too full.

Mango desserts shop near to Somtom. Yummy.