Quality copy bags and watches and other Phuket, Thailand Shopping Tips

Name of Shop: Tom's

The shop is small and only open from 6.30pm in the evenings, so I recommend that you plan to have dinner at one of the several restaurants that neighbour Tom's shop, including Spanish and Italian food.

The shop is located on Lagoon Road, Cherng Talay, opposite the Marriott Vacation Club. The sign on the door is only visible once you park in the shopping/restaurant area, as it faces the carpark.

Here are the websites of two of the restaurants at the same location as Tom's shop, so if you'd like to make a booking for dinner, or find out more about them before you go, here are the links;

http://www.phuketdining.com/dedos-restaurant.html
http://www.phuket.com/dining/toto.htm

What To Buy: Tom has gone out of his way to sell only the best quality copy handbags and watches on the island. All the bags and wallets are leather, featuring "labels" such as Prada, Mulberry, Jimmy Choo and Luis Vuitton.

The watches are of a high standard also, with copies of Chanel, Omega, Breitling, Gucci, etc. The watches are guaranteed by Tom. He will repair or replace any watch you have a problem with. There are waterproof watches there, which are also guaranteed which feature sapphire glass, which doesn't scratch.

What To Pay: From 2,000 baht for small bags and wallets. The watches vary in price from about 2,000 baht up to about 8,000 baht.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Other
Phone: +66(0)81 894 5600
Address: 8 Lagoon Road, Cherng Talay
Directions: Just through the intersection, on the right hand side as you travel north toward Laguna.

Name of Shop: Siam Ceramics

Siam Ceramics on Soi Post Office in Patong is a stunning shop filled with the most beautiful traditional Thai Royal Bone China. It is of the highest quality, pure and translucent. Handpainted by gifted artisans of many years experience, each piece undergoes myriad hours of painting, being fired between colours. There are at least 3 colours on Benjarong porcelain, but more often there are 5 or 8 colours. A new style contains even more colours and is exquisite to look at close up.

Store Manager Alice is extremely patient and friendly. When we've made purchases in there, we've spent at least an hour trying out different combinations of pieces. The staff are particularly helpful and do not pressure you at all. Everything is packed superbly for you, so there's not a problem with getting your pieces home safely.

Benjarong Porcelain is actually used by the King of Thailand, and once was only available to him.

What To Buy: There are so many different pieces to choose from, you'll find it difficult - even to select the painting style you like the most.

There are imitation products available around Phuket, but they are nowhere near as nice as the real Benjarong porcelainware. Do yourself a favour and go to Siam Ceramics before you look at buying anything else. There are some great small, affordable pieces that will make meaningful, special gifts for friends.

Please look at the websites below for some good pictures and further information, particularly the second website!

Here is what the patterns look like up close; Benjarong patterns


Leave a Comment

Theme: Local Craft
Phone: 076 345 103
Address: 104/17-18 Soi Post Office, Thaweewong Road, Patong
Website: www.siamceramichandmade.com
Other Contact: www.thaibenjarong.com/price

Name of Shop: Big C, Lotus, Robinson, anywhere else

There is a recently introduced law in Thailand which prohibits the sale of less than 10litres of alcohol during the hours of 9.00am-11.00am and 2.00pm-5.00pm, so you must buy your alcohol in the hours in between. There is an alternative and that is to visit small, out-of-the way alcohol selling shops who will sell to you at any time.

What To Buy: The small shops are a little more expensive, don't have as much selection and don't always have cold drinks. For example, the small shops sell Heineken bottles (small) for 760baht for 24. The larger stores are 729 baht for 24, but you are restricted by the hours and the price is not that much different.


Leave a Comment

Theme: Food and Drink

Name of Shop: D-Tac

Our first visit to Phuket cost us about $1,000 in mobile phone calls, so we decided to purchase a pre-paid local sim card each since we spend so much time there.

We went to the D-Tac shop downstairs at the Big C shopping centre. The staff were very helpful and we managed to get a card each. The rates were better than a couple of others we checked out.

The staff set everything up for us on the spot. We found that all our phone numbers were available on our phones (I thought they were on my sim card, so that was a great relief). Bear in mind that you may need to have your phone unlocked, which you can have done at one of the stalls in the same location. Prices vary on the type of phone, but it usually takes up to an hour and can range between 200 baht and 1,000 baht.

If you go to a smaller phone shop for a refill, you will only be able to purchase the smaller amounts. It is best to go to a large dealer such as this one for phone recharges of 500 - 800 baht. These higher amounts have up to 100 baht extra credit with them. The sim card's validity is extended by 12 months every time you top up, unlike some others I've heard of. You will be asked to show your passport when you apply, so be prepared.


What To Pay: Local calls are charged at 5 baht per minute for the first minute, then at 6 satang per minute thereafter, international calls charged at 7 baht per minute. Very cheap! Connection for the card was 199 baht which included a 50 baht credit. Don't forget to ring the code prefix (usually 009) they give you for international calls to get the special rate.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Computers and Electronics
Address: Big C Shopping Centre
Directions: At the bottom of the escalator, turn right, walk about one shop along then on your left you will see the shop (the busiest one).

The DTAC shop is not open on Sundays.
Website: www.DTAC.co.th

Name of Shop: J Shop

This is more of a booth than a shop, but I found that the guy here is much cheaper than a couple of the other shops in this maze of telephone accessories vendors.

His english is limited, but you can certainly get your message through. I bought a phone charger here, as my other one died. It was so cheap, I couldn't believe it. The guy also spent quite a long time trying to unlock my Nokia 6233, so he put my Samsung on charge for me while I was waiting. Unfortunately, if you have this model of phone, don't bother trying to unlock it, as it is not unlockable.

From memory he cost 200 baht to unlock the phone.



Leave a Comment

Theme: Other
Address: Big C Shopping Centre
Directions: Downstairs on the base level, this shop is on the second row from the D-Tac shop, at the end of the block.

Name of Shop: Wine Gallery

The Wine Gallery is a beautiful shop. It was opened in the Lotus Shopping Centre in January by a Bangkokian. There are two glass showrooms/cellars of wine that are temperature controlled - as you would need in such a temperate place.

There is quite a good selection of wines compared to other liquor shops in Phuket. Prices are reasonable, 'though wine is very expensive in Thailand due to the high tax level. The good thing about this shop is that you are not restricted to the alcohol purchasing hours of other shops - you can buy all day. They are open 'til 9.00pm, but get there a little earlier as when I went there one night at 8.50pm, they had already closed.

I have encountered one problem with the shop though. They have a very strict policy that under absolutely no circumstances at all will they refund or exchange anything. I had one of the three bottles of prosecco that the cork was rotten in and had broken off. I tried to exchange it, but they would not budge on it. I told them that the wine was most likely no good, but that did not make a bit of difference. All they wanted to do for me was open it with a corkscrew. I asked them that if the wine was bad, would they exchange it then? The answer was "Cannot." : (

What To Buy: I like to drink champagne or sparkling wines - whatever I can get really, so this place was good because it gave me a couple of choices not available at Lotus. I have been buying an Italian Prosecco which is pretty good and on a wet season special at the moment of 3 bottles for 1,400 baht - (buy 2, get 1 free). There is another one I've bought for 1,100 baht which is a far better price than the 3,000 baht for Laurent Perrier or Moet & Chandon at Lotus. It's a New Zealand Sparkling wine, but I decided that the Prosecco was better.

Sorry no pictures, they were not permitted.


Leave a Comment

Theme: Food and Drink
Phone: 076264611
Address: Lotus Shopping Centre
Directions: Near McDonalds.

Name of Shop: Central Festival Shopping Centre

The Central Festival Shopping Centre is an attractive, modern complex which encompasses a wide range of shops. Central is located next to Big C Shopping Centre, along Bypass Road and not far from Tesco Lotus Shopping Centre, so a visit to all of the main shopping precincts is possible to do in one trip.

It is handy to note that there is a tourist area where you will find money exchangers altogether, along with some booking agents for trips.

What To Buy: The Central Festival Shopping Centre has a reputation for being expensive, but we found it to be actually the cheapest place in Phuket for us to buy our whitegoods.

There are many fashion stores (including Be Be and Armani Exchange), a department store, hairdressing and beauty treatment salons and some great restaurants here.

Central Festival is the highest profile and probably most popular shopping centre in Phuket. You will certainly find great value here. I find cosmetics can be cheaper in the Central Department Store than in Perth. My trip to the T & G Hairdressing Salon was a pleasant surprise for quality of my cut, treatment, colour and the price.

Make sure you apply for a tourist discount card which entitles you to 5% discount. If you pay at the Central Department Store with an American Express Credit Card, you will receive a further 5% discount on any purchases.


Leave a Comment

Theme: Other
Directions: ....

One thing I have learned about shopping in Asian countries is that they usually inflate the price by around 300%, sometimes more.

This is not always the rule however, so what I do is to value the item in my currency first, then factor around that price. Usually my first offer is 1/4 or less. Costs are far lower in Asian countries, so you really shouldn't be paying the same prices as you would at home.

I also find it better to shop where the locals do rather than at tourist filled areas, as the prices are inflated there. For instance, you will get much better prices in Phuket Town or, surprisingly, at Promthep Cape, rather than at Patong Beach.

What To Buy: Silk tablecloths, fabric and bedspreads, some lovely carved wood products. (be careful about Customs in your country - Australia is very strict about wood products). Pearls, shells, gems and silver are also widely available in Thailand.


Leave a Comment

Theme: Other

Name of Shop: Seashells at Rawai (many)

I noticed that Rawai has quite a few places selling seashells. There are stalls and shops along the beach.

So, if you're after seashells, head to Rawai as they have the most I've seen in Phuket. Just be sure you're allowed to bring them into your country.

The picture here shows Rawai Seashells Export, but they are one of many. Check prices against each shop before buying.



Leave a Comment

Theme: Other
Phone: +66 383 7645
Address: Rawai Beachfront

Name of Shop: Several shops at Rawai

There are a few places selling pearls at Rawai. Pearls, pearls, pearls. So many of them, everywhere you look! They have mostly the natural ones that are not perfect, but you can also buy the perfect ones. Prices seemed pretty reasonable.



Leave a Comment

Theme: Jewelry
Address: Along the beachfront at Rawai fishing village