How to shopping in Pattaya
January 5, 2008 by Pattaya Girls
Filed under Pattaya Travel Guide
You’re in Thailand, so you know shopping is never far away. There are numerous large malls, small malls, supermarkets, bazaar-style markets, and thousands of other shops. Sadly, you’ll be seeing a lot of the same stuff over and over again – there’s no endless variety here.
Pattaya is not a good place to go shopping for hi-tech products such as cameras, computers, etc – as a very rough guide, expect to see prices around 50% higher than the best prices advertised in the west. For Pattaya’s best selection of electronics under one roof, see the Tuk.Com (Com City, South Pattaya Road) listing below.
Foreign currency can easily be exchanged for Thai baht at the many exchange booths which can be found in all areas popular with tourists – there are even mobile exchanges/ATMs in specially adapted minivans that are set up as and when and where the need arises. Note that the majority of exchange booths will buy foreign currency but will not sell it – if you need to obtain USD (for example if you’re going to Cambodia) use one of the larger branches of a major bank, such as the Bangkok Bank branch on Second Road (almost opposite Soi 6).
Beware of buying fake branded and designer goods, since these are likely to be confiscated by customs officers at the airport. Five tons of counterfeit designer perfume was crushed by a bulldozer in front of press cameras at the airport in 2007.
