Siam Paragon, a decadent shopping mecca in Bangkok
(artapartment / Shutterstock.com)
Bangkok is a true paradise for anyone who enjoys shopping. There are shopping malls here that can compete with the 'malls' in Dubai, just to name a few. In this article you can read why you should definitely visit Siam Paragon when you are in Bangok.
Siam Paragon is located in the shopping heart of Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the largest and most exclusive shopping centers in the city, with a wide variety of shops and dining options. In Siam Paragon you will find well-known international brands such as Louis Vuitton, Prada and Gucci, but also many Thai shops with local products. The mall also has a large cinema, an aquarium and several amusement parks for children.
Siam Paragon is a popular entertainment center for both tourists and locals. It has an extensive range of restaurants, where you can eat everything from Thai to international. There is also a large food court where you can taste different types of street food. In the shopping center you will also find various services, such as banks, money exchange offices and a post office. There is also a medical center for medical assistance.
The complex is located right next to the BTS Skytrain station of the same name (Siam station). It's easy to get to and centrally located, but is it worth shopping there?
Even if you don't normally like shopping, you will really be amazed here. And dear men, you can also just buy a car there. Not an Opel Corsa, but a Ferrari, Bentley, Porsche, Maserati, Jaguar or a Lamborghini. Don't have cash with you? No problem, you can pay with your credit card. Well, check your credit limit…
(Tooykrub / Shutterstock.com)
Shops in Siam Paragon
The first thing you will notice is the size of the complex. Siam Paragon is huge with its 300.000 square meters. A few years ago it was even one of the largest shopping centers in Southeast Asia. But CentralWorld (located on the same street!) is even bigger.
Not only the surface but also the range is enormous. From luxury jewelers, designer brand clothing and electronics to luxury cars; shopping in Siam Paragon is a special experience. Believe me, the Amsterdam Bijenkorf pales in comparison to the splendor of Siam Paragon.
Best bookstore in Bangkok
The mall has the best bookstore in Bangkok: Kinokuniya. As well as a large branch of Asia Books. You will also find all the top brands such as Gucci, Prada, Cartier, Fendi, Paul Smith, Zara, Armani, Jimmy Choo, Valentino and many more.
There is an Apple store, a store with golf equipment, sporting goods, a store for musical instruments and shops with beautiful luxury jewelry. But in addition to all Western merchandise, you will also find traditional Thai arts, crafts and exclusive Thai handicrafts.
To make your mouth water, you can even buy designer children's clothing there. And of course make-up, perfume, but also Japanese toys, just to name a few.
(iviewfinder / Shutterstock.com)
Gadgets and electronics
Be sure to visit the gigantic electronics department with the most advanced products available. If you're crazy about the latest gadgets, you'll need a straitjacket here. However, the prices are on the high side. If you are looking for bargains in the field of electronics, I can recommend 'Fortune Mall'.
The supermarket in Siam Paragon specializes in the import of luxury foods and products that you will not find elsewhere in Bangkok. The prices are equal to our Western prices and sometimes even higher. If you want to do your daily shopping cheaply, you should stay away from here.
Restaurants and cafes
You will blink your eyes when you look for food and drink. Siam Paragon has a lot to offer when it comes to breakfast, lunch, dinner, a cup of coffee and everything in between. With more than 150 restaurants (!) and cafes you will find – everything you can think of.
The Japanese Mos Burgers, Fuji, Ootoya, as well as well-known American chains such as Au Bon Pain, Subway and Starbucks are represented. There is a large selection of 'fast food' in the basement. Of course there is also a large 'Thai food court' with traditional Thai food. However, the 'food court' is relatively expensive and the food is not really fantastic. You'd better cross the street and walk to the 'MBK Mall'; they have the best food court in bangkok.
If you want to drink a cup of high-quality coffee, you've come to the right place. The coffee shops and cafes can be found at the entrance of the third, fourth and fifth floors. A wide choice of nice cafes, ice cream parlors, crêperies, dessert shops and patisseries complete the shopping experience. Prices here are normal and similar to elsewhere in Bangkok. If you want to be seen, but don't want to spend a lot of money, you can sit here and enjoy a cup of coffee.
(withGod / Shutterstock.com)
Mega cinema
Siam Paragon also has a multiplex cinema. It is known as one of the best cinemas in Bangkok. It is a modern cinema with a wide range of films from Hollywood blockbusters to local Thai productions. Again, more expensive than other cinemas, but it does have 16 screens, 5.000 seats and a beautiful entourage. The IMAX theater is also second to none.
Siam Paragon cinema also offers a number of extras, such as 3D projections and VIP rooms with extra comfortable seats and special service. The mall also has a number of restaurants and snack bars near the cinema, where you can eat something before or after the movie.
If you are traveling to Bangkok and like movies, Siam Paragon cinema is definitely worth a visit. It offers a wide choice of movies and a unique cinema experience.
Siam Ocean World
In all travel guides about Bangkok you will find something about 'Siam Ocean World' a huge sea aquarium. It is located on the lower floor of the mall. It advertises itself as the largest indoor marine aquarium in Southeast Asia. It is indeed large and certainly impressive. The aquarium offers a unique view of the underwater world and is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike.
At Siam Ocean World you can see more than 30.000 different species of marine life, including sharks, jellyfish, rays and penguins. The aquarium also has a number of interactive shows and activities, including feeding the sharks and swimming with the dolphins. One of the highlights of Siam Ocean World is the glass tunnel where you can walk among the fish, which is a unique and impressive experience is. The aquarium also has a wide variety of restaurants and snack bars, where you can eat all kinds of food while watching the sea creatures.
Siam Ocean World is a great place for families with children. It offers many fun and educational activities for the kids, while parents enjoy the beautiful sea creatures. It is also a good option for anyone interested in the underwater world and everything that goes with it.
The entrance fee is quite hefty and they use the hated Thai double price system. Foreigners pay Thailand often twice as many as the Thai. In this case, the entrance fee for a Thai man or woman is 450 baht and a farang (westerner) pays 850 baht.
Decadent
You could say that Siam Paragon in Bangkok is a decadent luxury shopping mall where the high-society Thai go to see and be seen. The shops are expensive but the splendor is nice, the restaurants and cafes are fine in themselves. Some expats only go to Siam Paragon for the Kinokuniya bookstore. Or for the luxury supermarket in the basement, which has a large selection of imported foodstuffs.
However, my favorite mall is nearby CentralWorld which has a better mix of high end and moderately priced stores, the restaurants are better too.
On average, there are 180.000 to 200.000 visitors PER DAY.
(see: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Corporate/30334819)
If they then spend an average of 1000 Baht (and that is not much in the Siam Paragon), the turnover amounts to 180 to 200 million Baht per day or 66 billion Baht per year. (= 1,7 Billion Euro).
You are doing the other malls short, like so many in Bangkok.
It's not 1. It's about 20.
OK there is a difference.
I myself am a fan of central world (Is only 1,5 times bigger) and terminal 21.
When we are in Bkk we eat there most of the time. Also because it is reasonably close to the house of brother-in-law.
Here is the list according to wikipedia. Use it to your advantage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_shopping_malls_in_Thailand.
Siam paragon is for the tourist and loitering school kids. The real decadent luxury was found in Central Chidlom and Emporium/ Em Quarter. it is there that the Bangkokian rich and famous make their purchases. You will also find a few very luxurious shopping malls in the outskirts of Bangkok. Where the free fully automatic spraying and drying WCs are the norm. Compared to the luxurious Bangkokian shoppimgmals, these are but barns in the low countries.
Kinokunya in Siam Paragon is my favorite bookshop of choice in Thailand. I didn't know there is also an Asia Books branch there. Look for it next time. Thanks for that info! In Central World there is also a good branch of Asia Books.
Also eaten a few times in the Food Court. But my preference is Food Park (or something like that) on the top floor of BigC across from Central World. Meals / portions (by Thai standards) from 45 or 50 Baht. It may have become a bit more expensive in the meantime. So very cheap.
As far as luxury items are concerned: not for me!
Also check out Terminal 21. Oh take the long escalator up. The food court is on the second top floor. Incredibly low prices too.
Kinokuniya in Siam Patagorn is the best location, but they are also in Central World (somewhere far back) and the EmQuartier:
https://thailand.kinokuniya.com/store
Asiabooks is actually in every mall, but I also came across a nice branch on the street on Sukhumvit near Asok. The ones in Paragorn and Central are a bit bigger (in Terminal 21, for example, it's just a small thing):
https://www.asiabooks.com/asia_books_branches
Or go to Bangkok with Google maps and then type in 'asiabooks'.
And for the online book shopper there is:
http://www.dco.co.th
And for 2nd hand books in BKK you have to go to Dasa, also to Sukumvit, but that is not a small street.
Speaking of books…
I have a large classic bookcase (8 meters long) from floor to ceiling, but… still very empty. Recently I was able to take over more than 300 books from a Thailand blog reader, but still many empty shelves. If someone wants to get rid of a large batch of books, please contact us.
[email protected]
Preferably hard cover copies, but sturdy paperbacks, atlases, etc. are also welcome. The language is irrelevant, Thai or Chinese if necessary. You will understand that I am talking about a beautiful cupboard filling.
Ed
And I'm especially a fan of the supermarket, I can spend hours looking at how beautiful everything is, they can learn something from this. Also the toy department where there are always some of those fairgrounds and they are gambling all day, my husband goes to look at the cars. and yes expensive you can also look nice just how beautifully everything is built (quickly put something up in Eindhoven) just great, supermarket at Central also great always eat there from the au bain mari baking, packing fork knife and then enjoy eating in the restaurant where do you find that service here. everyone has their own thing that they like so much there in Thailand, (unfortunately I ignore nature too much) I also have a question many people complain about the bad architectural style in Thailand, but the hotel and shopping centers are still beautifully built and not so frugal?
When we are in bkk, we usually go for lunch at Siam Paragon.
There are a few good restaurants in between.
Other than that I think it's just a sad environment; the same boring shops as in (worldwide) all other malls for the 'well off' (but more often: those who want to pass for that.)
I'm surprised no one is talking about ICONSIAM. This is the most luxurious shopping mall with swinging fountains at night. Easy to reach with BTS + free shuttle boat or monorail
Indeed, I have the same thought, very large choice of restaurants, ground floor and upstairs with two chic lounge bars with a view of the Chayo Praya stream...not cheap, but the eye is also interested
At the time this topic was started, IconSiam was still under construction.
Icon Siam shopping mall had its grand opening on November 9, 2018.
My favorite mall is still CentralWorld.
Dear Paul,
Most responses so far date from before 2019.
IconSiam only opened in 2019…
Regards,
Daniel M.