IF there’s one thing I do in every place I visit, it is shopping. Even if I can only find one item of clothing or some accessories, I never come home without buying something.

Of all the cities I’ve been to, my all-time favourite place to shop is Bangkok, Thailand. First of all, it’s a mere two hours away by flight from Kuala Lumpur and once you get there, getting around is easy.

The public transportation system is excellent and most of the shopping hubs are within walking distance from the BTS Skytrain or the MRT stops.

Metered taxis will take you anywhere, but during peak traffic hours they may hike up the price a little or ask for “extras”. However, their flat rates are pretty affordable.

Besides, it beats having to get into a packed train during rush hour with all your shopping bags.

If all else fails, there are also tuk-tuks or motorcycle taxis to get you where you want to go.

The main reason why Bangkok is such a great place to go shopping is because there’s something for everyone in every price range, and a wide variety of places to shop at.

There are also a lot of places where you can haggle for a better price on the items you want.

As with many capital cities worldwide, Bangkok offers a variety of luxury shopping hubs for those with bigger disposable income.

You can get high-end brands like Valentino, Christian Louboutin, Prada, Miu Miu and Chanel at malls like Amarin Plaza, Emporium Shopping Centre, Siam Paragon, Gaysorn Shopping Centre and CentralWorld Bangkok.

These malls aren’t just packed with luxury brands, though, they have your regular high-street mall stores like Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Aldo and so on, but they sell pretty much the same items as they do in Malaysia.

Departmental stores like Zen, Tokyu and Isetan also offer a wide variety of cosmetics and innerwear.

Platinum Shopping Mall is a one-stop centre where you can get everything from clothes and shoes to accessories and bags.

By far the best place I visited during my most recent trip was the Platinum Fashion Mall, where you can bargain your way to a sweet deal.

The mall is divided into several different floors by category – apparel on the first three floors, bags and shoes on the fourth and fifth floors – and there are hundreds of stores around.

The only catch is that you can’t try on any of the clothes, but some retailers can be convinced to let you try them over the clothes you’re wearing.

Another wonderful thing about this mall is if you like several items in any of the stores, you can get them at wholesale price.

Usually, you would need to choose three of the same stuff to get the promotion, but if you are persuasive enough, you may not even have to do that. It’ll only be a few ringgit cheaper but it’s a bargain nonetheless.

Uber comfortable jelly shoes are all the rage in Bangkok right now

Right now, jelly shoes are all the rage in Platinum, and you can pick up two pairs for only RM80 (make sure you haggle!). Platinum has an abundance of shoe stores, and you are permitted to try on the shoes for size.

You may be able to get a pair of flats for RM20, if you buy two pairs from the same store.

For items similar to the ones in Platinum, cross the road to Pratunam market, or take the skytrain to Mo Chit station and head on over to the Chatuchak market.

Pick up a pair of shoes for just over RM30 in Bangkok, and haggle to get deals on multiple purchases.

This internationally famous market is very big so it would be wise to grab a copy of the map for easier navigation. The market is also divided into several sections – clothes and accessories, furniture, fresh produce, pets, etc.

Getting bargains in Chatuchak is pretty easy, but bear in mind the area is rather stuffy and it won’t be long before you begin getting hot and bothered. The trick is to plan your purchases and head straight to the desired stall as browsing and milling around might dampen your mood.

It will be useful to learn a few Thai words if you want to bargain with the locals, and remember to smile when you’re at it.

If you’re pressed for time and need to shop for luxury, high-end, high street and wholesale items in a hurry, your best bet is to get off at the Chit Lom BTS station.

From here, you can walk to Gaysorn Shopping Centre, CentralWorld Bangkok, Platinum Fashion Mall and Pratunam market.