Promenada Mall closed

[worgeordie]

Just heard that Promenada Mall has closed permanently , it's been

on the cards for quite some time ,there were too many malls here

so no big loss.

regards Worgeordie  

[chalawaan]

To be fair, I had a few good night's there at the open air fiestas, and the Dukes, and Rimping were all patronised by the wife and I. 

But I agree, Chiang Mai is the worlds largest drug-money

laundry outside of Macau, how else are so many luxury apartments and bespoke villages so empty for so long? The people that build these projects are many things but they are not stupid.

CM has a bleak decade ahead, if not longer. 

Once a jewel, now overdeveloped, and cursed by annual pollution so bad you can stare at the afternoon sun without eye protection! If only they went after the field-burners with the zeal reserved for the drug-mules, let's face it, who among us is at risk of death by illegal drugs; a free adult choice? 

The smoke is potentially life-threatening to every human that is forced to inhale it. 

 

[clokwise]

Some more background, they couldn't pay their electric bill... https://thethaiger.com/news/national/shopping-mall-in-chiang-mai-goes-dark-couldnt-afford-20-million-baht-power-bill

 

Every time I drive by it seems to be rusting and decaying away bit by bit. Which is kind of the problem - people drive right by, never stop. What a shame too. It had great potential but was so badly managed.

 

On the plus side, Chiang Mai just got a prime URBEXer site.

 

 

[Dmaxdan]

The expression "white elephant" springs to mind. 

If it wasn't for CM immigration being there for a while it would have closed years ago.

 

[bkk6060]

When in CM I go there all the time because no one is there.  The movies, Rimping, a few shops it was great but not surprised if they are closed now.

[Thailand]

"Today, the shopping centre Promenada Chiang Mai sent an official letter to each tenant and store that the shopping centre would temporarily close from today onwards. "

 

It does say temporarily but we will see.

[Dante99]

Long time before that location will work for a mid to upscale mall.

[jak2002003]

In the notice they blamed covid.  That was just the final nail in the coffin in my opinion, as it never really took off when it first opened.

 

It was going downhill for well before covid happened.  

 

 

[LomSak27]

One Zombie Mall down. Two Zombie mall/plaza's to go.

[ramrod711]

On 5/5/2022 at 11:12 PM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

maybe a massage shop will revive the place....

Couldn't hurt. I live near there and used immigration, Dukes, RimPing and PEA. My wife loved Mr DIY. For a re-entry permit last Friday I waited 4 hours at the airport location instead of 15 minutes at Prom. I'm going to miss the place.

[JingerBen]

1 hour ago, ramrod711 said:

Couldn't hurt. I live near there and used immigration, Dukes, RimPing and PEA. My wife loved Mr DIY. For a re-entry permit last Friday I waited 4 hours at the airport location instead of 15 minutes at Prom. I'm going to miss the place.

Me too... and a few more.

I've done seven or eight 90 Day Reports there and it never took me more than 10 minutes max.

I can't see it reopening as a shopping mall anytime soon, but just imagine what a great CM Immigration Office it would make if they took over one of the two parts of it.

[cardinalblue]

It tried to market itself as an upscale mall…problem is that CM doesn’t have a large enough upper middle class base to service it on a regular basis…

 

those folks live in Bkk…CM is more of a middle class even working class environment….

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

It tried to market itself as an upscale mall…problem is that CM doesn’t have a large enough upper middle class base to service it on a regular basis…

 

those folks live in Bkk…CM is more of a middle class even working class environment….

Can't see it that way,

Shopping malls are an Americana experience, the rest of the world aren't that bothered by them. Promanada was a total waste of space, too far out of town with no real access, and mostly empty of shops and people.

[Mac Mickmanus]

How could they develop the location to make it successful ?

Would be a good location for a high speed rail to Beijing 

[Ginkas]

Going to miss it.

Paid my electric bill there, did 90 day report there, shopped at Rimping and Chi Chang.

Very quick and easy, no queues.

Also found a couple of very good eating places hidden away.

Did my walking exercise, for health, around each of the floors while there.

Only a 12 minute drive from where I live.

 

Oh, Well!

[dingdongrb]

On 5/9/2022 at 12:47 PM, BritManToo said:

too far out of town with no real access

Are you serious? It is very easy to access as it is not far from the Super Highway. Parking was quick and always available.

 

I frequented the following stores:

 

- Rimping

- Immigration

- ChiChang

- Dukes

- DIY

- ToT

- Kerry

- Watson's

 

[DeaconJohn]

On 5/9/2022 at 9:53 AM, JingerBen said:

Me too... and a few more.

I've done seven or eight 90 Day Reports there and it never took me more than 10 minutes max.

I can't see it reopening as a shopping mall anytime soon, but just imagine what a great CM Immigration Office it would make if they took over one of the two parts of it.

Agreed.

   The 90 Day reporting was always handled quickly and efficiently, unlike so many other CM Immigration experiences that are crowded, disorganized, and stressful.

[DezLez]

On 5/9/2022 at 12:47 PM, BritManToo said:

Shopping malls are an Americana experience, the rest of the world aren't that bothered by them

Where did you pluck that nonsense from?

 

Of the top thirty shopping malls by size in the world the USA has only one entry and that is at number 9 while Thailand hold the number 6, 7, 8, 18 and 19 positions!

 

 

Shopping mall - Wikipedia

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, DezLez said:

Where did you pluck that nonsense from?

I'd never been in a shopping Mall before I moved to Thailand.

Last was Promanada x2, but that was only for the free vaccinations, not shopping.

Dreadful  place.

[Bill97]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'd never been in a shopping Mall before I moved to Thailand.

Last was Promanada x2, but that was only for the free vaccinations, not shopping.

Dreadful  place.

What question was that supposed to answer?

[CNXBKKMAN]

On 5/12/2022 at 11:07 AM, dingdongrb said:

Are you serious? It is very easy to access as it is not far from the Super Highway. Parking was quick and always available.

 

I frequented the following stores:

 

- Rimping

- Immigration

- ChiChang

- Dukes

- DIY

- ToT

- Kerry

- Watson's

 

That may be your experience but the masses don't own a car in CM. There is no public transport. Not many people want to travel there on a Honda Wave from the city. Hence the shopping Mall has been dead since it opened. 

[1FinickyOne]

On 5/10/2022 at 9:42 AM, Ginkas said:

Going to miss it.

Paid my electric bill there

so, you were the one?

[The Hammer2021]

On 5/13/2022 at 7:58 AM, Bill97 said:

What question was that supposed to answer?

Just an irrelevant non sequitur- to confirm another  random prejudice about Thai  life

[bkk6060]

I did not think it was that far away.  Not everyone lives in the city in fact, many new venues going up out towards Mae Rim and farther.

The mall was the oddest design I have ever seen all that open space and a few shops on the perimeter. 

But, until the Chinese are released from their prison life CM will be a dead zone.  Chinese kept the place going for several years they loved it.  Now, with all the closed businesses and shops it may be the least desirable tourist destination to visit in country.  A total bore of a place at this point domestic toruists are not enough to support it.

I think it will come back, only if and when the  Chinese come back.

[DezLez]

On 5/10/2022 at 9:42 AM, Ginkas said:

Going to miss it.

Paid my electric bill there

Pity you didn't pay their bill while you were there!

[Mac Mickmanus]

55 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I did not think it was that far away.  Not everyone lives in the city in fact, many new venues going up out towards Mae Rim and farther.

The mall was the oddest design I have ever seen all that open space and a few shops on the perimeter. 

But, until the Chinese are released from their prison life CM will be a dead zone.  Chinese kept the place going for several years they loved it.  Now, with all the closed businesses and shops it may be the least desirable tourist destination to visit in country.  A total bore of a place at this point domestic toruists are not enough to support it.

I think it will come back, only if and when the  Chinese come back.

How often did you go there ?

I don't ever recall seeing any Chinese people there at all and they have no reason to go there 

[jak2002003]

I won't miss  the boring place.  No atmosphere from the day it opened. 

 

Used to joke it was a ghost town like off the Western films...with tumbleweeds blowing through it.

 

I think the first problem was that they were late opening when it was new.   They got beat to the post by Central Festival.  So they could not get the ice rink and shops that went to CF..and customer base. 

 

The food hall was really not so good..and more expensive than all the other food halls...and not even any English on the menus, when the place was geared up to international people. 

 

I think they should concert the building to luxury apartments now.  

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

That may be your experience but the masses don't own a car in CM. There is no public transport. Not many people want to travel there on a Honda Wave from the city. Hence the shopping Mall has been dead since it opened. 

Yepper, my opinion/experience. I lived in Banwangtan and always owned a vehicle as I always did when living in my home country. I wouldn't venture outside my mooban on a scooter, Not worth the risk with the way folks drive here.

 

You ever heard of Grab? Pickup at your door within minutes and extremely inexpensive. 

 

Sad to hear that Honda Wave owners don't venture outside the moat area.....  ????

[dingdongrb]

1 hour ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

How often did you go there ?

I don't ever recall seeing any Chinese people there at all and they have no reason to go there 

i went there at least once every 2 weeks mainly to do some grocery shopping at Rimping. 

 

Oh, I forgot, hardly any queue time if needing to go to Bangkok Bank.

[Mac Mickmanus]

3 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

i went there at least once every 2 weeks mainly to do some grocery shopping at Rimping. 

 

Oh, I forgot, hardly any queue time if needing to go to Bangkok Bank.

Why were the Chinese going there ?