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SPEND FRIEND

Gaysorn Plaza (Click here) is probably Bangkok’s most upscale mall, and the selection of high-end luxury brands must have overwhelmed more than one potential shopper because the shopping centre now offers a Lifestyle Consultant (0 2656 1177) service. Available by appointment, but free of charge, the team consists of two ‘experts’, a local fashion designer and a makeup artist, whose goal is to guide you to that perfect outfit, shade of mascara or spa treatment.

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Tango (Map; 0 2656 1047; www.tango.co.th; Gaysorn Plaza, cnr Th Ploenchit & Th Ratchadamri; Skytrain Chitlom) This home-grown brand specialises in funky leather goods, but you may not even recognise the medium under the layers of bright embroidery and chunky jewels. Also available at Siam Center (Click here).

Jim Thompson (Map; 0 2632 8100; 9 Th Surawong; 9am-6pm; Skytrain Sala Daeng, Metro Silom) The surviving business of the international promoter of Thai silk, this, the largest Jim Thompson shop, sells colourful silk handkerchiefs, placemats, wraps and pillow cushions. Just up the road at 149/4-6 Th Surawong (Map; 0 2235 8931) is a factory outlet that sells discontinued patterns at a significant discount.

Handicrafts & Decor

The tourist markets have tons of factory-made pieces that pop up all along the tourist route. The shopping centres sell products with a little better quality at proportionally higher prices, but the independent shops sell the best items all round. See the boxed text on Click here for a few more design-oriented shops.

Thai Home Industries (Map; 0 2234 1736; 35 Soi Oriental, Th Charoen Krung; 9am-6.30pm Mon-Sat; river ferry Tha Oriental) A visit to this temple-like building, a former monks’ quarters, is like discovering an abandoned attic of Asian booty. Despite the odd assortment of items (our last visit revealed items ranging from elegant handmade flatware to wooden model ships) and lack of order, it’s heaps more fun than the typically faceless Bangkok handicraft shop.

Narai Phand (Map; 0 2656 0398; www.naraiphand.com; ground fl, President Tower, 973 Th Ploenchit; 10am-8pm; Skytrain Ploenchit) Souvenir-quality handicrafts are given fixed prices and comfortable air-conditioning at this government-run facility. You won’t find anything here that you haven’t already seen at all of the tourist street markets, but it is a good stop if you’re pressed for time or spooked by haggling.

Nandakwang (Map; 0 2258 1962; 108/2-3 Soi Prasanmit/23, Th Sukhumvit; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun; Skytrain Asoke, Metro Sukhumvit) A Bangkok satellite of a Chiang Mai–based store, Nandakwang sells a fun and handsome mix of cloth, wood and glass products. The cheery hand-embroidered pillows and bags are particularly attractive. There is also a branch in Siam Discovery Center (Click here).

Taekee Taekon (Map; 0 2629 1473; 118 Th Phra Athit; 8.30am-6pm Mon-Sat; river ferry Tha Phra Athit) Representing Thailand’s main silk-producing regions, this charming store has a beautiful selection of table runners and wall hangings. Alongside silk products, you will also find small examples of celadon pottery and a terrific selection of postcards.

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7-ELEVEN FOREVER

Be extremely wary of any appointment that involves the words ‘meet me at 7-Eleven’. According to the company’s website there are 3912 branches of 7-Eleven in Thailand alone (there will inevitably be several more by the time this book has gone to print) – more than half the number found in the entire USA. In Bangkok, 7-Elevens are so ubiquitous that it’s not uncommon to see two branches staring at each other from across the street.

The first sewên (as it’s known in Thai) in Thailand was installed in Patpong in 1991. The brand caught on almost immediately, and today Thailand ranks behind only Japan and Taiwan in the total number of branches in Asia. The stores are either owned directly by the company or are franchises, owned and managed by private individuals.

Although the company claims that its stores carry