8 Best Places to Go Shopping in Ratchadapisek

Central Plaza Grand Rama IX is a 7-storey shopping plaza in Ratchadapisek. It has around 300 shops, plus restaurants, cafés, SFX Cineplex, The Rink Ice Arena and anchor stores such as B2S, Power Buy, Uniqlo and Robinson Department Store. Occupying a prime location at the intersection of Rama IX and Ratchadapisek Roads, Central Plaza Rama IX  has direct access to the MRT underground’s Rama IX Station at the basement level. 

Show DC is a Bangkok mall that focuses on a complete range of entertainment offerings. You can enjoy a 5,000 capacity live music concert hall, a modern sports arena, and a 5,000 sq-metre cultural facility called the Himmapan Avatar: a 4D walkthrough theatre of holographic images and other extraordinary audiovisuals showing scenes from Buddhist mythology. 

On the 6th floor of Show DC is a rooftop bar and club, which brings the soul of Korean nightlife to Bangkok. Expect K-pop, EDM and hip hop tunes in chic and lively surroundings. 

The Esplanade Bangkok is a 7-storey shopping and entertainment complex with an innovative ‘artetainment’ concept. It offers a host of retail shops, restaurants, a 12-screen Esplanade Cineplex, the Sub Zero ice skating rink, B2S Bookstore, Tops Supermarket and the 1,500-seat Ratchadalai Musical Theatre.

With the Thailand Cultural Centre MRT Station at its doorstep, The Esplanade is very easy to get to. From the outside, the structure features organic contours constructed with glass and steel. At night, colourful LED lighting effects enhance the futuristic look.

The Fortune Town shopping mall is attached to the Fortune Hotel, with the IT mall beginning on the 4th floor. Hardware items sold here are more reliable than what you’d find at Bangkok’s renowned Pantip Plaza, while computer software is sold at extremely low prices. The IT mall is spacious with friendly staff, making it an overall nicer shopping experience than Pantip.

The Rod Fai Market in the Ratchada area of Bangkok brings the same convivial feel of a night bazaar, antique curios, and street-food snacks and treats from its original location. It’s in an area of the city that’s much easier to access thanks to the nearby Cultural Centre MRT Underground Station. 

Although the Srinakarin branch is much larger, it is also way out in the suburbs of Bangkok, making it challenging for people who find themselves on the other side of the city. This Bangkok train market is central and compact, meaning it’s easy to pop in for a spot of evening browsing.

Papaya Studio is probably like no other shop you’ve ever seen before. Many have heard of it but few have actually stepped inside it. It is so bizarre that some of the greatest and genuine vintage items on display are not even for sale! 

If you love pop culture curios, you’re in heaven here. Standing between Darth Vader and a huge collection of Ultraman figures, you'll see full-scale models of Albert Hitchcock and James Dean next to the doorway. That's just a fraction of it. Papaya Studio occupies a warehouse along Soi Lat Phrao, about 3 km southeast of the Lad Phrao MRT Station.

The Street shopping mall in Ratchada is part of the new breed of Bangkok lifestyle complexes, which offer shopping, dining and entertainment all under one roof. It opened in early 2016 following a complete refurbishment of the old Robinson Department Store, just a couple of minutes’ walk from Thailand Cultural Centre MRT Underground Station.

Strategically located opposite the ever-busy Central Lad Prao, Union Mall caters especially for a younger crowd, mainly university students, young office workers and those who find Central Lad Prao too expensive and Chatuchak Weekend Market too hot. Union Mall stands 8 storeys tall with a total area of 150,000 square metres and housing over 1,000 retail shops. It boasts easy access from the MRT Phahon Yothin station, an international food court, a myriad of fast-food chains, entertainment areas, tutorial schools, a fitness centre and a supermarket.

The open-air market just outside the air-conditioned mall is also worth a browse (open every day from 5pm onwards). You'll find an interesting range of clothing items, bags, shoes, and fashion accessories at affordable prices.