Travel writer and author Len Rutledge has created an app which makes shopping in Bangkok easier for travellers and locals alike.

The app, called Bangkok Bargain Shopping, gives advice on prices, bargaining, VAT refunds and getting around. It details things to buy and gives descriptions of major shopping areas of the city, including profiles of 16 shopping malls, the best markets and some specialty shops which can complete the shopping experience.

Addresses, telephone numbers, and web sites are given and each location is shown on a map. Rutlegde says it saves users a great amount of time and hundreds of dollars by showing where to go and what to do.

The shopping app, available for Android devices and iPhones, uses the map2app platform which turns travel content into a mobile app. It is free to use and aimed at non-developers who have great local content and want to transform it into a mobile travel guide.

The platform was launched several weeks ago and has already been adopted by professional travel writers who have created more than 60 travel guides.

GB