Shopping malls and department stores
Vogue is a combination of a shopping mall and a department store, where you will find everything you need. It is the best place to explore first, as it has air conditioning, everything is clearly displayed and everything can be explored in peace without clutter. In Vogue, payment cards work better than in many other places, but they do not visit telephone and electronics outlets on the ground floor.
There are a few shopping malls on the main street that are easy to explore. The stuff is on the street and inside, and the sellers are eager to trade. However, few centers have as good a selection as Vogue.
There are a few shopping malls outside the city of Krabi, which can be reached by flatbed buses. From the same place where the bus leaves for Ao Nang and other places, i.e. the main street next to 7-Eleven, the bus also leaves for larger shopping places. Tesco Lotus (open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and Big C (open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) are well-known shopping malls and shopping malls elsewhere in Thailand that have good cards and large supermarkets. They are best for those who have been in Krabi for more than a couple of weeks, but well, others can leave if the time feels like enough.
Outlet Centers and Outlet Stores
The best place to go and see the products of well-known brands at 30-70% off prices is Outlet Village. It can be reached from in front of 7-Eleven, the main street, on the same open platform, which also runs to Tesco Lotus and Big C. It is very close, a few hundred meters, from Big C. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Price level
Prices in Krabi vary considerably, but in general almost everything is affordable compared to Finland. The most affordable are local products such as handicrafts, decorations and clothing. In terms of value for money, clothes are good shopping, as are shoes and other accessories, and also medicines, other pharmacy products, and products from opticians are inexpensive. Food, various delicacies sold in stalls and markets and local products, and getting around by public or taxi are especially cheap.
Western products are expensive, luxury products, alcohol and also tobacco is more expensive than other products. Alcohol is preferred if it is rice whiskey (Khao Lao) or normal Thai whiskey, of which Hong Thong and Blend are excellent. Of these, normal whiskeys are just as good when dried or mixed with water as much more expensive Scotch whiskeys. Tobacco should only be bought from official shops, just like medicines, and it costs roughly the same as in Estonia, ie it costs 3-4 euros.
When looking at products, it’s good to keep in mind that in Thailand, many earn only 10 to 20,000 baht a month, and those earning more than 30,000 baht belong to the upper middle class.
The price level provides some indication of Numbeo’s comparison , but many Western foods are strange and thus overpriced in Thailand, and other foods, drinks, and products imported from afar, unknown to locals, can also be at high prices.
Currency
Thailand has a baht (THB), the value of which in euros is good to check from XE. The baht has long been 40-45 baht per euro, but in recent years it has been 35-38 baht.
It is not worth paying in other currencies, and it is important to always carry coins and small banknotes, especially 20, 50 and 100 baht banknotes. Large banknotes are worth breaking in large shops, and 7-Eleven and other supermarkets are also able to give back a banknote rather than a banknote.
Currency exchange
Currency exchange points are common in all Krabi concentrations and are very open from morning to night. To exchange money, you must have a passport, a copy of your passport or an EU identity card. Currency exchange works honestly, but money changers are typically acidic and the service at the points is not as good as elsewhere. The best rate is where the buying and selling rates are as close together as possible. At many exchange offices, you can get more from large euro banknotes than from small ones, and if you want to make the most of your euro, you should bring 50 and 100 euro banknotes.
If you are going to the Railay Peninsula, you should bring baht with you, as there are hardly any currency exchange points or vending machines. Other remote roads in Krabi are like this, and it’s always worth keeping not only small notes and coins with you.
ATMs
Finding ATMs does not pose a problem in Krabi Town or Ao Nang, but in many other places they are relatively rare. In Thailand, there are often vending machines in connection with banks, of course, but many 7-Eleven and other supermarkets can also have vending machines. It is not advisable to accept withdrawals invoiced in euros from the vending machine, as the exchange rate is always extremely bad. In Thailand, it is not possible to avoid a surcharge of 220 baht when making a withdrawal, so withdrawals should be large rather than small.
Payment cards
In Thailand, as in the surrounding countries, payment cards work very poorly. Even accommodations often pay in cash, and it’s good to find out in advance. For example, many hotels take a 3% extra if you want to pay by card. Debit cards are not guaranteed to go anywhere other than 7-Eleven and some other supermarkets, such as the Vogue department store grocery store or Family Marte. It is normal for the minimum amount to be 300 baht and supermarkets usually also have a maximum amount of 3000 baht.