Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

If your charger breaks down, your screen cracks, or your laptop gives up the ghost between Jomtien and Walking Street, you've come to the right place. Several floors of Thanon Pattaya Tai are lined with small shops selling exclusively electronics: from cell phones, cameras, and audio equipment to chargers and cables, and even repair shops that are happy to take on older devices that most shops in your hometown would refuse.

Two things you should know before entering the store: Prices are negotiable, and how much you ultimately pay depends entirely on your bargaining skills. Therefore, find out the approximate price of the item beforehand. Not everything is genuine, so it's best to ask directly. One review describes a salesperson standing at the top of the escalator who swapped a selected phone for a defective one during the sale. Keep the item you've chosen in your hand, remove the protective film before paying, and check that it is indeed the same device.

The cafes on the ground floor are better than you'd expect given the location. They offer coffee and cake, proper meals, and you can sit down while someone works on their phone upstairs.