Ratchada Shopping (Ratchadapisek)

Fortune Town IT Mall

The Fortune Town shopping mall is attached to the Fortune Hotel, with the IT mall beginning on the fourth floor. Similar to Seacon, hardware items are more reliable than Pantip, while software is sold at extremely low prices. The IT area is spacious with friendly staff, making it an overall nicer shopping experience than Pantip.

Papaya

Bored of what you see in furniture shops all over town? Looking for one-off pieces to spice up your living room? Or is there a sentimental piece from your childhood that you really must have again? Try Papaya. This 5,000-sqm warehouse stocks up all kinds of functional and decorative objects, furniture, accessories from as far back as the 1950s. Anything that you find here either is a one-off piece that you won’t find anywhere else in Thailand or makes a bold statement on your style, whether retro, pop art, futuristic, kitsch, or mix-and-match.

Ratchada-Lad Phrao junction night market

Fast becoming a favourite among people who have a penchant for used items, Ratchada-Lad Phrao junction night market is where to find ridiculously-priced trainers, leather bags, shoes, jeans, books, CDs, antiques, furniture, home decorative items, and an assortment of knick-knacks. Although most of the goods are pre-owned, new stuff is also available.

Browsing inside the market, you can't miss a long stretch of cute vintage motorbikes and scooters waiting to be taken home. Feeling peckish? No worries, there are many food stalls dotted around the venue. A friendly atmosphere and laid-back crowd make this market an interesting alternative to the city's ubiquitous shopping malls.

Robinson Ratchadapisek

One of the many branches of Robinson in Bangkok, this popular department store is a great place for everyday bits and pieces and life’s necessities.  There is a western-style supermarket onsite as well which adds to Robinson’s ‘convenience’ appeal.

Expect to find some decent bargains in the way of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, home furnishings, accessories, children’s toys and toiletries. The cosmetics department is particularly good, stocking big-name brands such as Dior, Lancôme and Chanel (at discounted prices). Robinson Ratchadapisek is basically a standard department store for the convenience of those living in the suburbs of Bangkok, saving them the hassle of going downtown.

Union Mall

Strategically located opposite the ever-busy Central Lad Prao, Union Mall caters especially for a younger crowd, mainly university students, young office workers and those who find Central Lad Prao too expensive and Chatuchak Weekend Market too hot. Union Mall stands eight storeys tall with a total area of 150,000 square metres, housing over 1,000 retail shops. It boasts easy access from the MRT Phahon Yothin station, an international food court, a myriad of fast food chains, entertainment areas, tutorial schools, a fitness centre and a supermarket.

The open-air market just outside the air-conditioned mall is also worth a browse (open everyday from 17:00 onwards). You'll find an interesting range of clothing items, bags, shoes, and fashion accessories at affordable prices.