What to buy in Thailand? — 15+ top souvenirs to buy & best gifts from Thailand

Thailand, the Land of Smiles and Golden Pagodas, not only attract tourists to its wonderful scenery, beaches, resorts, hotels, and homestays, but also to its shopping paradise. So, what can we buy in Thailand, what is best to buy in Thailand, what is the best thing to buy in Thailand, what should I buy in Thailand, what souvenirs to buy in Thailand and what to buy in Thailand? Let’s check out 15+ best Thailand souvenirs, gifts, things must buy in Thailand, must buy in Thailand, best things to buy in Thailand and best gifts to bring back from Thailand as follows!

Many tourists usually ask themselves the question “What should I buy in Thailand?” when traveling to this beautiful country. Do you also have the same question? Don’t worry! Here is a list of the top 15+ gifts you should buy when you are in Thailand.

Silver Jewellery (# best gifts from thailand)

Reference price: 20 – 80 USD

Location:

• Yaowarat Road: Bangkok metropolitan area, Thailand
• Siam Paragon: 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 1033, Thailand

Since the 13th century, Thai people have mastered special techniques from Myanmar to make the most elegant and intricate silver jewellery. So, these items make perfect souvenirs to take home for your loved ones.

According to the locals, the most delicate and beautiful silver products of 99% purity are usually made in Chiang Mai, an area in northern Thailand.

Look for these items if possible, but if you can’t find them, Thai silver products with 92.5% purity can be a substitute. They look just as nice but cheaper and are available throughout the country. These items are usually in impressively black or brown thanks to the color spraying process, and skillfully crafted with many fine details.

Wooden Carvings (# best thailand souvenirs)

Reference price: from 20 USD

Location: Khun Khong, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wood carving is a traditional art in Northern Thailand, a unique architectural feature of every pagoda. Among wooden carvings, teak sculptures are the most popular because of their excellent quality and affordable prices. There are many sculptures showing the local culture such as Buddha statues, carved elephant statues.

Baan Tawai Woodcarving Village in Chiang Mai is considered one of the most famous cultural tourism destinations in Thailand. This place attracts a large number of local and international tourists every year. The handicraft products here are extremely diversified, sophisticated and eye-catching. A gift of these will surely make your friends happy.

Dried fruit (# best gifts to bring back from thailand)

Reference price: from 3 USD/kg

Location:

• Pratunam Market: 120/408, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand
• Chatuchak Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand

Dried fruit is made from fresh fruit, carefully selected and produced in a closed process, ensuring food hygiene and safety. Although it is a dry product, dried fruit still retains its natural flavor as well as nutrients. Among them, dried durian, jackfruit, banana, sweet potato and mango chips are most preferred by tourists.

In Thailand, you can find dried fruit at any market or any stall selling dried goods. Before buying a product, you can also try it to find the favorite fruit of your taste.

Thai Silk (# what souvenirs to buy in thailand)

Reference price: From 10 USD

Location:

• Queen Thai Silk: 10/4 Trendy plaza Soi Sukhumvit 13, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok, Thailand
• Exotic Thai: 238/1 Nathong, 3 Ratchadaphisek Rd, Din Daeng, Bangkok, Thailand

The process of making handmade silk not only requires weavers to invest time and effort, but also needs their ingenuity and skillfulness. It is the preciseness and perfection in each step that make Thai silk the favorite choice among tourists. It is no doubt that Thai silk is one of the main handicraft items in Thailand.

Some places to buy beautiful and quality Thai silk are Queen Thai Silk, Tidta Tidjal, Exotic Thai, and Jim Thompson. In particular, Jim Thomson is a prestigious and top quality Thai silk chain that is trusted and chosen by many tourists.

Ceramics (# what to buy in thailand)

Location: Sitao Ceramic Studio: 119 Phangnga Rd, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket, Thailand

Thailand is home to two types of precious and excellent ceramics, celadon and Benjarong. These two types of ceramics have outstanding and brilliant colors and skillfully painted details, reflecting the cultural identity of this country of Golden Pagodas.

It is the elegance and skillfulness in producing ceramic products that have created masterpieces of art and Thai ceramics brands and make international friends admire their land and people more.

You can find these ceramics everywhere throughout the country, from local markets, shops to street vendors. They are definitely good gifts to buy from Thailand for those who are interested in Thai culture and history.

Clothes and Accessories (# things must buy in thailand)

Location:

• Pratunam Market: Located near BTS ChitLom or Ratchathewi
• Platinum Department Store: Located near BTS Chitlom station, near Pratunam market

If you are a fashionista and always update the latest trends, you should not ignore Thai stores selling clothes, accessories and jewelry. You can find and buy fashion items with a variety of designs and types in shopping centers and busy markets here.

These products are often quite cheap with acceptable quality, which many tourists choose to buy as gifts for their friends and relatives. Some popular markets trusted by tourists to buy these items in Bangkok are Pratunam market, Chatuchak weekend market, Platinum mall, etc.

Thai Elephant Pants

Reference price: 3 – 6 USD

Location:

• Silom – Surawong – Patpong: Thanon Patpong 1, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand
• Khaosan Road: Khaosan Rd, Khwaeng Talat Yot, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand

Elephant pants are quite special and unique that almost every backpacker has in their bag while they are in Thailand. This is a typical outfit for backpackers and those who love the unique design, cool comfort and flexibility.

You can find these pants in crowded tourist areas or if you are in the capital Bangkok, you can buy them on the most famous and busiest Khaosan Road.

Coconut Products (# things must buy in thailand)

Reference price: From 0.5 USD

Location: Chatuchak Flea Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand

With coconut farms and plantations spreading across the country, Thailand is a country with a huge coconut harvest. Today’s coconuts are not merely a fruit to cool you off, but they have become high value art sculpture products which can make unique gifts.

Another popular coconut product is coconut oil with a sweet fragrance that is used for cooking, beauty and hair care.

Coconut oil is available across the country – anywhere you see tourists you’ll find bottles for sale with English labels. Just be sure to read the packaging telling you whether it is for cooking or for external use only.

Thai Sarongs (# must buy in thailand)

Reference price: 6 – 12 USD

Location:

• Pratunam Market: Located near BTS ChitLom or Ratchathewi
• Platinum Department Store: Located near BTS Chitlom station, near Pratunam market

Colorful and unique sarongs with elegant and sophisticated prints are great gifts reflecting Thai culture.

Improved from the dresses wrapped around the body of the Thai people, today’s sarongs are often worn in multiple ways, as a robe, a skirt or a scarf.

Thai people usually wear Sarongs on special occasions of solemn nature such as at traditional festivals or festivals for good luck. Therefore, a sarong is one of the best souvenirs from Thailand.

Hill-tribes crafts

Address: 288 หมู่1 Khlong Lan Phatthana, Khlong Lan, Kamphaeng Phet , Thailand

Hill-tribes village is an ecological village located in Chiang Mai, where many ethnic communities live. Each ethnic group here resides in its own area and keeps its own cultural practices. At the end of the village lives the famous Karen long-neck tribe. These friendly and hospitable residents are often known as “the master of weaving”.

Unique handmade products in local cultural style are what most tourists choose to buy as gifts. The handicrafts of Hill-tribes village are affordable but eye-catching and attractive.

However, when buying a craft item, you should check it carefully because some products are touted as handmade but actually just mass-produced, with no special value.

Seashells (# best thailand souvenirs)

Location: beautiful beaches such as Kata beach, Chaweng beach, Lamai beach, Buffalo beach

Seashells are believed to be the symbol of luck and prosperity, so giving seashells as gifts is a singular choice. With the most charming beaches in the world, apart from leisurely walking there, you are also free to explore the creatures living in the sand or look for colorful seashells to bring back as gifts.

Just note that taking shells straight from the beach is prohibited in some places. If so, you can buy them instead. Actually, seashells are available everywhere in Thailand, from local markets, street vendors to beachside shops.

Thai Wine

Reference price: From 6 USD

Location: Thanon Khao San: Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand

Because Western alcohol brands are heavily taxed in Thailand, Thai people often choose the local products instead. In many tourist areas in Thailand, you will easily spot buckets of different alcoholic beverages sold along the Khaosan road or beachside roads.

Several brands of Thai wine have become famous specialties among tourists to buy as gifts. For example, the Magic Alambic wine made on Koh Samui has a great taste that will make a great souvenir. Why don’t you bring home such wonderful gifts for your friends who enjoy trying new taste of wine? I am sure they will get excited.

Thai Antiques (# best gifts to bring back from thailand)

Reference price: From 4 USD

Location:

• Lukdod Shop Patt: 209 10 ยูเมะ Muang Pattaya, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand
• Baan Tawai Village: Khun Klong Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50230, Thailand

Thai antiques always carry special spiritual and feng shui meanings. As a country with long history and culture, rich in sculpture, you can find unique antiques here.

Or if you are lucky, you may find items of hundreds years old. However, these unique items are usually not cheap.

Tiger Balm Ointment

Reference price: From 3 USD

Tiger balm ointment with its great uses is a useful and favorite item to many people. The main ingredients are camphor essential oil, menthol and many natural herbs. This ointment is not only used to soothe mosquito bites, but also helps relieve muscle and joint pain caused by injury or muscle tension.

Thai Cookbooks

Reference price: From 5 USD

Location:

• Kinokuniya: 689 Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok, Thailand
• Asia Books: 129A No.87/2 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand

Thailand has a variety of classes to suit your interest. If you are an art lover and passionate about vegetable cutting and carving, a fruit and vegetable cutting and carving class will be perfect for you.

If you are interested in a healthy lifestyle and simple meals, a vegetarian cooking class will be useful for you.

Usually, these cooking classes will provide leaners with standard Thai cookbooks at the end of the course so that they can practice and improve their skills on their own. Accordingly, for those who love Thai culture and cuisine but do not have the opportunity to participate in these special classes, a standard Thai cookbook will be an ideal start.

Above are the top 15 items that you should buy on your adventure in Thailand. We hope that now you have more choices in gift shopping and will have interesting experiences in this shopping paradise.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, to and from Bangkok you can refer to

• Bangkok City & Temples Tour by Tour East
• Classic Bangkok Tour: Floating Market, Elephant Village, Asiatique, & More by AK Travel
• Bangkok Old City Half Day Tour
• Bangkok Landmarks Day Tour: Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chao Phraya River & More
• Bangkok Sky Train (BTS) One Day Pass
• Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (ARL) Ticket
• [Sale] Private Suvarnabhumi Airport Transfers (BKK) for Bangkok, Pattaya & More by Oriental Holiday
• Shared City Transfers between Bangkok and Pattaya by Oriental Holiday
• Private City Transfers from Pattaya to Bangkok, Hua Hin, Koh Samet & Koh Chang
• [SALE] BTS Skytrain Rabbit Card
• Chao Phraya Tourist Boat Bangkok Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Boat
• [SALE] Chao Phraya Princess Cruise
• Floating Markets Day Tour: Damnoen Saduak, Maeklong and Amphawa
• Safari World Bangkok Ticket
• Klook Pass Bangkok and Pattaya
• Bangkok Safari World Shared and Private Transfers Service Tour
• Bangkok BTS Skytrain Rabbit Card
• Mahanakhon SkyWalk Ticket in Bangkok
• Chao Phraya White Orchid Cruise in Bangkok
• Ancient City Bangkok and Erawan Museum Ticket
• Spa & Massage near Let’s Relax (Central World) in Chidlom
• Private City Transfers between Bangkok and Pattaya, Ayutthaya, Hua Hin & More by TTD
• Bangkok Day Tour: Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha
• [SALE] 4G Sim Card (Thailand Pick Up) for Thailand
• 4G SIM Card (BKK Airport Pick Up) for Thailand (Unlimited Data)
• 4G Pocket WiFi (Bangkok and Phuket Airports Pick Up) for Thailand
• 4G Portable WiFi for Thailand from Uroaming (Unlimited Data)

Are you finding more Thailand travel guide: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out our Thailand blog — The fullest Thailand travel guide for a budget trip to Thailand for the first-timers. and Bangkok Pattaya itinerary 5 days — The fullest guide for a budget trip on how to spend 5 days in Thailand perfectly.