Top 10 Best Bangkok Shopping Malls — *Central World in all its glory, the largest shopping mall in Thailand*

Shopping Malls in Bangkok are a daily affair, and the shopping mall scene here is alive and thriving, more so than what you would in many Western countries like the United States.

There are well over a dozen major shopping malls in Bangkok, in this blog post I would like to share with you 10 of the Bangkok’s best shopping malls.

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Bangkok Shopping Malls, A Local Pastime

Thai people love to go to shopping malls if not to shop, just to hangout, because who could resist being indoors under air conditioning and being tempted by expensive goods and delicious food?

Therefore, you’ll find that a lot of shopping malls in Bangkok are more communal with plenty of public areas, co-working spaces, entertainment options, and unique decorations and architecture.

If you’re hanging out with your young Thai friends, more often than not, you’ll be chilling a places like these.

10. MBK Center

mbk center bangkok — *Even though MBK is the oldest shopping mall, it still looks kinda futuristic with that glass bulge*

Let’s start off with the oldest and most well known shopping mall in Bangkok, MBK Center, also known as Ma Boon Khrong.

You can find literally everything within the 8 floors of MBK shopping mall, from cheap clothing, cheap (and expensive) electronics, and cheap food, you’ll notice that I mentioned the word “cheap” a lot. That’s because everything you’ll find in MBK Center can be bought for a bargain price.

Note that MBK is well known for their abundance of electronic stores, from phones, to laptops, to cameras, and video games. Heck, I even saw a family from Dubai buy a Playstation 5 at MBK Center, though I personally don’t think that’s a good idea…

If you’re wondering, you can also sell your electronics and video games at most stores here as well, though the money you’ll get in return can be a bit on the low side. Nevertheless, I sold my Nintendo Switch (with about 10 games) here and I got about 300 USD back.

You’ll find the upper floors will have a a bunch of restaurants including a food court, a cinema, arcades, karaoke studios, and even a maid cafe. Yes, a maid cafe and one of three in Thailand.

The whole atmosphere feels more like an indoor market than a typical shopping mall, to be honest. The stores are all laid out and decorated as if they are individual stalls in a night market.

Honestly, while MBK Center is the most popular shopping mall, I don’t personally like it. You’ll find mainly tourists and foreigners here because that’s essentially the type of customers MBK appeals to. Also coming from a local who lives here, some of MBK Center’s vendors are known to be shady in their business practices.

Location: 444 Phaya Thai Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

9. Platinum Fashion Mall

platinum fashion mall bangkok — *Literally tunnels upon tunnels of clothes*

In a similar vein as MBK Center, Bangkok’s Platinum Fashion Mall is exactly as it name suggests, a shopping mall dedicated entirely to fashion.

With over 2,000 stores spread across 6 floors (+1 floor solely for food) selling the latest in trendy fashion, you will surely find something that you like here. And the best part? The products here are cheap! And I don’t mean cheap as in bad quality, I mean it’s affordable and good quality unlike your Zaras or Chanel.

I’m not really into fashion so I can’t really comment much, but what I do know is that a lot of locals come here to buy clothes, and rightly so because every wearable item is here. Men’s clothing, women’s clothing, children’s clothing, jeans, bags, purses, accessories, leather belts, even cosplay stuff can be found at the Bangkok Platinum Fashion Mall.

Location: 222 Phetchaburi Rd, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400

Opening Hours: 9:00AM - 8:00PM | Mon - Sun

8. Siam Square and Siam Square One

Siam Square One is another popular shopping mall in Bangkok, while Siam Square is a sort of walking street similar to Tokyo’s Harajuku. it’s located right in the center Siam district, where you can find many other highly popular shopping malls.

I’d say Siam Square One, and by extension, the rest of the Siam shopping area, is popular with the younger and fashion-forward crowd. The main focus of the shops are trendy fashion items, boutique beauty clinics, and innovative street foods.

Siam Square

Siam Square is a walking street with trendy fashion stores and innovative restaurants. If you are into performances, Siam Square is also a popular spot for dance groups and musical bands to perform.

I frequently go to Siam Square to try out new foreign restaurants and cafes that branched out into Thailand. Also I like to buy my earrings there :)

Currently there are a lot of Korean shops and cafes opening up here, some examples are Mil Toast House, a decadent toast dessert café, and Egg Drop, an incredibly popular egg sandwich shop.

Location: 430/38 อังรีดูนังค์, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330

Opening Hours: 24 Hours | Mon - Sun

Siam Square One

siam square performance — *A group of high school kids performing their sick album*

Siam Square One is a shopping mall with 7 floors packed full of mostly fashion stores. There is a food court in the upper floor but I’d say the food there is quite expensive.

What’ cool is that in the first floor there is an open area where often times local music artists, and local celebrities (and even Korean celebrities), come to do some fan meetups or perform songs.

If you are looking for some upscale fashion and want to feel young again, Siam Square One is the shopping mall for you.

Siam Square One, Siam Paragon (which I’ll talk about later), and Siam Center make up the 3 center shopping malls within the Siam district, and they are all within short walking distance from each other. So if you are bored of one, then head on to the other.

Location: 388 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

7. Central Chidlom

Central Chidlom is luxury shopping mall located in the Chidlom commercial district of Bangkok, In fact it's only a short distance away from Central World, the largest shopping mall in Bangkok (which I will talk about later).

Also, you'll notice a lot of "Central"s in Thailand, that's because all of these shopping malls are part of the Central Group, the largest retail conglomerates in Thailand.

Central Chidlom offers the same wide range of luxury shopping brands that you would come to expect from luxury Bangkok shopping malls, including international designer brands, high-end fashion boutiques, jewelry stores, beauty and cosmetics shops, and lifestyle stores.

Central Chidlom is kind of underrated and overshadowed by the other shopping malls around Bangkok as just a few train stations away you’ll be in the Siam area.

Location: 1027 Phloen Chit Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

6. Emquartier & Emporium

bangkok em district — *The Phrom Phong area might as well change its name to the Em District*

In Bangkok there are 3 “Em” shopping malls, Emporium, Emquartier, and the brand spanking new Emsphere. These 3 Ems make what is known as the “Em District”, luxury and trendy shopping malls located in the Phrom Phong area of Bangkok.

I’ll talk about Emsphere later, for now lets go over Emporium and Emquartier

Emporium

Emporium is a long-established shopping mall in Bangkok that has undergone renovations after renovations to offer a modern shopping experience. It is the oldest of the 3 Em shopping malls.

Emporium’s main focus is luxury brands and it includes all the brands you could ever want like Gucci, Rolex, and others. There is a food court, cinema, and also a bunch of restaurants.

Since Emquartier was built, there isn’t much incentive to go to Emporium anymore as Emquartier is just much better in every way. However, it’s still fun to check out just because both these shopping malls are located literally opposite each other, with the entrances being connected to the same BTS sky train station, Phrom Phong Station.

Location: 622 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

Emquartier

EmQuartier is a modern and luxurious shopping mall with a contemporary design and it’s the second Em shopping mall to be built. It is known for its impressive architecture, with a stunning glass facades and multiple zones connected by sky bridges.

There is a big emphasis on nature and greenery with a lot of the decorations featuring water features and large sprawling trees. There is even a Quartier Water Garden on the top floor featuring a lush park-like area with a few cafes and bars.

EmQuartier is organized into three different zones, each with its own unique character and offerings:

The Waterfall Quartier: This zone is centered around a beautiful cascading waterfall, it houses luxury brands, premium fashion, and lifestyle stores, as well as gourmet dining options.
The Glass Quartier: This zone features a transparent glass structure and offers a mix of international luxury brands, designer boutiques, and trendy fashion labels.
The Helix Quartier: This zone is characterized by its spiraling walkways and striking design. It houses a variety of dining options, including international cuisine, cafes, and casual eateries.

Out of all the shopping malls in Bangkok, Emquartier is my favorite shopping mall in terms of design and atmosphere, it’s kinda like exploring a forest city.

Location: 695 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

Interlude: My Bangkok Travel Guide

Before I share with you my the next 5 recommended shopping malls in Bangkok, I would like to take a moment to share with you my Bangkok Travel Guide.

yes yes, I know you as a reader you don’t like it when I shill out and sell you stuff but since I don’t run ads on my blog (I hate ads as much as you do) I need to find other ways to support this passion project of mine.

The Bangkok Odyssey Travel Guide is an E-book containing 100+ of hotel, attraction, restaurant/food recommendations as well as important information and details relating to traveling in Bangkok.

If you are planning to travel to Bangkok or Thailand in general and looking for a place to start/plan your research, consider my Bangkok Odyssey Travel Guide.

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5. Siam Paragon

Remember the Siam Commercial District? Siam Paragon is a shopping mall that stands in the center of that district and is a mall that connects directly to the Siam BTS station.

Of course, this is another luxury shopping mall, with your usual luxury brands, in fact the first shop you’ll see as you walk in is a huge Gucci store or a Louis Vuitton, depending on which entrance you come through. Siam Paragon is one of the largest and most prestigious shopping malls in Southeast Asia.

What’s cool about Siam Paragon is that in the basement floor, underneath the massive food court and supermarket floor, is a full size Aquarium! That’s right the SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World is a fully featured aquarium and the largest in Bangkok with dozens of exhibits and thousands of marine species for you to discover! It’s something you should definitely check out while you are in Bangkok.

You can also find a cinema here as well as a pretty large Kinokuniya book store, and even an official Lego store, who doesn’t love Legos?

Location: 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

4. Emsphere

The newest kid on the block, so new in fact that it honestly feels kind of empty and unfinished… Emsphere, located between Phrom Phong and Asoke is the latest of the Ems and was opened on December 2023. In my opinion, this shopping mall still feels kind of unfinished.

The first and second floor is in my opinion where this Bangkok Shopping Mall shines the most, as these floors are dedicated to food!

You’ll find dozens of newly opened restaurants including the Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, the first restaurant by Gordon Ramsay opened in Bangkok. The second Gordon Ramsay owned restaurant Street Pizza Gordon Ramsay is also newly opened in Emsphere. Seriously even if you are a local, you’ll find that there is plenty to discover in terms of food at Emsphere.

I haven’t had the chance to try out the Gordon Ramsay offerings yet, but I did try Pastaioli, a fresh handmade pasta bar.

The shopping part of the Emsphere shoppping mall is… quite disappointing. It’s empty and kind of barren, the shops are weirdly spaced out in an industrial style layout. If you are looking to shop, you’re better off going to any of the other Bangkok shopping malls listed in this blog post.

IKEA Sukhumvit

Aside from food and shopping, Emsphere features an IKEA! The first one to be built in the Bangkok CBD, allowing for easy access to cheap furniture for the people in the city.

The IKEA is like your regular IKEA, at Emsphere it appears to be the main highlight as their is a big sign in front of the mall saying “Hej” which is “"hello” in Swedish.

Be warned though, ever since the construction of Emsphere, the traffic along the Sukhumvit road, the major road through Bangkok, and the road which Emsphere sits on, has become heavily congested. If you are going to come here, come by BTS sky train, as Emsphere is connected to the Phrom Phong BTS station via a sky walkway.

Location: 628 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

3. Terminal 21

bangkok terminal 21 — *Me: “I wanna see the Golden Gate Bridge”, Mom: “We have the Golden Gate Bridge at home”*

Alright We’ve come to the favorite of many tourists, foreigners, and expat, Terminal 21. Located in Asoke, the central Business District of Bangkok, I remember when this mall first opened it was such huge news as the shopping mall’s concept was truly fun and unique.

Terminal 21 is well known for its unique concept of themed floors representing different cities from around the world offering a diverse range of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

The themes include Tokyo, Istanbul, London, San Francisco, Paris, Rome, and the Caribbean. While each floor is themed, the shops don’t sell products according to the theme. You’ll find mostly generic clothes and goods within each floor. However the decor does feature some landmarks like the famous Golden Gate Bridge that stretches across the top floor of the shopping mall.

The reason tourists and expats love this shopping mall so much is the food court. The best and cheapest in Bangkok, the food is excellent and varied and the price is comparable to the street food that you can find out in the city.

Location: 88 ซอย สุขุมวิท 19, Sukhumvit 19 Alley, Khlong Toei Nuea, Thawi Watthana, Bangkok 10110

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

2. ICONSIAM

ICONSIAM recently opened in 2018 and quickly became a renowned luxury shopping complex in Bangkok. Located on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River, ICONSIAM provides a unique and stunning views of the river and the Bangkok’s gorgeous skyline.

Again, as with all luxury shopping malls in Bangkok, same luxury brands, although I do think that the prices at ICONSIAM are incredibly expensive compared to other malls especially for food.

iconsiam floating market — *This is actually such a cool concept, combining Thai traditions with modern indoor comforts*

One of the highlights of ICONSIAM is its indoor floating market. The market is decorated exactly like how a real floating market would be decorated, with boats floating on makeshift rivers and food stalls lining the entire floor. You can explore a variety of shops and vendors offering Thai crafts, souvenirs, and of course, delicious Thai street food.

Another notable feature of ICONSIAM is the scenic riverfront promenade that spans over 400 meters, providing a picturesque setting for leisurely walks, outdoor performances, and stunning views of the Chao Phraya River. Occasionally there would be water shows, and light shows on this promenade.

Getting to ICONSIAM is kind of cumbersome though, there is a complimentary shuttle boat service that connects the mall to various piers along the Chao Phraya River. There is also a newly built sky train that connects ICONSIAM to the main BTS routes.

Location: 299 Charoen Nakhon 5 Alley, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

1. Bangkok Central World

Finally, we arrive at the largest and most popular shopping mall in Bangkok, Central World (stylized as CentralwOrld).

Located right in the heart of Bangkok and reachable by skywalk from the Siam BTS station, Central World is one of the largest shopping malls in Southeast Asia. You can find, once again, many luxury brands and high class restaurants here. with the first Shake Shack in Thailand being opened here.

When it comes to shopping, you can find everything at Central World. You can find flagship stores of popular international brands, high-street fashion retailers, luxury boutiques, electronics outlets, and bookstores.

Central World is also a popular place for locals to hangout and meet up, I know it certainly one of my favourite places to go to. If you come to Bangkok, you must come to Central World if you want to do some indoor shopping.

Location: 999/9 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330

Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM | Mon - Sun

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