By Simon Grigg
This is an attempt to create a listing of the current vinyl orientated record shops of Bangkok. Over the last few years a great many have come and gone. Some have retreated online and some seem to only turn up at pop ups and markets like Legacy or the various Rod Fai retro/train markets. There are others further out in the suburbs of this massive city and this is just a start. I’ve tried to make notes based on well over a decade buying vinyl in Krung Thep.
COVID, sadly, has decimated the numbers and many once thriving have gone. Others may or may not still be in business and I’ve noted that when possible.
On the other hand, Fortune Town’s cluster (if we can use that word now) is booming and I counted at least ten record shops spread amongst the IT and camera stores, several with much increased stock, on a visit this week. All noted below. The camera stores and the record shops prove to be an irresistible lure for me (not least the second hand lens stores, but that’s another whole page…)
Middle Thailand seems to love its light pop and MOR, so some of these stores are filled with endless bins of shite, especially in the pop/rock sections, plus odd bossanova remakes of Beatles, Pink Floyd and Paul Anka which someone, for some unfathomable reason, saw fit to press up. Bad prog and stadium rock is also a thing; Thailand loves Asia, Foreigner and Chicago it seems and the last record store listing for the city I could find was one in BK Mag that touted “hard to find” items like Simon and Garfunkel, Diana Ross and The Carpenters. Happily, the best of these stores are a lot more adventurous and there is recycled gold out there and it’s regularly replenished gold as stores find local stashes and also import in bulk from Japan and the US.
Let’s go.
Fortune Town:
P&P Audio
Two branches on the third floor, the original with second-hand LPs, CDs and 45s, recently doubled stock levels and lots of really great stuff amongst the inevitable Chicago and Billy Joel. Jazz, soul, rock, 12” singles, pop, country and rock in volume. Second hand is well priced 300 to 800 for good US and Japanese vinyl often with obis. New stock weekly. Great, helpful staff who know their stuff. Recommended store.
The new shop, about 100m from the other on the same floor is less exciting to date, but it’s only been open a month or two as I write. Expensive, but the odd gem – the debut B-52s was there last week for 600 baht brand new, and the recent Ramones first album CD/vinyl set for a crazy 700 baht, both sealed.
https://www.facebook.com/pandpaudio
Vinyllica
Also two stores, one for cheaper stock and one for more expensive second-hand and new. The cheapo shop is diagonally opposite the old P&P, the new one is about halfway down the corridor between a few hi-end turntables and amps stores. The owner is a little hard to engage in conversation but that may be a language gap. It can be pricey and once I’d cleaned out a few old Japanese Beatles records and some Leon Russell records, I’ve found little in there but that is likely my taste. Lots of Russian jazz and pre-1963 pop reissues (when the public domain law kicks in for Europe). https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vinyllica/158302117651819/
Hall of Fame
In what was the original Vinyllica space before they moved a few years back. A mix of second-hand vinyl, new vinyl and CDs, with a huge amount of stock. The new stuff used to be less of the stock than the old but the balance has shifted in the last couple of years. Loads of out copyright DOL type jazz vinyl reissues and they, like much of the stock, are sadly often overpriced – 1200 baht for a vinyl-drop DOL Kind Of Blue for example. Other shops in Fortune Town can give you a great Japanese pressing for half that in VG+ condition. That said, they have a good range of accessories and inner sleeves etc for very good prices and the couple that own it are lovely helpful people. CD prices are good, there are vinyl bargains if you look and it has the best – massive – soundtrack selection I’ve seen in BKK. https://www.facebook.com/hofrecords.Thai/
Unnamed shop
Just along from P&P’s new shop is another store, opened in June this year. At the time of writing it’s so new I couldn’t see a name. That may change and I’ll add it. A range of new and second-hand with the inevitable DOL and Doxy/Waxtime PD reissues. They had a Beatles Mono box set in the window last time I was there, one that went on Discogs a few months back for $1500 and is now listed for $2000 there. I wonder if they know?
Minilop
Minilop is one of the Fortune Town old school. It was next to Hall of Fame a while back but moved late in 2020 to a bigger store. They seem to get a lot of Japanese box sets, vinyl and CD and have a decent CD selection, especially jazz. The woman who owns it is lovely and the prices are ok. I’ve found more than a few gems there over the years. https://www.facebook.com/minilopfortune
Coconut Records
Just along from the new Vinyllica. It doesn’t have a vast selection but what it has can be good. I scored a bunch of NM 60s US soul originals in there last time I was there, all for around 700 baht a disc and it has a terrific jazz section. CDs too. Really helpful owner who speaks better English than me. Recommended. https://www.facebook.com/CoconutRecordsBKK
Nik Studio
Next to Coconut. Everchanging second-hand bins out the front, CDs and a lot of limited edition audiophile stuff inside and high-end gear out the back and in a second invite-only room you can see next door. https://www.facebook.com/Nik-Studio-667538586620043
DP Musicstore
Next door to P&P’s second-hand shop and mostly Thai pop and classical, both new and second-hand. https://www.facebook.com/dpmusicstore
Capmusic
This used to be a DVD store when they were still a thing and now full of vinyl and CDs, new and old. I’ve never really spent much time in it but the stock seems to be growing. Unlike the others in Fortune town it's on the 2nd floor (1st floor if you are from the UK or Australasia). Their Facebook says ‘temporarily closed’ but they were open yesterday. https://www.facebook.com/capmusicth
Non-FT:
Bumkumhouse Records
This great shop, with a range of just about every genre and tons of 45s, moved across the road to ThongLor Soi 6 a few months back, through a shophouse on the right and up the stairs, which is a little bit of a shame for the lovely bloke who owns it as he’s lost the outdoor zone he had before. Prices vary from medium high (with the odd disco record oddly high) to very cheap, but he really knows his stuff and every record has accurate release information on it – first release date and date of this pressing, plus genre. Highly recommended store. http://facebook.com/bungkumhouserecords
Zudrangma
Probably the best store in the world selling Thai pop/funk/molam (unless there is one in Isaan I don’t know about) and owned by the internationally in demand DJ Maft Sai. It also has a huge range of other roots music on 45 and the bins and walls are blissful to look at. That said, the prices can reflect the rarity value and depth of expertise on offer and the jazz/funk/disco, whilst sparse, is over the top expensive especially given the often less than VG state it’s in. Still, you go to Zudrangma for the things they specialise in. Open Friday to Sunday 2-8 at the moment. https://www.facebook.com/zudrangmarecordsthailand
Tonchabub Records
The old school of Thai second-hand record shopping with a hefty stock of Thai, Chinese & Japanese LPs and cassettes. Prepare to get dusty. There may or may not be a second branch in the east in Pattanakarn 61, Prawet. https://g.page/Tonchabab https://www.facebook.com/Tonchabab-record-shop-166035403419929
Vinyl & Toys
Way out on the Ramintra Road, near CDC, with a huge stock of vinyl, much of it hip-hop and soul, plus an amazing selection of Japanese toys, hardware and a café. You’ve seen nothing like it and best of all it’s open 24/7. https://www.facebook.com/VinylAndToys
FlatBlack Record
New records mostly, Thai and foreign pop and rock, plus turntables etc. Situated at Crystal Design Centre, on the southern side of this complex. https://www.facebook.com/Fatblackrecordbkk
Garage Records
In a back street near Lad Prao. I’ve never been, put off by the fact you need an appointment. https://www.facebook.com/garagerecordsshop
Heaven & Hell Bangkok Bar
Despite the name, it’s a record shop and a café and a bar, on the 4th floor of the red JJ fleamarket building, just outside. What’s more, they have a decent range of good beers – and they’re serving most days. The record selection is all new but ok and mid-priced. Lovely fellas with a hi-rise view over the markets. They were earlier in the Camp pop-up retro market nearby (the one with the C-47 above it) until that was closed and have long had a presence in the main Chatuchak market but given the current state of the market, I’m unsure if that’s currently open. https://www.facebook.com/heavenandhellbangkokbar
AudioMinute
A couple of years back this was in the Thaniya Golf Mall in Patpong, then it moved to a deserted mall on the corner of Suk 2 and now, oddly, it’s in a golf course way out west, off Rama 2, nowhere near a train station sadly, which is a shame as it has the best jazz selection in the city by far. Tons of Japanese and US pressed Blue Notes and Prestige etc all in VG+ NM- condition, plus Japanese jazz originals on hard to find (even in Japan) labels like Three Blind Mice. The pop and rock is not quite as exciting but the prices of everything are great. Loads of audiophile stock and hardware too. The owner and staff are fantastic. Very highly recommended. https://www.facebook.com/audiominute https://maps.app.goo.gl/TSVCHSxCCtwMtezz9
Bangsue Junction fleamarkets and retro stores
The big red multi-storey mall across from the south end of Chatuchak, the same building as Heaven & Hell above. There are two stores, perhaps unnamed, on the third floor and one on the fourth. Hit and miss.
Recoroom
Appointment only I think now (they used to have a store in the Ekkamai 10 community mall). Lots of old-school jazz of the Kind of Blue, Coltrane, Brubeck ilk, soundtracks and vintage gear. https://www.facebook.com/recoroomjazz
Triple Six Shop
A heavy metal store in Bangrak, in business since 2005. It's not a genre I know at all but 16 years of business must mean something. https://www.facebook.com/TripleSixShopThailand
Cathe Record
Tang Siang Thai
These are the two very old and very dusty stores in Chinatown’s Charoen Krung Rd (# 223 and # 253 approx) that have boxes of old Thai and mainstream vinyl, including those ubiquitous Thai bootleg 45s you find everywhere, and walls of cassettes. Much of it is in shocking condition and it’s all well picked over across the years, having been featured in international media several times. That said, it’s cheap and I pop in now and then to grab a cute Thai 45 from the 1960s to put on my record shelf. Unique. Only the second seems to have any online presence.
https://www.facebook.com/tang.siangthai.7
8 Musique
In the basement of the ThongLor 8 mini-mall, with a decent range of new releases on vinyl and CD, plus a handful of second-hand. https://www.facebook.com/8-Musique-311579032282608/
Vinyl Die Hards
Not so long ago it was touted as the biggest record store in Bangkok, and well worth a visit but sadly it seems gone. The space looks empty and all that is left is a large number of poor condition MOR and Chinese pop records in bins behind the coffee shop on Srinakarin Road. https://www.facebook.com/vinyldiehards
M - Tanakorn Records
In Chinatown, handily only a 10 minute walk from the MRT, on Thanon Luang, and it's a gem. A curated stock but happily not the same Carpenters and Foreigner selection found so often. A large Thai selection and many jazz rarities for not bad prices. It always seems to have two or three old time collectors perusing the bins. You need to go through the first room (with the cheapie bins) to the main room on the left to get to the actual shop. https://www.facebook.com/M-Tanakorn-records-1598785613669729
Track Addict
In a condo on the left going up Sukhumvit 69, on the ground floor. A small selection of new and old including some jazz rarities, but lovely people. I was told that it was gone but the Facebook seems to indicate it's still with us. https://www.facebook.com/plloyh1984
More Rice
A very cool electronic record label and store in Sukhumvit 31, finally open to the public. A growing stock of second-hand and new house/techno/breaks and similar with local Thai and other Asian labels. It’s where the DJs hang out. You need to go to the sub-soi off 31 just as it turns into a lane. The whole area is good – great cafes and design stores. https://www.facebook.com/morericerecords and https://www.facebook.com/morericerecordstore
ร้านแผ่นเสียง Record Shop (NOK Records)
The hidden goldmine and easily one of the best record stores in the city, tucked down a small leafy soi (19) off Pradiphat. The new stuff is good but the two massive rooms of second-hand are the reason this place is so wonderful. One room is all jazz – US and Japanese pressings. Plus ephemera, and collectables. Take your shoes off before you go in. Fantastic, and really great staff/owners. https://www.facebook.com/NokBangkokHifi/
Nong Taprachan
This store is on the Taprachan ferry pier next to Thammasat University and caters for students, staff and other workers in the area. CDs and vinyl, with a 50/50 Thai/Foreign range of new stock (no second-hand) and reasonable prices that match any in the world. Great, friendly staff who know their stuff. https://www.facebook.com/nongtaprachan
We Love Turntables
There are likely 20 or 30 turntable stores in Bangkok, in Fortune Town, Amarin Plaza and elsewhere but this is the king. Terrible website but a visit or two will have you swooning at the vintage and new hardware. And the accessories (even gloves to hold your records)… They have some vinyl but mostly Thai or MOR. https://www.facebook.com/weloveturntable/
http://www.weloveturntable.com/
45 Wars
Appointment only in Lad Prao, specialising in hip-hop and turntable-ism. Brought to you by the people that once gave you Vinyl Feeling (in Warehouse 30, Charoenkrung). https://www.facebook.com/45sWARS/
Siam Record Store
Seems to be online only and may be gone. https://www.facebook.com/siamrecord
RIP:
At one stage there were three record shops in Central World: Boomerang, a store on the same floor across the way and a DVD/vinyl shop next to Big Camera. All are now gone. There was a shop specialising in folk (UK and US style) in Thonburi named after Nick Drake’s Bryter Layer. Upstairs at Seenspace in ThongLor 13 was a vinyl store in 2019-20, and further along the same soi was a small record shop in 2018-19. Suk 39 had a great shop filled with vintage amps and a ton of US soul cutouts, all sealed, in the mid-2000s. No idea where that stock went. Record Hunter was a neat little store which changed locations a few times but seems to have closed in its last location in Victory Monument in late 2020.
Aside from all the above, markets, of course, seem to have endless pop-up shops, often with terrific selections. We are well served.
This is a work in progress. Feel free to email any updates or corrections. Spam will be immediately blocked.