Cicada Market, Hua Hin
Here is a whole new shopping experience for Hua Hin if not for Thailand. This flea market cum promenade that meanders over a plot of 10 rai (4 acres) is dived into four zones, Art a la mode, Art Indoor, Art if Act and Art of Eating. Shoppers get to stroll leisurely through exotic gardens and art exhibits while examining and then bargaining for all sorts goods, including arts and crafts, home decorations, hand-made clothing and accessories, both new and old along with tasty foods. Not to be missed either is the amphitheater offering a myriad of performances. As night descends, all are treating to the chirping songs of the cicadas. (Suan Sri, corner of Soi Moo Ban Nong Kae and Khao Takieb-Hua Hin Road. Open Saturdays, 3.00 – 9.00 p.m.)
Plearn Wan, Hua Hin
It’s something like a time machine, a step back into the Hua Hin of yore. Some describe it as a museum, but it is more like a traditional town of wooden buildings that reflect the treasured memories of this modern beach resort. The complex includes boutiques, shops, cafes and restaurants that offer retro favorites from vintage fashion to homemade ice creams and toys. A highlight is the open-air cinema, Nang Klang Plaeng, showing old classics, which you can watch while sitting on a lush lawn carpet just like they did in the past. PlearnWan is such a complete experience, you sometimes forget what the year is until you walk back out the doors. (Tel: +66 (0) 3252 0312 http://www.plearnwan.com)
Nimmanhaemin Road, Chiang Mai
If you are looking for hip, chic, in-trend shops, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, pubs, discos and whatever else you’d expect a cosmopolitan neighborhood would offer, this is Chiang Mai’s blend of Paris’ Left Bank, New York’s Greenwich Village and L.A.’s Santa Monica Boulevard. But instead of the sea, mountains serve as the backdrop. It’s a great place to promenade and shop for fabrics, fashion, home décor, antiques, art, nick knacks, a good cup of java, a burger, pizza, Thai and international cuisine, and good music, whatever you’re mood. There are also quaint hotels and spas, which have also made Nimmanhaemin Road an attractive place to stay.
Premium Outlet Cha-am
It’s more like Mediterranean seaside village than it is a bargain outlet, but here in this cluster of shops and alleyways, you can find the best bargains for low to mid-level name brand fashion and sports brands. While they might be out of season, the prices are unbeatable, at less than 30% original label prices. If you get hungry for food and drink, in addition to great bargains, there’s a whole assortment of restaurants and cafes offering, fresh coffees and teas, pastries and snacks, like waffles and hotdogs, to fresh seafood barbecues. (Phetkasem Rd., Cha-am, Petchaburi Tel: +66 (0) 3247 3000-5)
Night Market, Pai
This once quaint and cozy village has blossomed into one of the hot spots for budget travelers. Set in a mountain pass along a river, it can be warm during the day, but when night comes and the temperature drops, the Night Market is the place to go with a few streets closed off and lots of stalls selling about any kind of handicraft you can think of as well as tasty treat to nimble or feast on. A troupe of dancers and musicians also perform traditional song and dance while nearby pubs continue the entertainment.
Khomapastr Fabric Arts, Hua Hin
After 50 years, Khomapastr fabrics and designs are recognized far and wide. Through age-old silk-screening techniques, the fabrics depict the stories of Thai literary characters and mythological creatures on top quality cottons and silks in beautiful colors. In addition to the fabrics, the shop offers a wide selection of clothing, skirts and scarves, shirts and ties as well as pillowcases, cloth dolls and many other products. There’s no better way to take home a piece of Hua Hin than with a gift for yourself or someone you care about from Khomapastr Fabric Arts. (218 Petchkasem Rd., Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan Tel: +66 (0) 3251 1250, +66 (0) 3251 3506 www.khomapastrfabrics.com)
Khaosarn Road
People always think Khaosan road is just a place for backpackers, but I don’t agree. Khaosan is a place with character, and I love coming here for cheap food stalls and the awesome evening market. There are some regular vendors but what makes the market interesting is the creative Thai students who design clothes and gifts and sell them here. You can find some original items here, especially the t-shirts. After shopping there are a number of pubs where you can chill with friends and watch the world walking by.
Siam Square and Siam Paragon
Being in the entertainment business, I always have to keep up with the trends and what’s a better place to learn what the locals are wearing than in Siam Square? The open air shopping complex is where some of the original Thai designers set up stores here. For a little splurge, I can just go across the street to Siam Paragon (991/1 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 26901000. www.siamparagon. co.th). It is huge, equipped with world designer brands and I could lose hours just browsing what they have. Coming to Siam alone can make me want to remodel my whole wardrobe.
Suan Lum Night Bazaar
When all the malls are closed and I still have an itch for shopping, I head to Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The best thing about this place (other than the endless rows of shops) is that it is at night so I don’t have to deal with sweltering heat. The shops here have mostly tourist favorites, with lots of Thai artwork and souvenirs, which are not really my taste. But good thing there is one zone (in the Lopburi soi) where I can get myself some cool fashion made by local designers. Suan Lum is really easy to find, right next to the Suan Lum subway station. For me, some of the most peculiar and exciting streets to walk down in Thailand are in Pattaya Beach and Patong Beach in Phuket. To some people, these might seem a bit dodgy, as there are a lot of girly bars and knock-off goods, but these streets are also home to lots of food stalls, cheap eats and cocktails on mobile carts. Closed off to traffic, they are a fascinating chance to people watch, and you have to experience them at least once.
