Bangkok's gay retail scene is modest compared to cities like Berlin or Amsterdam, but the Silom area has what most visitors are looking for and the city's general shopping environment means you can find most things cheaply if you know where to look.

What you will find in Silom

Around Soi 2 and Soi 4 there are a handful of shops selling pride merchandise, branded gay gear, and some lifestyle items. These tend to be small operations, often attached to or adjacent to bars and guesthouses. Stock varies. The more reliably stocked items are T-shirts, accessories, and some imported gear. Some shops also carry basic sex-shop items, though this is more discreet than you might expect given the nature of the area.

Bangkok's general markets and malls are worth knowing about for clothing and costumes. If you want something specific for a themed night — an outfit, accessories, anything performance-adjacent — Chatuchak Weekend Market (enormous, north of the city) and the Pratunam market area have vast amounts of cheap clothing. Thai markets are good at this kind of thing. MBK Center in Siam has affordable electronics and clothing if you need basics.

What is more discreet than you would expect

Despite Bangkok's reputation as a permissive city, dedicated adult retail is not on every corner. Serious sex shops do exist but they are not prominently signposted. A few operate near the Silom gay area. The Chatuchak vendors selling leather and festival gear are easier to spot. If you are looking for specific adult items, the sauna reception desks are often the easiest place to ask.

The shops

    • [venue:body-talk -375] — Body Talk is a gay-popular shop in Bangkok's Silom area, listed in gay guides to the city.
    • [venue:cici-men -377] — CiCi Men is a gay-popular menswear or accessories shop in Bangkok's Silom area.
    • [venue:domon -379] — Domon is a gay-popular shop in Bangkok's Silom area, listed in gay travel guides.
    • [venue:gai-pied -380] — Gai Pied is a gay bookshop or lifestyle store in Bangkok's Silom area, named after the historic French gay magazine.
    • Up2 Beauty and Hair Salon — Up2 Beauty and Hair Salon is on Rama 4 between Silom and Suriwong — a well-regarded gay-popular hair and beauty salon with a loyal following of locals, expats, and frequent visitors to Bangkok.

For the full Bangkok picture, see the Gay Bangkok Guide.