Move over Siam Square and CentralWorld, the brand new 750,000-square-metre ICONSIAM, which was unveiled to the public on 10 November, is Bangkok’s latest, biggest, most glamorous retail and residential address.
This is Bangkok’s biggest retail space. Image by ICONSIAM
Situated on a 400-metre stretch of the Chao Phraya River, the mega-development is all about the numbers with two retail complexes housing 500 shops and 100 restaurants, two luxury residential condos boasting up to 70 storeys and more than 500 units, plus the ‘7 Wonders of ICONSIAM’, which includes various attractions ranging from ‘the longest fountain in Southeast Asia’ to a state-of-the-art auditorium.
There are 500 shops in this luxury destination. Image by ICONSIAM
Costing a cool 54 billion Thai baht (US$1.65 billion), the vast complex offers a variety of shopping, entertainment and dining options that have the Thai capital buzzing, including Thailand’s first-ever Apple Store and the country’s first Takashimaya, a popular Japanese department store spanning seven storeys. If you’re in the market for a Rolls-Royce, Maserati or BMW, you’re also in luck with luxury car brands offering sleek showrooms. Aside from name brands, ICONSIAM’s colourful Sook Siam on the ground floor hosts entrepreneurs and craftspeople from 77 provinces to showcase creative businesses, crafts and cuisine.
The enormous development houses 100 restaurants. Image by ICONSIAM
More attractions are still in the works, such as the 6500-square-metre River Museum Bangkok created together with Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, which is set to open in July 2019. Located in Thonburi on the other side of the river from Bangkok’s central districts, shoppers can reach ICONSIAM by the BTS Skytrain stopping at Saphan Taksin station then taking a complimentary shuttle boat to the complex, or get off at Thonburi station and jump on an ICONSIAM shuttle bus. The developer has also invested in its own BTS Skytrain line, which will begin service in 2020.
By Alana Morgan
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