Thailand Souvenirs – What & Where to Shop from?

It is a sin to think about a Thailand trip without imagining the shopping part of it. Thailand is not a tourist land it is a shoppers paradise. There’s street markets, weekend markets, floating markets, and the world-famous Night weekend market.

Thailand produces an impressive selection of products, foods, textiles, ornaments and other remarkable items you won’t find elsewhere. The markets, shops, and malls are full of goodies. Go ahead, bring home a memento of your visit to Thailand, but don’t forget to purchase gifts for your family and friends!

Here’s our list of the best souvenirs to purchase in Thailand and where to buy them from,

1.  Elephants as Souvenirs

We’re not encouraging you to take a living, breathing elephant home, LOL. However, the elephant is a symbol of Thailand and makes a great souvenir or gift. Celebrate your visit by purchasing anything with an elephant on it. We like chocolate elephants, but there’s everything from ornaments, paintings, wood carvings, or even a colorful bag sporting the image of an elephant. When departing either of Bangkok’s international airports, look for elephant chocolates in the duty-free shops.

Special Tip: The elephant shaped, chocolate covered macadamia nuts at Duty Free are a must buy and a great way to spend leftover Thai Baht.

2. Thai Silk

Thailand is famous for is silk, which for many is a must-buy when visiting. From colorful scarves to bags and bolts of fabric, Thailand offers a wide variety of silks. There are many reputable places to purchase genuine Thai silk, one of which is the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok. If you’re looking for a souvenir suggestion, this is a great bet!

Special Tip: Avoid buying from Airport, it is very expensive. Look for local shops. Bargain well.

3.  Handmade Thai Jewelry

Looking for gorgeous jewelry to buy for yourself as a souvenir or as a gift for your significant other? Thailand is a great place to find unique jewelry. Chiang Mai is well-known for its exquisite silver shops. Choose from an extensive selection including rings, necklaces and bracelets, as well as gleaming cups and plates. Just be careful where you purchase jewelry, especially items of significant value.

Special Tip: Beware of Gem stone scam. Please read our earlier article on Thailand Scams. Bargain even at a Jeweler store.

4.  Thai Sauces and Spices

Thailand is famous for its food, also for its spices, sauces, and herbs. Sauces and Spices are a must buy if you’d like to continue eating authentic Thai and enjoy unique flavors at home. Purchase a few packets of spices or perhaps a hot peppery sauce, Sauces and Spices make great souvenirs and are available nearly everywhere. There’s a great selection commercially packaged sauces and spices in the duty-free shops at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK).

Please Note :Be sure to follow all customs regulations with “food stuffs” including proper declaration. For Thai Sauces and Spices, it’s best to purchase commercially packaged products to avoid problems at customs when you return home.

5.  Thai Spa Products

A trip to the Land of Smiles is not complete without a spa treatment or massage. Consider buying spa products to take home. You’ll find a selection of coconut oils, scented candles and indigenous plant oils for purchase. You may also buy beautifully carved soaps, body scrubs, foot soaks, reed diffusers and herbal compresses as souvenirs to take home. Thai Spa products make great gifts for friends, co-workers, and family.

Special Tip: Buy them from a cosmetic store in a market. Some roadside stalls may give good price but the products are fake.

6.  Ceramics and Pottery

Thailand is well known for ceramics, with the country’s artisans producing several types. Two of the most famous are Bencharong porcelain and Sangkhalok stoneware. The Chiang Mai province is also home to many celadon factories if you’re in the area. You’ll find ceramic and pottery products across the Kingdom at plazas, department stores, or in special ceramic and pottery shops.

Special Tip: Pack them well to ensure proper handling. Insist on Bubble wrap before paying for the stuff. 

7.  Wooden Furniture and Carvings

Ornate wooden furnishings and carvings, many made of teak, are available in Thailand. If you pass by Chiang Mai, it’s known as the furniture capital of the country! There are plenty of shops to visit and all of them will assist with international shipping.

Special Tip: Don’t get super excited and pickup a heavy stuff. You might have to pay a huge price at the airport for extra baggage. 

8.  Thai Snacks and Sweet Treats Gifts

Whether it’s coconut candies, sweet bites made from mashed mung beans, curry pastes, or rambutan jam, there is an enticing variety of unique Thai goodies on offer. Candies are inexpensive make perfect souvenirs for friends and colleagues. Remember the elephant shaped, chocolate covered macadamias from above? The chocolates come in other shapes such as the traditional Thai Tuk-Tuk.

Special Tip: Typically commercially packaged sweets and treats are the safest way to go with customs laws. Remember to declare “food stuffs” when returning home.

9.  Leather-ware

High-quality, well-made leather-work is available across the country. This includes plazas, department stores and specialty leather shops. Many items are available at reasonable prices and should be no surprise Thailand is a big exporter of its exquisitely made leather products.

Special Tip: You will get these at similar prices in malls aswell. Only there will be a genuine guarantee

10.  Thai Alcohol

Why not purchase Sang Som Whiskey or perhaps some Singha or Chang beer? In Koh Samui there’s locally produced Magic Alambic Rum. The rum is available in a number of flavors and is sold in some hotel gift shops as well as at the distillery.

Special Tip: As you know Current aviation security prohibits liquids over 100ml through the security checkpoint. Pack alcohol carefully as it must travel as checked luggage.

11.  Muay-Thai Shorts

Even if you’ve never taken a Muay-Thai boxing class, nothing is stopping you from buying these colorful shorts to remind you of Thailand.

Special Tip: Buy these from anywhere from Night markets to shopping plazas.

12.  Tuk-tuk Ornaments

Another famous Thai symbol is the Tuk-Tuk. Consider taking home a miniature as a great way to evoke memories of your own tuk-tuk travels in the country.

Special Tip: You will find these everywhere. Do bargain. I suggest see it at few places before buying. You may get best price somewhere.

13.  Thai Loincloths

These colorful patterned pieces of fabric are made of cotton or silk. They’ve been part of the Thai wardrobe since ancient times and are very versatile. They also make great souvenirs to take home!

Special Tip: You get them very cheap at night markets and weekend markets. Do not buy these from Floating market, they are dam expensive there.

14.  Antiques

Antiques enthusiasts are spoiled when it comes to choice in Thailand. There’s many beautiful objects to admire and examine, including pottery, silverware and wood carvings.

Special Tip: Be sure to buy from a reputable shop and not from a stall on the street, or you may find yourself with an unfortunate fake.

15.  Wickerwork

Products range from furnishings and hats to coasters and even picture frames. Thai wickerwork products are made using different local plants, such as bamboo, bulrush and rattan. However, one of the most popular utilizes a southern fern-vine called Yan Lipao which is made into beautiful woven handbags. Purchase wickerwork in shopping plazas and department stores in major cities.

Special Tip: Take these from road side stalls and night markets. Also bargain well.

There’s so many remarkable items you can purchase in Thailand that mentioning them in a single list would be impossible. Plus on your shopping trip here you will find much more things perfect as a souvenirs that you will help me add to the list.

Go ahead, Start shopping – Life is short!