Shopping in Bang Niang is largely centred on the market and the Soi Bang Niang # 1 area, which is adjacent. You can cover the whole area in an hour or so but the market is fascinating and will probably hold your attention for longer.
Take your pick of the many tailors – they’ll all be priced similarly, and don’t forget that if you cannot find a needed item, Khao Lak Centre – otherwise known as La On Village – is just down the road to the south.
The good thing about 7-Eleven is that it remains open 24 hours a day and prices remain the same irrespective of whether the shop is in a tourist destination or not. Bang Niang’s ‘7’ is in the heart of things, on the corner of Highway 4 and Soi Bang Niang # 1. Please note that Thai law allows the sale of alcohol only between 11:00 – 14:00 and 17:00 – 24:00. 7-Eleven strictly adheres to this law so if you are going on a booze run consider this first.
Always a colourful and lively sight, Thai markets are a must-do on any visitor’s itinerary. Bang Niang Market is especially interesting as it is large, varied and very much a part of the local shopping scene.
Here, you’ll find four rows of makeshift shops/stalls with two wide alleyways leading through them. Goods for sale include shirts, T-shirts, sarongs, beachwear, jeans, shoes, fashion accessories, fruit and vegetables (especially popular with visitors), grilled food, snacks, a 100-baht stall selling watches, sunglasses, fake perfume and knick-knacks, Thai silk, souvenirs and just about anything you could imagine.
Due to the wide alleyways, the atmosphere is relaxed and happy and things never get too crowded – there are even a couple of bars to sit at – and the merchants and vendors seem to enjoy dealing with the many foreigners who attend this eye-opening experience. Best to go late afternoon.
You’ll find many tailors in Khao Lak and other tourist destinations around Thailand. Taking Boss tailor as an example, make sure you allow enough time for the fitting and refitting. Do not expect good quality if you leave things to the last minute – even if the tailor boasts that he can get it done in 24 hours. On the bright side of things, prices in Thailand for bespoke tailoring are a fraction of those in the west.
If you’re looking for handmade leather items, there’s only one place to head for – a neon-lit corrugated-iron-roof shack halfway down Soi Bang Niang # 1. Daeng’s leather outlet doesn’t even have a sign but is packed with handbags, waistcoats, boots, shoes and slippers. Prices are not cheap but quality is high. The owner, Khun Daeng, can make to order but you’re going to have to give him time for the best result so seek him out early during your stay.
If you’ve come to Thailand without toiletries or beachwear, head down to the minimart at Emerald Plaza where you can get your shopping in, relax at the Herb & Health Spa, have a drink at one of the two bars there, a seafood meal and perhaps get sized up for a new shirt or suit at the tailor shop. In sort, Emerald Plaza is a one-stop shopping destination.
Bang Niang, Jerung Street has stylish boutiques (mostly for girls), convenience stores and a couple of artists’ ateliers. The artwork consists mainly of copies of classics and well-known cult figures, cartoon characters and movie stars and you can choose the picture you want from a laminated catalogue of illustrations. The Louvre it most certainly isn’t, but the pictures have a lot of charm to them. If you have enough time the artists will paint a portrait from a photo.
Khao Niau means ‘sticky rice’ but that’s the only traditional nuance to this modern and modestly-sized mall. It sports a few brand-new souvenir shops and cafés but pales in comparison with its exotic next-door neighbour, Bang Niang Market.
This is a specialist shop selling porcelain statues, Buddha images, ceramics and works of art. An ambitious project for such a relatively quiet road, M Gallery accepts credit cards and provides certificates of authenticity with its purchases as well as shipping advice.
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