Siam Paragon (Thai: สยามพารากอน) is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the third largest mall in Thailand, following Central World and Central Plaza West Gate. Siam Paragon is an immensely popular shopping mall housing a host of international high-end fashion brands, Southeast Asia’s largest aquarium, a 16-screen Cineplex, and a comprehensive selection of world cuisine.
Located prominently in front of Siam BTS Skytrain station – the interchange of the two BTS lines – it is considered by many to be the centre of Bangkok. Considering the mall contains over 250 shops, the layout is logical and fairly compact, certainly when compared to the sprawling Central World mall nearby. However, this mall provides mainly luxury items for well-heeled Thais and international visitors with cash to splurge. If you are looking for something extra-special then Siam Paragon is definitely the place to find it.
Entering through the impressive glass-and-steel atriums, flagship stores of designer brands such as Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Versace are clustered in the prime positions around the main escalators, each fighting for attention with elaborate window displays. The exclusive products on display in Siam Paragon rival anything on offer in Bangkok, or, indeed, throughout the region. This is where the wealthy come to play. As for how popular they are: around the time of new product launches, it’s not uncommon to see queues of people lining up outside waiting for a chance to glimpse the season’s new line. Bring your credit card though, as this kind of luxury doesn’t come cheap – but as the old adage goes, ‘you get what you pay for’.
If shops with no price tags on their merchandise put you on edge, head up to the First Floor where the premium high-street shops are based. Again, the prime locations inside the glass atriums are dominated by the likes of Paul Smith, Armani and Hugo Boss, but this gives way to more affordable brands further into the mall. Both Gap and H&M – among many others – have massive shops on this floor offering more everyday items for price-conscious shoppers who still demand cutting-edge style. It’s also worth keeping your eyes peeled for seasonal sales throughout the mall as you might get lucky and bag yourself a designer bargain.
The Second and Third floors are dedicated to Lifestyle and Leisure with a mixture of beauty salons, home technology, up-market home furnishing showrooms, luxury car marques – including a jaw-dropping Lamborghini display, and the biggest and best stocked foreign-language bookshop in Bangkok: Kinokunia. For those in the market for the latest audio equipment, both Bang & Olufsen and Bose have their Thai showrooms on the Second Floor with complete ranges of products for both personal and professional use.
The bustling crowds start to thin out up here as there are fewer window-shoppers, and it’s a good place to take a break at one of the several cafes dotted along the thoroughfares, allowing time to recover from the lively crowds below and appreciate the stylish and refined décor.
As well as a growing number of restaurants and eateries over-spilling from the mammoth Ground Floor Gourmet Paradise (scroll down for more details), the Fourth Floor contains most of the I.T. and electronic goods any shopper is likely to need. While it’s true some items might be found cheaper elsewhere, at Siam Paragon you are guaranteed all the latest technology, first-rate advice, customer service, and help with set-up and configuration for the technophobes. It gives peace of mind that most shops are official dealers, and products are always genuine, unlike at some other malls. Also on the Fourth Floor is an assortment of bespoke stores selling all manner of silk products, handicrafts, top-of-the-range aromatherapy oils and other souvenir-type goods.
Somewhat confusingly, the level attached to the skywalk is called the Main Floor, despite it being one above the ground, and the floors above that are then the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, up to the 5th, which is taken up by the Cineplex and its 15 large size theaters including IMAX, Blue-O Rhythm and Bowl, and the Royal Paragon Exhibition Hall. It’s advisable to ask for a map at one of the numerous information counters to quickly gather your bearings.
It is a joint venture by Siam Piwat, the company that owns the adjacent Siam Center/Siam Discovery shopping malls, and The Mall Group, which also owns The Emporium. Siam Paragon’s financial results are not reported by the privately-held Siam Paragon Development.
Siam Paragon is on Rama I Road in Pathum Wan District, adjacent to other shopping areas. It is next door to Siam Center and Siam Discovery Center and opposite Siam Square. MBK Center is also nearby. An elevated walkway beneath the BTS Skytrain tracks links Siam Paragon to the Ratchaprasong intersection, where CentralWorld, Gaysorn and several other shopping malls and hotels are located.
BTS Skytrain Sukhumvit and Silom Lines – Siam station has a skybridge linked to Siam Paragon’s M floor.
Parking – 100,000 square metres, accommodating 4,000 cars.