Bangkok is known for many things – its temples, street food, night life, and most importantly, shopping. For those of you who enjoy thrifting, we’ve got a new place for you to add to your list – especially if you’re a hobbyist photographer. Lucky Home Samrong is the place to go if you’re determined to bring home some gems. Here’s what you need to know about this vintage camera warehouse.
Image credit: NATT SK bia Google Maps
Lucky Home Samrong is located in Samrong district which sits southeast of the city centre, 30 minutes by car from Siam Square. This is the place that you’ll want to go if you’re looking to snag the best deals. Think $10 for a digicam – unheard of in this economy, day, and age. Everything here is heavily discounted, with prices going for as low as 90% off retail.
Image credit: Shigeki Naganuma via Google Maps
Aside from digicams, Lucky Home Samrong is stocked with preloved, old-school camcorders and film and vintage cameras. A majority, or almost all, of these cameras are imported directly from Japan. They also sell professional cameras for aspiring photographers and a wide range of camera lenses, whether you’re a newbie or already a pro who’s looking to experiment.
Image credit: NATT SK via Google Maps
Think of entering Lucky Home Samrong like embarking on a treasure hunt – almost everything here is chucked in crates, which are lined up and stacked on racks.
Image credit: Surasakch Chaichompoo via Google Maps
You’ll really need to take time and effort to dig through them to hit the jackpot. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find brands such as Canon or Nikon going for less than 10 bucks.
Image credit: Supodjana Wongworapitak via Google Maps
Beyond the camera equipment, Lucky Home Samrong also sells clothes, furniture, and random knick-knacks.
Image credit: Tapsi Fules and Cheary花花 via Google Maps
More interestingly, they have a pretty extensive selection of sound systems and speakers. You’ll even be able to find a wide range of guitars and other musical instruments.
Image credit: เที่ยวกะกิน เช็คอินไปเรื่อย via Google Maps
There are also vinyl records of both Japanese and international hits, with record spines that were exclusively minted in Japan. If Lady Luck is on your side, you might be able to bag records from artistes such as The Beatles and Elvis Presley, or popular soundtracks from shows like The Godfather and Ghostbusters.
Image credit: LUCKY HOME SAMRONG via Google Maps
At time of writing, there isn’t any policy that allows you to return, exchange, or get a refund for faulty items. You are highly encouraged to try out whatever you’re interested in getting before making a purchase. For items that you aren’t able to test, you’d unfortunately have to hope they work. It is a thrift store, after all.
Getting to Lucky Home Samrong is relatively simple. You can opt for private hires like Grab, or make your way over via public transport.
An option that you can explore in Bangkok is to hop on a GrabBike. As the name suggests, you’d be ferried around via motorbike instead of in a car. This service is unavailable in Singapore, and is quite the experience. You’ll also get to beat Bangkok’s notorious traffic jams.
If you’re thinking of taking the public transport route instead, you can get to Lucky Home Samrong via train or bus.
It’s a 5-minute walk from Siam Square to Siam Station, where you should head to Platform 1 and take the Sukhumvit Line Khu Khot Line towards Kheha. Alight at Samrong Station, where it’s a 10-minute walk to Lucky Home Samrong. The entire journey should take about 50 minutes, and costs approximately ฿62 (~S$2.29).
If you’re considering taking the bus instead, head over to the Siam Center bus stop and take bus 508 towards Thepharak Junction. Alternatively, take bus 23 from the ‘Opposite Bangkok Business College’ stop, though that would be a 15-minute walk from Siam Center.
From Thepharak Junction, you’ll need to walk 10 minutes to Lucky Home Samrong. The journey by bus takes at least an hour, so this is the longest way to get there.
Thrifting requires a great deal of hard work, patience, and perseverance. I might even venture to call it a sport. Even when you’re busy digging through the piles, do remember to be gentle and considerate to other shoppers as well – one man’s trash is another’s treasure.
For more Bangkok related articles:
Cover image adapted from: NATT SK bia Google Maps, Surasakch Chaichompoo via Google Maps
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