Enjoying the thrill of the hunt in Bangkok

By TOM COCKREM*

It's true, you can't always be sure that what you buy is genuinely old and, yes, you can pay through the nose for a piece that's claimed to be. But antique shopping in Bangkok! For the collector, avid and addicted, there can be no more fun than this.

To start with, there are simply so many shops - literally scores of them. And they are fairly well concentrated, too. Then there's the variety. Bangkok is a clearing house for treasures from all parts of Indo-China - Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

The thrill of antique shopping in Bangkok is in the hunt and it's not just for the big money-spinners. Art enthusiasts and browsers will view the better shops as miniature museums, cosy and gorgeous places where an excellent schooling in oriental art and history can be gained free.

I have been poking about in Bangkok's antique shops for longer than I care to remember. Hardly ever have I entered one and not found at least one piece that is simply screaming to be bought - a 14th-century U-Thong-style bronze seated Buddha, a Ching Dynasty teapot with ornate brass handle, an intricately woven Hmong backpack basket, an elegant celadon ceramic from Chiangmai.

I generally limit my hunting range to the giant elongated "U" described by three big roads: Surawong, Silom, and New. These straddle the Sathon and Bangrak districts in the city's southeast.

Falling just outside the bottom of the "U" is the city's biggest antique-shop concentration, River City, a semi-modern, air-conditioned complex. More than 70 dealers have their biggest outlets here, mainly on the third and fourth floors. As dealers go, they range from the serious to the deadly so.

But let's get back to Surawong. Antique shops are found at the northern end of this long, busy road, near the night-life district around the infamous Patpong.

At the corner of Surawong and Rama 1V is Peng Seng, an icon among serious collectors of carvings, paintings and ceramics. Authenticity is guaranteed, and prices accord. A little further south are Neold Collection and Erawan Antiques. Neither exudes the studied formality of Peng Seng, but they lose nothing in the reputation stakes.

From here it's perhaps best to go straight to River City by cab.

Two of the largest and most reputable shops in the complex are the Fine Arts and the Old Time, both on the fourth floor. The former houses a fine collection of Khmer sculptures and jewellery, and takes pride in its exquisite heirloom silk textiles done by the Neua people in northern Laos. The latter is noted for its architectural ornaments, traditional paintings and furniture from the Orient and Europe.

Collectors of folk art will delight in the Lao carvings and puppets on show in the Verandah, another shop whose tasteful display makes it a joy to browse around. Good Luck, a shop specialising in Chinese porcelain, is crammed with a stunning array of mainly blue and white Ching Dynasty pieces.

New Rd is Bangkok's most traditional antique strip. The downside for the shopper is having to negotiate the road, which resembles a drag-strip, Bangkok style.

Some would claim it's worth taking your life into your hands merely for the sake of visiting Lek Gallery, which has three floors of almost life-size bronze and wooden Burmese Buddhas - Mandalay, Ava and Shan.

On the other side of the road, and at the other end of the scale, is the Betel Box. Though unlikely to gain an award for decor, the neon-lit little shop has the most extensive and fascinating collection of these curious little silver and wooden containers in Bangkok. Mr Pusit, the proprietor, will captivate you with his candour and charm.

Then there is Anna Antiques. To find this local icon you turn left out of New Rd into Silom. Anna is as likely to offer you a bowl of noodles as she is to try to sell you antiques.

She is a straight-shooting dealer who is quick to point out that everything you see on the ground floor - a jungle of bronze and sandstone figures - is a reproduction.

Assessing their quality, you are stunned to learn this but such is the skill of the Thai artisans that even experts can be fooled.

Silom Rd runs parallel to Surawong. To see what it has to offer, you have to walk, and there is not a huge amount in the way of fine antiques to recommend.

The Oriental Gallery half way along takes orders for its excellent Khmer sandstone reproductions. Thai Heritage sells fine oriental furniture. Tanya Plaza has a sprinkling of antique and craft shops, including Thai Weaving and Decor, which offers some highly collectable teak spirit houses and Lao basketry.

Silom Rd is Bangkok's most "touristy" and colourful strip. The famous Patpong night market flows out on to the street. The stalls on Silom stay open through the day.

There are also the numerous trendy coffee shops that await you at the street's northern end. Here you will relish the chance to sit in air-conditioned comfort and congratulate yourself on the purchases you have made.

You might then, as most collectors do, ask yourself: "Have I been gypped?" If your booty has been touted as a genuine antique, then there's just a chance you have. But if your 18th-century Mandalay carved Buddha turns out to be a 1999 edition that has done its time in mud or even buffalo urine, at least you have the consolation of knowing that many before you have been similarly duped.

It may be best to do as many do: shun pricey "originals" and settle for the likes of an Anna reproduction - then tell your friends it's not.

Case notes

* Getting there

Expect to pay around $1600 economy return with Air New Zealand in the low season.

* Getting into town

The airport is about 50km outside the city. By road the journey takes 40 minutes off-peak or three hours at peak times. The airport bus service drops passengers at the major hotels - but this can take a long time.

Taking a taxi will cost 300 to 400 baht ($13-$18) plus 70 to 80 baht ($3-$3.50) highway toll. Ensure drivers put the meter on.

Thai Airways' limousine service offers chauffeured cars for about 500 baht ($22). Unlike taxi drivers, the limousine drivers speak a little English and don't drive like lunatics.

Trains leave at regular intervals from the airport to Bangkok's Hualompong Station. They are cheap, uncomfortable and overcrowded.

* Getting around

Use taxis - allow 500 baht a day for this. If you really do have time on your hands, take a bus.

* When to go

The cool season is from November through February.

* What to take

Sunblock, sun hat, insect repellent, light cotton clothes, comfortable walking shoes.

* Advisory

To minimise the risk of being duped when buying antiques, it's best to ask the shop proprietor for a written guarantee, describing the object, its style, age and condition, as well as the price. You should also bear in mind that religious artefacts - Buddhas and the like - require special permission for export. Reputable proprietors can assist with this as well.

* Tom Cockrem was hosted by Thai Airways International.

Tourism Thailand