What's behind the Thai fascination for malls

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

Thai people's obsession with visiting malls is a reflection of the problem caused by the indiscriminate development of cities where shopping centres have become the central areas of attraction, many experts contend.

 

After the government allowed shopping malls and department stores to reopen under the second phase of relaxation of the lockdown on May 17, it was not unexpected to find a long queue of visitors outside malls, having been denied their favourite outing for six weeks.

 

Cool mall

 

The most common reason for Thais visiting malls is to enjoy the cool interiors, where they can eat, shop, socialise and stroll around.

 

Assistant Prof Jittisak Thammapornpilas from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning Faculty of Architecture at Chulalongkorn University explains that the Thai love for visiting malls comes from its history of being an agricultural society that mainly relied on labour. At the end of each day's work, there were no special ways to rest or for entertainment in olden days. They only drank, gambled and went to bed.

 

But industrialisation forced the rural Thai society to become more urban. Thai people saw how foreign countries had become prosperous and developed.

 

The city later developed into a commercial district which later became known for its speciality. For example, if you wanted to buy a school uniform, then you had to go to the Bang Lamphu trading area, if you wanted to buy clothes, you had to go to Phahurat market.

 

The rise of department stores became the answer to the convenience of bringing together different districts under one roof.

 

"The mall exemplifies the principle of one stop service, bringing the items together to answer the needs of Thai people who have limited time in their lives because they have to focus on making a living. They have a little time to rest only on weekends. If you don't go to the mall, where do you go?" Jittisak asked.

 

Despite proposals from some groups that more public areas should be provided in cities for libraries, museums, parks, as well as recreation areas, Jittisak was sceptical. It cannot be denied that many Thais do not have the habit of appreciating the pursuit of knowledge or learning history; they prefer to eat, or be entertained or have recreation in simple forms like shopping, watching movies, eating food, or just walking in the mall, he said.

 

Failure of the city plan

 

The development of the mall in modern times has had a huge impact on the city, especially the traffic. The emergence of new stores is always followed by the problem of traffic congestion.

 

"It must be admitted that the city plan of Bangkok is chaotic. In many foreign countries, the private sector has to pay the public or the city administration if they want to build a mall or a large project because of the impact on travel or energy. One big mall uses electricity equal to a small district in an upcountry province," Jittisak pointed out.

 

He emphasised that the blame could not be pinned entirely on malls but the way of life of Thai people, which has changed along with the development of the city and the social and economic conditions.

 

Some groups are now calling for the creation of green space. The new generation of Thai people in Bangkok or in big cities are yearning for public spaces that focus on creating a good environment closer to nature. Jittisak said that in the future, such areas will be created and used seriously.

 

"During the reigns of King Rama VI and Rama VII, we had houses with a front or backyard to plant trees to run around. No one needed to ask for green space. At that time, Thai people had no knowledge of town planning. People tried to learn about city planning later, but the city grew faster," Jittisak said.

 

Mall vs public park

 

The rapid growth of the city has left Bangkok with almost no space to create a public park as land is too expensive to nurture green or public areas.

 

A new generation of health-conscious people wants to use the park for regular exercise. This could be a turning point in the creation of green areas but they must have clear management and clearly divide the roles and responsibilities.

 

"The mall is an index that measures the well-being of the country and the confidence of foreign investors as well. What we should do is both parties, the state and the people, have to know and grow together. The state must try to be careful to not benefit only some people, but also ensure the public interest is taken care of by creating green spaces," Jittisak said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30388191

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-20

 

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Gigantic profits and free air conditioning. 

Perhaps there isn't a lot else to do, and for many, strolling around an indoor park with A/C is a cooool day out....????

Keep the people overfed and up to date with the latest smartphones and you will have them by the b@!!s.

A population that is obsessed with consumption is much easier to control than a population that is not. 

6 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai people's obsession with visiting malls is a reflection of the problem caused by the indiscriminate development of cities where shopping centres have become the central areas of attraction, many experts contend.

BS, thais, same as farang want set prices; none of this haggling in small shops where farang always gets screwed

9 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

BS, thais, same as farang want set prices; none of this haggling in small shops where farang always gets screwed

Well yeah, small shops could do themselves a favour and compete better with shopping malls by not being so incredibly sh*t.

16 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

What's behind the Thai fascination for malls

not only Thais, majority of developed countries do the same, the reason being All in One Place (food, clothing, electronics, entertainment, drinks, car park and so forth) thus practicality/accessibility as the Real Estate basic saying goes.... location, location, location

and what's particularly interesting is that there is no malls in any other country.. lol

Because there isn't much else to do here and it's too hot to do it anyways.

28 minutes ago, Bassosa said:

Well yeah, small shops could do themselves a favour and compete better with shopping malls by not being so incredibly sh*t.

 

Compete with shopping malls?  

 

I am always shocked to see the prices in malls here. Most things cost twice as much compared to my home country, where people earn 2,3,4,5,6 times as much.

 

You see a lot of people here in malls. But I have heard someone say that you can tell the success of a shopping street by the number of people with shopping bags.

Based on that the malls here are a big failure.

 

Who can afford to go shopping in ICONSIAM?

 

The malls are a magnet for Thais of all sorts. Why? I reckon it is deeply related to wonderment, personal fashion projection statements and, of course, face (although the second two are very intertwined with each other). For the locals, how better to project your cosmopolitan urban success story (or the perceived image of thus) than being in a mall enjoying, and more importantly being seen to, all they have to offer and that this is the norm for you? There are also many that just wander around gawping at the bright lights and goods in the air-con in wonderment but spend nothing other than at the food court, which in itself is a decent day out for the poorer end family and relatives. Also, it's worth noting that this can be found nowhere else all in one place really, quite so easily, and it wasn't so long ago that this sort of stuff was only in the big places or tourist centers ... thus many are still not used to it and malls possess still a certain novelty for many. Although, the "look at me in my modern life" and the fact I've got enough money to sit around places like Black Canyon living the enviable life (for Thais at least) probably does go a way to fueling this obsession (along with a few other things) of these 5 star markets. There is a great driving force for the locals to be modern, cosmopolitan and enjoy a western stylized lifestyle ... or at least to be seen to.

Edited May 20, 20206 yr by Brigand
Typos

Personally I have mixed feelings about malls.

I.e. I never liked Emporium and I think I was only one time in Siam Paragon. I didn't like especially Siam Paragon. Too many (pretend to be) HiSo. And I remember once I wanted to buy new shoes and one of the Emporium boys told me they had a big promotion and 50% discount. Now the shoes I liked would only cost 7,000B, after discount. Yeah, sure.

 

Before Terminal 21 opened and there was the big construction site I thought: Please not another mall. But when it opened I had a look and I actually liked it. A lot more "normal" people - relative speaking. What I also liked were the empty floors. It felt like walking in the market place of a small town. But that's some time ago. Soon someone discovered that it's possible to rent all those spaces out and make some more money. It's still my "favorite" mall and I used to go there maybe once a month for MK, FUJI, Swensen, Cinema and some other places.

 

Another mall which I like is The Mall Bangkae. This is really a place with lots of normal Thai people and few farangs. It's far away from where I live but whenever I go there I feel comfortable. 

19 minutes ago, dimitriv said:

 

Compete with shopping malls?  

 

I am always shocked to see the prices in malls here. Most things cost twice as much compared to my home country, where people earn 2,3,4,5,6 times as much.

 

You see a lot of people here in malls. But I have heard someone say that you can tell the success of a shopping street by the number of people with shopping bags.

Based on that the malls here are a big failure.

 

Who can afford to go shopping in ICONSIAM?

 

I tend to agree with you. I go to MAYA in Chiang Mai for the air-conditioned atmosphere. My bank ATM and mobile phone company is there too

The prices for clothes or shoes is more than USA. Some of them are FAKE, Food is OK. Japanese Supermarket. Hardly go to movies. Overall, a scam/

Free air con and testing all the free samples

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai people saw how foreign countries had become prosperous and developed.

They've been playing a lot of catch up. Crocs and Pandora were big like 20 years ago, now dying brands in the West. Body Glove is a relic of my childhood in the 80's. And it's quite odd to see the defunct Toys R Us still living here, whereas it had become an outdated relic in its native America. Yet to the Thais these are all fresh and new, the stuff they couldn't have before, now given new life here.

 

On YouTube, I've shown the wife some urban explorations of the many abandoned malls in America. She can't believe it. But America is so rich, why can't they shop there anymore? Why don't they do anything with those places? Then I get into all the details.

 

It's a cycle. As America's malls rose and prospered along with its middle class, so are Thailand's middle class and malls now. But as America has shown us, another stage shall inevitably follow.

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

What's behind the Thai fascination for malls

walking into a handbag shop were they cost 20,000baht with 500baht in your pocket

Who cares.

Get a coffee 2 or 3 pm sit in nice aircon and watch the flood of eye candy walking around.

Short jean or dolphin shots and tank tops.  Wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

11 hours ago, Calach said:

Gigantic profits and free air conditioning. 

Free Air Conditioning 

The malls here are a huge step beyond the malls in the US. Back there, the mall feel like a dead zone. The food is awful, and the vast majority of the people are fat and ugly. Here, the malls are far more glamorous. Some such as Icon Siam, and Siam Paragon are beautifully designed, with an amazing mix of stores and showrooms. I can sit down, and in 30 minutes, I see more stunning women, that it would take me 60 days to see in a top mall in the US. I find that very appealing. Plus, the AC, the food selection, the cinemas, the bookstores, coffee shops, electronics, etc. When I am in Bangkok I often spend an entire afternoon in one of the malls, especially during the blistering hot season, and it is delightful. The malls here are very entertaining. 

 

The article stated a new generation of health-conscious people wants to use the park for regular exercise. This could be a turning point in the creation of green areas but they must have clear management and clearly divide the roles and responsibilities. What a minute. Where are the parks? Thailand may have less park space per capita, in the big cities, especially Bangkok, that most other big cities in the world. Letting the developers get their way, over the well being and the health of the general population, was due to decades of travesties committed by many corrupt politicians, who never knew when enough wealth was enough wealth. Green areas are needed in big cities, to keep the population sane. So, do not lecture us on the need for green space, when your society cares so little for the environment, it is not willing to make small financial sacrifices to ensure we have some of them. 

Edited May 21, 20206 yr by spidermike007

Free air con , fairly cheap food and the chance to look at things you might be able to afford after months or a year of saving for due to being poor !

Dreams and hopes keep a lot of people going , thinking one day it will improve from their situation now and they will have what they want .

Edited May 21, 20206 yr by ronaldo0

14 hours ago, dimitriv said:

You see a lot of people here in malls. But I have heard someone say that you can tell the success of a shopping street by the number of people with shopping bags.

Based on that the malls here are a big failure.

The shopping bag count has long been the gold standard for TVF Econometrics to determine the profitability of Thai shopping malls. It gives an objective measure, with real numbers, to back up the half-blind Eyeballs, which have never seen any shoppers in any mall.

 

Other critical measures, BTW, include the lights on at night count for the hotel/condo market, the red plate count, and lines at the bank count. From these it has been conclusively proven that the Thai economy has been collapsed for more than a decade and so the baht shouldn't be so inconveniently strong. Only the return of the big-spending Golden Egg Layers can bring back the old prosperity. 

 

Our ace Mall Analysts have been long mystified, however, how malls can make money selling free air con. Perceiving something contradictory in that business model, they've drawn on Colorectal Theory--useful in so many cases--to supply the answer: money laundering! 

 

Hence, the malls here are actually a success if you really know what's going on, heh heh.

Simple, free Air con.

Bright lights, air con, noise, and the hi-so photo shoot.

Good selfie picture hi-so backdrop. 

16 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

A population that is obsessed with consumption is much easier to control than a population that is not.

As long as they can afford to buy. When they can't, and that might be in the very near future with so many being out of work due to the virus, then things could get interesting. Then, how do they control the backlash?

1 hour ago, BigStar said:

Our ace Mall Analysts have been long mystified, however, how malls can make money selling free air con. Perceiving something contradictory in that business model, they've drawn on Colorectal Theory--useful in so many cases--to supply the answer: money laundering! 

I've long thought this. Walk through any hi so mall and look in the stores selling designer clothes or watches or handbags etc, and you will rarely if ever see any customers in them. With the high rents that such malls command they cannot possibly make anything other than a massive loss. It would be interesting to know who actually owns those stores.

Free aircon for a few hours to break to monotony of no aircon in poor homes.

To vicariously escape the reality of their imprisoned, impoverished lives.

 

16 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Before Terminal 21 opened and there was the big construction site

I remember when the site held just a single storey Volvo showroom, which towards the end of its life there had a (convenient?) fire. I once MC'd a Christmas party for the Volvo staff there. Then of course, nearby on the Asok junction, there was a beer garden set up on what wasn't much more than waste ground where the Citibank building is now, and opposite when the Exchange Tower is now was a huge fish restaurant which was known for its rip-off prices.

Air Conditioning.

45 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I've long thought this. Walk through any hi so mall and look in the stores selling designer clothes or watches or handbags etc, and you will rarely if ever see any customers in them. With the high rents that such malls command they cannot possibly make anything other than a massive loss. It would be interesting to know who actually owns those stores.

Of course you did, and it's any mall. Problem is, shoppers can't possibly exist in Thai malls because we all know Thais have no money, rich Thais shop abroad, and Chinese, Indians, and Russians don't spend anything. The Golden Egg Layers have all been forced out by rampant xenophobia, thefts, scams, pollution, balcony shoves, and ripoffs. So that leaves--no one!

 

TVF Colorectal Theory also conveniently explains all the vacant hotels, condos, bars, and restaurants we see everywhere. After the INSANE rise in visa fees in 2003, when the big spending Golden Egg Layers, who had occupied most of the fan rooms, all starting heading for the exits to the paradise of Cambodia, the Thai economy, as predicted, utterly collapsed. It was then necessary to build a vast number of malls, high end condos, and expensive hotels to launder the HUGE pile of cash they left behind.

 

The air con is great cover for luring in props to hide what's really going on. You'll note that the food court is strategically placed at the end so that the fake "shoppers" walk by the shops as if they might be looking at the goods. But again, in TVF Economics there's no looking before buying in Thailand as there is in other countries. There's only looking before looking.

Edited May 21, 20206 yr by BigStar