Yesterday saw the opening of Siam Paragon Bangkoks newest Shopping Mall. A massive complex situated next to Siam Center and is a Mall very similar to Gaysorn Center, Central and Emporium all mixed in together. The bulk of the building is completed, but later additions will include a 16 screen Cinema complex, 52 lane bowling alley, 1,800 seat Opera House, Hotel and condo with fitness center and a leisure park. I spent a few hours there and along with my camera, and filled it full of Thai superstars, the prime minister and nearly got away with a photo of HRH Princess Maha Chakri to!!

The highlight however was a tour round the Aquarium, the largest in Thailand, mamed Siam Ocean World the entry fee is 450b for adults and 250b for children and you can see sharks,rare tropical fish,huge crabs and take a trip on the glass bottom boat for an extra 150b with excellent English speaking guides, this is a massive place and is extremly busy at the moment due to the "wow" factor and there are also 2 shows where divers feed the sharks for you at 1330 and 1730 a real nice day out in the city...for a change!!

Other recently opened is the Platinum Shopping Mall in Pratunam, its located opposite the Amari Watergate hotel and is also a huge building that obviously raced to complete before the Siam Paragon could open, and this is obvious when you step inside as its barely occupied, finishing touches were being applied and its very much like MBK Center and the Chatuchak Market mixed together.

Future projects are for a huge museum and educational center already under construction near to the National Stadium BTS station ( opposite the Siam discovery center ) I am not sure what kind of museum this will be, but at the rate its being built it wont be long before you can visit it!!

I hope this has been of some use to you on your next trip to los, although you might want to keep it quiet from your ladies!!!!!

Wow! Sounds great! Goodness only knows when we'll next be back in Bangkok, but that gives us even more to look forward to for when we are.

Thank you.

Spare a thought for the Siam Intercontinental Hotel, regarded as the best example of Thai modern architecture, and centre of a huge park including a lake with flamingoes on it.

The hotel was razed to make way for the Paragon centre. Another oasis and green space lost, another shopping mall gained!

Remembering The Grounds of the Siam Intercontinental Hotel

Ian

I understand your point Ian, if nothing else Bangkok is over saturated with shopping malls to say the very least. Sadly i dont remember the old Intercontinental but from your link it looked beautiful, especially when you look at the new Intercontinental Hotel a short distance away, what a monstrous all glass eye sore that is!!

I have two nice memories of the Intercontinental.

When I first arrived in Bangkok in 1988 my colleague and I had no experience of Thai food. We found that the delightful resaurant in the Intercontinental had a menu thoughtfully marked with one to three chillis so we could avoid what scared us most!

More recently, while Iang and I were "courting" in Bangkok we went for a romantic stroll around the grounds. Neither of us had been in the grounds before and it was amazing. We were the only people around, and it was like a vast park. We loved watching the peacocks and flamingoes. Wonderful memories.

The only similar thing I can think of is the old Phloenchit Park (or maybe Erawan Park?) behind the Hilton, partly taken by the British Embassy. Famed for its shrine of phallic symbols! But I understand most of that may have gone too?

Ian

We had our end of year staff party at the Sala there about 4 years ago. All went well until some of my colleagues spotted a canoe at the side of the lake and decided to go for a spin. Whether it was the amount of booze already consumed or the presence of Lek which resulted in several very soggy suits and posh frocks, but she was the last one on board!!

Nice place though.