|
Get Christmas Shopping Done in ThailandShangri-La Recommends Cheap Shopping in BangkokBangkok offers more affordable shopping variety than most any other city in Asia, and guests of the Shangri-La Hotel have found that with the new Skytrain station next to the hotel, everything that Bangkok has to offer is only a short ride away. Here are a few of the Thai handicraft items that make great gifts. Prices are in USD. Silk and Cotton Gifts: Bags, ties, shirts, picture frames, pillow covers, stuffed animals, and scarves made of hand-woven silk or cotton make wonderful gifts. For very special gifts, items made of silk brocades or ikat patterns are especially beautiful and distinctively Thai. Price range: $1 or $2 for small items, up to $150 for very special golden brocade items. Jewelry: In recent years Thailand has become a jewelry center and is highly noted for its workmanship. Especially good values can be found in jewelry made with sapphires and other semi-precious stones that are mined locally. In addition, silver jewelry in both modern designs and traditional Thai designs is very affordable. Silver jewelry can be found for under $10. Gold and sapphire (small stones) earrings for about $50. Woven Baskets and Mats: Extremely intricate and beautiful woven goods are made in Thailand from a variety of natural fibers. Tote bags, handbags, elegant evening purses, place mats, and unusual containers are made in traditional Thai shapes as well as in modern forms. The cost is as little as $5 for small items. Special finely woven evening bags can cost $100 or more, especially if a gold or silver clasp is used. Wood Carvings and Wooden Tableware: Carvings of animals such as elephants or frogs, bowls, and chopsticks, made of teakwood and rosewood in the past, are now being made of environmentally friendly woods and sold from $5. Porcelain: Small Celadon pieces, of an elegant soft green glaze, are especially beautiful. In addition, the typically Thai "Bencharong" or five-colored ware with gold enamel could be described as the jewelry of porcelain because it is so beautifully decorated. Small Bencharong pieces can be purchased with their own silk covered boxes, making them ideal for packing. Small Celadon items are $5 and up. Small, high-quality Bencharong pieces can be $30 or $40. Book Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok through the following: Edited by Kerry Cohen |
|
TM