Finding Thai souvenirs and cultural gifts
This guide covers what to look for in each type of gift, where to buy it in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, how to pay and bargain, and which items need care at customs. Item prices vary widely, so compare several stalls before you buy.
Cultural souvenirs by category
Thai silk and other textiles
To learn about Thai silk before you shop, visit the Jim Thompson House museum (6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road; BTS National Stadium, Exit 1), open daily 10:00–17:00. Admission is about 250 THB for adults, 150 THB for ages 10–21 with ID, and free under 10. The main house is visited only with a guide, in Thai, English, French, Chinese or Japanese.
Beyond silk, look for cotton textiles and embroidery, which Warorot Market in Chiang Mai sells (see below). Ask what the fabric is made of, because silk, cotton and synthetic blends can look similar. Scarves and cushion covers are light and pack flat.
Religious and spiritual items
Buddha images and amulets are sold in many markets. They are sacred objects to Thai people, not decoration: do not buy Buddha heads as ornaments, and handle all Buddha images with respect. If your shopping day includes a temple, cover your shoulders and knees.
Ceramics, woodwork and decorative crafts
Thai ceramics include celadon, with its soft green glaze, and Benjarong, a porcelain painted in several bright colours. Markets also sell carved wood and lacquerware. Ask the seller to wrap fragile pieces well, and carry them in your hand luggage if they fit. Antiques need an export licence (see the customs section).
Gold and jewellery
Thai gold is sold by weight in "baht": one baht of 96.5% gold bullion weighs 15.16 g. The Gold Traders Association publishes a reference price every day at goldtraders.or.th. Check that price before you buy in a gold shop, for example in Yaowarat (Bangkok's Chinatown), and keep the receipt.
Never follow a stranger's or a driver's tip to a "special" gem or jewellery shop. Buy from shops you have chosen yourself.
Food, herbal and spa gifts
Food makes a practical gift: curry pastes, chilli pastes, dried fruit, snacks, coffee and tea. Herbal balms, soaps and spa products are light and easy to share. In Chiang Mai, Warorot Market is known for northern foods such as sai ua sausage and nam prik chilli pastes. In Bangkok, Or Tor Kor Market, opposite Chatuchak and next to MRT Kamphaeng Phet, is known for premium fruit such as mango and durian.
Choose sealed, factory-packed products, and pack liquids according to your airline's rules. Check your home country's import rules for fresh fruit, meat and plant products.
Where to buy souvenirs
Bangkok
| Place | What you find | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| Chatuchak Weekend Market | More than 15,000 stalls in 27 sections | Sat–Sun 09:00–18:00 |
| SookSiam at ICONSIAM | Food, snacks and crafts from all 77 provinces | ICONSIAM: daily 10:00–22:00 |
| Asiatique The Riverfront | Riverside shopping and dining | Daily 11:00–24:00 |
| MBK Center | 8 floors of shops, free welcome gift for tourists | Daily 10:00–22:00 |
Opening hours and prices in this article were checked in September 2026. Confirm them with the market, mall or museum before you go.
Chatuchak Weekend Market: go on Saturday or Sunday soon after 09:00, before the heat and the crowds, and pick up a map at the market. A smaller, wholesale-focused session runs on Friday 18:00–24:00. The nearest stations are MRT Kamphaeng Phet, MRT Chatuchak Park and BTS Mo Chit.
SookSiam, on the G floor of ICONSIAM, is an indoor, air-conditioned zone designed like a floating market, with regional food and crafts at market-style prices. To get there, take the shuttle boat from Sathorn Pier (BTS Saphan Taksin), which costs 12 THB per person one way, or take the BTS Silom Line to Krung Thon Buri and change to the Gold Line for Charoen Nakhon station.
Asiatique The Riverfront is at 2194 Charoenkrung Road. A free shuttle boat runs from Sathorn Pier from 16:00 to 23:30, every 25–30 minutes. From BTS Saphan Taksin, take Exit 2 to the pier.
At MBK Center, show your passport at the Information counter (G floor, Zone A, open 10:00–20:00) for a free welcome gift.
Chiang Mai
The Night Bazaar is on Chang Khlan Road, between Tha Phae and Sridonchai roads, east of the old-city moat. Warorot Market on Wichayanon Road has textiles, embroidery and northern foods, and its Trok Lao Zhou alley opens daily 07:00–17:00.
Our guide on how to get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai compares the ways to travel north. A Smile Taxi Service transfer from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chiang Mai costs 7,500 THB (sedan), 8,500 THB (SUV) or 10,000 THB (van), per vehicle, one way: book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chiang Mai.
Paying and bargaining
- Markets are mostly cash. Some modern stalls accept QR payment. Carry small notes (20, 50 and 100 THB).
- Bargain only at markets and street stalls. Do not bargain in malls, department stores, convenience stores or anywhere prices are marked.
- Stay calm and friendly when you bargain. Once you agree on a price, buy the item.
- In malls, ask about tourist cards and bring your passport. The free ONESIAM Global Visitor Card (apply online or in the ONESIAM app) gives up to 5% off at department stores in Siam Paragon, ICONSIAM and other ONESIAM malls. Central's The 1 Tourist Card gives 5% under changing conditions; ask at customer service.
- If you have a problem with a shop or suspect a scam, call the Tourist Police on 1155.
The VAT refund on larger purchases
Tourists can claim back Thailand's 7% VAT on goods bought at shops that show the "VAT Refund for Tourists" sign.
- You must spend at least 2,000 THB, including VAT, in one shop on one day.
- Show your original passport when you pay, and ask for the P.P.10 form with the original tax invoice. You cannot get the form later.
- The goods must leave Thailand with you within 60 days of purchase, and you claim the refund on the day you leave.
- If your goods total 20,000 THB or more, customs must inspect them before check-in.
- Luxury items (jewellery, gold, watches, handbags, phones) worth 40,000 THB or more each go in your hand luggage and are shown again at the VAT Refund office after passport control.
- A refund up to 30,000 THB can be paid in cash (THB) or to Alipay or WeChat Pay. A larger refund goes only to a credit card, so bring one.
- A processing fee is deducted, so you get back less than 7%. Malls advertise "up to 6%".
- Refund offices are at 10 international airports, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket.
Customs and export rules
- Antiques and works of art need an export licence from the Fine Arts Department.
- Buddha images and their fragments may not leave Thailand without permission from the Fine Arts Department. Buddha medallions (amulets) and small statues are exempt. As of September 2026, sources give different size limits for small statues, so confirm with Thai Customs before you buy one.
- Large amounts of cash: limits exist, so check with Thai Customs before you carry a large sum out of Thailand.
If you are unsure, call the Thai Customs Care Center on 1164 before you buy.
Useful Thai phrases for souvenir shopping
- ของแท้ไหม (khong thae mai?): Is this genuine?
- ทำจากอะไร (tham chak arai?): What is it made of?
- มีสีอื่นไหม (mi si uen mai?): Do you have other colours?
- ลดได้ไหม (lot dai mai?): Can you lower the price?
- ห่อให้หน่อยได้ไหม (ho hai noi dai mai?): Could you wrap it, please?
Gift-buying tips and getting your shopping home
- Make a list first, with a budget for each person.
- Check the finish: seams, glaze and edges.
- Keep receipts for valuable items, for the VAT refund and for customs.
- Leave space in your luggage, and check your airline's baggage allowance.
Shopping bags need space in the car, so choose the vehicle by your luggage. A Smile Taxi Service sedan takes up to 3 passengers and 2 bags, an SUV up to 5 passengers and 4 bags, and a van up to 7 passengers and 5 bags. Fares are fixed per vehicle, one way, with expressway tolls included. Pickups or drop-offs west of the Chao Phraya River (the Thonburi side) cost 100–200 THB extra.
- Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi: 600 THB sedan, 800 THB SUV, 1,100 THB van. Book an SUV from Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi.
- Bangkok to Don Mueang: 600 THB sedan, 800 THB SUV, 1,000 THB van. Book a van from Bangkok to Don Mueang.
For a shopping day with a driver, the Bangkok full-day private tour (up to 10 hours) costs 2,700 / 3,000 / 3,700 / 4,000 THB for a sedan, SUV, van or VIP van; see tours and day trips. You pay the driver in cash (THB) at the end of the trip. If you can only pay by card, message the team for a PayPal payment link; a 5% fee is added. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. All routes are on the fare list.
FAQ
Where can I buy crafts from all over Thailand in one place in Bangkok? SookSiam, on the G floor of ICONSIAM, sells food, snacks and crafts from Thailand's 77 provinces.
Can I take a Buddha amulet home? Yes. Buddha medallions (amulets) are exempt from the export restriction. Larger Buddha images need permission from the Fine Arts Department; confirm the size limit with Thai Customs (1164).
Can I take large amounts of cash out of Thailand? Limits exist. Check with Thai Customs (1164) before you fly.
Ready to take your souvenirs to the airport? Book your transfer or message us on WhatsApp or LINE.