Bangkok Take-Homes – Homegrown Gifts from Thailand

When it comes to shopping for souvenirs, Bangkok has some terrific shops where you can buy Thai made gifts and mementoes. Most guidebooks will head you to budget shopping mall MBK or Jim Thompson for Thai Silk, which is stunning. But I also love to go to Chatuchak Markets and a handful of other shops where I know I’m guaranteed to find some locally made souvenirs.

Bangkok Take-Homes – Homegrown Gifts from Thailand

Here are my favourite shops for Bangkok take-homes and gifts made in Thailand.

EXOTIQUE THAI

This big beautiful store is the spot to head for exquisite Thai-made handicrafts, souvenirs and gifts, including aromatic Thann and Harnn home spa and beauty products, incenses, and essential oils, and Tichaa organic teas and tea sets made from Thai herbs.

Also look for Vuudh interior fragrances and aromatic candles, charms and sachets, and vibrant Rapeeleela placemats made from sea-grass, hyacinth and palm leaves, as well as silk scarves, colourful baskets, and plenty of contemporary crafts and accessories.

Exotique is colossal so if you love to shop be prepared to spend some time here getting your Bangkok take-homes – and if you don’t, there’s so much variety it makes souvenir-shopping a cinch. 4th Floor, Siam Paragon Department Store, Skytrain/BTS: Siam

PROPAGANDA

At the Thai version of French store Pylones, you can expect quirky, colourful Philippe Starck-like knick-knacks and accessories for the home and office. The most iconic Propaganda piece is the Mr P Table Lamp by Propaganda’s key designer Chaiyuth Plypetch.

There’s a whole line of (smaller) Mr P products including lightweight bottle openers, cork screws and swizzle sticks that will more easily fit in the carry-on. Want to know why he’s called Mr P? Zoom in on the pic above. 4th Floor, Siam Discovery Mall, Skytrain/BTS: Siam or National Stadium

LOFT

Another one-stop-shop where you can find yourself fooling around for hours is LOFT. Tokyo-born, the Bangkok branch stocks all kinds of kooky, kitschy gifts, gizmos and gadgets, made all over Asia.

Expect plenty of Japanese toys, trinkets and stationery, including whacky iPhone cases and laptop bags, lots of Thai made stuff, and products exclusive to LOFT like the Sparrow serving sets and Tea Shirts – tea-bag dunking apparatuses of course! 4th Floor, Siam Discovery Mall, Skytrain/BTS: Siam or National Stadium

SPICE STORY

This Thai-owned spice shop stocks an array of spice and pepper products – around 200 apparently! – primarily from Thailand (70%) with a small amount grown in Burma, Laos and Vietnam.

You’ll find every conceivable kind of spice and pepper, packaged in jars and bottles that are handy for travelling. But what we really love are their packaged sets of spices that can be used for specific dishes, such as Tom Yum, for example.

Once located amidst the eateries and fast food places in the basement, there was a temporary shop on the ground floor when we last checked, while a new store was being fitted out. Ask at one of the information desks before you go looking. Siam Paragon Mall, Skytrain/BTS: Siam

SINGHA LIFE

Forget the cheap Singha beer t-shirts sold at the tacky tourist stalls on Kao San Road and Sukhumvit and head to this sleek Singha Life store instead, where you’ll find far cooler, original Singha t-shirts, created by young Thai designers, fresh out of fashion school.

You’ll also find Thai-made jeans, polo shirts, cotton shirts, shoes, sneakers, and loafers (including a cool purple suede pair last time we dropped in), and accessories, from leather belts and bags. The brand is an initiative by the Singha beer corporation to support the development of young Thai designers. Siam Centre, Skytrain/BTS: Siam