Bangkok's Shopping Malls

Bangkok's big malls are air-conditioned, open late and very different from each other: luxury department stores, a riverside mall with an indoor floating market, a mall where every floor is themed on a different place, and budget malls for phones and fashion.

Bangkok's Malls at a Glance

Opening hours were checked in September 2026 and can change. Confirm with the mall before you go.

Luxury and Landmark Malls

Siam Paragon

Siam Paragon is open every day from 10:00 to 22:00. It houses Paragon Department Store, Gourmet Market, the Paragon Cineplex cinemas and SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World, an aquarium of about 10,000 m² with around 30,000 animals. That mix works well for families.

Start at the Tourist Information Counter on the G floor. As of September 2026, tourists who show a foreign passport can get the ONESIAM tourist-card offers there (dated 1 January to 31 December 2026).

Central Embassy

Central Embassy is at 1031 Ploenchit Road, Pathumwan, and is open daily from 10:00 to 22:00 (phone +66 2119 7777). Its anchors include Open House, Eathai and the Park Hyatt Bangkok hotel.

ICONSIAM

ICONSIAM is at 299 Charoen Nakhon Soi 5, Charoen Nakhon Road, Khlong San. It is open daily from 10:00 to 22:00, and its call centre is 1338 (or +66 2 495 7000).

The highlight for many visitors is SookSiam on the G floor: an indoor, air-conditioned zone laid out like a floating market, with food, snacks and crafts from all 77 provinces of Thailand at market-style prices. It is a good place to try regional Thai food and buy souvenirs in one place.

How to get there:

• By shuttle boat: shuttle boats leave from Sathorn Pier, next to BTS Saphan Taksin. The free service ended on 1 May 2023; in 2026 the fare is 12 THB per person one way. Boats run about every 15–20 minutes from about 09:00 to 22:50.
• By rail: take the BTS Silom Line to Krung Thon Buri, change to the Gold Line and ride one stop to Charoen Nakhon station, which connects to the mall.

The mall also lists public boats and hotel boats. Confirm the schedule and fare on the ICONSIAM getting-here page before you travel.

Mid-Range and Budget Malls

Terminal 21 Asok

Terminal 21 is at 88 Soi Sukhumvit 19, at BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit stations, and is open from 10:00 to 22:00. The mall is designed like an airport terminal, and each floor is themed on a different place:

The Pier 21 food court on the San Francisco floors is an inexpensive place to eat: Thai dishes cost about 40–60 THB. You pay with a prepaid card bought with cash, and you get the unused balance back when you return it.

MBK Center

MBK Center is open daily from 10:00 to 22:00 and has 8 floors. It is best known for mobile phones and accessories, which are on the 4th floor.

As of September 2026, visitors who show a passport at the Information counter on the G floor, Zone A (open 10:00–20:00), get a free welcome gift.

Pantip Plaza is no longer a gadget mall: Asset World Corporation redeveloped it, and it reopened on 26 June 2024 as Phenix, a food-focused retail and wholesale centre.

Platinum Fashion Mall

Platinum Fashion Mall is at 222 Petchaburi Road in the Pratunam area (Ratchathewi district) and is open from 09:00 to 20:00. It opens and closes earlier than the other malls in this guide. It is known for wholesale fashion.

Tourist Discount Cards

Two mall groups offer discount cards to foreign visitors. You need your passport for both.

• ONESIAM Global Visitor Card: free, applied for online or in the ONESIAM app. It advertises discounts and privileges of "up to 80%" from more than 200 partners, "up to 5%" at department stores and "up to 6% VAT refund". It is valid at Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, ICONSIAM, Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok and ICS.
• The 1 Tourist Card (Central Group): Central department stores, including Central @CentralWorld, have offered a 5% discount plus "VAT refund up to 6%". The November 2025 to February 2026 offer needed 12,000 THB per receipt. The terms change, so ask at the customer service counter before you shop.

Register for a card before you start shopping.

Claiming the VAT Refund

Tourists can claim back part of Thailand's 7% VAT on goods they take home. The rules, checked in September 2026:

1. Shop at stores showing the "VAT Refund for Tourists" sign.
2. Spend at least 2,000 THB, including VAT, in one shop on one day.
3. Show your original passport when you pay and ask for the P.P.10 form (or e-P.P.10). Keep it with the original tax invoice. You cannot get the form later.
4. Take the goods out of Thailand within 60 days of purchase and make the claim on your departure day.
5. If your VAT-refund goods total 20,000 THB or more, have them inspected by customs before check-in. Luxury items such as watches, jewellery, bags, phones and laptops worth 40,000 THB or more each go in your hand luggage and are shown again at the VAT Refund office after passport control.

VAT refund offices are at 10 international airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, U-Tapao, Krabi, Samui, Surat Thani and Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai. As of September 2026, Suvarnabhumi Airport lists its VAT refund counter at Entrance 10, Main Terminal, Floor 4, in the public area. Refunds of up to 30,000 THB can be paid in cash (Thai baht) or to Alipay or WeChat Pay; larger refunds go to a credit card only. A processing fee is deducted, so you get back less than 7%. Malls advertise "up to 6%".

You can also claim in the city before you fly. As of September 2026, downtown VAT refund agents can pay up to 12,000 THB in cash, and the goods must then leave Thailand within 14 days of the downtown claim.

Thai nationals, residents of Thailand and visitors staying more than 180 days cannot claim. For the full conditions, see the Revenue Department's VAT refund page.

Getting Around on a Shopping Day

Terminal 21 is at BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit, and the shuttle boat or the Gold Line takes you to ICONSIAM. Public transport is the cheapest way between malls, but it becomes tiring with several bags.

For a full day of mall hopping, the Smile Taxi Service Bangkok full-day tour gives you a private car and driver for up to 10 hours at a fixed price per vehicle: 2,700 THB (sedan), 3,000 THB (SUV), 3,700 THB (van) or 4,000 THB (VIP van). Send the team your list of malls when you book.

Choose the car for your shopping bags. A sedan takes up to 3 passengers and 2 bags, an SUV up to 5 passengers and 4 bags, and a van up to 7 passengers and 5 bags. Fixed one-way fares per vehicle, expressway tolls included:

Pickups or drop-offs west of the Chao Phraya (the Thonburi side) cost 100–200 THB extra. Pay the driver in cash (THB) at the end of the trip; if you can only pay by card, message the team for a PayPal payment link (a 5% fee is added). Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. See all routes and prices.

Practical Tips

• Do not bargain in malls, department stores or anywhere prices are marked. Bargain only at markets and street stalls.
• Carry your passport on shopping days for tourist cards, gifts and VAT refund forms.
• If a stranger or driver offers to take you to a "special" gem or tailor shop, say no and shop where you chose to go.
• If your day includes a temple, wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees.
• For a scam or a serious problem with a shop, call the Tourist Police on 1155.

FAQ

Is the ICONSIAM boat from Sathorn Pier free? No. The free service ended on 1 May 2023, and the shuttle boat now costs 12 THB per person one way. You can also take the Gold Line to Charoen Nakhon station.

Which mall has a cheap food court? Terminal 21 Asok. Pier 21 food court dishes cost about 40–60 THB.

Where should I buy a phone or phone accessories? MBK Center, 4th floor. Pantip Plaza is no longer an IT mall: it reopened in June 2024 as Phenix, a food-focused retail and wholesale centre.

What is the minimum spend for a VAT refund? 2,000 THB including VAT, per shop, per day, at shops with the "VAT Refund for Tourists" sign. The goods must leave Thailand within 60 days.

To book a driver for your shopping day or a ride to the airport with your bags, message us on WhatsApp or LINE.

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