Phuket Shopping

We use a Thai Happy Sim Card which is issued by D-Tac and you can buy the card and top ups at most 7/11's or phone shops.

The card we use cost us 49baht but there are different prices as some come with credit etc, you can buy refills from 20baht up to 800baht.
We always buy the 800baht top up as you then receive an extra 100baht free.

The sim card is also valid for a year from the top up date if you buy the bigger top ups. This is worthwhile if you intend to go back to Thailand before that year is up as you then do not have to buy another Thai sim card.
We bought ours through a 7/11 and they will also set it up for you if you want.

In the Users manual that comes with the kit it tells you exactly what to do and how to make the cheapest International calls e.g. put in 008 or 009 then country code, area code and phone number.

You can choose 001 or 007 instead of the numbers I have mentioned above, these are for a supposedly high quality signal and have higher call rates, but we never had a problem with the signal using the 009 number.

To send messages is different to ringing, first put in + then country code, area code, and phone number.

So for each person here in Australia I would have 2 numbers for them, one for phoning, one for messages.

If you want to take your own phone and its locked there are phone shops that will unlock it for you at a small cost.

So some examples for phoning Australia to make use of the cheapest rates are:

If the Aussie landline number is 08 12345678
To ring drop the 0 and dial 009 61 8 12345678
For Aussie Mobile numbers e.g. 0412 345 678
To ring drop the 0 and dial 009 61 412 345 678
Messages - drop the 0 and dial +61 412 345 678

For someone ringing you in Thailand

Your new Thai mobile number will start with 08, so for anyone calling you from home they would drop the 0 and add in +66 then your new number (that’s when they are calling you from a mobile)

From a landline at home they would call you on 0011 - 66 - 76 - then the local number.

It’s extremely cheap to phone home using a Thai Sim Card, much better than using your own sim with International Roaming. Some examples of prices for mobile calls I made to Australia were 150baht for 20 minutes and messages 5 baht per message.

Hope this helps - just read your manual thoroughly as it tells you how to make the cheapest calls.

The link below will give you all the world calling codes etc:

Click Here for World Calling Codes ,

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My niece Melanie recently had her Year 12 Formal dress made in Phuket so off we go for a family outing prepared to spend many hours at various tailors.

Much to our surprise we ended up using the very first one we went to - Rich Mond Fashion.

The shop had a photo of a Roberto Cavelli dress that was worn recently in a Victoria Secret’s show; this was the dress Mel had made in satin, silk and chiffon.

After 2 fittings the dress was perfect and the total cost was 4,200baht (at the time $140). This was their asking price and as everyone was so happy with that there was no bartering.

Rich Mond Fashion are very professional, speak great English and did not pressure us at all, we will definitely be paying them a visit when we go back to Phuket. They are on Rat-u-Thit Rd opposite the Patong Bay Shore Hotel.

Richmond Fashion
Mobile: 0896955009 – 0814869866
rich_mondfashion@yahoo.com

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If you are after any leather goods to be made like, shoes, boots, jackets, coats, handbags or even air brushing then Friendship Leather is the place to go.

They have been around for a long time, we first went there over 10 years ago so a friend could have some airbrushing done on his jacket. It looked fantastic!

They have many catalogues and magazines you can choose from or take a photo of your own and they will copy it exactly at a fraction of the price.

I recently had a pair of boots made, they were in a magazine for $900, I paid $124 for an exact copy of them and they are so comfortable.

Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time, my boots were not ready on the date they gave me and I had to go back 2 more times, finally they were finished the morning we were leaving Phuket.

Your measurements are kept for five years, so if you want anything else made they will make it and then ship it to you. Leather jackets range from 8000 to 10,000baht. There is also a large selection of ready made leather goods for sale.

The photos below are from a friend who had 2 pair of boots made, the price was $110 a pair and she loves them so much she has ordered more in different colors.

On the link below is a list of Banks and where they are in Patong Beach.

You will have no problem finding an ATM, they are everywhere, (including the airport).

Maximum withdrawel is 20,000Baht from most machines.

I have also included a link to some good maps of Phuket.

Click Here for Banks

Phuket Map's

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OCEAN PLAZA BANGLA ROAD

The department store has some good buys in quality men's, women's and children's clothing.

Women shoes are good here as well, but if you have big feet like me, you will miss out.

There are lots of little individual shops in this centre and upstairs there is a sport shop that has all the original name brands.

They often have sales and if you can find something to fit you will get a bargain.

The brand Body Glove is very cheap in this sports shop and they have a lot of Cool-Dri sports tops.

There is also a bowling alley on the top floor, a supermarket downstairs with a bottle shop and chemist.

OCEAN PLAZA BEACH ROAD

Another small department store with little individual shops.
On the first floor there is a good selection of swimmers etc.

There is also a good clothes shop at the back on the right hand side.
They have beautiful dressing gowns and lots of nice trendy skirts and dresses.

Ladies Chinese style pj's cost 250 baht.
To get to Ocean Plaza keep walking up beach road towards Patong Merlin.

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Beachwear, sportswear, souvenirs can be bought from street stalls, little shops and noisy night markets. Patong also has specialist jewelry, ethnic crafts, art and antiques shops, waiting for the dedicated bargain hunter.
On the streets you'll find brightly-lit stalls as far as the eye can see. The night market - located along the main Beach road, offers handicrafts, silk scarves, sarongs, beach and leisure wear, leather goods and luggage, CD's, computer games, electronic gadgets and toys. Open every night.

Along Rat-U-Thit Road (Main Road), there is another market that sets up 2-3 nights a week, usually Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays which sells recycled jeans, funky shoes, clothes, Thai sweets, orchids, ornaments and hair accessories. Open 6-7pm until late.(Around Royal Paradise area)

Huge new markets on Rat-U-Thit Road called O Patong (I think) turn right end of Bangla Rd and keep walking (about 10 mins) will see big sign on left side of road. Great bargains here, not crowded and plenty of bars to have a drink.

I think the best markets in Patong Beach (dont know the name) are also on Rat-U-Thit Rd, (end of Bangla Rd, go left, they are on other side of road) dont look the best from the outside, but inside is great, very cheap and nearly all fixed prices.

What to buy: There are four photos of handbags I have bought along the Beach Rd. They all cost 1500Baht each. The 2 Gucci bags (they are the same just different colors) I bought a couple of years ago, they still look like new.

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Jungceylon is a huge three story complex that covers a total area of 200,000 square metres with over 200 shops.

Some of the retail space are International fast food eateries, fashion boutiques, sports stores, electrical shop, a massive Thai Handicrafts centre, Robinson's Department store and a Carrefour Hypermarket.

There is also a Sport's Complex, Banks, Tourist Centers, a SFX Cinema with 5 theatres, Bowling Alley and International Restaurants such as IndoChine, plus much more.

Jungceylon is on Rat-u-Thit Road Patong Beach.

What to buy: Fantastic handicrafts on the basement level. Everything you could think of is in the Carrefour supermarket, make sure you look upstairs in there as well!

There are a few good spas for having a deep cleansing Japanese facial.

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There are MANY Art shops in Phuket.
This painting which is in oils, measures approx 2 meters in width, and the height is about 1.5 meters. I loved the colours and the ocean in the background. The asking price was 14 000 Bhat. My bartering skills are not so good. While I was chatting to a couple from Australia, my husband was busy negotiating a price for the painting. We eventually paid 9000 Bhat. It was perfectly packaged for us to take back to South Africa. On arrival in SA I waited 2 days, then took it to a frame shop. The framing cost more than the painting. The Framer was very pleased that we had brought it in so soon , as a lot of people leave their paintings rolled up for about a year, by then the oils have dried up and starts to crack.