5 great stops in Siam Square

Siam Square, Bangkok’s top Thai teen magnet, can be intimidating. One, it's a massive multi-street zone filled with dozens of shops and restaurants. Two, it lacks the the air-conditioned allure of nearby Siam Center, Siam Discovery and Paragon.

But Siam Square is refreshingly different from those mass-market chain-filled malls. Small boutiques run by Thai designers hawk one-of-a-kind jewelry and clothing. Tiny restaurants dish out fantastic Thai food. 

Though it's no bad idea just to hit the area and get lost, here are five cool stops that are really worth checking out when making the Siam Square rounds. 

1. Foong Zaan 

Foong Zaan -- Thai for "muddle" -- designs its own easy-to-wear shirts, T-shirts, accessories and boxers, which are described as “playful and unisex."

Bespoke pieces and special wholesale prices are also available, as well as online purchase.

Open daily, noon-8.30 p.m. First floor of Siam Square's Lido Theater (Behind Toyota Center)
Tel: +66 (0)89 414 8338

2. Kanom Krok Bai Teoy

Kanom Krok Bai Teoy is a Thai dessert shop that sells a variety of sweetmeats, made mainly made of flour, sugar and salt.  

Among the more popular are kanom krok bai toey (sweetmeat with pandanus leaf), pang gee (sweetmeat made with glutinous rice, coconut, salt and sugar or deep-fried pancake or flapjack) and kanom Tokyo (pancakes wrapped around hot dogs or yams).

Kanom Krok Bai Teoy's freshly made sweets are found on Soi 5 (opposite Ban Khun Mae restaurant), priced at 30 baht a box.

Open daily, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.. Tel: +66 (0)86 563 1690

3. Proshop

Proshop is a stylish women's shoe boutique at Siam Square Soi 5 that sells real leather footwear for reasonable prices. 

Most are high heels but there are some sandals. Materials include snake skin as well as cow and sheep hide. Prices range from 690-950 baht per pair. 

Siam Square, Soi 5. Open daily, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tel: +66 (0)2 658 3811

4. Pa & O Sterling Silver

Shops come and go in Siam Square on  a regular basis. Pa & O Sterling Silver is one of the few mainstays, a 23-year-old silver and steel accessories shop tucked deep in the dark heart of Siam Square.

The shop is massive considering it just sells metallic accessories, such as necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings and earrings. The owner guarantees that all of Pa & O's silver pieces are 100 percent pure.

Pa & O designs its own accessories, for both men and women, which distinguishes them from the usual pieces in Bangkok's markets. The body piercing operation here makes this something of a one-stop shop.

Siam Square, Soi 3. Open daily, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tel: +66 (0)2 251 2538

5. Rotsaniyom

Bohemian and vintage unite in this cool little boutique in the middle of Siam Square. A favorite among fashionistas, Rotsaniyom's designs are original and the styles understated yet chic.

Think lace frocks, flowery accessories and sweet dusty hues. Feminine, but not too girly. Prices range from 350 baht up to 2,600 baht per piece.

Open daily from 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. at Siam Soi 5. Tel: +66 (0)85 191 2943