IT IS of course a very big reason why Singaporeans continue to pour into Bangkok. Just tell the taxi driver to take you pronto to Playground, Paragon or whichever mall is good for your retail therapy.

King Power Complex: You can't miss the impressive glass-dome structure as you approach the new King Power Complex.

Luxury stores on the entire second floor will make even the most brand-conscious shoppers dizzy.

The complex houses duty-free shopping for Thai crafts, liquor, cosmetics, branded apparel and jewellery.

I walked around watching excited tourists behaving like kids in a candy store.

I had an excellent buffet dinner for 600 baht at Ramayana Restaurant on the third floor (top picture). I was entertained by a traditional puppet show as I filled my plate with everything from Japanese seaweed to Thai curry.

King Power Complex is located at Rangnam Road, Phayathai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok.

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Central World Shopping Complex: Renovated and reopened in May, this super-sized mall is the largest in South-east Asia, with a retail space of slightly over 500,000 sq m. By the time I was done traipsing around only half the mall, I was exhausted.

Central World catches the eye with a few unique stores.

Zen, a trendy Asian megastore, offers an eclectic mix of products and even has a dog spa. I had tom yam soup at its in-house Food Loft@Zen which had a Marche-like concept.

Other interesting stores worth checking out include Manga, Fly Now III and Q Concept Store.

With over 500 shops, 50 restaurants and two cineplexes, the mall is guaranteed to give your legs, and wallet, a workout.

Central World Shopping Complex is located at Ratchadamri Road, Patumwan, Bangkok.