How to go shopping in Thailand

It’s no secret that Thailand is one of the most popular shopper’s paradises. Shopping is a prime item on a Thailand tourist's itinerary. A wide range of beautiful and quality items are on offer everywhere. Clothes, homewares, handicrafts, paintings, furniture, handbags, shoes, jewellery the list of bargains is endless. Having 24-hour service clothes tailored is very good value – especially for men. Department stores and local markets are equally fun and interesting to visit.

Important Update for Travellers to Thailand

Starting 1 May 2025, non-Thai nationals entering Thailand by air, land, or sea must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online prior to the arrival. 

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Banyan Tree Samui Embraces the White Lotus Effect

Banyan Tree Spa Samui has introduced a “Sense of Lotus”
 spa package — a 120-minute rejuvenating treatment

Banyan Tree Samui, a MICHELIN-listed resort overlooking sapphire seas from its vantage point on a lush hillside at the southeastern peninsula of Koh Samui, has announced a series of in-house innovations to celebrate the growing popularity of the island under what has quickly become known as “The White Lotus Effect”.

Where can I change my Australian dollars into Thai Baht?

You can change your dollars into Baht in Australia at exchange centres or banks; however, we recommend waiting and changing some of your money at Bangkok International Airport. You will receive a more favourable exchange rate in Thailand, and the changers at the airport will give you a better rate than the hotels. Banks will also have a more favourable rate than the hotels.

Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are in all major cities and you can draw money directly through your ATM or credit card, provided it has Cirrus or Maestro on it. Be aware that all Thai ATMs will charge a fee of around 200b ($10) on top of any fees your own bank will charge. Better to draw larger amounts than lots of small ones.

If you still use travellers' cheques, in USD or Australian dollars, they are accepted in all major hotels and banks. Major credit cards (American Express, Diners Club, JCB, MasterCard, and VISA) are also accepted in all major banks, restaurants, hotels, and shops. You will also find that new 'tap on' technology is gaining wide acceptance.

TIP: American Express says that you could pay fees that total 6% or more of purchases if you don't pay in the local currency.

Street stalls and markets are usually best with good old cash.

An Andaman Surprise in Krabi

Situated in a quiet corner of tranquil Tubkaek Beach and facing a spectacular panoramic vista of uninhabited limestone islets, Banyan Tree Krabi is an idyllic venue for a special Valentine’s evening surprise. The resort’s beachfront lawn provides an intimate setting for couples with a candlelit dinner under the moonlight. On February 14th, for one night only, the resort offers an outstanding “Scent of Love” 5-course set dinner (9,900 THB per couple, inclusive of one bottle of sparkling wine). An amuse-bouche of crispy beer-battered oyster and rose jam is followed by homemade smoked beet-cured Salmon Gravlax, served with black caviar and salad. After soup and a sorbet, the main dish will be roasted Wagyu Beef Tenderloin Embraces Slow-Braised Beef Cheek in Red Wine Sauce, Asparagus, Truffle Purée, Risotto and Brandy Beef Jus or, alternatively, a fish dish which includes Krabi lobster. The meal will be rounded off with delightful sweets and fresh berries, and, hopefully, some memorable moments of magic. For more information and reservations, contact krabi@banyantree.com or tel: +66 75 811 888.

Exciting New Menu Takes Diners on Culinary Pilgrimage of Thailand

INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit’s all-day dining restaurant The Kites Eatery has unveiled a playful and eclectic menu that celebrates central, northern, north-eastern and southern Thai cuisine.

Situated on the hotel’s 31st floor and dominated by soaring windows offering spectacular views of Bangkok, The Kites Eatery is adorned with abstract artwork of kites—a reference to the popular pastime of kite flying in state park Sanum Luang.

Fashioned by executive chef Katisak “Note” Pinkaew and his team, the new menu is served a la minute using quality ingredients from local farms. It has six sections: “Yum,” “Kub-Khao,” “Jan-Deaw,” “Kin-Len,” “Ping-Yang,” and “Khong-Wanh.”

Thai salads are known as “yum”, which means “mix”. “Yum Woonsen Boran - Rustic recipe glass noodle salad with minced pork and dried shrimps” and “Yum Nuea Yang - Spicy grilled grass-fed Australian beef salad” are among highlights of the menu’s Yum offerings. Meaning “eat and play”, Kin-Len’s appetisers include “Thod Mun Mhuk - Bite size spicy squid cake with cucumber relish” and “Lookchin Plakray - Slow poached leatherback fish ball with Chef s recipe sauce”.

“Our new menu draws on our inspiration to offer all sorts of surprises as we take diners on a culinary pilgrimage of Thailand,” said Pinkaew.

Kub-Khao, which translates to “with rice”, features options served with a choice of jasmine rice or brown rice. Kub-Khao dishes range from “Phed Palow rice field duck stew in herbal soya sauce served with egg” to ‘Talay Phad Phong Karee - Stir fried catch of the day seafood with smooth yellow curry sauce’”. Meaning “grilled”, Ping-Yang’s options such as “Mhuk Yang - Yaowarat’s style grilled squid tubes

Goong Phao - Grilled Samut Songkhram’s tiger prawns with chili lime sauce” are also accompanied by rice.

Jan-Deaw, a.k.a “a la carte”, affords the likes of “Khaw Soi Nuea - Chiang Mai curry noodle with tender grass-fed beef” and “Khaw Nha Gai - Bangkok China town chicken rice stew with chili and chive”. Mango sticky rice and coconut ice cream are among Khong-Wahn’s “sweet things”.

Open from 6.30am-11pm, The Kites Eatery’s chefs serve a healthy buffet breakfast and a la carte menu from noon, as well as customised lunches and banquets for meetings and events. 

INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit is the newest member of an eclectic collection of urban and beach INNSiDE hotels — in 14 different countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas — designed for those with curious minds who have a fluid lifestyle when it comes to work and leisure.

For further information and to make a reservation, visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/bangkok/innside-bangkok-sukhumvit, email reservation.innside.sukhumvit@melia.com or call +66 2 340 5499.

Muay Thai Boxing Camps in Thailand

Martial Artists Seek Cheap Adventure Travel

Nothing will prepare people for the grueling Muay Thai Boxing camps that are becoming more and more popular for martial artists, adventure seekers and inquisitive travelers on offer in Thailand.

New Hotel Opening: GLOW Bangkok Riverside

 

The wellness-inspired brand opens its fourth GLOW hotel in the Thai Capital.

Fusion Hotel Group has announced the opening this month of GLOW Bangkok Riverside, a stylish new hotel overlooking the Thai capital’s Chaophraya River from its vantage point in the city’s historical Dusit district.