Phrom Phong is an upmarket residential district on Bangkok’s BTS Sukhumvit Line, covering Sukhumvit Sois 25 to 47 in the Watthana and Khlong Toei area. Nicknamed “Little Japan” for its large Japanese community, it is home to the Emporium, EmQuartier and Emsphere malls and Benjasiri Park, and ranks among Bangkok’s most sought-after addresses for families and investors.
Phrom Phong lies along Sukhumvit Road, the spine of central Bangkok.
The History of Phrom Pong Neighbourhood:
Looking at Phrom Pong today, one of Bangkok’s busiest and most bustling residential neighborhoods, you would never imagine that it was once urban land, more precisely ‘rice fields’. As Bangkok expanded, many of the rice farmers developed their land into residential space for those working in the city. Until the early 1990’s, the developed land formed part of the ‘Bang Kapi District’. Much of the land in the area today is still owned by families that have roots going back into ancient times, although Phrom Pong neighborhood now falls into the ‘Wattana’ and ‘Khlong Toei’ districts of Bangkok.
The major development that kickstarted the neighborhood’s transition into modern times was by The Mall Group when they acquired the land in 1999 and announced the building of luxury mall Emporium in 2004. The Mall Group continued to expand and now has three luxury lifestyle malls alongside each other; Emporium, Emquartier and the most recently added in December 2023; Emsphere.
Phrom Pong today, filled with upscale malls, luxury condominiums and some of the best rated cafes and restaurants Bangkok city has to offer, has come a long way from its ancient roots.
Where is Phrom Pong Neighborhood Located?
To see how Phrom Pong fits among Bangkok’s other central districts, browse our full guide to the regions of Bangkok.
Phrom Pong neighborhood is located in the heart of downtown Bangkok. Its center is marked by Sukhumvit Road. To the East, Phrom Pong covers Sukhumvit Sois’ 25 to Soi 47, all the way to Petchaburi Road. To the West, Phrom Pong covers Sukhumvit Sois’ 18 to 34, as far as Rama 4 Road. Phrom Pong is also sandwiched between its sistering neighborhoods; Asoke to the North and Thonglor to the South.
What are the best features of Phrom Pong?
Phrom Pong is a family friendly neighborhood that boasts many great features. Not only does it offer a central and convenient location in downtown Bangkok with great connectivity and many transportation options. It is also home to high end shopping malls, a wide variety of restaurants and bars, luxurious hotels and condominium projects and is widely expat friendly. Phrom Pong has become increasingly popular amongst expats over recent years, particularly Japanese. The area is often dubbed ‘Little Japan’ because of this.
This is not all, unlike other neighborhoods in ‘The Big Mango’ (Bangkok), Phrom Pong has some unique offerings; large green spaces, fantastic yoga and fitness studios and a lot of high quality vegetarian eateries. Perfect for the more health conscious.
Transportation in Phrom Pong Area
Phrom Pong (E5) BTS Station, part of the BTS network skytrain ‘Sukhumvit line’ is the main line of travel for those living in the area. It’s fast, trains run frequently and it has connections to almost any neighborhood in the city.
Many hotels and condominium projects in Phrom Pong offer free TukTuk shuttle service to the Phromphong BTS station.
A travel service unique to Bangkok is the longtail boat shuttles, the closest piers to Phrom Pong are Wat Mai Chong Lom and Italthai piers.
Further options in the area include city buses. These can be accessed from bus stops located on soi 31, soi 39 and soi 24 in Phrom Pong.
Japanese Community in Phrom Pong Neighborhood
The Japanese community spills over into the next district along the line — see our guide to neighbouring Thong Lor.
Phrom Pong is highly popular amongst Japanese expatriates and is often dubbed ‘Little Japan’ because of this. This has made it a unique area to explore. The streets of Phrom Pong are lined with many Japanese bars, restaurants, bookshops and stores, however our favorites are:
- Nihonmachi community mall: home to dozens of Japanese restaurants and grocers selling imported items from Japan.
- Fuji Super: Japanese Supermarket, imported goods and fantastic Japanese bakery outside.
- Yunomori: Japanese Spa and Onsen. This is great place to unwind and relax. With many different onsen pools, massages and spa treatments available as well as an onsite Japanese restaurant. They also give you beautiful kimono robes to wear throughout your visit.
- Emquartier: Offers many Japanese retail options including Kinokuniya bookstore, Muji home and Uniqlo as well as many snack vendors on the ground floor.
Parks, Pets and Vegan Friendly Options in Phrom Pong Area
Phrom Pong is home to Benjasiri Park (The Queen’s Park), the largest outdoor park on Sukhumvit road. Perfect for walkers, joggers and fitness fanatics. There is also an outdoor gym, and many pop-up markets/ events that take place here throughout the year.
Phrom Pong is also an ally to our furry friends, home to Tail and Trail dog park, many pet friendly cafes (Gigi’s, Sarnies, D’Ark and Emshere) and pet friendly condominiums in the area.
Phrom Pong is a jey (เจ)/ Vegan friendly neighborhood, restaurants like Veganarie, Broccoli Revolution, Waki Waki Veggie Sushie, Carrots Vegan Sushi and Vistro lead the way, and offer alternative options for gluten free, dairy free or clean-eating friends.
International Schools in Phrom Pong Area
Phrom Pong is the perfect neighborhood for families, as there is just so much to do. The best top 5 rated schools in the area are:
- Australian International School
- The Apple Tree Kindergarten
- The First Steps: International Kindergarten
- The Future Steps: Primary and High School
- Associe International Kindergarten
Kids Play Centers in Phrom Pong Area
The best of ‘Fun for Kids’ in Phrom Pong neighborhood:
- MyGym in Emquartier- fitness, coordination and balance skills for very young children.
- Attic Studios and Paron School of Art- kids friendly art classes.
- The Racquet Club – The best for rock climbing, badminton, spin and other various sports.
- The Rock Academy for budding musicians.
- GAB Gymnastics Academy.
- FlowHouse – indoor surfing.
- Harbourland and Bounce at Emquartier: indoor children’s soft play and trampoline park.
Shopping Centers in Phrom Pong Neighborhood
The Phrom Pong neighborhood offers the best shopping malls that can be experienced along Sukhumvit Road; these are the Mall Groups ‘Em District’, made up of three high-end luxury malls; Emporium, Emquartier and Emsphere. They are not just malls, but rather, lifestyle statements; Gucci, Gourmet and a side of Glamour. They are made up of:
- Emporium: The Luxury brands mall. Here you will find all of the World’s top designer brands as well as a wide range of Thai designers. They have a beauty department store on the ground floor which displays all of the beauty and skincare products available. Middle and lower floors are for shopping, and the 5th floor is home to Gourmet Market, SF Cinema city and Food Hall.
- Emquartier: A beautifully designed community mall; with onsite office space in the conjoining ‘Bhiraj Tower’. The mall is split into two buildings; The Helix Quartier and The Glass Quartier, this mall has everything you could possibly need. Retail brands such as Zara, Uniqlo, H&M, Sephora and Boots Pharmacy, a bookstore, Bounce Trampoline Park, Virgin Active, and fantastic bars and dining options. The lowest level hosts Gourmet Market, an Up-Scale supermarket selling many imported goods that can’t be found elsewhere.
- Emsphere: Art, culture and many dining options. This mall has a lot of sportswear brands, Luxury cars and the city’s first Ikea branch. The Emsphere is still brand developing, but will host shows and concerts and have a new rooftop bar in the future.
Slightly further afield, in between Sukhumvit road and Rama 4 (accessible via Sukhumvit soi 26) you will find K Village community mall. There are some great restaurants/ cafes here; including Korean, Japanese dining options, Starbucks coffee and regular farmer’s markets full of fresh local produce and sustainable goods.
K Village is also home to expat favorite supermarket ‘Villa Market’. The outdoor areas of this community mall are Pet Friendly, as are some of its restaurants with gardens. There is also a huge play area for children to explore.
Hotels in Phrom Pong Area
Phrom pong neighborhood offers some beautiful hotels, perfect for visiting tourists or locals in need of a staycation. To razzle and dazzle your guests, the following hotels all have fantastic amenities, breathtaking views and are within walking distance to many fantastic bars and eateries. Here are the Top 6 luxury hotels in Phrom Pong:
- Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 491 Sukhumvit road
- The Courtyard by Mariott, Sukhumvit 20
- Oakwood Suites Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit Soi 24
- Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit Soi 26
- Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park (overlooking the neighborhood’s largest green space, Benjasiri Park/ The Queens Park), Sukhumvit Soi 22.
- Holiday Inn Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit soi 22.
Restaurants in Phrom Pong area
Phrom Pong area has enough culinary experiences to leave anybody’s taste buds tingling. The most popular restaurants in the area are:
- Ministry of Crab Bangkok: Located on soi 31, this seafood restaurant offers simple decor but AMAZING food. They specialize in, yes you guessed it, CRAB! Their crab dishes are fresh and full of zesty, spicy aromas and they have a fun ‘crab size’ menu for you to select from; ½ kilo being the smallest and the largest being the ‘jumbo’, ‘colossal’, ‘OMG!’, or the ‘Crabzilla’ varieties.
- Peppina: Authentic, traditional Italian eating with a modern twist. It’s warm and cozy atmosphere invites you in, but the quality food keeps you at your table. Peppina has some of the best pizza in Bangkok, but their side dishes are the gift that keeps on giving! It is most definitely worth a try- but book in advance on weekends, as it gets very busy!
- El Toro House of Meat: This casual Argentinian eatery offers high quality steaks, delicious desserts and great cocktails.
- Hokkaido Restaurant Genshiyaki: This traditional Japanese diner offers high quality, air shipped oysters from Hokkaido. They also do grilled fish, seafood towers and beef steak.
- Breakfast Story: This brunch cafe has a wide range of food options. From mac and cheese burgers, to full English Breakfasts, smoothie fruit bowls and the best pancake stacks imaginable. To wash it all down, they also have FANTASTIC coffee available.
- Harvest: Rustically Wholesome, Western Restaurant. Inspired by the cozy and warm vibe of western europe. Harvest sells fantastic all day breakfasts, roast dinners with a large selection of meat and homemade pasta dishes. They also have a jazz club out back to keep you entertained into the night.
Nightlife in Phrom Pong Location: Bars, Rooftops and Clubs
Phrom Pong is a hidden gem for nightlife, not yet overpacked with tourists, but still enough entertainment for every day of the week:
- Monday- Coastal: laid back, ‘backyard’ type bar, perfect for sunset drinks and easy eating with a simple menu of traditional Thai dishes.
- Tuesday- The Marble Bar: located in 137 pillars hotel, this rooftop bar oozes elegance, sophistication and panoramic views of the city.
- Wednesday– Tribe: Phrom Pongs’ latest addition, located on the rooftop of the new Emsphere mall, this rooftop bar has fantasticviews, high quality drinks and great beats.
- Thursday- Sing Sing Theatre: Think club meets Cirque du Soleil. Great music by live dj’s, quality drinks and the perfect balance of fun entertainment. The drag shows and aerial hoop dancers will definitely have you transfixed. Also, ladies night is Thursday!
- Friday- Iron Fairies: This secret bar can be a challenge to find, but once you’re inside; the live music, fantastic cocktails and cozy atmosphere is definitely worth the hunt!
- Saturday– Flamenco & Escape: Both located in Emquartier mall, Escape offers fantastic rooftop dining options and a bar and is often the host to nightlife events run by Bangkokians favorites ‘Kolour’ and ‘Thaiger Thaiger’.
- Sunday– Soho House Bangkok: Pool, terrace, bar and restaurant for members, also displays a fantastic choice of artwork by local Thai artists.
