Thailand is renowned for the great shopping and it’s true certain things are extremely inexpensive here, but other things can be outrageously over priced.  Buying Gold Jewelery in Thailand is incredibly inexpensive compared to the USA.  In the USA you mostly get 14K and sometime 18K gold.  In Thailand the Gold is 22K and you pay for only the weight of the gold plus very little for the workmanship.  In the USA you never buy gold by weight and it’s all machine made.

On the other hand a regular Hair Dryer that runs about $20 – $30.00 USD can cost $120.00 + USD in Thailand.    Also like everywhere the Malls will be more expensive than the getting off of the beaten path and finding a much better deal.  Walk the side streets in China Town and you will be pleasantly surprised and what you can find.  Not only by getting off of the beaten path will you find good deals but you will also experience the true smiles of Thailand.  Not the phony smiles given by people that know that they are charging you 400% more than they normally charge as you are a dumb tourist, but the genuine smiles of the true lovely Thai people.