Downtown Shopping

Shopping is a favourite pastime in Thailand. The tourists take great pleasure while roaming in the shopping grounds. Pattaya has many other attractions like water sports, golf, horse riding, etc. and that is why shopping take less prominence here. Though you will not get much variety in Pattaya still shopping malls will help you to get everything under one roof. Shopping in Pattaya is different experience altogether. Large shopping malls, departmental stores, supermarkets, are scattered all over the city. There are some shop houses where shop and home of the owner stands together. Shop is usually on street level and the owner lives at the back of the shop and also above the shop. At the closing they close down the shutter and cover the front part of the shop.

Bargaining is an important thing is Pattaya. If you are shopping on roadside the trick is going to help you a lot. Except the supermarkets the prices are inflated to twice the real price. Hat allows customers enough room for bargaining. It is advisable to start from the half price. Unlike this in all the supermarkets there is fixed price so no question of bargaining arises there. If you have a smiling face you win the half battle. Most of the Thais work for day long so a good smile and humor relieves them and helps in great bargaining.

You should carry enough cash. Credit card can be used but there are limitations in some shops. Don’t allow anyone to take your credit card away from you because credit card fraud is going at a high rate. Some of the stores also charge 3% extra on credit card use.

Do not take help from taxi drivers while shopping. They often take you to the shops from where they get commission. So this way you may not enjoy the shopping end up in wastage of time.
In Thailand it is prohibited to take any Buddha statue, deities and antique artifacts from the country without taking prior permission of Fine Arts Department. Be careful of all these points and just go happy shopping.