Siam Paragon
This glass-and-steel über-luxury megamall is where all the Bangkok’s hi-so and well-heeled folks spend their leisure hours. Find everything from high street fashion to high-tech gadgets, home décor and exotic sports cars. Other highlights include the 16-screen Paragon Cineplex, Kinokuniya bookstore, gourmet cafés and restaurants and Siam Ocean World aquarium.
CentralWorld
This megamall has a well-rounded collection of shops and entertainment outlets catering to the modern lifestyle. CentralWorld’s youthful dynamic feels welcoming and is always buzzing with life. Its main focus is on trendy fashion brands such as Timberland, Zara, MNG and Izzue. Other highlights include a 15-screen SF World Cinema, an open ice-skating rink, Toys ‘R’ Us and more than 100 restaurants and cafés.
MBK
Well known among tourists as a haven for all things affordable, MBK is like an indoor Chatuchak market, with some 2,000 shops occupying seven floors of retail spaces. Its main selling point is the price and diversity of its collection of products, particularly mobile phones, photo equipment, video games, luggage, street wear and gold ornaments. A large food court and SF Cinema City complete the lifestyle experience.
EmQuartier
Like a glossy magazine come to life, EmQuatier houses a whopping 400 labels in total, spread out over 4,000 square metres of floor space. While it's true that shopping options at EmQuartier definitely lean towards luxury brands, head to the higher levels for more affordable high street brands and Thai designers. Add to this a host of fancy restaurants and direct access from Phrom Phong BTS Skytrain for the most convenient luxury shopping experience on Sukhumvit Road.
Central Embassy Shopping Mall
Central Embassy is Bangkok’s first ever ultra-luxury lifestyle mall, boasting an impressive collection of high-end designer stores, fine-dining restaurants, swanky cinema screens, and an extravagant six-star hotel. Built on the grounds of the former British Embassy – hence the name – this 18 billion baht mega-mall projects the capital’s status even further as one of the world’s leading shopping destinations.
Siam Discovery
Siam Discovery offers the most pleasant and leisurely shopping experience of any of the major malls in Bangkok thanks to its sophisticated concept of how it presents the items on display. It’s an experience like nowhere else in Thailand’s shopping-mad capital. Following a complete refurbishment in 2016, the ground floor still has its chic boutiques and anchor stores from Issey Miyake, Diesel and Comme des Garcons but, as you head to higher floors, you will notice a distinct lack of shops. Instead, goods are laid out naturally, as you expect to see them in someone’s home.
Siam Center
Center’s re-launch in January 2013 brought a different kind of shopping experience to Siam: over 200 international and Thai brands including the boutiques of some brilliant promising local designers as well as renowned Thai couturiers. On top of that, the slick renovations have taken their fresh ideology out of the stores and into the corridors, with a quirky mash-up of nature and technology.
Terminal 21
Terminal 21 brings the dream of traveling the world to downtown Bangkok, with its cutting-edge concept that places several world-famous cities under one roof. Find yourself wandering around a maze of shops in Tokyo City, sauntering down London’s Carnaby Street, bagging a bargain in an Istanbul zouk, or shopping for something to fill your growling stomach at the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.
Platinum Fashion Mall
A specialised mega mall for clothing and fashion accessories, Platinum takes the flea market concept indoors, in air-conditioned comfort. It is widely popular among office workers and university students looking for casual wear to the latest trends in women’s fashion. The best part is the wholesale price, if you buy in combinations, that is.
Pantip Plaza
The mother of all IT malls, the entirety of Pantip Plaza is dedicated to computers, IT gadgets and cameras. Some of the camera shops carry hard-to-find lenses and accessories. Pantip’s main draw is the price and diversity of products available, although the quality is sometimes questionable, particularly with software and computer parts. The best advice is to bring an expert friend or educate yourself on the products before you go.