Where can I buy Thai silk in Bangkok?
If you want the very best quality, go to Jim Thompson’s. They are the top, but -as you would expect- they are the most expensive too. You can find the main shops in Central World (until 2004 called the World Trade Center) and on Surawong Road They also are on several other places (for instance in some large hotels and in some branches of Central Department Store). For a very good second best (or in fact the best affordable quality) I would advise Narayana Phand (nowadays mostly called “Narai Phand”). They are in President Tower Arcade, on Ploenchit Road, near Chit Lom Skytrain station. This is a Government controlled souvenir shop (with no bargaining) with high quality handicraft and silk. Prices are very reasonable and the quality of the products is very good, without exception. The personnel is friendly and speaks English. They mail around the world, but that comes at a price. If you want to pay less, you can buy silk in the street, but nobody will guarantee you that you are buying r