What can you buy in Bangkok that you can't buy in Pattaya?

[jacko45k]

Getting my Tag serviced and a new battery.

[craigt3365]

The list is endless. Especially if you are a homeowner. Or musician. Or photographer. Or sports enthusiast. Or ???? Or don't want to pay the higher prices here! LOL

With that being said, shopping in Bangkok pales in comparison to back home! We always leave with empty suitcases and come back with them full.

[RichinThailand]

Some food items that are available in BKK are still not readily available here in Pattaya. Specifics....Frozen tubs of Cool Whip, variety of cake and other food mixes, and often fresh Brussels Sprouts and celery!!

[TheKnave]

Specialized technical things...special tools, hydraulic seals, bearings

Rayong is choc-a-block full of that stuff, even more than BKK.

Electronic supplies, maybe, Ban Mo near Chinatown.

Stuff from Chinatown is a good bet, I would guess.

[recycler]

quality cable in a variety of sizes and colours, from AWG4 to AWG24

IP67 plugs/sockets

the motor/engine market is miniminimini in Pattaya, huge in BKK

bolts/nuts/springwashers and washers in marine quality stainless (316)

top quality HSS stuff for milling and drilling

proper marine quality fuel filter arrangements for crap and water

various quality tools

Gammel Dansk

plastic bolts/nuts/washers

For the stainless bolts and a lot of tools there are plenty of shops in the Mabtaphut area and on highway 36.

Easiest from Pattaya is to go check at Ruam Charoen in Ban Chang, just after PTT gas station on the left coming from Pattaya on Sukhumvit.

[robblok]

What about Chatuchak? Other than the tourist schlock what are expats shopping for there other than random surprises?

Loads of cheap dog treats that are resold in other places for higher prices. I go there once in a while to get stuff for my dog.

Bow wow. Now we're talking!

You asked a question you got an answer.. probably not what you liked. There are plenty of things sold there that are cheap and good you just have to know where to look. Might also help to speak Thai guess that counts you out on both counts.

Just look at the tropical fish and aquariums there.

You misunderstood me dude. I wasn't dissing your post at all!

He's Dutch.

He can't help it.

Indeed language problem at times, plus previous experiences with JT. In this case I was wrong no problem admitting it.

[recycler]

A lot of technical and other rare stuff is much cheaper and easier to get on Ebay, not worth the trip to Bangkok mostly not even to Pattaya from where we live in Ban Chang.

[craigt3365]

quality cable in a variety of sizes and colours, from AWG4 to AWG24

IP67 plugs/sockets

the motor/engine market is miniminimini in Pattaya, huge in BKK

bolts/nuts/springwashers and washers in marine quality stainless (316)

top quality HSS stuff for milling and drilling

proper marine quality fuel filter arrangements for crap and water

various quality tools

Gammel Dansk

plastic bolts/nuts/washers

For the stainless bolts and a lot of tools there are plenty of shops in the Mabtaphut area and on highway 36.

Easiest from Pattaya is to go check at Ruam Charoen in Ban Chang, just after PTT gas station on the left coming from Pattaya on Sukhumvit.

And that's one of the problems with shopping here. The shops that have specialized stuff like this only have signs in Thai, don't advertise, and tend to be on smaller roads. Hard to find! Oh...and typically don't speak any English. LOL

[MZurf]

Love?

Good Mexican food ?

Seriously, not a whole lot. Only thing I have had to go to Bangkok to buy are very specialized medical services.

try mikes Mexican in pattaya

I have, and left seriously underwhelmed.

[robblok]

I think shopping in BKK you got a broader and deeper assortment of stuff, but for day to day stuff they are equal. I would only worry if stuff that I wanted on a day to day base was not available.

They just opened a new mall where I live central Westgate at 5-10 minute drive, great to have a luxury Tops (there are different kinds of Tops) and more restaurants but the mall only causes more traffic.

Most other stuff can be had online, i let my parents ship me 5 kg of cheese a month or so, this way i got cheap and good cheese ( I am Dutch a cheese head as rightly remarked). I bought a bread maker so I got good bread too. Things changed a lot from 8 years ago when I came now you can get whatever you want.

Pattaya is just as good / bad as Bangkok (depending on who is talking), I do know I would not want to live out in the sticks that would make normal shopping harder.

[monkey4u]

A BTS ticket

[overherebc]

quality cable in a variety of sizes and colours, from AWG4 to AWG24

IP67 plugs/sockets

the motor/engine market is miniminimini in Pattaya, huge in BKK

bolts/nuts/springwashers and washers in marine quality stainless (316)

top quality HSS stuff for milling and drilling

proper marine quality fuel filter arrangements for crap and water

various quality tools

Gammel Dansk

plastic bolts/nuts/washers

[Rimmer]

Martin guitars

[christerl]

quality cable in a variety of sizes and colours, from AWG4 to AWG24

IP67 plugs/sockets

the motor/engine market is miniminimini in Pattaya, huge in BKK

bolts/nuts/springwashers and washers in marine quality stainless (316)

top quality HSS stuff for milling and drilling

proper marine quality fuel filter arrangements for crap and water

various quality tools

Gammel Dansk

plastic bolts/nuts/washers

Please tell me where to buy Gammel Dansk.

[recycler]

quality cable in a variety of sizes and colours, from AWG4 to AWG24

IP67 plugs/sockets

the motor/engine market is miniminimini in Pattaya, huge in BKK

bolts/nuts/springwashers and washers in marine quality stainless (316)

top quality HSS stuff for milling and drilling

proper marine quality fuel filter arrangements for crap and water

various quality tools

Gammel Dansk

plastic bolts/nuts/washers

For the stainless bolts and a lot of tools there are plenty of shops in the Mabtaphut area and on highway 36.

Easiest from Pattaya is to go check at Ruam Charoen in Ban Chang, just after PTT gas station on the left coming from Pattaya on Sukhumvit.

And that's one of the problems with shopping here. The shops that have specialized stuff like this only have signs in Thai, don't advertise, and tend to be on smaller roads. Hard to find! Oh...and typically don't speak any English. LOL

Sukhumvit and Highway 36, are not small roads and the shops, certainly the one in Ban Chang, is frequented by foreigners, they do have English speaking staff. I even had stainless tools built there on my design.

The one on highway 36 is about 1 km after you turn left from 3191 road on to 36, they even have a foreigner working in the tool shop.

On 3191 and on 36 and on 331 there are lots of shops that sell professional equipment and surplus equipment and parts.

I you doubt, you can check them out on streetview first ;-)

[overherebc]

You don't happen to know where Ican find BSW nuts studs and bolts do you?

[whatproblem]

Bangkok girli

[sammygood]

love ?

lol

[emilymat]

Decent apricot jam.

[pluto_manibo]

Martin guitars

Yes, second hand guitars, strings, tubes! Lots of quality shops! Krispy Kreme donuts, clothes(not the cheap colorful kind with labels everywhere), furniture, motorcycle parts and accessories.

[KhunBENQ]

The list is endless. Especially if you are a homeowner. Or musician. Or photographer. Or sports enthusiast. Or ???? Or don't want to pay the higher prices here! LOL

With that being said, shopping in Bangkok pales in comparison to back home! We always leave with empty suitcases and come back with them full.

Bangkok is a megacity, about every highly specialised item can only be got there.

The top end (imported) technical products (for those with very deep pockets) only in Bangkok.

Go to the food market at the basement of Siam Paragon and check out whether you could get all that stuff in Pattaya.

Bet not.

(though again things that are crazy expensive, not what the avarage expat can afford)

Sure, for daily life of an expat even with requirements for home country food etc. Pattaya has more than enough.

But believe me, I could say this even for the bigger provincial capitals like Khon Kaen.

In the past I often took things from Pattaya visits back home upcountry.

Less and less in the meantime.

Last time it was a can of spray grease for the yard gate (not having checked whether I could get it in Khon Kaen).

[Keesters]

Been in Pattaya for 30 years. Haven't been to Bangkok for 15. Then it was a trip to Chatuchak market only with a visiting friend from overseas who wanted to go see it and invited me along as translator in case he needed one. Bangkok has nothing I want that I can't get in Pattaya.

[smotherb]

Love?

Good Mexican food ?

Seriously, not a whole lot. Only thing I have had to go to Bangkok to buy are very specialized medical services.

Yes restaurants of course. Lots more choices there. But that's eating not shopping.

Sure it is shopping. A meal is every bit as much a product as is a camera. You are shopping for the best meal/restaurant.

[pegman]

Love?

Good Mexican food ?

Seriously, not a whole lot. Only thing I have had to go to Bangkok to buy are very specialized medical services.

try mikes Mexican in pattaya

I have, and left seriously underwhelmed.

Me too, but I was @ Charlie Brown's on Suk Soi 11 BKK yeasterday and it was great. Blew my diet all to hell.

[NanLaew]

The peace of mind knowing you are not a hopelessly besmirched, addled whoremonger?

Don't knock it unless you've tried it.

...unless you did try it and failed?

[Thakkar]

What can you buy in Bangkok that you can't buy in Pattaya?

The excuse that you're there for the temples.

T

[Emster23]

There are decent to very good guitar/music stores in Bangkok. Prices still much higher than same models in USA generally. Music Collection chain carries Martin and Taylor. Some boutique shop in WTC has some spendy one off stuff. Suriya Music here in Pattaya carries some Martins, or did last time I looked.

[NoshowJones]

What about a reasonably priced buffet (around 250-300 baht) with Farang food that is available at around 6pm? Easy to find in Pattaya,

but not in Central Bangkok.

[akentryan]

Heard a rumor yesterday that an Ikea store is in the works for Pattaya - supposedly in the Maprachan area. Looking forward to anything on the dark side!

[ToddinChonburi]

IKEA !!!!!!!!