Visiting Bangkok And Want Some Advice On Shops.

[idrisguitar]

we are visitng for two weeks, and have researched the city, we know about the pat pong and chatachuk market (the 36 acre one ) so we will be going through them as well as other night market. we will also go to china town and the river city.

but i was hoping you could also help by telling us a very good trustworthy optician (i think we are staying in the ambassodor hotel)

and also i am desperate to get a lot of good value instruments like violins and others, inc. thai instruments as well.

and also anything else that you recommend to see for a first time visitor would be very welcome too

i really hope you can help

Idris

Edited June 17, 2007 by idrisguitar

[ngangu]

There is a section in Chinatown, sorry i can't remember the soi??, that has a load of instrument shops. Seemed like a dozen or so all in a bunch. If you can find a taxi driver or moto-taxi that speaks English , tell them you want to buy a guitar.

I do remember seeing a violin shop at Chatuchak.

Ride the river taxis on the Chao Phrya, one of my favs on a nice day!

Stick to the skytrain and MRT underground as much as possible. Taxis and traffic are a waste of time and money.

[Deserted]

The World Centre for Trade has several very good music stores, selling a variety of classical instruments as well as a lot of sheet music. You'd need to take a taxi or get the Skytrain to Chitlom and walk on the overpass from there.

[idrisguitar]

glad to hear theres a violin shop at chatachuk will be going there for sure so wil try and find that.

also i will try and search through that area in china town, sounds quite good.

might pick up som guitar equipment as well.

can anyone clarify the exact road ngangu is talking about with all the instrument shops? would really help.

im usre i will find more information at the hotel or from taxi drivers though.

[MiG16]

the place with music instrument...ask taxi to take you to the road beside Royal hotel (near the rajdamneon road), from Royal Hotel turn left along the canal and you will see a row of shops with instruments. Im not sure if this is where ngangu is talking about...its not exacttly main Chinatown area, but is in the vicinity, closer to the Grand Palace...anyhow Ive seen some instrument shops there.....but some might be second hand......

[idrisguitar]

thats great thanks, im sure asking around in the hotel and other places i will be able to confirm the location of these shops.

(again if anyone knows exactly where they are that would be awesome)

can anyone tell me about a good trustworthy optician that deals with contact lenses and has a good thorough testing procedure?

[idrisguitar]

SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST, ITS NOT ALLOWING ME TO EDIT FOR SOME REASON.

anyway ignore the above post as i have found the street where the music shops are and where good opticians are.

i want to ask though, to ngangu, in what area was the violin shop in the chatachuk market?

as i really want to find it but have a feeling with the sheer size the market that i wont have time to go and search it out for a long time., and that i will have to stay with my dad, if i know roughly what area it is in then we can plan when to go and find it after sorting out other priorities first.

i really want a quality violin that is good value and i know ill find it if i can find the stall on the market.

hope you can help me out with this.

Edited June 18, 2007 by idrisguitar

[billp]

Optician: Siam Opitical 535 Sukhumvit. It's about 10 min. walk from your hotel just beyond Asoke BTS station in the direction of Phrom Pong. Just across the big, dangerous intersection beside Thai Overlander Travel. Family enterprise, very competent, very good service. In my opinion, a cut above the chain stores in the malls. I've used them for years and I've been satisfied every time.