Fragrance shopping in Bangkok

This is THEE place for everything luxury in Bangkok: www.siamparagon.co.th/

Yes, Siam Paragon is the luxury mall. It has a huge selection of fragrances. Also try Central Chidlom department store. It has a nice selection. Watchout for small store as they may sell knock-offs. I did not find many bargains there and the Thai baht has gained against a number of currencies.

KiatBkk is the member who could give the best advice since he is in Bangkok.

Hello

I'am so glad that you will come to visit Bangkok again but I don't think Thailand is the right place to shop for fragrances. The first reason is that the TAX for luxury goods in Thailand is now very very high and Thai people don't spend that much on those niche fragrances. That's why we don't have Santa Maria Novella, Acqua di Parma, etc. (We just had Creed available since the beginning of this year. Before that I had to buy them from Singapore)

Anyway, try to check out ZEN Department store at CentralWorld (very close to Siam Paragon only about ten minutes walk). It's the only place that has Creed products available and the prices are great. (the salesperson told me that they were imported as eau de toilette so....less TAX) Another thing, when you go to any department store in Thailand, Don't for get to present your passport at the Customer Relation Counter to get special discount card for tourists. Don't buy fragrances outside department stores. They are 90% fake.

For me I prefer to buy fragrances at Kingpower Duty Free Complex in downtown because the prices are much more cheaper and there are more brands available.

Try the website www.kingpower.com. It will give you every information. I also recommend you to go to Kingpower information counter at the airport when you arrive and ask for the map and info directory for the downtown complex. It's better to give the map to taxi driver in Bangkok because most of them cannot speak English. If they hear something about the king, they will take you straightly to the Grand Palace instead of Kingpower complex.

The creed's here are absolutely genuine. They are sold by the official retailer of Creed. Actually Mr.Erwin Creed flew to promote his brand himself at the openning.

They have only GIT, SMW, GV, RW, MI, Himalaya, Love in white, Spring flower and Fleurissimo available.

The price for 125ml. bottle is only about $160-170 with current Thai Baht's appreciation.(Again. Don't forget the special discount card for tourists.)

Hope this helps.

Hi, I agree with Bob. King Power in Soi Rang Nam could be the best place to try fragrances and also to buy them as they are cheaper that the prices offered in Siam Paragon or Central Chidlom. You can reach it by sky train, just get off at Victory Monument station and see the exit to Soi Rang Nam. There in the Kingpower an international buffet is available, so you can shop and eat.

Actually, some cosmetic companies here organize annual sale about 3-4 times/year, if your traveling period falls in these lucky times you can get some scents for a really good deal.

About taxi, let me give you some advices. Most of them always want to rip off tourists. You have to tell them to use meter. Some of them don't and want to charge 200 Baht (about USD6) for a short ride, about 5 minutes. If they use meter, it would be about USD1 - 1.5. Anyway, it depends on where you take the taxi from, if it's night market (Patpong), Silom, or Siam Square (where Siam Paragon is) 95% they won't use meter.

Feel free to ask any questions. I'm glad the forum is back!!!

There are many Thai companies specialized in aromatherapy products.
Try Panpuri (www.panpuri.com) Harnn (www.harnn.com They provide variety of products especially Harnn, they produce such wonderful aromatic soaps. These store can be found in most of the leading department stores in Bangkok (Paragon, Central, Emporium, and a huge shop at Gaysorn Plaza). I'd also like to recommend Kamarkamet. Their essential oils are fantastic. They have a shop at Chatuchak Market but right now they have their own corner at ISETAN department store, next to the stationary department.

Hi, there is good restaurant in Convent road called BUA restaurant, you can reach it by sky train, Saladaeng station. Look for California Fitness and that's where Convent road is. They serve real Thai food with affordable prices. And there, on the same street, you can find many food stalls. Guess your immunity is strong! LOL. No, it's not that dirty. I've never got a problem eating there. Try cooked oily rice with chicken, it is splendid. This one is opposite to BUA restaurant. They open after 18.00.

About fragrances, try ones blended by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, but they are for female. You can buy them for your GF. Not sure about where the shop is, will come back and let you know later.

Yes, as Bob said, Harnn is a good brand, so please check it out.

The fragrance by HRH Princess can be found at Phu Fha shop at Siam Discovery center (www.siamdiscoverycenter.co.th It's great that Kiat has mentioned about this fragrance. It's a good collectible item if you are a fragrance collector. The scent represents the royal Thai way of life in the old time. So jasminnnnnnnn.

ํำYes, Siam Discovery center, on the 2nd floor. You can spend a full day in Siam Square area. There are 3 shopping malls lining on the same side, beginning with Siam Discovery, Siam Center, and Siam Paragon. And from there, walk ahead about 5-7 minutes you'll find Central World (used to be called World Trade Center, and is now the largest shopping mall in Thailand), and Zen, where Creed counter is, is next to it.
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Regarding your question about annual sale, my impression falls upon a company that imports Givenchy, David Beckham, Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, Guess, Ferrari, Alessandro Dell Acqua and etc. This company brought lots of new scents to the event and the prices are unbelievable. Even scentiments or scentmonkey can't beat them. I got Givenchy Pi (100ml) for only 800 Baht, back then the USD rate for this was only 20, now would be about 24. Other scents cost about the same, from 500-1,000 Baht. For Thais, designer fragrances are expensive and are considered a waste of money, so you won't find enough Thai men wearing it. Anyway, for example, they are usually happy to pay about 1,500 Baht, instead of 2,500 Baht in the shopping mall, for Givenchy Pi. So, 800 Baht is a really good deal. Last year 2006, they organized it in November for 3 times, each time at different major office buildings. Not sure about this year yet, but hopefully they'd do it earlier.

Another company imports CK, Davidoff, Ferragamo, Bvlgari, Paco Rabanne, Mont Blanc, Dunhill, Carolina Herrera, Escada, Zegna, Kenneth Cole, Lanvin, and many more. This one organizes the sale event about 4-5 times/year, and it's likely that they'd do it in September (a small one). However, prices normally fall between 500 - 2,500 Baht, depending on how new the scents are and of course, the bottle size. When a scent is discontinued, such as INTRUSION (female marketed), it went down to only 290 Baht (50ml) and 490 Baht (100ml). And about 2 years ago they offered Calvin Klein (100ml) for only 500 Baht, yet I wasn't quick enough to grab that very last bottle.

Nevertheless, this company does not offer attractive prices like the first company. Only some scents will cost little, but, unfortunately, most of them are not wanted :-(

Hmm, what about shopping in MBK hall near Siam Square? I don't usually go there, but on the first floor there are 2 fragrance shops, same owner, offer about 20-40% discount off the retail price. They sell genuine products, but not sure about the freshness. I have seen many rotten boxes. On the 3rd floor, there are many fragrance counters, and many of them come unboxed, so please stay away, unless they let you test it first. Prices are not too bad. Anyway, look for the shop called AVA. They sell cosmetic too, and always packed with women. When you've shopped till you almost drop, go to the 6th floor where the food court is. Food there is delicious. Coupon needed.

Phewww, you must be tired now reading this. I recommend you to buy at the King Power shop. I guess you'd get the small bottle too as a gift. And you can keep testing until your olfactory sense goes insensitive to the air pollution, LOL.

Great! Wow, when you say Big Mango you remind me of the novel written by an American author Jake Needham living here in BKK, and it is called The Big Mango. James Gandolfini bought it and he will be here in the end of this year 2007 to film it. How exciting!