Top 8 Bangkok gifts for the stylish girlfriend

Thai alphabet jewellery has become a thing. Brands like Sathu, along with plenty of independent artisans around Bangkok, are making personalised pieces with names, initials or meaningful words spelled out in Thai script. It's a simple way to carry a bit of the language and culture with you and the soft, curving lines of Thai letters make for genuinely beautiful pendants.

Most pieces come in sterling silver or gold-plated finishes, with each character carefully shaped by local jewellers who've been honing their craft for years. 

You can find them at Gaysorn Amarin, 965bkk on Soi Wanit 2.

Prices start at B1,999.

The Only Market Bangkok has been around since 2017, turning recycled materials into lifestyle pieces that celebrate the city's history and culture

The book clutch is one of those clever recent drops that looks exactly like a hardback book, but opens up to stash all your essentials. The full Thai spelling of Bangkok, famously one of the longest place names in the world, gives it that souvenir maximum effect. It’s functional art, really – a conversation starter, a practical bag and a small piece of Bangkok all at once, at B1,290.

They make canvas totes, leather bags and all sorts of accessories from repurposed materials. You can find them online, or in-store at Siam Discovery, One Bangkok, Emporium and Emsphere.

This was their love letter to Lisa. That iconic line from ‘Rockstar’ got the baby tee treatment by AHOLICBKK – you've got two colours to pick from: classic black or clean white with the lyrics screened on.

For context, Lisa (of Blackpink fame) dropped ‘Rockstar’ in 2024 and it properly took off. The song's a celebration of her global life with that standout lyric about how Bangkok is just stunning – ‘Been MIA, BKK so pretty’ The track hit number one on Billboard's Global chart and the Thai pride was palpable. AHOLICBKK caught on fast with a very cute price of B280.

AHOLICBKK is a Bangkok-based Thai streetwear label making cargos, tees, baby shorts – basically all the staples running through their collections. They're part of that wave of local Thai brands mixing street sensibilities with pop culture moments.

For now you can only grab them online. Not the most convenient if you're old school about trying things on first, but that's how these streetwear drops tend to roll these days. Shopee and Lazada are the platforms locals use, easy to navigate with delivery usually taking a day or two.

Hand made decks like these sit right at the intersection of skate culture and visual art. They’re made to be ridden, but they’re also beautiful enough to hang up and admire.

I stumbled upon Summer Skate on Instagram and was instantly hooked. The brand’s still relatively new and doesn’t have massive clout yet, but they’re clearly on their way. Their sassy skate deck illustrations, ‘Thai Baddie’ and ‘Bangkok Boy’, make for a slightly saucy piece of wall decor and a subtle Bangkok homage to keep at home.

Their three-deck set starts at B2,899.

For now, find them online.

I Wanna Bangkok started with a ‘I wanna Bang-cock’ joke at a Berlin party and now it's three-boobed alien goddesses, Hulk-feet slippers and a space-age shrine of a flagship store. They're not ignoring temples and tuk-tuks – they're just making sure Bangkok's messy, creative, queer-as-hell energy gets equal billing.

Their towel boxing shorts could be that one souvenir you actually grab – B2,590. You've got the classic Muay Thai silhouette with those iconic wide-leg shorts, done fashionably in soft, plush towelling. It's peak Bangkok gift material but playful without being naff and useful without being boring.

Find the physical store at Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road in Si Lom, Bang Rak.

Bangkok has a thriving artisan jewellery scene, craftspeople working in everything from precious metals to more experimental stuff. Glass pendant necklaces have that handmade, one-of-a-kind quality – each piece slightly different because they're created by melting and shaping glass at extremely high temperatures.

Heart of Glasssss is a Thai brand doing exactly this. Pretty sure the name's a Blondie reference, which is charming in itself. These pendants usually come on simple chains or leather cords, delicate enough to feel meaningful, beautiful enough to reach for daily.

Each pendant falls between B800 and B1,600.

Find them at Rentroom inside Lido Connect, Siam.

Pure Sweet is cheeky, a little esoteric and bratty. They first caught my eye with their early collection of tube top sets matched with thongs and from there it just spiralled into many crazy fun drops. There’s a whole lineup of tank tops with tongue-in-cheek slogans to choose from, pulling references from both Thai and international pop culture. Nothing takes itself too seriously, which is exactly the charm. It’s the kind of stuff you buy because it makes you smile first.

You can stalk them online, or hunt them down at Unfound Projects and Rentroom at Lido Connect in Siam, or at Frank with branches in Siam Centre and EmSphere.

Thong pieces start at B450 each

The ‘I heart Bangkok’ tee is omnipresent here – probably the same in every city, only the name changes. But there are actually stylish versions now if you know where to look. And with how modern minimalism is having a moment, especially the off-shoulder silhouettes – I found Sleepy Murphy doing it right.

They're a Bangkok-based fashion brand designed with vintage aesthetics and everyday wearability. Sleepy Murphy says they’re 'for the girls who live in muted palettes, delicate layers and soft rebellion. A little romantic, a little undone – always her own muse.' So take that vibe into account. It feels right at home in a stylish girl’s everyday rotation.

Find them online. White and black options are priced at B1,190.