Big Buildings of Bangkok

One of the oldest and biggest shopping malls in Bangkok, the Amarin Plaza is also the most underrated among them.

With over three-hundred high-end stores sharing five spacious floors, it offers everything between a traditional Thai coffee up to the best Thai handicraft and silks. Thus it is probably the best place in the city for purchasing a high-quality and distinctive souvenir from a visit to Thailand. Its attached spa is a proper ending for a busy day of shopping. A point to keep in mind is that the Amarin Tourist Information Center is one of the best in the city, providing thus another reason for such a visit.

Access

Located next to Ploen Chit and Rachadamri Road, the most important intersection in the heart of Bangkok, Amarin Plaza can be accessed directly from the Ploen Chit Skytrain station through a bridge linking it with the second floor. It is also on the kitty corner of Central World and at walking distance from the main shopping malls in Bangkok. A bridge at the fourth floor links it with the Erawan Bangkok Mall. Amarin Plaza is also next to and Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok.

The Temples

Next to the mall are two small shrines of interest. One is the Erawan Shrine – belonging to the Erawan Hotel – housing a golden image of a four-headed Brahma. Thais offer Brahma colorful flowers, incense and candles in hopes of attaining better fortune, while traditional Thai dances are performed daily. Nearby is also the Amarin shrine, housing Amarin, the Sun God in the Hindu mythology.

Before the Visit

At its street level, Starbucks and McCafe are placed side by side, I have reviewed both chains; a comparison among them (and others) can be found at the Best Nine Coffees in Bangkok.

Art Exhibitions

The Amarin Hall on the access floor features art exhibitions, handicrafts showcases and travel fairs, adding a very distinctive side to such a visit; few shopping malls bother with that.

Attractions on the First Floor

Beyond the aforementioned coffee shops facing the street, the first floor includes a branch of the British Boots, several jewelries, a branch of the Bank of Asia, and a wide variety of clothing boutiques among others. This is one of the biggest concentrations in the city of jewelries and thus a good place for comparing this type of merchandise.

Attractions on the Second Floor

The second floor includes a wide arrange of beauty salons, tailors, more apparel boutiques and jewelries, electronics and related shops among others. However, it is best known for Naraiphand, a large shop of high quality, Thai handicrafts and souvenirs, which is with no doubt one of the stars in the mall. In a related topic, this floor hosts several shops specializing on the exquisite Thai silk.

Attractions on the Third Floor

A good branch of Bookazine Books complements the rare books store placed one floor beneath. The Amara Spa is located also here next to shops similar in nature to those on the lower floors. Tag-Heuer is one of the most stylish shops here, but even fancy watches cannot steal the show from the Thai Craft Market.

This is the dream location for those seeking Thai souvenirs, which include here carved wood items, gems, traditional pillows (triangular in shape), silver items, silk items and clothes, and a plethora of other attractive items. One of the stalls is dedicated to Nepali souvenirs.

Attractions on the Fourth Floor

This is the kitchen of the mall. A branch of the popular Black Canyon Coffee and Som Tum Food share the floor with a few language schools and other shops. However, the star here is the Cook Food Hall.

This is a large area where Thai food can be sampled and enjoyed; the offer includes everything from noodle soups and spicy papaya salads to curries and intriguing desserts. In a truly Thai fashion t is arranged as a series of stalls, each specializing on a different dish or group of dishes. Especially worthy stalls are Rhad Naar Nai Keang, serving noodles with gravy and fried noodles, New Wang Lee Pork Noodles and Duck Rice and Khun Tom Thai specializing in Thai desserts.

Erawan Bangkok Boutique Mall

It is impossible to write such an entry without mentioning the Erawan Bangkok Boutique Mall, which is connected to Amarin Plaza through a bridge at the fourth floor. After the last round of re-development it experienced, the Erawan Bangkok Boutique Mall became one of the classiest and most exclusive shopping malls in town.

As Amarin Plaza, it has also five floors, but those are small, extra-shiny and feature only very exclusive brand names. Even if not planning to buy luxury items, this is a good complement to the visit. Beyond the expected boutiques offering brands like Burberry Helmut Lang, Comme des Garcons, Mc Q, Citizen of Humanity and others, the last floor features an extra smart spa.

However, the most attractive area is on the ground level. There, Urban Kitchen features elegant tiny restaurants like the Crystal Jade, La Mian Xiao Long Bao (serving Chinese dim sum), Amaltery (ice cream with alcohol), Kitchen Paradiso, Nara (Thai), Caesar Steak House, Olio Salad Bar, and the Erawan Tea Room, offering world teas and an English-like Afternoon Tea.

It could be defined as "yet another mall along the Sukhumvit-Ploen Chit-Rama I axis," but it is not. Central Chidlom is the most elegant and one of the most beautiful shopping centers in Bangkok, dating back to an era when they still resembled buildings. Humble in size, no other shopping mall in Bangkok compares to its classic shapes, tasteful decoration and smart design. Built in 1973 and covered up with shiny stones in shades of brown, this is the flagship store of the Central Group, the largest operator of such establishments in the country.

Location and Access

Located on Ploenchit Road, it can be reached through the Chidlom Skytrain Station or by any of the buses heading for the nearby Sukhumvit Road (2, 6, 17, 25, 40, 48, 501, 508, 511, 513, 525). Walking there from the Ratchaprasong Intersection (Where Central World, Amarin Plaza and other shopping malls are located) is possible and even recommended.

The operating hours are everyday between 10 AM and 10 PM.

What’s in the Elegant Beauty?

Central Chidlom could be defined as a department store; however, parts of the eight-story building are occupied by various and independently operated international chains. Generally the items sold here are of substantially higher quality than almost elsewhere in Bangkok; accordingly, the prices are higher.

Clothing and More

On the clothing front, men, women and children have specially dedicated floors each. Despite international brands being present, the selection is rather limited to a few models from each brand. Due to the geographical location of Bangkok, items designed for cold weather and shoes aimed for rough trekking or climbing are not available.

Some brands enjoy special display areas within the relevant floor; if searching for a specific item it is worth asking the clerks since not every item in the store is advertised. Since it caters to a substantial population of foreigners living in the city, big size items are readily available here. Bedding and linen items can be also purchased.

Home improvements and electrical goods items are sold on the higher floors. The selection is good, but the prices are steep; electronic items are better bought at Panthip Plaza. A good strategy under the circumstances is taking a general look at he merchandise, deciding what item is worthy of buying and then searching for it elsewhere. Surprisingly, it may be available at a lower price even at other shopping malls owned by the same management company, Central Patanna.

Food

Central Chidlom is remarkable for its upscale food store on the ground floor; it is one of the best shops in Bangkok for imported foods like cheese and meats. Near this store is the Food Cellar, a small restaurant serving international dishes and snacks.

Beyond that, several coffee shops and light meals restaurants are located almost on every floor. The most remarkable one is the Loft on the top floor offers Thai, Indian, Italian, Vietnamese, Chinese and other international foods. The place resembles a supermarket, where food is charged on a special card given at the entrance; the customer pays before leaving. I must remark that despite the excellent quality of the food, it is rather pricey for a department store; many restaurants in the area offer better and more comfortable deals.

Guest Shops in Site

B2S

B2S is a Thai bookstore and media chain; their three-story shop at Central World is their main location in the country, but the one in Central Chidlom is friendlier. It offers a decent choice of books and music on the top floor of the mall. Within it, Starbucks features a second counter in the building.

Starbucks

Starbucks has here one of its smallest branches in the city; however, it is also on of the most attractive ones since it is placed on the ground level with a large glass wall facing Ploen Chit Road. The place has a KSC Hotspot, allowing connecting to the internet while sipping a good coffee. As mentioned, they have also a small desk at the top floor.

The Oriental Hotel Shop

I have reviewed in the past the excellent Author’s Lounge; the place was recognized as serving the best coffee in Bangkok. The Oriental Hotel – where the Author’s Lounge is – has a food store within the Central Chidlom, offering a golden opportunity to enjoy and take home its excellent products.

Others

Other shops in the complex include Swarovski, specializing in jewelry and watches, Bangkok Bank, Burberry and Dunhill both offering fashion and accessories for women, the Qi Shiseido Salon & Spa, the TV Air Bookings travel agent, the Greyhound Café and finally the Inlingua language school.

Only for Tourists

A 5% discount is automatically offered on all goods for tourists, and the store helps also in getting the VAT refund; just remember to bring the passport to the Customer Service counter and they'll issue a Tourist Discount Card. Interpreters, a shipping service and currency exchange are also offered. Related to this is the fact that all major credit cards are accepted and that several ATM’s are scattered around the building.

With no doubt there are smarter shopping malls in Bangkok, the Erawan Bangkok Boutique Mall and Gaysorn Shopping Mall are good examples, yet none of theses comes even closer to the immense dimensions of Siam Paragon. When opened, it surpassed Central World, though after the last went through an upgrade, Siam Paragon became the second largest shopping mall in town.

"Stylish" is a tricky definition, it highly depends on the judge’s background. The upper floors of Siam Paragon feature one of the most stylish shops in Bangkok; however the entrance level features a modern version of a traditional Asian food market. That could have been done tastefully; yet here it was created by crowding together too many fast food joints. You buy a bad coffee at McDonald’s and drink it sitting on the almost overlapping KFC’s benches. True class. Or is that the first class dream of the masses?

Access

Few spots in Bangkok are more accessible. Located right next to Siam Square, it is east of Siam Center and Siam Discovery Center, which are owned by the same group.

The mall is connected by an elevated bridge to the Siam Square Skytrain BTS station; the bridge goes all the way to the Ratchaprasong Intersection, the Chitlom Skytrain station, and the Central World shopping mall – also reviewed in this journal. The Siam Square Skytrain station is of special importance since it is shared by both Skytrain lines, creating an unparalleled access to Siam Paragon, and from it to most of Bangkok.

History

The mall was built on the former location of the Siam Intercontinental Hotel, after the lease of the last ended in 2002, on a site owned by the Bureau of the Crown Property land. In the past it was the park of the Sripaduma Palace. The mall was inaugurated in December 2005, on an area of 8.3ha.

What’s so Snobbish?

Accommodations

On the rear side of the mall is the five-star Kempinski Hotel Siam and a serviced apartment complex, they are scheduled to be opened by the end of 2009.

Shops

More than half of the shopping area is occupied by the Paragon Department Store, while the rest is shared by shops selling luxury brands of anything from jewels to cars. The list of shops includes Hermès, Givenchy, Kenzo, Versace, Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Bvlgari, Cartier, Swarovski and most international chains selling luxury items.

However, the main attraction – especially so for an avid traveler – are the cars displayed along the spacious floors; those include brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar, Lamborghini, BMW and others. Here I discovered that Porsche has its own line of tractors and immediately downgraded it, but I have already commented on the relativity of the term "stylish." The Lamborghinis displayed there at the time of my visit were not bad. Huge attractors, they are a favorite spot for taking pictures.

Entertainment

A walk through Siam Paragon is an attraction by itself. Despite that, it features also the Paragon Cineplex with fourteen screens, an IMAX theater and the Siam Pavali, a twelve hundred seat theater used for musical performances. The largest cinema in the complex has the biggest screen and largest seating capacity in Asia.

Other entertainment options include a bowling alley, a karaoke center, a California Wow! fitness center and a Music Campus for the General Public.

Aquarium

A main attraction in the mall is the Siam Ocean World, which is the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia. Sharks and penguins welcome the visitors, who can scuba dive in the Open Ocean amidst sharks and rays; the aquarium also features a state of the art 4D Theater. Unluckily it had adopted a discriminating fee, Thais pay less than foreigners.

Food

The lower level of the mall features the Gourmet Market and a food court. Despite its name, it crowds a large list of international fast food joints. Is this a subtle judgment by the owners on the brands featured on the top floors?

The only shop worth mentioning is the excellent Bread Talk from Singapore. They have redefined the concept of bread and offer exciting items like "Floss" (bread with shredded pork) and "Mount Fuji."

Art

On the arts front, the mall features an exhibitions hall, the Thai Art Gallery and an opera concert hall. The Royal Paragon Hall features concerts, conventions and special exhibitions.

Related to these, is a large selection of Thai traditional arts stores displaying and selling Thai silk, ivory items and Thai antiques.

The mall’s courtyard separates it from the Siam Center and the Siam Discovery Center and is home to many art exhibitions, concerts and marketing events. Despite those being free, it is worth paying the entrance fee to the adjacent Skytrain station that overlooks the courtyard and offers awesome views of the events.

Talking about it in the US

Back from Thailand, I attempted to describe the size of the upgraded Central World to a friend. He lives in Santa Fe and seldom has seen anything taller than a tree.

"Probably all the shops in Hollywood could fit within it comfortably," I told him.

"Also there I haven’t been," was the dry answer, and I gave up.

Talking about it in Bolivia

I was telling about Central World to a Bolivian friend.

"Is it as big as the Abasto Market?" he asked.

He was referring to the biggest shopping center in Buenos Aires and one of the biggest in South America; the comparison was ridiculous.

"The Abasto Market would get lost within the Central World!" I answered and met a dubious look.

Dinosaurian Dimensions

Central World dimensions are difficult to comprehend; it is the second largest shopping mall complex in South East Asia after SM City North EDSA in Quezon City, Philippines, which is the second largest in the world.

After having been stripped of its title as largest in Thailand by Siam Paragon, it was re-opened in 2006 after extensive renovations with 550000 square meters of shopping mall and an awesome total of 1024000 square meters of retail area, offices and hotel rooms. Needless to say, Siam Paragon moved down to second place.

Numbers mean little. The colossus cannot even be appreciated with a single look; you must walk around it just to see the different towers and to comprehend the inner structure of the shopping mall. The danger of creating an alienating environment under such reality is real; yet, the place is friendly and attractive. Another measure to its gargantuan dimensions is the fact that well over 100000 customers visit it every day, yet the place looks spacious and crowds do not form.

History

The eight-story World Trade Center shopping mall was opened in 1990; later, in 2002, it was acquired by the Central Group and renamed Central World Plaza. Central Pattana – the largest operator of shopping centers in Thailand - got a 30-year lease on the site from the owner, the Crown Property Bureau land.

A massive renovation began in 2003 as an answer to the then unfinished Siam Paragon and the mall was expanded from 300000 square meters to its actual size. In 2005 it was renamed again as Central World.

Surroundings

Central World is only one among various similar malls in an area that reminds of Orchard Road in Singapore, or Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong. Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery Center, MBK Center, Platinum Fashion Mall, Pantip Plaza, the MBK, Central Chidlom, and Amarin Plaza are only part of the shopping centers in the adjacent area.

Access

Central World is located between the Chit Lom and the Siam stations of the Skytrain. The elevated walkway connecting the stations includes an entry to the mall. Other elevated walkways connect it to Gaysorn and Big C, just across Ratchadamri Road.

An exciting option is arriving by express boat; the Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat has a stop at the nearby Pratunam pier.

What’s in the Colossus?

The original structure of the World Trade Center was boxy and quite dark; the large corridors were illuminated exclusively by electric lights and could be defined as claustrophobic to some extent. The new structure lets in lots of sunlight and due to the size, the only reminder you are inside a building is the air conditioning.
Beyond allowing light in, the expansion created a second street within the mall. The street further away of Ratchadamri Road is the new one; the two streets run parallel to each other and are connected by various alleys, except at the center, through which a third street runs. The overall effect is of being within a covered town.

The four corners of the structure allow orientation. Zen is on the Ratchadamri- Ploen Chit junction corner, Isetan on the opposite corner along Ratchadamri Road. The Office Tower is on the corner next to Zen and on Rama I Road, while the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre, a 5-star hotel tower, is behind Isetan. Its tower, despite not being amidst the city tallest buildings is with no doubt one of its most distinctive buildings.

The Plaza

Outside the mall is a big plaza covering an area of 8000 square meters, due to its size it is used for the New Year's Countdown party and big art expositions that change from time to time.

The plaza includes two large, beautiful and surprising temples. The one, solid and low, is the Ganesh Shrine; it is dedicated to the Hindu Elephant God, which is considered here as a benefactor. Flower garlands, bananas and fresh stalks of sugarcane are given to it as offerings. Near it is the larger, whiter and taller Trimurati Shrine, amidst a shallow, black pool. It consists of three pillars representing the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The offerings here include red flowers, candles and incense. The fact that most of the worshipers are Theravada Buddhists is another odd peculiarity of the Thai society.

Isetan

This department store occupies the northeastern corner of Central World. Of Japanese origins, it is one of the most attractive stores in town, especially so since it offers many useful services, including accepting foreign currency (US, Singapore and Hong Kong dollars, and Japanese yens), an ATM and VAT refund (for tourists who spent more than 2000 baht in a given day and at least 5000 in total). A baby rest area and playland, a storage area for purchases and the excellent Kinokuniya Bookstore complete the picture.

On its third floor and facing the plaza below is the Sun Moulin Cafe Bakery; it offers an attractive bakery buffet between 12 PM and 2:30 PM and awesome top sights of the shrines in the plaza.

Zen

On the corner of Ratchadamri Road with Ploen Chit Road – one of the main intersections of Bangkok and where the two Skytrain lines meet – is ZEN. This seven stories high store is branded as Asia's first lifestyle trend megastore.

SF World Cinema

On the complex seventh floor is the SF World Cinema, An upscale cinema with 15 screens, the 800 seats World Max Screen and luxury first-class theatres. Since 2007, this is the site of the Bangkok International Film Festival.

B2S

B2S is a Thai bookstore and media chain, their three-story shop at Central World is their main location in the country and offers a decent choice of books and music. However, do not expect to find the latest English books there.

Others

I have visited the place many times, before and after the upgrade; yet, I am not ashamed to admit I do not know it completely. To achieve that, I would need to spend a whole month locked in there. An extensive list of the shops is behind the scope of an article like this one; instead, I’ll mention a few worthy places. Needless to say, every imaginable service for the traveler is available here; the information desk at the center of the entry level is a reliable and polite source of information.

Bread Talk

The excellent bread stores from Singapore can be now visited in Thailand. They have redefined the concept of bread and offer exciting items like "Floss" (bread with shredded pork) and "Mount Fuji." A must.

Thailand Knowledge Park

This area includes a library, several internet kiosks and other media facilities. Some of the shops offer extra-luxurious conditions of work.

Others

Also the international Zara department store has a shop here. Beyond that, Samsonite, Swarovski, Guess, Timberland, Starbucks, Marks & Spencer, Bossini and many others fail to fill up the monster-mall’s inner space.

Located in Ratchathewi, near the Central World Plaza, the Baiyoke Tower II is Thailand’s tallest building, reaching slightly above 300m (there are various versions; with its antenna it reaches almost 330m). The building can be seen from far away, making it one of the better landmarks in Bangkok. For the vigorous visitor, it is possible to climb all the 2060 steps from the bottom to the top.

The building main attractions are an observation floor (77th), the "Roof Top Bar & Music Lounge" on the 83rd floor, and a 360-degree revolving open deck at the 84th; both can be accessed between 10 AM and 10 PM, the entrance fee is 200B.

All these are part of the Baiyoke Sky Hotel, the tallest hotel in Southeast Asia and the third-tallest all-hotel structure in the world, with almost seven-hundred guest rooms. Inaugurated in 1998, this is a four stars hotel, with rooms of high quality divided in seven categories, from Superior to Presidential Suite. It is recommended to take a look at the various options before checking in.

The unusual features of the hotel brought the lobby up to the 18th floor, where it shares the space with a business center, a souvenirs store, a tour service desk (including a limo service) and currency exchange facility. Slightly higher, on the 20th floor are a swimming pool with a bar, a beauty salon and a health and fitness club that includes a sauna and various massage types.

All the rooms include all the facilities expected from such a hotel, including tea and coffee making facilities; wireless internet is accessible in public and private areas. The hotel includes various convention, seminar and banquet rooms, with options for these going up to the 75th floor.

Access

Every vehicle reaching the Central World Plaza is perfect for getting to Baiyoke. See details in my Roaming Bangkok journal.

Gathering Strength for a Tough Climbing

The Sky Coffee Shop is on 18th floor; open 24 hours, it offers casual meals; next to it is the Sky Lounge Lobby Bar, open between 10 AM to 11 PM. However, the better options are higher. The Sky Restaurant on the 76th and 78th floors serves a buffet breakfast from 5:30 AM until 10 AM, lunch from 11 AM to 2 PM and dinner from 5:30 PM to 10 PM. If eating there, it the access fee to the Observation Deck and Sky Walk is waived.

Even higher is the Stella Palace, a Chinese Restaurant on the 79th floor, open between 6 to 11 PM, it offers also buffet options; on weekends it is open also for lunch. The Crystal Grill is on the 82nd floor and offers sumptuous sights of Bangkok through a window wall, if eating here the access to the Observation Deck and Sky Walk is free; it opens daily from 5 PM to midnight.

Atop it is the Roof Top Bar & Music Lounge on the 83rd floor and the Revolving Roof Deck on the 84th, on clear days the Gulf of Thailand is visible from there. The place features maps, multimedia kiosks and coin-activated telescopes.

Nearby

The area is next to the main shopping district of Bangkok. The Central World Plaza Bangkok, Gaysorn Plaza Bangkok, Sogo Department Store, Siam Square and Siam Paragon are only within walking distance from the hotel.

However, next to the building is one of the most attractive traditional markets in the city. Pratunam Market is exceptional; not only for being the largest clothing one in Bangkok but also since few traditional markets have managed to survive at the very center of vibrant metropolises. Surrounded by modern shopping malls and supermarkets, Pratunam retains the looks of a traditional Thai market; moreover, no other place in Bangkok compares in variety and prices.

The narrow and dark alleys - almost collapsing under the unforgiving pressure of the shops - are covered by improvised roofs, which provide protection from the weather and the noisy streets. The market is surrounded by many street stalls - some of them ambulant - selling similar merchandise; actually T-shirts are slightly cheaper just outside the market. The Baiyoke Tower low floors are also occupied by clothing shops, as are all the locals in the small streets surrounding the market.





The market offers a big variety of basic clothing for men and women, mainly of cotton and silk. Related items are also available, like typical triangle and elephant pillows, backpacks, luggage, belts and others. Everything can be purchased by the unit; however, the market functions mainly as a local wholesale outlet.