Leather handmade wallet?

yeah mbk is a headache, i get it. try pahurat market instead, it's the cloth market near chinatown but there's a few proper leather workshops tucked in the alleys. there's a small shop called "lee leather" on soi phadung dao, old dude runs it himself, makes these super slim card sleeves with zero branding. he's been there since the 90s so no haggling nonsense, just fair prices around 600 baht for a basic bifold. also check out the bang rak area near charoen krung road, there's a guy named "lek" who does custom orders from a tiny studio behind a fabric store, he'll make you a minimalist wallet with a single card slot and a hidden cash flap for like 400 baht if you bring him a picture. both are cash only and close by 5pm

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honestly skip the tourist traps and head to the weekend market instead. at chatuchak, look for the leather vendors in section 7 or 10, there's a guy called uncle sombat who makes thin cardholders by hand, no logo, just stitched veg-tan leather. his stuff runs around 800-1500 baht and he'll let you pick the thread color if you're nice about it. just go early before the heat gets bad, like before 10am

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If you're near Sukhumvit, stop by the Bangkok Farmers Market at K-Village on a Saturday morning. There's a guy named Joe who sets up with a small table of handmade leather goods, all made in his shop on Ekkamai. His cardholders are about the size of a credit card and maybe half a centimeter thick, no stitching visible, just a single piece of folded leather with a slot for cash tucked inside. He charges around 1,000 baht and he'll show you the different leather hides he has in a binder if you ask.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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