What should you buy at Bangkok airport? The best buys are Thai-made: silk from Jim Thompson, food and craft from the Royal Project, Doi Tung and OTOP community brands, Thai spa and fragrance products, and packaged dried fruit and snacks. Suvarnabhumi has the widest choice, most of it past passport control on the departures level. Don Mueang has a smaller but useful range of Thai food brands.
This guide lists the shops the airport operator, Airports of Thailand (AOT), publishes for each airport and what they sell. It also covers the two rules that matter most when you shop on departure: carrying liquids through security, and claiming your VAT refund.
Suvarnabhumi Airport: Thai-made gifts worth buying
Suvarnabhumi is Bangkok's main international airport, although it sits just outside the city limits in Samut Prakan province. Most of the Thai-brand shops are on Floor 4, around the D and E concourses, after immigration. A few are in the public areas, where anyone can shop before security.
Thai silk
Jim Thompson has a store on Floor 4, near the D concourse. It sells silk shirts, dresses, scarves and bags for men and women. If you have time in the city, the Jim Thompson House Museum, the former home of the brand's namesake, makes a good companion visit.
Royal Project and community brands
- The Royal Project sells vegetables, fruit, dried fruit and drinks. The project began in 1969 as King Bhumibol Adulyadej's initiative to help hill-tribe farmers grow temperate crops in place of opium. At Suvarnabhumi, AOT lists the shop on Floor B1 by Entrance 3, in the public area. That makes it one of the few Thai-food shops you can visit before check-in.
- Doi Tung sells home decor, souvenirs and clothing, including handwoven textiles, from the Doi Tung Development Project in the north.
- OTOP Premium (Floor 4, Entrance 3) and the OTOP Store (Floor 4, near the D concourse) sell products from Thailand's One Tambon One Product scheme: handicrafts, food and souvenirs from villages around the country.
- The SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre is a public organization that promotes Thai crafts. Its shop sells home decor, souvenirs and clothing made by local communities.
- Sai Jai Thai stocks Royal Project clothing, home decorations and souvenirs.
Spa products, scents and balms
Nabha sells essential oils, scented candles and skincare. Scents of Thailand sells Thai perfumes, candles, soaps and spa products made with herbs, flowers and fruit. Both are on Floor 4. Remember that liquids and creams you carry on board are subject to the security limits described below.
Snacks, dried fruit and souvenirs
The Thai Collection (Floor 4, E concourse) stocks dried Thai fruit, aromatic balms and textiles. King Power Space sells Thai snacks and souvenirs alongside electronics. For handicrafts, Touch of Thailand and Memories of Thailand carry art objects, decorations, jewelry and leather goods. These are the easiest places to pick up last-minute gifts that travel well.
Duty free
King Power runs the duty-free stores for perfume and cosmetics, liquor and tobacco, watches and fashion. Duty-free liquids can be carried on board above the usual limit, but only if the shop seals them in a transparent bag with the receipt inside. If you change planes in another country, check that airport's rules too, because a second security check may apply.
Don Mueang Airport: Thai food brands
Don Mueang, the older airport inside Bangkok's northern Don Mueang district, has fewer shops, but some are good for edible gifts:
- SRIWANNA (Terminal 2, Floor 3) sells freeze-dried Thai fruit snacks such as crispy durian, dried mango, and pineapple with chili salt.
- The Royal Project (Terminal 2, Floor 3) and an OTOP shop (Terminal 1, Floor 3) sell community products.
- DoiTung Lifestyle sells the Doi Tung brand's handwoven textiles and crafts.
- Kaew Boutique (Thai desserts) and Pungsiam (a Thai bakery using Thai ingredients) are both in the restricted area of Terminal 2.
Claiming a VAT refund at the airport
Visitors can claim back VAT on goods bought at shops that display the "VAT Refund for Tourists" sign, as long as they spend the minimum per store on the same day. Ask the shop for the P.P.10 form and the tax invoice when you pay, and check that your passport details are correct. On departure, go to the customs counter before you check in your bags if your goods are over the value limit set out in the FAQ. Luxury items must also be shown again after immigration. Allow extra time for this at the airport.
Should you buy in the city instead?
Airport shops are convenient, and many carry the same brands you would find in town. But the city gives you far more choice, especially for crafts and clothing. The Chatuchak Weekend Market is the biggest single place to browse, and our Bangkok shopping guide covers malls and markets by neighborhood. A good plan is to buy crafts and textiles in the city, then leave edible gifts and last-minute extras for the airport. That way nothing gets crushed in your suitcase or stopped at security. For more to see before your flight, browse our Bangkok attractions.
Sources: AOT: Jim Thompson, Suvarnabhumi, AOT: The Royal Project, Suvarnabhumi, AOT: Doi Tung, AOT: OTOP Premium, AOT: OTOP Store, AOT: SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre, AOT: Nabha, AOT: Scents of Thailand, AOT: The Thai Collection, AOT: SRIWANNA, Don Mueang, AOT: DoiTung Lifestyle, Don Mueang, AOT: VAT Refund, AOT: liquid rules 2025, Jim Thompson, Royal Project Foundation. Checked September 26, 2026.
Thai-made goods travel best: Jim Thompson silk, Royal Project and Doi Tung foods and crafts, OTOP community products, Thai spa and scent products, and packaged dried fruit and snacks. At Suvarnabhumi most of these shops are on Floor 4 after immigration.
Yes. AOT says liquids bought in duty-free shops may be carried above the 100 ml limit if the shop seals them in a transparent bag with the receipt. Other liquids must be in containers of 100 ml or less, up to 1 liter in total, packed in one clear resealable bag no larger than 20 x 20 cm.
At least 2,000 baht, including VAT, per store on the same day, at shops displaying the VAT Refund for Tourists sign. You must leave from an international airport within 60 days of the purchase. For refunds claimed downtown, the limit is 14 days.
If your refundable goods total 20,000 baht or more, show them with the P.P.10 form and tax invoices at the customs VAT refund counter before you check in your bags. Below 20,000 baht, no customs stamp is needed. Luxury items worth 40,000 baht or more each, such as jewelry, watches, phones, laptops and handbags, must also be carried on and shown at the VAT Refund for Tourist Office after immigration.
Yes. AOT lists the Royal Project shop on Floor B1 by Entrance 3, in the public area, and OTOP Premium on Floor 4 by Entrance 3. Most other Thai-brand shops are airside, after immigration.
Don Mueang has SRIWANNA freeze-dried fruit snacks and the Royal Project, both in Terminal 2 on Floor 3. There is an OTOP shop in Terminal 1 on Floor 3, and DoiTung Lifestyle. Kaew Boutique Thai desserts and the Pungsiam bakery are in the Terminal 2 restricted area.
