Ratchadapisek: Shopping

Thousands of cars pour along Ratchadapisek Road - a busy, car-infested northern artery - each day. Consequently options for suburban shoppers have blossomed here in recent years, imposing shopping warehouses and malls popping up all along it. Superb MRT subway access means it's easy to get to. But the appeal for tourists is limited - there's nothing here you can't find more centrally.

Fortune Town or IT City (at the lower end of Ratchada, near Phra Ram 9 MRT station) is a four-floor IT mall that's great for computer gear. Comparable to the better known Panthip Plaza, it offers stall after stall of mobile phones alongside everything tech related: computers, parts, games, DVDs and the likes.

Adjoining it is a large Tesco Lotus. And not far from there is the new Esplanade, a seven-floor shopping complex sporting a sleek curving steel facade - looks more like a futuristic art gallery than a shopping centre. In fact its both - aside from international brand stores and restaurants (think Puma, Rip Curl, Adidas, Swatch, Apple, Au Bon Pain and Fuji) it's also a centre for Bangkok arts appreciation. On the same side as Esplanade is a Jusco (a Japanese merchandise store), Carrefour supermarket and a Robinson department store.

Further north on Ratchada Road is the Ratchada Night Bazaar, a laid-back, more local, less well lit equivalent to Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Found where Ratchada intersects with Lad Phrao Road its especially good for those with a penchant for used goods. Expect everything from dirt cheap leather bags, trainers, shoes and jeans, to books, CDs, antiques, furniture, homewares and knick-knacks. It's open every Saturday from early evening until around 23:30.

Learn More About Ratchadapisek: Where to Stay, What to See & Do, Where to Eat, Nightlife, Getting Around

Learn More about Shopping areas: Sukhumvit, Silom, Chidlom, Siam Square, Ratchaprasong, Sathorn, Khao San Road, Old City, Riverside, Chinatown, Chatuchak, Pratunam

Related Links: Markets

This structure of organic contours and ample space was designed by the same Paris-based architects who conceived Bangkok's famous Emporium and Siam Paragon. Within is a music academy, a 12-theatre Cineplex, and ice skating rink (the latter to be launched sometime in 2007). This new addition to the mall scene operates 100 000 square meters of retail space, and introduces the intriguing concept of 'artetainment'.

In addition, it features one of the most modern auditoriums in the city, and the Cineplex movie theatres have devised a nifty way to save paper; the 'now showing' screens are electronic instead of the traditional posters. Aside from all the usual eateries, cafes and fashionable lifestyle stores, there are also several health and wellness outlets, from post-natal slimming and shaping, to fitness, hair and nails. Project Zen Bodyworks has a spa menu to delight, and Chaho Matcha Teashop stocks Japanese green tea. And for some action, Blu-O Rhythm & Bowl combines karaoke and bowling for good clean fun.

Open: 10:00 - 22:00
Location: Ratchada Road
Subway: Thailand Cultural Center

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.

Open: Every Saturday from early evening to around 23:30
Where: On the corner of Ratchada-Lad Phrao junction
How to get there: Take the MRT to either Lad Phrao station or Ratchadapisek station
Shopping tip: Due to the lack of proper lighting, make sure you look carefully for flaws or damage. And remember to bargain hard!