Key Takeaways
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Bangkok is one of the most popular and cheapest destinations for Indian travellers, and shopping is one of the main reasons. The city has everything from large malls and floating markets to weekend markets that take hours just to browse.
Whether you are planning a quick three-day trip to Bangkok or a whole week in the city, set aside dedicated time for shopping, as it usually becomes a major part of the trip.
Clothes, electronics, skincare, silk, custom suits, herbal products, and food, the list goes on, and the prices are reasonable.
This guide lists the 20 best things to buy in Bangkok. So, with no confusion, know what to buy in Bangkok to bring back to India.
A Quick Look at Top Markets to Shop in Bangkok
| Best Markets | Best Buys |
| Chatuchak Weekend Market | Silk, ceramics, clothing, Muay Thai gear, rattan bags, handicrafts, snacks |
| Or Tor Kor Market | Curry pastes, dried mango, coconut sugar, Thai tea mix, Mama noodles |
| Platinum Fashion Mall | Co-ords, dresses, Naraya bags, Korean skincare, cosmetics |
| Pratunam Market | Wholesale clothing, elephant pants, souvenirs, street fashion, snacks |
| MBK Centre | Twins Special and Fairtex shorts, gloves, shin guards, training gear |
| MBK Centre + Pantip Plaza | Phone accessories, cables, cameras, Korean and Japanese electronics |
| Siam Paragon + Jim Thompson | Thai silk, certified gems, high-end skincare, luxury brands |
20 Best Things to Buy in Bangkok for Indians
Bangkok shopping is not limited to clothes and souvenirs. From traditional Thai silk and handcrafted ceramics to skincare, snacks, and Muay Thai gear, the city has products that are both useful and genuinely cheaper than what you find in India.
The list below has some of the best things to buy in Bangkok for Indian travellers, with prices.
1. Thai Silk
- Approx. Cost: 800 THB (2,345 INR) for scarves and 5,000 THB (14,659 INR) for dresses.
Thailand is famous for its silk, and buying it in Bangkok is far cheaper than buying imported Thai silk in India. The texture feels smoother and slightly stiffer than many Indian silk fabrics, which makes it ideal for saree blouses, dupattas, dresses, and jacket linings.
Jim Thompson is the most recognised Thai silk brand, founded by an American businessman who revived the Thai silk trade after World War II.
When you are shopping for silk, buy plain Thai silk fabric that goes well as blouse material and lightweight festive wear.
2. Custom Tailor-Made Suits and Clothing
- Approx. Cost: Starts at 4,000 THB (11,711 INR).
Bangkok is one of the best cities in Asia for affordable custom tailoring. You can get suits, blazers, dresses, co-ord sets, formal shirts, and even Indo-western styles stitched within 2 days at lower prices.
Pratunam is known for budget-friendly tailoring, while Silom and Sukhumvit have more premium tailors with better fabrics and finishing. You can also bring a reference photo of the exact fit or style you want, or simply choose from their catalogues.
3. Thai Herbal and Wellness Products
- Approx. Cost: 35 – 250 THB (102 – 732 INR).
Thai herbal products are among the most popular items Indians buy from Bangkok. Products like Tiger Balm, Counterpain, herbal inhalers, massage oils, and spa balms are sold everywhere in the city and usually cost much less than imported versions you find in India.
Thailand is also known for its spa and wellness culture, so you will find many local brands selling good-quality herbal body scrubs, bath oils, essential oils, and natural skincare products.
4. Elephant Pants
- Approx. Cost: 150 – 300 THB (439 – 878 INR).
Elephant pants are one of the most popular items tourists buy in Bangkok because they are cheap and comfortable in hot weather. You can wear this in Thailand on beach days, during city tours, and for sightseeing.
Most travellers end up buying multiple pairs because they are affordable, easy to pack, and make simple gifts for friends and family. You will find them almost everywhere around Bangkok’s tourist markets.
5. Muay Thai Shorts and Gear
- Approx. Cost: 300 – 800 THB for shorts. Full gear set is 2,500 – 5,000 THB (878 – 14,638 INR).
Muay Thai gear is one of the most Thailand-specific things you can buy in Bangkok. The shorts are lightweight, colourful, and designed for movement, which is why many people also use them for gym wear and beach outfits. Even if you don’t train in Muay Thai, the shorts make fun souvenirs for your friends back home or casual gym wear.
Apart from shorts, you can also buy boxing gloves, shin guards, hand wraps, and training gear at far lower prices.
6. Thai Spices, Sauces, and Curry Pastes
- Approx. Cost: 60 – 300 THB (175 – 878 INR).
Buying local food products is one way to bring back the culture of the country you visit. Most of your days end with a visit to the local markets for Thai street food. To carry the taste even after you come back to India, buy spices, sauces, and curry pastes and make the food yourself.
These are some of the cheap things you can buy from Thailand that are difficult to find in India at the same price.
7. Skincare and Cosmetics
- Approx. Cost: 200 – 2,500 THB (585 – 7,319 INR).
There are Korean, Japanese, and Thai skincare brands available in Thailand, and many products cost 20 – 40% less than they do on Indian e-commerce websites.
Some of the famous products to buy from Bangkok are sheet masks, sunscreens, BB creams, snail creams, blush, and lightweight moisturisers. Thai brands like Mistine and Smooth-E are especially popular because they are affordable and perfect for humid weather.
8. Thai Gems and Jewellery
- Approx. Cost: 500 – 20,000 THB (1,463 – 58,555 INR).
Bangkok is one of the world’s major gemstone trading hubs, especially for sapphires, rubies, and coloured stones.
Chatuchak Market has many affordable silver jewellery stalls, while Silom Road is known for more premium gemstone stores with certified stones. Thai jewellery designs also tend to be lighter and more minimal compared to heavier Indian styles.
Avoid buying gemstones from random street sellers or small vendors near temples, as Bangkok is also known for tourist gem scams.
9. Celadon Ceramics
- Approx. Cost: 200 – 3,000 THB (585 – 8,783 INR). Small cups and bowls are lower in price; large decorative vases and full tea sets cost more.
Celadon ceramics are one of Thailand’s most traditional handicrafts and are known for their soft jade-green glaze finish. Bowls, plates, tea sets, cups, and vases are the common items you can see in Bangkok markets.
These ceramics look very different from Indian pottery styles, which is why many travellers buy them as home decor pieces or gifts. Handmade celadon products feel more premium compared to mass-produced ceramics sold in regular souvenir shops.
Most shops will bubble-wrap your products, but carrying an extra cloth for added protection is a good idea.
10. Coconut Products
- Approx. Cost: 70 – 500 THB (204 – 1,463 INR).
Fresh coconut water is a staple in Thailand, but beyond that, coconut-based products are even more popular. Coconut oil, coconut sugar, dried coconut chips, skincare products, and coconut milk powder are some of the things you can look out for.
Coconut sugar is well known because it has a mild caramel taste, and it is marketed as a healthier alternative to refined sugar in Thailand.
11. Thai Coffee and Tea
- Approx. Cost: 100 – 500 THB (292 – 1,463 INR).
Thailand’s coffee has become famous over the last decade. Especially in the northern mountains around Chiang Rai and Doi Inthanon, where cooler temperatures help produce smooth Arabica beans.
Compared to Vietnamese coffee, Thai coffee is lighter, less bitter, and has a bit of a floral taste. Brands like Doi Chaang and Akha Ama are popular among coffee lovers.
Thai tea is equally popular. The bright orange Thai milk tea sold at street stalls across Bangkok is available as ready-made tea mixes at supermarkets. You can buy a few packets because it is easy to make at home and tastes exactly like the version served in Bangkok cafes.
12. Thai Amulets
- Approx. Cost: 50 – 500 THB (146 – 1,463 INR). Common amulets from non-famous temples start at THB 50. Pieces from a well-known monk cost 500 THB.
Thai amulets, locally called phra phim, are small Buddhist pendants that many Thai people wear daily for protection, luck, and blessings. They are usually made from clay, metal, or powdered temple materials and are blessed by monks before being sold or distributed.
The main amulet market near Wat Pho and Tha Prajan Pier has hundreds of stalls displaying trays filled with pendants organised by temple and monk lineage.
13. Street Food and Snacks to Bring Home
- Approx. Cost: 30 – 500 THB (87 – 1,463 INR).
When deciding what to buy from Bangkok, street food and local snacks are always the top choices. There are many unique flavours of chips, noodles, and chocolate that are difficult to find in India; even if you find them, they come with an imported cost.
Some of the must-buy things in Bangkok include flavoured pretzels, Tao Kae Noi seaweed, durian chips, bento squid sheets, Siam banana, and dehydrated fruits. Popular Thai street foods to try include Pad Thai, Moo Ping, Som Tum, Khao Soi and Mango Sticky Rice.
14. Wooden Handicrafts and Carvings
- Approx. Cost: 200 – 5,000 THB (585 – 14,638 INR).
In Thailand’s northern region, especially in Chiang Mai markets, you will find traditional wood carving. Bangkok markets bring many of these handmade products from there. Teakwood elephants, decorative wall panels, jewellery boxes, trays, and carved bowls are the things you can consider buying.
Thai teak is known for its durability and natural resistance to moisture, which is why it is used for furniture and decorative work across Southeast Asia.
15. Batik and Cotton Fabrics
- Approx. Cost: 200 – 2,000 THB (585 – 5,855 INR).
Thailand’s northeastern Isan region is known for its handwoven cotton fabrics made using traditional loom techniques. These fabrics have a more textured, handmade feel than machine-made cotton. The dyeing technique is similar to ikat weaving, as in some parts of India.
For Indian travellers, these fabrics are perfect for dupatta material, kurta, scarves, and home decor textiles. The markets sell them at lower prices than similar handcrafted fabrics in Indian handloom stores, especially when you buy directly from local vendors.
16. Rattan and Woven Products
- Approx. Cost: 200 – 3,000 THB (585 – 8,783 INR).
Thai rattan and wicker products have become extremely popular due to the global trend towards handmade, natural-looking home decor. Bags, baskets, trays, mats, and storage organisers made from woven rattan are sold across Bangkok.
Rattan handbags are known for their lightweight and stylish look. Bangkok also has more variety in woven designs and shapes than what is usually available in Indian lifestyle stores, especially at Chatuchak Market.
17. Naraya Handbags and Pouches
- Approx. Cost: 270 – 1,400 THB (790 – 4,097 INR).
Naraya is one of the most recognised Thai handbag brands for Indians visiting Bangkok. The brand is known for its lightweight handbags, travel pouches, cosmetic organisers, and fabric accessories made using Thai cotton and silk-inspired prints.
Most tourists like Naraya because the bags are affordable, practical for travel, and easy to gift. Compared to branded handbags in India, Naraya products are much cheaper yet durable for daily use with a fine finish.
18. Traditional Thai Dress (Chut Thai)
- Approx. Cost: 500 – 3,000 THB (1,463 – 8,783 INR).
Chut Thai is the traditional formal dress of Thailand and is usually worn during weddings, cultural ceremonies, and formal events. The outfits are made using silk or satin fabrics with elegant cuts and perfect colour combinations.
Ready-made Chut Thai sets are available in local markets, while custom-made versions from tailors in Pratunam or Silom offer better fitting and fabric quality. You can buy them either for photoshoots in Thailand or to carry back home.
19. Thai Paintings and Artwork
- Approx. Cost: 200 – 10,000 THB (585 – 29,277 INR).
Bangkok has a large art market where you can find everything from inexpensive decorative prints to original handmade paintings. Traditional Thai artwork often includes temples, elephants, floating markets, and Ramakien artwork, which is Thailand’s version of the Ramayana.
The Thai artistic style looks very different from Indian paintings, especially in the use of gold detailing, facial features, and Buddhist influences. If you are interested in art, then River City Bangkok is one of the best places to see contemporary Thai artwork and gallery pieces.
20. Fridge Magnets and Small Souvenirs
- Approx. Cost: 30 – 200 THB (87 – 585 INR).
The classic souvenirs are always a must-buy, such as fridge magnets, elephant figurines, miniature tuk-tuks, and keychains, as they are the easiest and cheapest things to buy in Bangkok for friends and family back home.
These items are sold in every tourist market and are usually much cheaper than airport shops. When you buy them in bulk, street vendors often reduce prices when multiple pieces are purchased together. Also, compared to the airport, the street markets have more variety in designs.
Custom Rules and Shopping Tips for Shopping in Bangkok
- Bargaining: At Chatuchak, Pratunam, Patpong, Khao San Road, and all the other local street markets, you can bargain. It does not work inside malls or at brand stores.
- Replica Goods: There are replica Gucci, fake Rolex, and copy Nike available, but counterfeit branded goods can be confiscated at the border, especially if you buy in bulk.
- Vegetarian Food: In Thai street food, they use fish sauce and oyster sauce as base seasonings in almost everything, even in vegetarian dishes like stir-fried vegetables and fried rice. Before ordering, mention the word “jay”, which means vegetarian for a complete plant-based food.
- Payment: Some small stalls accept only cash. There is also a UPI option, but you need to download the Tag Thai Easy Pay app.
- Duty-Free Allowance: Each Indian traveller gets 75,000 INR worth of goods duty-free. Goods above this have a customs duty of 35 – 40% on the excess.
- Tobacco: 100 cigarettes, 25 cigars, or 125g of tobacco are within the duty-free limit.
- Alcohol: Up to 2 litres of alcohol are duty-free. Anything above 2 litres is taxed.
Conclusion
Shopping in Bangkok can be easy when you know where to go and what each area is best for. Chatuchak on the weekend for silk, ceramics, and Muay Thai gear. Or Tor Kor for food and spices. MBK for electronics accessories. Pratunam is good if you are buying clothes in bulk.
Learning all this saves time and stops you from overpaying at the wrong market. One thing we recommend is to carry enough Baht in smaller denominations for quick shopping.
If you are already planning a trip to Thailand, take a look at our Thailand Tour Packages. We will help you plan the right itinerary with better shopping options and activities.
FAQs on Things to Buy in Bangkok for Indians
1. What is famous in Bangkok for shopping?
Thai silk, custom-tailored clothing, Muay Thai gear, skincare products, gems and jewellery, herbal wellness products, Naraya bags, and Thai food products like curry pastes are the top things to buy in Bangkok.
2. What is cheaper to buy in Bangkok than in India?
Tiger Balm, International skincare brands like Hada Labo and COSRX, Muay Thai gear, and a custom suit cost less in Thailand than in India.
3. Can Indians bring Thai food back to India?
Yes, you can bring Thai food to India if it is sealed and packaged. Curry pastes, instant noodles, coconut products, dried fruits, and snacks in sealed packs easily clear Indian customs. However, do not carry fresh produce, loose herbs, or unlabelled items.
4. How much cash should you carry for shopping in Bangkok?
If you are not planning to shop much, expect to spend around 3,000 INR on smaller souvenirs. If you made a list of things to buy in Bangkok, including food, clothes, snacks, and bags, then keep a budget of at least 6,000 INR, which can exceed 10,000 INR.
