Bangkok, Thailand’s Shopping Mecca District

Bangkok, Thailand has been one of the top 3 cities visited in the world for some time now. It’s no surprise when you start discovering what Bangkok is all about. History, tradition, culture, shopping, food, and notorious red light districts. It’s also of course a hub for Southeast Asia and a bridge to the middle east and Europe.

On my most recent visit I saw for myself the clear sidewalks void of the famous street vendors of Bangkok. This has been reported for many weeks now but this was my first-hand look at the current street food situation. There are stalls to be found if you look around Chinatown, some of the tourist streets like Khao San Road but the vendors are gone all around Pratunam and the streets around Siam Paragon and Central World.

It’s disappointing but it’s happening around other major cities in Southeast Asia, like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Governments in some cases want the sidewalks free of clutter so it’s safer for pedestrians. That’s certainly a valid concern for a city like Ho Chi Minh where it can be quite dangerous walking around stalls and parked motorbikes.

It may just be the new reality of Southeast Asia. It may also be an opportunity for countries like Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar that are still considerably undeveloped and have plenty of growth opportunity with their tourism industries compared with a giant like Thailand.

Regardless Bangkok is still an amazing city worth spending several days visiting.
You’ll no doubt end up in Pratunam, considered by most the center of modern and luxury shopping in Southeast Asia. Join me for an evening walk in Bangkok’s shopping mecca district.