Duck T Shirts – The Best gift for Everyone

When you are contemplating gifts to take home to friends and family, I have a recommendation. Don’t take the usual Bangkok souvenirs back (Tuk Tuk made from a Coca Cola can, incense that doesn’t smell of anything, Chang vest to name a few), head to Terminal 21 and check out A Pick Me Up, where you can pick up (ha!) some amazing t-shirts decorated in rubber ducks.

Okay, they don’t exactly scream “I’ve been to Thailand” but they are certainly original, and although I can’t think of any logical reason why I love them so much and I haven’t actually got round to purchasing one of my own, every time I walk around Terminal 21 I can’t help but pop in to flick through the rails of duck t shirts.

The ducks emblazoned on these shirts and not your usual yellow rubber ducky. Oh no, A Pick Me Up have taken their designs to new heights. This quacker comes in different shapes and sizes. If you’re that keen on finding something that prolongs your memory of Thailand then there is a funky tee of a Duck on a Tuk Tuk. I can already see the keen faces of my siblings as I hand this gem of a gift over!

Whether you are into classic movies, video games, the ukulele or even just rubber ducks themselves, you are guaranteed to find something at A Pick Me Up. If you are looking for a more subtle design, then they have embroidered polo shirts for men and women with a tiny duck on the breast pocket.

Location: Direct access from MRT at Sukhumvit and BTS at Asoke. A Pick Me Up is on the London Floor

Open: 10:00 – 22:00 Daily

Sister Margaritta at Terminal 21 Shopping Mall

I was excited to see one of my favourite Siam Square shops has opened a boutique in Terminal 21 Shopping Mall near Asoke. Sister Margaritta sells cool individual clothing, ranging from classic preppy styles to glitter disco shoes. They also import some pretty funky bags and accessories from Korea. The cool stripy tees below start at 690 baht and the amazing 70s flower patterned cropped trousers cost just over 1200 baht. The shop in Terminal 21 is only a pop-up so who knows how long it will be around. For now I’ll make the most of not having to battle through the sweaty alleyways of Siam to visit Sister Margaritta.

Bangkok Shopping: Terminal 21 Mall

Whoever designed Terminal 21 at the Asoke junction on Sukhumvit certainly knew their audience. There is nothing Thais seem to love more than snapping pictures of themselves and this mall is perfectly designed to maximise photo opportunities.

From the outside it looks like a modern airport and that theme is continued inside with 9 floors themed around different cities. They have taken the airport theme to its very limit, with the signs above the escalators signalling your departure to a new city.

Hollywood hosts the cinema with an huge and rather skinnier than usual Oscar statue (worth noting that on Wednesday’s tickets at SFX cinemas including this one are half price). San Fransisco welcomes those in need of refreshment, with a selection of restaurants and a food court. The restaurant selection isn’t the most exciting, but the view of the miniature Golden Gate Bridge, a cable car and the famous San Fran Heart certainly makes up for it.

The well known brands are situated on the Rome and Paris floors and although there is no Eiffel Tower or Tower of Pisa, the guards are dressed in the cities’ police uniforms. The attention to detail is impressive, with even the bathrooms themed around that city – Paris has some very opulent black and gold mirrored restrooms. It’s on these floors that you can find places such as Nike, Jaspal and CPS (both decently priced Thai clothing stores).

The only floor that let’s it down for me, at least theme wise, is the basement Caribbean floor. However there are some great snack options down here including crepes and a mini Chu. I tend to spend most of my time exploring the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors which are where the local independent labels are situated.

Tokyo (floor 1) houses women’s clothing as well as a gigantic waving cat. London with its double decker bus, tube train and bobby is mainly men’s clothes, including two of my favourite T Shirt shops: Bang Bang whose designs are cartoon images of famous people and A Pick Me Up which is all rubber duck themed t shirts. Istanbul on floor 3 is accessories, with some great costume jewellery and fabulous leather bags.