Siam Square (Siam BTS Station): would like to be the Times Square of Bangkok, and it does a pretty good job. Despite the name this is in fact a warren of small sois filled with tiny shops and restaurants, mostly catering to upper class Thais, shopping-spree Malaysians, and working ex-pats (as opposed to your usual lay-about ex-pats). If you're not up for a trip to the Gap or a pink martini, it's still worth a visit just to see Bangkok-of-the-Future. The four movie theaters in the area are a good night out. You get a few hours in a plush theater house - complete with air-con and assigned. Hollywood and Asian blockbusters are featured nightly.

Jim Thompson's House: Soi Kasemsan 2 (near National Stadium BTS Station). Full of silk and mystery as well as a good dose of Thai history. The reputed OSS/CIA operative and father of the modern Thai silk industry had this house assembled from six traditional Thai-style houses. Open 09:00-17:00 daily, get there early to beat the heat.

 Erawan Shrine is at the intersection of Ploenchit and Ratchaprarop. Built to appease the spirits after a series of construction accidents occurred when the nearby Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel was being built, it's a small but photogenic and perennially packed shrine dedicated to Brahma (Phra Phrom) and named after his elephant, teak models of which are a popular donation. During the day you can often see traditional Thai dancing there.

Great Shopping Malls in Bangkok's Sukhumvit Area - Bangkok and Thailand's very best

Central World Plaza, corner of Rama I and Ratchaprarop (Chidlom BTS Station). Formerly the World Trade Center, this reopened in 2006 after a massive expansion and renovation, and is now the only mall in Bangkok that can give the Paragon a run for the money in both swank and size. Ice skating rink and a multiplex on the top floor, and contains large Isetan and Zen department stores.

Emporium Shopping Center, Sukhumvit Soi 24 (Phrom Phong BTS Station) is the top competitor to Gaysorn Plaza, with lower floors dedicated to brands like Louis Vuitton and Rolex, but (unlike Gaysorn) it has more affordably priced goods on the upper levels. Emporium also has a popular food court and a good selection of restaurants on the 5th floor. Come To the Cinema on the top floor and you will find an amazing Private library centered around design. You can get a free day pass, Come spend the day ready amazing books, or just using the Internet.

Gaysorn Plaza, corner of Phloen Chit Road and Ratchadamri Road (Chidlom BTS Station) positions itself as Bangkok's premier luxury shopping mall: this is where you can get your fill of Armani, Gucci and Tiffany. The top floors have a good selection of antiques and Thai handicrafts, of high quality but fairly high prices too.

Mahboonkrong, or just MBK (National Stadium BTS Station) is a vast and always packed mall full of tiny stalls (2500 of them, to be exact) selling, well, everything. There's a heavy emphasis on clothing, especially the cheap and trendy teen type, but the floor devoted to electronics is Bangkok's best place to buy a mobile phone. Gold, furniture and Thai food are also well represented, and a section of the 6th floor has been dedicated to handicrafts and souvenirs. The top floor has movie theatres and restaurants, and there's a large Tokyu department store bolted on the north side facing the BTS station. It's just across the street from Siam Square and connecting walkway through the perennially crowded Bonanza Center offers more of the same.

Narayana Phand, 127 Ratchadamri Road, between Gaysorn Plaza and Big C. A Thai handicraft center run by the government, offering a wide array of traditional crafts. Prices are fairly high and not negotiable, but clearly marked. A good place to see what's on offer and find out baseline prices before hitting the markets. Open daily 10:00-21:00.

 Panthip Plaza, 604/3 Phetchaburi Road. A six-floor shopping mall devoted to computer gear, and famous for its pirated media (the bootleg trade is much more low-key than it used to be, but software and DVDs are still widely available). Opens at 10:00. Closes at 20:00.

Siam Center (Siam BTS Station) is one of the older malls in these parts, and has a good range of eating options.

Siam Discovery Center (National Stadium BTS Station) is a newer, more upmarket addition to Siam Center.  The Loft (on the 3rd floor) is a large and quirky Japanese home decoration store, with among many other things, an array of bizarre plush toys on offer. Worth a browse.

Siam Paragon (Siam BTS Station). Incredibly massive shopping mall right at the heart of Bangkok, anchored by the Paragon department store and also featuring the Siam Ocean World aquarium, the largest in South-East Asia. The fourth floor has a very good (if pricy) selection of modern Thai arts and crafts, as well as a large Kinokuniya bookstore. Great eating options in the basement, including a gourmet supermarket, two food courts and a canal-lined strip of fancy restaurants.