Written by Jirapol B.Area & Lifestyle
Bangkok is one of Asia’s great shopping cities, home to landmark malls such as IconSiam, Siam Paragon, CentralWorld and Central Embassy, mostly clustered along the BTS and riverside. From luxury flagship stores to riverfront markets, the city’s retail hubs anchor its most desirable neighbourhoods and are a major factor in where residents and investors choose to live.
Shopping is just one draw — see our guide to the best tourist places in Bangkok.
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Many of these malls sit at the heart of Bangkok’s best residential districts — see our full guide to the regions of Bangkok and our guide to living in Bangkok to find a home near the shopping you love, such as the Em District in Phrom Phong or Terminal 21 in Asoke.
Between floating markets and night bazaars, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) is already well known for shopping. More recently it’s gaining recognition for being a city packed full of gorgeous shopping malls where you can find all of the world’s top brands.
Architects and designers have had a lot of fun with shopping malls in the capital of Thailand recently. Each new one seems to one-up the last, packaging global brands in bold packages. From indoor waterfalls and skating rinks to airport and Thai outdoor market themes, every addition is a work of art.
The following are some of the best malls in greater Bangkok:
Icon Siam is about as close to a shopping mall paradise as you can get. Set on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River with views of downtown Bangkok, it’s a lovely sight on its own. The mall anchors the Charoen Nakhon riverside, where condos for rent in Charoen Nakhon put it on your doorstep.
Inside the mall you’ll find 6 floors containing over 500 shops and 100 restaurants. Among those is Bangkok’s exclusive Takashimaya, one of Japan’s most famous department stores.
Here are some of the other highlights at Icon Siam:
For a shopping mall experience that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else, turn to Asiatique: The Riverfront. It takes the night bazaar concept and wraps it up in an open-air mall package, making it one of the most unique shopping complexes you’ll find in the Land of Smiles. Just be aware that it opens at 5 PM and closes at midnight.
Asiatique is split into 4 districts built over the former port warehouse of the East Asiatic Company. Each district’s design gives a nod to that history and hosts different shops and services:
If you’re looking to elevate your shopping experience and are willing to pay, Central Chidlom is the place to go. Rather than a shopping mall, it’s a 7-storey department store with premium perfumes and beauty products on the first floor and top fashion brands on the floors above.
The Chidlom neighborhood is already well-known for its shopping, and Central Chidlom is certainly among the highlights. Just don’t expect movie theaters or entertainment centers. If the address tempts you beyond the shopping, condos for rent in Chit Lom put Central Chidlom within walking distance.
The Ratchaprasong shopping district plays host to much of Bangkok’s high-end luxury goods and designer labels. Gaysorn village is no different. This luxury mall is home to international brands like Hugo Boss as well as top Thai designers like Disaya and Senada Theory. On the 3rd floor you’ll find jewelry and watch brands, too.
What makes Gaysorn Village unique from other places is the ‘Purely Gaysorn’ campaign. It aims to provide a lifestyle consultancy team that helps you with everything from fashion choices to party planning.
Another popular luxury option is the Central Embassy. Located on the grounds of the former British Embassy gardens, this shopping mall puts brands like Ralph Lauren, Scotch and Soda, and Chanel at the shopper’s fingertips. You’ll also find affordable options like UNIQLO.
The Park Hyatt Bangkok hotel is attached to Central Embassy. Between that and all of the fine dining options in the mall, you may never need to leave this slice of the Ploenchit neighborhood.
For something even larger, look to the mega-shopping complex known as Central World. At over 830,000 square meters, it’s one of the largest malls in Thailand. With roughly two-thirds of that dedicated to retail space, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
Here are some of the other highlights of Central World:
Near Bangkok’s famous Erawan Shrine is Amarin Plaza, a 5-story shopping complex. There’s no shortage of things to do in this mall with spas, a fitness center, and fashion shops galore.
One thing that makes Amarin Plaza stand out is its upper-level wood carving and interior design store.
Want to see a movie, fancy cars, and massive fish tanks all in the same place? Head on down to Siam Paragon.
The first floor of this complex is dedicated to luxury items, the second targets lifestyle products including car showrooms from the likes of Aston Martin and McLaren, and the third floor is where you go for tech.
You’ll also find a 15-screen movie theater and aquarium in case you get bored.
Japanese company Nendo helped with Siam Discovery’s unique design that features the following ‘labs’ on different floors:
The higher floors in Siam Discovery can be confusing to some as they don’t have cash registers, but it’s all part of the experience.
In some ways, Siam Center may remind people of North American shopping malls with brands like Lush, Adidas, and Victoria’s Secret. But it’s sure to be novel in other ways.
To start, there are several Thai brands like Lyn Around and Baking Soda. The layout of the mall is also creative with trees made from blocks and LED screens in the ceiling.
If you came to Thailand and fell in love with haggling at weekend and night markets, Platinum Fashion Mall is the place for you. 1,300 shops are jammed into 4 floors, each selling wholesale fashion and accessories.
The entire area is split into themed sections named after famed streets around the world like Soho, Ginza, and Oxford. You can walk around and enjoy the different themes while popping into the shops for hot deals on everything from children’s to men’s and women’s clothing. There’s also a large food court and 4-star hotel attached if you feel like staying.
Another famed location where bargaining is encouraged is the MBK Center. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of affordable products spread out over 8 floors. Just be aware that it may not all be authentic.
The facility contains the only Tokyu department store in Bangkok along with many activities for those who get bored with the more than 2,000 shops. Here are some of the highlights:
The Asoke neighborhood mall has an airport-like atmosphere with arrival arrows directing you to different major cities around the world like London, Istanbul, Paris, and Tokyo. To top it all off, the information desk attendants wear flight attendant uniforms.
Strip away the novelty and Terminal 21 still has enough to make it an attraction with a gourmet food court offering classics like dim sum and mango shaved ice. There’s also a gourmet supermarket, Cineplex, and Fitness First Gym to keep you busy. It also sits right on the BTS–MRT interchange that makes condos for rent in Asoke some of the best-connected homes in the city.
A shopping mall for the future, EmSphere had its grand opening on December 1st, 2023 in the Em District alongside the older EmQuartier and Emporium. The latest edition is ambitious, with sleek glass architecture throughout 200,000 square meters.
Inside EmSphere you’ll find the first city center IKEA store along with hundreds of other well-known brand shops. There are also several thematic sections like the Em Market for your supermarket needs and the Beach Club for when you want to feel like you’re relaxing on the coast.
Oh, and the UOB live entertainment space is sure to make this a hot spot in the Phrom Phong neighborhood for future live events.
EmQuartier opened in 2015 in the same Em District, but it’s just as impressive. The luxury mall has a modern design full of famous fashion brands like Dolce and Gabbana, Prada, DKNY, and Valentino on the first floor. Above, you’ll find everything from sports fashion brands to lifestyle stores. The Em District sits at the heart of Phrom Phong, one of Sukhumvit’s most liveable stretches — and a stronghold of condos for rent in Phrom Phong.
EmQuartier is divided into 3 zones:
Touted as a new urban focal point in the heart of Bangkok, One Bangkok is an ambitious multi-use development project for the 21st century. The Sathom neighborhood addition is set to open in stages from 2024 onward and will include hotels, residential buildings, an arena, and 190,000 square meters of retail space.
That retail space is advertised as a ‘smart shopping district’ that will optimize the shopping experience. The total area will be split into 4 retail areas, each focusing on the following 4 themes:
There are plenty of details around One Bangkok still to come, but it promises to be as unique or more than any of the shopping districts in the capital city.
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Jirapol B.
Content Editor
Writes and edits PropertySights' guides to buying, renting and owning Bangkok property
Meet the whole team
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