A Bangkok shopping mall trip is a must on a visit to the capital of Thailand. We compiled a list of the most important and absolutely must-see most unbelievable shopping malls in Bangkok.
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🔴 Bangkok Shopping Mall Tips
We accidentally stumbled upon the shopping mall area while taking a stroll through the Bangkok on our last trip to Thailand.
We were staying in Ratchathewi and the shopping malls are all conveniently located a walking distance from that area in Pathum Wan, next to the Bangkok Art & Culture Center.
Bangkok has some of the best shopping malls in the world! A good mix of high-end, outlets, essential stores, food courts, new discoveries and electronic gadgets can be found and acquired here.
The malls are connected to each other. The three Siam department stores can be even called a mega mall combined!
The BTS skytrain Sukhumvit Line (subway) crosses the area, and you can get out right between the malls at the Siam skytrain station terminal.
You will find central air conditioning in every mall, which can be refreshing because it gets super hot in the daytime.
Most malls are open daily, even on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 am to 10 pm. You will find locals and tourists hanging out in the countless stores and food courts.
Besides the Chatuchak weekend market, this is your next best place to find souvenirs.
Bangkok has over 120 malls but only a handful are a must-visit and should be on your bucket list if you are visiting Bangkok, or if you want to take a cultural break from rural Ayutthaya, or Ang Thong.
🟠 Siam Paragon
The Siam Paragon is one of the most well-known shopping malls in the world. This is thanks to the oceanarium in the building, its upscale stores and its sheer size.
Here you will find all the top crème de la crème, luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. It’s a shopping paradise come true!
If you have some spare change in your pocket, you can aim for a Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maserati, or Aston Martin. Yes, there is a showroom for unbelievable sexy cars in the Paragon department store!
The shopping mall consists of 9 Floors all together and each has something else to offer!
In the basement floor you will find not only the parking area but also the impressive oceanarium (aquarium) and the glass lift.
The ground floor is dedicated to our gourmet needs. Here you will find a vast food court with the top favorites including Amici, Aoi and Four Seasons London.
The main floor is true to all luxury brands. Look out for Burberry, Prada, Gucci and Chanel. Floor 2 to 4AF are a mix of upscale and affordable brands, including Zara. The fifth floor has a cinema Cineplex, a small food court and a bowling alley.
Other notable stores to visit include Kinokuniya, a Japanese book store, and Naraya, a Thai purse store.
Notably, we adored the food court. Here, you will find a good mix of International and Thai food. I highly recommend the shrimp red curry and Pad Thai.
🟡 Siam Discovery
Siam Discovery is connected to Siam Center and to the MBK Center via the OneSiam Skywalk.
Although totally underrated, this department store is a bit different from most, and it was our favorite for a few reasons.
- Unique Asian and Thai Designer stores
- Many green eco stores and handmade things such as Ecotopia
- Dedicated tech stores such as DJI
- Upscale brands
- Large but not too big. We spend about 2 hours there.
- Futuristic deco and ambiance
- it’s not that crowded compared to the other larger malls
The discovery department store consists of 7 floors including ground floor. Each is dedicated to a theme.
The Ground floor is called Her Lab, and it’s connected to Siam Center. Here you will find Alexander Wang and Comme des Garcon.
M floor is known as His Lab and here you will find everything for the men including Victorinox and Tumi. This floor leads to the Sky Walk, which is connected to the MBK Center.
Floor 1 is known as the Street Lab, in floor 2 you will find the digital Lab, in the 3rd floor the creative Lab, in the 4th floor the Play Lab which is a home living zone and at last at the top, floor number 5, the retail innovation hub where you will find Madam Tussauds.
🟢 Siam Center
The Siam center connects the Siam Paragon and the Siam Discovery. So, theoretically, these three make for a breathtaking mega mall experience. The adjoining outdoor market and walking street, Siam Square, is an extension of all this.
Siam center is the most colorful of them all. Four floors are dedicated to affordable fashion and a food court.
Trendy brands such as Kiko Milano, Victoria’s Secret and Puma can be found here. You can expect a good mix of international brands from the East and West and reasonable prices.
🔵 CentralWorld
CentralWorld (also spelled Central World) is the largest shopping mall in Thailand and one that you can’t miss when in Bangkok! In fact, it’s always listed in the top 10 largest malls in the world, together with neighboring Siam Paragon.
This mall has everything you can imagine, and I’m not just talking about stores and food courts.
This department store has an indoor ice skating rink, a flagship hotel, a children’s playground and arcade, the largest Fitness First club in South East Asia, a library, a 4D movie center and a premium supermarket.
Here you will find an Apple Store, H&M, UNIQLO and Toys R Us among others.
7 Levels await you, and you should definitely spend a day exploring this mind-boggling mall.
🟣 MBK Center
The MBK is the odd one of all the shopping centers. It’s massive and it’s a total maze. We got lost in this one because it’s built in such a confusing way.
Various sections and corners are filled with small stores and each area has a theme of its own. The stores differ because locals run them, selling all kinds of things. It’s like an indoor market.
Most stuff is super affordable, negotiable, and you can get various qualities of Chinese manufactured goods.
We mainly encountered sections for fashion, electronics, and furniture. Especially the electronics section offers a vast choice of mobile phones, cameras, and accessories and parts. You get everything here!
The long lane of furniture stores, one after another, was also very impressive. In the 7th floor you will find a Cinema hall.
All the other shopping malls including Central World and the Siam chain, the Platinum fashion mall and also the Pratunam market are nearby. MBK is directly connected to Siam Discovery via the Skywalk.
⚫️ Other Malls worth Mentioning
If you are looking for more specific shopping malls, Bangkok has something for everything:
- Platinum Fashion – A retail and wholesale fashion specialized shopping mall near CentralWorld.
- EmQuartier – A high-end luxury mall located away from the other malls. It can be accessed via BTS Phrom Phong station terminal. You can expect grand deco and stunning architecture style.
- ICONSIAM – Located away from the other shopping malls, next to the chao phraya river, is special in its own right. Besides upscale stores, you can find an indoor floating market here!
