MBK Shopping Center Bangkok

The multi-storey MBK is probably Bangkok's most legendary shopping mall, popular with both tourists and locals. Eight floors packed with 2,000 shops that sell everything from clothing, fashion accessories, handbags, leather products and luggage to furniture, mobile phones, electric appliances, cameras, stationery and DVDs.

MBK (launched in 1986) is a beehive of activity, especially on weekends, when half of Bangkok converges to shop for bargains. It's not as up-market or stylish as neighbouring Siam Discovery, Siam Centre and the glitzy Siam Paragon, but it offers a mind-boggling range of goods spread over 89,000 square metres and is considerably less expensive.

You'll find entire floors dedicated to shoes and handbags, fashion and clothing, mobile phones and furniture. Like every shopping complex in Bangkok, there is an enormous food court with lots of affordable and yummy Thai and International food to choose from. The top floor comprises of an entertainment complex boasting plush cinemas, modern karaoke facilities, a computer games arcade and plenty of other restaurants and fast food choices.

Bargains galore – and free air-conditioning!

To start with, fashion outlets cover everything from jeans, outsized clothing (for the 'larger' Western frame), shoes, handbags, accessories, jewellery, trendy apparel and famous-name brands. The bargain prices of many of these items mean that merchandise is often copy products or from questionable origin. It's important to take a closer look at the quality and craftsmanship.

But if your idea of a shopping bargain is to pay a few dollars for an Adidas T-shirt or a Gucci belt – and authenticity is not an issue – head straight to MBK. Many of the products that can be found here are similar to that at markets, but the convenience of shopping in an air-conditioned environment beats hot and sticky markets – especially in the hot season.

And, just like the markets, all prices are negotiable; MBK is probably the only mall in Bangkok where you can put your bartering skills to the test. You'll be surprised how much a big smile can knock of the original asking price. If you're shopping wholesale, prices get even more competitive.

Heaven for Electronic Goods and Mobile Phones

The fourth floor is dedicated to mobile phones, DVDs, CDs and all kinds of related gadgets and paraphernalia in a market-type environment with stalls crammed into every available space. New phones, second-hand phones, starter packs, the latest (copy) DVDs, PC games and games consoles, MP3 players and what have you...

A flagship tenant is the four-storey Tokyu Department Store, the only one in Bangkok and a leading department store in Japan, which offers a wide range of quality merchandise like clothing, apparel, cosmetics and household goods at reasonable prices. On the fourth level is has a supermarket too. There's also a TOPS supermarket at MBK (ground level) and a mini indoor craft market (on the sixth floor) with a range of arts and crafts from all over Thailand – a lot of it though the typical souvenir-type items targeted at tourists.