Traffic in Thailand is absolutely miserable. There are too many drivers, too many motorcyclists, and a lousy road system. By New Mexico standards, the mall closest to the house in Thailand is a ten-minute drive max. But many times it has taken us one to two hours to get there. Commuting to anyplace in Thailand is evil.
Traffic is terrible everywhere.
I guess we go shopping a lot. There are many malls, but I find it a lot more fun to shop in the open markets. You can find a lot of things that are fairly inexpensive, and there is the opportunity to bargain for prices. The only problem with open markets is the risk that you put yourself in by being there. There is so much for potential for being pick-pocketted or mugged.