Old Siam Plaza sits at the junction of Chinatown and Phahurat, and is one of Bangkok's more interesting shopping centres for non-Western goods. The lower floors specialise in traditional Thai sweets and snacks — intricately shaped mung bean pastries, coconut jellies, sticky rice desserts — made and sold by vendors who have been in the building for decades.
Upper floors carry Thai fabric, traditional dress, and handicrafts. The building itself dates from the 1980s and maintains its original character. The surrounding area outside the plaza is worth exploring: the pavement food stalls and small shophouses selling religious goods give a sense of how this part of Bangkok has looked for generations.