Bangkok, The City of Angels, is known for it's nightlife, dining scene and of course, shopping. This is one of Asia's most stylish cities where funky fashions meet sophisticated Thai design. Read on to achieve shopping nirvana in one of the world's wildest cities.

River City

River City is a multi-level mall with dozens of shops selling arts and antiques. Everything at every budget is available, from the ubiquitous Burmese betel nut boxes, dressers, trunks, and Buddhas to some highly questionable items, such as dolphin fountains and a marble fireplace topped with a life-sized Poseidon. Located just a few steps from the Sheraton Royal Orchid hotel.

River City
23 Yotha Road
Sampanthawong
Bangkok 10100

www.rivercity.co.th 

Almeta

If you're looking for custom-made silk curtains and bedspreads delivered straight to your door, head to Almeta. This little shop, just off Sukhumvit Road, stocks over 1,000 colours of hand-woven Thai silk, mostly in solids, and supplies silks to New Zealand designer Octavia Fox. The shop can custom-make curtains in about three weeks and will ship internationally. If you didn't bring your measurements or are unsure if a particular fabric will match your couch, don't worry. When at home, simply mail the shop a colour sample of what you want, and Almeta will match it and send you a few samples. Almeta also stocks a wide range of bedding and cushions, as well as silk wallpaper. A solid colour, three-ply Thai silk is roughly $20 a meter.

Almeta
20/3 Sukhumvit Soi 23
Bangkok
Opening hours: Daily 10am- 6pm
Phone: (662) 204-1412 or (662) 258 4227

www.almeta.com

Playground!

Think of Playground as the Colette of Bangkok. This funky concept store, which opened in March 2005, stocks designers including Medium Rare, Chai and Munchu's but offers much more than just fashion. The ground floor houses a Starbucks and the more interesting Vanilla café, as well as a selection of what seems to be every magazine on earth. Playground! regularly hosts art exhibits and the second floor atrium is filled with giant squashy bean bags. There's also an in-house travel company, and a wide selection of stylish housewares from Plabo and House of Frame. 

Playground!
818 Soi Sukhumvit 55 (Thonglor), Sukhumvit Rd.,
Klongton Nue, Wattana, Bangkok
Phone: (662) 714-7888, (662) 714-9616
Fax: (662) 714-9177
Opening hours: 10 am- 11pm

www.playgroundstore.co.th

Siam Paragon Mall

When the 500,000 square meter Siam Paragon opened in December 2005, it became the largest mall in Southeast Asia and the biggest and most extravagant shopping centre in Bangkok. Nearly every international luxury brand is represented here, from Gucci, Prada, Chanel, and Coach, to Versace, Kate Spade, Paul Smith, and Shanghai Tang. To keep the men happy, there is also an auto gallery showcasing Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis. If you want to take a break from shopping, the basement level holds the Siam Ocean World aquarium, complete with a flat bottom boat ride through a shark tank, and a rainforest.

Siam Paragon Mall
Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok

www.siamparagon.co.th

Jim Thompson

American-born Jim Thompson is credited with single-handedly reviving the Thai silk industry. Although he mysteriously disappeared while on holiday in Malaysia in 1967, today Jim Thompson's name is synonymous with Thai silk, and his Bangkok shop is widely regarded as the best place in town to buy silk. The large showroom has a mind-boggling array of fabrics and offers the most variety of styles, from solids, stripes and checks to jacquard and more geometric prints. Also on sale are delicate silk cushion covers, ties, and wallets. The third floor of the showroom stocks the higher-end silks that Jim Thompson manufactures for Gaston Y Daniela, Elitis, and Sahco Hasslein. Prices are high, starting at 650 baht for a two-ply solid silk, but savvy shoppers should also head to the Jim Thompson outlet just down the road, where prices are slashed by about 50 percent.

Main store:

Jim Thompson
9 Surawong Road,
Bangkok
Phone: (662) 632-8100 Fax: (662) 632-8111

www.jimthompson.com

Jim Thompson Outlet

149/4-6 Surawong Road
Phone: (662) 2358930-2

ME (Modern East)

Located inside the upscale Gaysorn Plaza, Modern East sells wonderfully designed housewares and clothing. There are a few locations in Bangkok, and each is themed around a different colour. This location is sells only white and beige items, and sells gauzy white linen embroidered tunics and trousers, silver accessories (coasters, cuffs, photo frames) and cushion covers.

Modern East
Third Floor, Gaysorn Plaza
999 Ploenchit Road
Bangkok
Phone: (662) 656-1127

Belle

If you're looking for a well-edited selection of international designers, head to Belle. This designer boutique stocks Anna Sui, Cacherel, and Stella McCartney.

Belle
Gaysorn Plaza
Ploenchit Road
Lumpini
Pathumwan
Bangkok
Phone: (66) 2656 1109, 2656 1110

Thann Native

Just a few doors down from Modern East in Gaysorn Plaza is the home design and cosmetics store Thann Native. This Thai-owned shop sells modern furniture, rugs and leather boxes, but the real emphasis is on the spa products. The smartly packaged range includes lemongrass and basil soap, fresh mint shower gel, and red rice scented candles. Thann also owns a day spa in the city. 

Thann Native
Third Floor, Gaysorn Plaza
999 Ploenchit Road
Bangkok

Pasaya

Pasaya is the kind of store where you want to buy everything in sight. This boutique sells exquisite bedding. Most of the sheets, pillows and duvet sets have a 420-thread count, and a rainbow of colours are available. Pasaya also sells silk fabrics and can make custom made curtains and bed sheets, but average delivery time for fabrics is three weeks so plan accordingly.

Click here for a special offer from Pasaya exclusively for iTravel iShop readers. 

PASAYA Flagship Store
Siam Paragon Shopping Center, unit 32-33, 3rd Fl. (near North Entrance), Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok
Tel: (662) 610-9338-40

www.pasaya.com

Cloud 9

This little boutique stocks top international designers including Orla Kiely, Tracy Reese, Trina Turk, Paper Denim and Cloth, and jewellery designer Erickson Beamon.

Cloud 9
Second Floor, Gaysorn Plaza
999 Ploenchit Road
Bangkok
Phone: (662) 656-1428

Suan Lum Night Bazaar

Although all the guidebooks will steer you towards the gargantuan Chatuchak (Jatujak) market with over 1500 stalls, we prefer the quieter and calmer Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Located near The Banyan Tree hotel, this Night Bazaar feels like a mini-version of London's Camden Market. Open from 3 pm until midnight, the market has a collection of small stalls that feel more like little boutiques. A lot of up and coming designers have stalls here, and everything from clothing to furniture and housewares is on sale. Best of all, its cooler and less crowded than Chatuchak.  

Suan Lum Night Bazaar
Rama IV Road
Bangkok