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| Dunkin Donuts in Siam Square, Bangkok, Thailand |
The donut business in Thailand is worth 1 billion baht or $310 million, which is why there are so many places to buy donuts in Thailand. Withjavascript:void(0) donut shops ranging from independent Thai donut shops to Thai chains, new Malaysian donut chains and, of course, the mammoth American donut companies, if you love donuts, you’ll love Bangkok, Thailand, as donut shops are everywhere. These Bangkok donut shops however are the best and the most popular.
Do Dee Dough – Do Dee Dough is a new Thai donut chain owned by famous Thai singer, Tik Shiro. With donuts that are supposed to be low-sugar, and with the added novelty of being in the shape of a ‘D’, Do Dee Dough has been opening franchises in more out-of-the-way Bangkok locations, instead of at the usual upscale malls. Do Dee Dough donuts come in many different flavors and are extremely popular with Thais, who love that Do Dee Dough is a Thai company. One Do Dee Dough location to try is the shop at Fashion Island in Bangkok.
Daddy Dough – Daddy Dough is another completely unique Thai brand. Started about four years ago by then 24 year old Peter Thaveepolcharoen, he uses the donut recipe his father developed 25 years ago when he ran a donut shop in the United States. Daddy Dough is famous in Thailand for its more than 40 different flavors of donuts, including chocolate, cinnamon, chocolate, spinach and sesame, and for its lower prices than the top American brand donuts in Bangkok.
Daddy Dough has several branches but my favorites are at Siam Paragon and Bon Marche market in Bangkok.
Krispy Kreme – Thailand’s first Krispy Kreme store opened yesterday (September 28th, 2010) in the Siam Paragon mall in central Bangkok. On the first day, hundreds of people stood in line for hours, (some even camped out overnight) to get their first taste of the American brand, so it may be quite popular. The owner plans on opening 20 more locations over the next couple of years, which means Krispy Kreme could be a big player in the Thailand donut market.
Right now though, the only location is on the ground floor of the upscale Siam Paragon mall, right next to Siam sky train station in Bangkok.
Mister Donut – Just about the most popular donut chain in Thailand is Mister Donut. They are everywhere, with everything from large stores to small kiosks and are popular due to their cheap price and great taste. At Mister Donut, you can buy a donut for as little as 12 baht (40 cents), which is less than half the price of many other chains. as well as coffee drinks and fruit juice.
My favorite Mister Donut is in the MBK mall in downtown Bangkok, and my favorite Mister Donut kiosk is at the Carrefour on Ladprao in northern Bangkok.
Dunkin Donuts – The other extremely popular donut chain in Thailand is Dunkin Donuts. With more than 200 shops around Thailand and more appearing every month, Dunkin Donuts is one of the two market leaders. Dunkin Donuts also recently started a campaign called ‘Coffee and Donuts’, which is trying to show customers they have delicious coffee-based drinks too.
One of the largest Dunkin Donut branches is at Siam Square, although it’s currently undergoing renovations due to being set on fire during political demonstrations earlier in the year.
Bapple – Bapple is brand new in Thailand. It’s a Malaysian donut company that prides itself on lower calorie donuts, that are healthier. The only Bapple store in Thailand currently is the new one on the fourth floor of the Siam Center, next to Siam sky train, but they plan on opening 30-40 more Bapple stores in the next couple of years.
As you can see, if you’re a donut lover, Bangkok is a donut lover’s paradise. Not only are there all these donut chains, there are also many independent shops or, for the authentic Thai version (known as ‘Pa Tong Ko’), don’t miss buying them in small bags of five or six – hot on the street and sold by wandering street sellers.