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A Brief Guide to Bangkok’s Siam

Siam is considered by many locals as the centre of Bangkok. This is not strictly true geographically, yet to the more materialistic of the Thai capital’s citizens, it is central in terms of importance.

The Siam area, along with the Sukhumvit and Silom regions of Bangkok, are undoubtedly among the most visited and highly-populated spots in the city.

This is true for both tourists and locals, as these are the sections of the city that by far contain the highest possible proportion of things to do. At least if you don’t mind spending a bit of hard-earned, that is.

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The expanse of the Siam region of the city is home to absolutely the highest concentration of the grandest, most popular, and most visited shopping malls, and mega-complexes. This obviously makes it the place that most shopaholics tend to head, and it is widely considered as one of the best places for shopping in Bangkok, if not the best.

Siam is a trendy area that is constantly re-inventing and updating itself, and is also a little more pedestrian-friendly than some parts of the city, with Siam Square being a prime example of this particular aspect. Here you’ll find street (and backstreets) lined with local boutiques, in contrast to the mega-malls and there gamut of overpriced international imported brands.

You won’t be short on choice when it comes to trendy restaurants and cafes either, and although Siam is not the best place in the city in terms of nightlife, you’ll still find a few impressively trendy bars, wine bars, and eateries of an evening that are a little more subtle than those in Sukhumvit or Silom.

The Siam BTS Skytrain station is one of the busiest in the city. It is a good spot from which to make your way around to a few other prime Bangkok destinations though, once you reach overkill point on the endless array of shopping in Siam.

Image by Kallerna sourced from wiki media commons

There is a lot to be said for the shopping complexes in Siam as it turns out though. They are undoubtedly among some of the finest you are ever likely to encounter anywhere – and for families they offer more than just retail.

You’ll find all manner of restaurants, along with multi-screen cinemas, escape games, kids’ sections, world-class aquariums, skating rinks, and even a Madame Tussaud’s Waxwork Museum.

If you think you may still be looking for other attractions when you are done with the malls – which might not even be possible in one day – then you may consider a bit of culture by way of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), which is in the nearby vicinity, as are other famous local landmarks such as the Pathum Wanaram Temple, the Erawan Shrine, and the Jim Thompson House, which are all ‘must-visits’ at least one time when in Siam.

So let’s take a closer look at some of the many attractions that Bangkok’s Siam has to offer, beginning with the retail aspects.

 Siam Paragon

Paragon is one of, if not the most popular shopping mall in Bangkok, with everyone from affluent middle-aged Thais and their families to thralls of students from the nearby schools and universities in the area. You’ll see trendy twenty-something couples, tourists, and just about anyone else in the vicinity with nothing much better to do than cool off in the (highly) air-conditioned mall and people watch.

Image by Lerdsua sourced from wikimedia commons

Paragon has its share of local Thai brands, but is probably more loved for its host of international high-end fashion brands, restaurants featuring cuisine from just about every corner of the globe, and coffee shops, bakeries and other snack bars, 16-screen cineplex etc., etc.

The shopping centre is home to over 250 shops, and the layout has undergone several renovations and modernisations over the last couple of decades or so. This has resulted in what is today a reasonably logical and compact affair – at least in comparison to the sheer expanse of the nearby CentralWorld mega complex.

There are also a few good reasons why families with kids head over to Siam Paragon. The mall is also home to a wide array of other, non-shopping activities that are perfect for keeping the kids amused for a good few hours.

Here are a couple of examples of kid-friendly activities in Siam Paragon.

SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World

Image by Felixtriller sourced from wiki media commons

One of the largest aquariums in Southeast Asia, Sea Life is situated 2 levels below the Paragon shopping mall. This aquatic wonderland has a size equal to 3 Olympic pools and is home to over 30,000 examples of marine life from around the globe. Admittedly it is an expensive affair for non-Thais – and dual pricing is in effect here – but kids love it, and it will keep them occupied for a few hours.

Kidzania

Like most of the malls in Bangkok, Paragon has its own ‘learning zone’ and Kidzania is one of the better examples of what is generally to be found in such levels. You’ll find it on the 5th floor, and it has many aspects of interactive learning such as role-playing around settings such as European-style mini-towns with bright buildings and painted skies, airplane simulations and construction site scenarios..

There is lots to do in Kidzania Bangkok, which caters mainly to children between 4 and 14 years old.

MBK Centre

Back to the retail and another one of Bangkok’s legendary shopping centres for both tourists and locals. Here you’ll find 8 levels packed with over 2,000 shops selling everything from clothing, fashion accessories, bags, leather products and luggage to furniture. There are also a couple of food courts, with one of them being the ‘cheap & cheerful’ variety, and the other a bit more upmarket.

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It also has its own ‘IT Mall’ level, where you can pick up both new and used mobile phones along with all manner of other electrical appliances, cameras, games, and even DVDs for anyone who still uses them.

Opened more than 30 years ago, MBK Centre is bustling hive of activity, particularly at weekends. It’s not as upmarket or stylish as any of the neighbouring malls, in many ways being more of an indoor market than a shopping centre. It does have a fairly wide and diverse range of goods though, and is somewhat less expensive – although bargaining skills will still come in handy.

CentralWorld

This is truly Bangkok’s mega-shopping complex. It is the place to go if you want to get all your shopping done in one go, if you can summon the necessary stamina. Here you’ll find everything from designer brand names to street fashion, high-tech equipment, bookshops, designer furniture, imported groceries, gourmet eateries, beauty salons and cosmetics, and an ice-skating rink — to name just a few.

Image by Supanot from wikimedia commons

Be sure you have a good breakfast and bring a decent pair of walking shoes if you plan on spending the day in CentralWorld!

CRU Champagne Bar

We can’t really mention one of Bangkok’s most prominent malls without including the fact that it also doubles up in some respects as one of the city’s top night spots as well.

The CRU is in fact one of the highest hi-so rooftop bars in Bangkok. It also lives up to its name and serves a fair range of exclusive Champagne labels, and the menu contains various delicacies from around the world. But the main attraction of the bar is that it offers some of the most amazing 360-degree views of the city.

The bar actually comprises part of the , which is literally the roof. The CRU has a large, circular bar right in the centre with an impressive, colour-changing illuminated arch that provides ample photo opportunities throughout the evening.

If you feel like the top floor is likely to induce a touch of vertigo, especially after a glass of champagne, then there are other, equally trendy bar options just below, namely Red Sky and Uno Mas, but they don’t have exactly the same feeling of sophistication as the CRU Champagne Bar with its own private lift and chic design.

Siam Discovery

Discovery is another shopping experience in Siam in the form of a 7-storey shopping mall. Although it is nothing as grand as its neighbouring Paragon, the Discovery centre does have a somewhat different approach with its sophisticated concept of presenting items on display.

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The concept came by way of a Japanese design company, Nendo, which appealed to the Thais no end. The result is kind of impressive, if not a little confusing, and you might possibly find yourself walking around in circles until you get the feel of this place!  Each level has its own theme, such as men’s fashion, women’s fashion, digital appliances, homeware, and of course the obligatory restaurants.

Siam Square

Siam Square has long been the place held in esteem as one of the top places to meet and hang out by aspiring teenagers and would-be trendy locals alike. It is in many ways an area of contrasts, and until fairly recently it had an ultra-trendy, old-style, stand-alone art-theatre cinema spanning back to the late 60s (known as Scala Theatre).

This was one of the oldest cinemas in the city and provided distinct contrast to the growing numbers of deluxe, hi-so cineplexes in that it showed local and international arts, underground, and other ‘non-mainstream’ films.

Eventually it got forced out by the onslaught of modern development though, as does much of underground heritage of the city, and this has largely been the way that Siam Square has been heading in recent years. New malls have been popping up and to some extent replacing many of the street vendors, although there are still a fair few of the traditional smaller lanes to explore.

Image by UweBKK from creativecommons.org

This is an area of Bangkok still regarded by a fair few as the hub of all things cool though, a small segment of the city where styles are both copied and shaped, seemingly going round in cycles as the generations evolve. Siam Square is in many ways closer to an open-air shopping complex with a hint of the creative in the air.

If you were thinking of setting up shop in this part of the city though, you would first need to be aware of the fact that Siam also makes claim to being the most expensive stretch of rental space in the whole of Bangkok.

The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC)

Bangkok’s burgeoning art scene is well at home in this modern and bright setting, which is rife with contemporary art, design, music, theatre and film in the city. The centre regularly hosts exhibitions featuring both Thai and international artists, and entry is free.

Image by Ken Ohyama sourced from wikimedia commons

There is also a library along with various other art-themed attractions in the BACC. And although the centre is a fairly recent addition to the Siam area, it continues to bring in visitors both local and visiting, along with being a kind of resource centre for many of the students from the nearby university who are pursuing artistic avenues.

The BACC is worth a visit if you are in Siam and want a breakaway from the otherwise shopping-themed pursuits for an hour or two, and is situated just a few minutes’ walk away from the National Stadium BTS Skytrain station.

The Jim Thompson House

Here is another established tourist attraction in the Siam region of the city that is not related in any way to retail therapy.

It is a structure that is actually the former residence of a man by the name of James H.W. Thompson. The prominence of the American businessman in Thailand was due to the fact that he dedicated over 30 years of his life to reviving the Thai silk trade in the 1950s (before meeting an unfortunate and questionable end).

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The compound comprises a Thai traditional-style teak wood house (actually there are 6 of them in the compound) surrounded by gardens, along the bank of the Saen Saeb Canal. These days it functions as a museum and art centre that houses Thompson’s collection of Thai silk and Asian antiques. The house is on Soi Kaseman 2, Rama 1 Road.