Bangkok shopping malls
You will no doubt have noticed the huge amount of urbanisation that Bangkok has undergone, and so it will come as no surprise to learn that Bangkok is stacked with shopping malls. In typical Thai style, once a shopping mall is opened and becomes successful, another one opens up right nearby, hoping to get a slice of this success also. Hence in Siam Square, central Bangkok, where you already have the huge MBK, Siam Discovery Center, World Trade Center and Central Chitlom all within walking distance of each other, a new shopping mall has just opened, the Siam Paragon, which dwarfs them all.
Don’t forget! If you are planning on spending a lot of money while shopping in Bangkok, as a tourist you can claim the VAT back on your goods at the airport when you leave. This amounts to 7 per cent of your total expenditure, quite a saving if you’ve built up a hefty bill. Just remember to pick up the form at the store(s) you’re shopping in and don’t lose your receipts!
High-end, exclusive shopping malls
These places are the best malls to head for if you want to pick up some genuine designer goods, jewellery or other expensive commodities. Typically these malls will have a more serene atmosphere than Bangkok’s mainstream shopping complexes which can be wearyingly busy at times. So expect a plush, heavily air-conditioned, swish place with expensive cafés and restaurants in amongst the many exclusive designer shops.
Probably the premier shopping mall of this kind is The Emporium on Sukhumvit Road, right by Phrom Phong BTS station. This huge and very lavish place is on 8 floors, including the basement, and has every designer label you can think of in residence.
Similar is Central Chitlom and the adjacent Gaysorn shopping centre, on the corner of Chitlom Road and Ploenchit Road, and right by Chit Lom BTS station, or Central Silom on Silom Road, by Sala Daeng BTS.
Slightly more down to earth (but not too much, mind!) is the Siam Discovery Center by Siam BTS.
Mega malls
What we mean by “mega malls” are the huge, all singing, all dancing shopping malls that Bangkok seems to be best at building. These places can get manically busy, and have a seemingly endless array of shops inside them, although different types of shops are often clustered together making the labyrinth slightly easier to navigate. If you get tired of shopping, malls such as these have various entertainment facilities available, such as a multiplex cinema, ice skating, ten-pin bowling, massage shops, plenty of restaurants and health and beauty salons.
The largest of these shopping malls is Seacon Square, which covers over 100,000 square metres. This is a bit far from central Bangkok, though, and is not on the BTS (On Nut at the far eastern end of the Sukhumvit line is as close as you can get), so many people choose to head for MBK, by National Stadium BTS. This colossal and usually packed place has 8 floors and literally hundreds of retail outlets inside, some selling some very reasonably priced goods. Next to MBK is the Tokyu department store, and in fact there are doorways opening from one directly into the other, giving you an even greater range of options while you shop.
The World Trade Center, by Chitlom BTS, is also huge and has an ice-skating rink on the premises.
But, of course, Bangkok now has the aforementioned Siam Paragon, which straddles both the mega malls and luxury malls category being one of Bangkok’s biggest, yet also most extravagant, shopping malls. Has to be seen to be believed!
IT Malls
For those IT buffs out there, you will be in technology heaven in Bangkok’s IT malls, where dozens of shops selling all kinds of gadgets and other technology and IT related goods – from the latest top of the range laptops and desktop PCs down to pirated games and software.
Phantip Plaza on Petchaburi Road (nearest BTS Ratchathewi or Chit Lom) is the biggest of these and usually the busiest – it can become tiring in here having people constantly asking you if you want to buy their “sexy movies”. Still, that aside, there’s many a bargain to be found.
Fortune Town on Rachadapisek (‘Rachada’) Road (nearest MRT station Phra Ram 9) is a bit less hectic and newer, although it’s also considerably smaller.
Note! The 1stop guides do not condone nor wish to promote the selling or buying of fake goods and labels.
