Shops, stores and services

Large department stores and shopping centres have shot up all over Bangkok and most provincial capitals. These stores open seven days a week, usually from lOam to 9pm or sometimes later. Traditional shop-houses which open onto the street are usually owned by Chinese Thais and are also open seven days a week, from early morning to last thing at night.

Local fresh food markets are at their busiest in the early morning and may only be open from 5am to 9am in smaller country towns. At night time the market place becomes a place for eating and drinking at food stalls and barrows, although curios, cassette tapes, clothes and so on may also be on sale. City pavements also become lined with stalls selling clothing, luggage and watches. The rock-bottom prices indicate that many of the goods are imitations of the brand names they bear.

Whenever you purchase goods (with the exception of food) from roadside stalls or markets, the price you are quoted will include an allowance for you to bargain down. As a general rule you can expect to purchase the item at 50—75% of the first price quoted to you. If you are not sure what the going rate is, shop around and enquire from several stallholders. However, it is not appropriate to bargain for goods in department stores or hotels.