Shopping
at Koh Chang Thailand
Shopping
Guide
Best to Buy 
A wealth of shopping opportunities awaits the visitor, and bargains
abound throughout our country in traditional handicrafts, textiles,
gems, jewellery and antiques, as well as more contemporary items.
 Clothing
: We're one of the world's leading manufacturers of ready-to-wear
clothing. Fashion boutiques are found in every shopping mall, while
cheaper clothing such as T-shirts and jeans are available at bargain
prices from street vendors. Custom tailoring is also very affordable
and tailors can produce or copy most styles in just a few days.
Cotton & Batik
: Our Thai cottons have become increasingly popular and
are a good deal. Particularly notable are the hilltribe cottons
woven by the tribal people of the North, typically displaying bold
designs and often lavish embroidery. Equally distinctive are original
batiks crafted at several studios in Bangkok.
Silk :
Probably the most famous of all our kingdom's handicrafts, silk
is available in a range of colours, patterns and plys, and is sold
by the yard, or as ready-made clothing and souvenir items. A unique
style of Thai silk is Mat Mee, a tie-dye silk traditional to the
North-east. The best known outlet for Thai silk is undoubtedly Jim
Thompson's shop at the top of Surawong Road in Bangkok.
Gems :
Bangkok is the coloured gemstone capital of the world. Rubies and
sapphires are indigenous stones, but virtually all coloured gems,
as well as diamonds, are available. Shoppers should exercise caution
and buy from reputable dealers only.
Antiques : Thai, Chinese, Burmese and Khmer antiques are excellent
buys. There is an export ban on certain pieces, particularly Buddha
images. Other pieces may require an export license, but any reputable
dealer will be able to advise on restrictions and any necessary
documentation.
Pewterware
: Pewter is fashioned with great skill by Thai craftsmen,
and the smooth, silky finish of this attractive alloy is enhanced
by delicate relief decoration. Pewterware items include plates,
boxes, vases and pocket flasks.
Nielloware : Practiced
in the South for hundreds of years, nielloware is the craft of decorating
gold and silver objects with delicate etched designs filled with
a metal ware. Nielloware trays, boxes, vases and other items are
some of our best buys.
Lacquerware
: A specialty of Chiang-Mai and the north, this
craft involves coating split bamboo or wood with lacquer, then adding
intricate hand-painted designs typically gold-on-black lacquer or
yellow and green  on
a red brown background. Look out for lacquerware bowls, boxes, trays
and other items for decoration or for souvenirs.
Ceramics
: Both traditional and contemporary styles of pottery
are available throughout our kingdom. Best known are the distinctive
sea-green celadons from the Sukothai area, and the central provinces'
colourful Benjarong (five color) porcelain, which are unique to
our country.
Hilltribe Crafts
: The tribal groups who live in the hills of the
north make a variety of beautifully embroidered textiles and silver
jewellery. Chiang Mai is the centre for such goods.
Furniture : Rattan
and rosewood furniture items are available in many designs and styles
and can also be made to order. Shops in Bangkok and Chiang Mai have
a wide selection and can arrange shipment overseas.
Thai Orchids
: We're famous for our huge variety of orchids
and their magnificent colours and durable beauty make them a popular
purchase. Specially packaged flowers, complete with water supply,
are easily transported and can be conveniently purchased at Bangkok
International Airport.
Best to Buy - Gems
Gemopolis - Thailand's latest
Tourist Attraction and Jewellery Shopping Paradise.
Gemopolis is Thailand's largest diamonds , gems and jewellery center.
It is fully integrated one - stop service and only Free Trade Zone
for diamond , gems and jewelry manufacturing and exporting center.
Gemopolis was established by a group of leading Thai diamond and
jewel businessmen in 1990. It has been promoted and put on the tourist
map as one of Thailand's latest tourist attractions and gems &
jewellery shopping paradise by the Tourism Authority of Thailand
(TAT).
Gemopolis is a mega gems city with beautiful , shady and well -
maintained environment under the concept of jewels in the park.
It occupies a land area of some 300 acres and is envisaged to include
a manufacturing and exporting center of hundreds of jewel factories
of various scales , an exhibition and trading center with a diamond
bourse , a hotel and a shopping center , a museum and retail center
and other related supporting business components. The center receives
solid support from the government agencies including the Board of
Investment , the Industrial Estate of Thailand and the Customs Department.
This beautiful gems city located at km. 12, Bangna - Trad highway
(off King Kaew Road) , some 30 kms. east of Bangkok. It can be reached
by personal car by taking the first state of Bangna - Daokanong
express way.
The interesting programme for tourist at Gemopolis include
:
visiting the gigantic and beautiful environment diamond , gems and
jewelry center which currently houses nearly 20 international and
local factories including diamond polishing factory , gold &
jewellery making factory , as well as gold refinery which mainly
produce for export world - wide.
factory
tourVisitor will be shown the whole process of diamond polishing
, gold & jewellery making , gold refinery in the state - of
- the art modern factories which belong to international company
such as USA , Australia , France , Germany , Japan , Hong Kong ,
Singapore and leading Thai company like Beauty Gems Group , Thien
Po Jewellery and General Diamond - the only one Thai company which
appointed De Beers' sight dealer , etc.
Moreover , tourist will also have a glimpse of how Thai diamond
polishers and skillful craftsmen live and work , how their products
of arts and crafts are produced.
gems & jewellery shopping Since Gemopolis is the first and only
Free Trade Zone for diamond , gems and jewelry in the kingdom ,
tourist can enjoy duty free privilege in purchasing gems & jewellery
so they will save at least 10% VAT. Moreover , they can view and
shop a variety of high quality standard of diamonds , gems and jewellery
which mainly produced for export at factory - price. So tourist
can ensure that price of jewellery at Gemopolis is more competitive
and
cheaper than jewellery selling at other shops in Bangkok. In addition
, Gemopolis also issues certificate of guarantee and buy - back
guarantee for tourist as well.
a
gems & jewellery exhibition The jewel pavilion will be the display
of a collection of pure gold masterpieces crafted by Thai craftsmanship
, a replica of the world's largest blue topaz namely "Siam Akara
Manee" (Giant Gemstone of Siam) , the blue topaz weight 30,000 carat
in rough form when it was discovered in Namibia. After polished
, the stone has the distinction of having the largest number of
facets - 950 with the symbolizing His Majesty being the Ninth King
of the Chakri Dynasty , while 50 stands for the number of years
which has passed since he accessed to the thorn , Jewel Award -
Thailand's award wining jewellery creations , these jewellery pieces
have previously obtained accolades in the prestigious Jewel Award
Contest , a nationwide contest judging the aesthetic appeal and
creation merit of about 50 concept in jewellery by Thai designer.
The Jewel Award contest organized annually by Department of Export
Promotion (DEP) and the Thai Gems & Jewellery Traders Association
(TGJTA) to promote and encourage competition and self - improvement
among Thai jewellery designers the demonstration of gemstone cutting
by the only world's blind cutter.
Gemopolis
is open every day from 10.00 am. - 4.30 p.m.
Factory
tour programme is not available on Saturday and Sunday
Admission fee : US$ 5
For more information , please contact
Public Relation Department
I.G.S. Public Co.,Ltd.
Gemopolis Industrial Estate
47/31 Moo 4 Sukhapiban 2 Road ,
Prawes , Bangkok 10260
Tel. (662) 727 0022
Fax. (662) 727 0500
Provided
by Tourism Authority of Thailand
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