Jim Thompson

There are thirty-three Jim Thompson branches in Thailand (there’s even one at the Koh Samui airport), so this is one of the only places in Bangkok where you can take your time deciding on a purchase, since chances are you’ll find another outlet. The uncontested king of Thai silk, Jim Thompson carries a huge range of products and raw materials.

True aficionados make time to visit the Sales Outlet (153 Soi Sukhumvit 93; 66-2-332-6530), in outer Bangkok, a twenty-minute taxi ride from the city’s center (if there’s no traffic; otherwise you can also take the BTS to On Nuch station). Prices are slashed up to 70 percent and some items sold there are not available at retails shops. Those looking to shop Jim Thompson without such a commitment will find him in many of the city’s hotel’s shopping arcades, including the Anantara, the Mandarin Oriental, and The Peninsula.