Siam Paragon - Finally, World-class Thailand

[Bangkok Barry]

A little reluctantly, I admit, I checked out Siam Paragon on Saturday. I'm not into buying Versace suits or 500,000 baht tables, there or anywhere else, so these places hold little interest for me.

But I was hugely impressed. Thailand finally, finally, has a world-class shopping centre. The staff I spoke with were polite, helpful and - get this - even knowledgeable about the goods they were selling. Rare anywhere in the world these days.

The only problem I found was that so many items are so beautifully displayed it's like you're walking through an art gallery and you're afraid to touch anything.

I was especially impressed with the food area on the bottom floor. A fantastic variety of cooked and uncooked food to take away or eat there. Emporium (who own Paragon as well, anyway, I believe) and Villa could lose a lot of their business to the new star of Siam Square.

Isn't it great when you expect to be bored with just another high-priced shopping centre, and you find so much more.

[Indo-Siam]

I visited last Friday noontime. Impressive place - even though two-thirds of shops are not yet completed/open.

I too was impressed with the dining section. One one floor, in one continguous area, you literally have 80 or 90 different choices of food vendors.

Cheers!

Indo-Siam

[OldAsiaHand]

Still, one wonders, where is the huge increase in local consumer sales needed to support this place going to come from? If it just takes traffic that would have otherwise gone to the Emporium, nothing at all has been accomplished. They need to generate an enormous new revenue stream, sales that wouldn't have been made somewhere else anyway, for the place to make commercial sense. No matter how nice it is, I'm skeptical.......

[baht&sold]

Still, one wonders, where is the huge increase in local consumer sales needed to support this place going to come from? If it just takes traffic that would have otherwise gone to the Emporium, nothing at all has been accomplished. They need to generate an enormous new revenue stream, sales that wouldn't have been made somewhere else anyway, for the place to make commercial sense. No matter how nice it is, I'm skeptical.......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OAH, I'm no expert but a couple maybe's come to mind:

1) It's 'defensive' postioning in prime core areas to secure commercial developments (ie: if this group didn't, some other group would)

2) The retail commercial leases goes to the landlords regardless of initial sales by leasees.

3) The more 'buzz' created by these kind of 'destination' shopping 'experiences' (not my words) creates a market unto itself as it gains reputation locally, intnlly and attracts more consumers to the region as a whole.

4) Heavy x-branding by Paragon/Emporium creating awareness, dual loyalty

Then again, what do i know- the last time I shopped was for a pair of jeans was at MBK

[Rinrada]

My last 2 pairs of jeans were genunine copies (wranglers/levis)bought from the nice old lady who had a stall at the corner of Suk Rd /Soi 7....250 bt a pair.....good ones.

Tried to find her again a couple of years later but seems she must have moved on.

There appears to have been a new office development built on her patch ...maybe she owns it?

Anyway these jeans are getting a bit tight now so need to get someone on next visit to let them out a bit.

Might try the Paragon.....

[poorfarang]

Might try the Paragon.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

bring the atm card...that place is expensive

[EddyFi]

There is no security. Its my guess that it'll be bombed at Christmas.

[bkkmadness]

There is no security. Its my guess that it'll be bombed at Christmas.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cheerful soul.

Ok, bahtsold, lets meet up and work out how to boost the Lambourghini on the bottom floor.

[penzman]

Their giant newspaper ads were showing a white woman. Don't Thais also shop there? Shame on all advertising agencies that promote such cr@ppy adverts.

[Ijustwannateach]

EddyFi's a well-known (almost notorious, you might say) tr... er, soul from Ajarn.

"Steven"

[snoophound]

Dont all wealthy thai women aspire to be WHITE?

Their giant newspaper ads were showing a white woman. Don't Thais also shop there? Shame on all advertising agencies that promote such cr@ppy adverts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[sierra01]

Dont all wealthy thai women aspire to be WHITE?

Their giant newspaper ads were showing a white woman. Don't Thais also shop there? Shame on all advertising agencies that promote such cr@ppy adverts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Drop the 'wealthy' bit!

[baht&sold]

Ok, bahtsold, lets meet up and work out how to boost the Lambourghini on the bottom floor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

K, here's the plan: we'll sneak away from the TV Xmas party (after establishing our alibis course;) and then count that Lambo gone in 60 seconds... (maybe thru another hole in the floor at Paragon)

The ctv camera playback will only see two guys with Stu masks and Thomas Merton TV name tags, whilst a security guard busies himself placing "protective" planted pots around the dangerous hole...