Thailand is a paradise for shoppers. Regular visitors to Asia know that in many ways Bangkok beats Hong Kong and Singapore for deals in terms of handicrafts, textiles, gems, jewelry, art and antiques.

Fixed prices are the norm in department stores, but at most other places bargaining is a common practice and prices may be reduced by as much as thirty percent. Courtesy at all times is appreciated.

Shopping in Thailand is an adventure in itself. From modern department stores and shopping plazas, to fl ea markets and roadside stalls where bargaining is obligatory, even visitors with the greatest willpower will no doubt fi nd something to their liking.

The average length of stay has been about 8 days over the past 10 years. This fact illustrates that Thailand is the ideal place for a longer stay. Long stay visitors to Thailand are steadily on the rise, thanks to a growing infl ux of retirees and visiting friends and relatives of the large expatriate community in the kingdom. According to Tourism Authority of Thailand statistics, in 2004 a total of 568,620 visitors stayed in Thailand for more than 30 days. This was up by 7.15% from 2003 and comprised 4.88% of
total visitor arrivals.

The top fi ve markets for long stay tourism were Japan (73,882 visitors, an 8.4% increase), United Kingdom (62,364 visitors, a 6.47% increase), United States (44,498 visitors, a 9.82% increase), Germany (39,151 visitors, a 1.30% increase), and China (33,337 visitors, an 18.33% increase). Another major market is Sweden (17,304 visitors, a 7.99% increase).