Bangkok's Pantip Plaza to undergo major facelift to draw customers

[3NUMBAS]

a lot of the shops in there are empty now ,dodgy bent software that didnt work and less monks wandering around.

the main issues i think is that buyers have moved over to smartphones and tablets and dont need PCs any more .

hence less parts outlets .software shops are less and less .

you used to be able to buy a coffee in there and relax but they did away with the coffee outlets ,nowhere to park your bum in there

[bangarang]

I didn't think it was really that bad. A facelift is always nice but it seemed pretty clean according to thai standards.

Can they please remove the guys trying to shove porn dvds down our throats... seriously... its 2014... porn is free on the internet anyways, we don't need to buy fake dvds. And they look so creepy selling them too, pulling the dvd out of pockets or under a shirt like they're selling drugs or something.

[Chao Lao Beach]

They are turning a well known computer/ tech hotspot into a suburban shopping mall. The tourists go there for the tech, the locals go there for the repairs facelift yes, but turning it into a strip Mall, and joining the ranks of the many (Discovery, Platinum, MBK et al) all within closer proximity to the CBD is going to be its downfall..... did you know there is a mall on the opposite side of the intersection before Pantip...... dead... cause its just the same as all the others...

Shame, people will now just move to Ban Moh for REAL tech/repair

Oz

Where is Ban Moh ?

Lat Long ?

[hanno]

Yayyyyy.... the Arabs can buy their porn in a more classy environment.

Right, only Arabs buy porn.....

[bangarang]

Yayyyyy.... the Arabs can buy their porn in a more classy environment.

Right, only Arabs buy porn.....

People still buy porn?

[JesseFrank]

He said the companies wanted to reduce the proportion of IT-related products sold at Pantip to 70% this year, down from 90%.

Does that mean that in the future there will only be 15 HwH, 23 Jib and 12 Banana It in Panthip plaza ?

[Katipo]

Yayyyyy.... the Arabs can buy their porn in a more classy environment.

Right, only Arabs buy porn.....

People still buy porn?

Arabs do.

The rest of us discovered torrents.

[khunken]

My favourite place to shop and get PCs, laptops, parts and repairs. Never had a problem avoiding the touts but sometimes the 'promotions' were blasted out at ear-splitting decibels.

I'm glad to see that they're still going to sell 70% IT-related products. I doubt that they would be successful as just another mall with so much competition around and not a great location.

I wonder how they'll operate during the renovation.

[Runamile]

_{It's correct that IT equipment is now commoditised, but some of us still revel in making "finds" of old stock, refurbished equipment, bits and pieces that just can't be found elsewhere. I guess the profile there is the hobbyist and the impecunious. Such people will always be around. Whether they ever wanted porn aggressively marketed at them is a whole other matter. Whether the guys I speak of, these days, require a building the size of Pantip is a whole other matter.}

_{In fact, I never really see Pantip, just walking straight through to the little guys and repairers at the back.}

_{So long as these secondary trading areas, meaning small low-rent units are kept in some way, the spirit and usefulness of Pantip will be maintained. But, that's a big if .....}

Edited March 26, 2014 by Runamile

[khunken]

Yayyyyy.... the Arabs can buy their porn in a more classy environment.

Right, only Arabs buy porn.....

People still buy porn?

Arabs do.

The rest of us discovered torrents.

Snide remarks not contributing anything to the topic. As a frequent visitor to Panthip I've seen very few Arabs in full garb there. Far more monks and farangs who, of course would never buy porn DVDs - openly.

[animatic]

People go to Pantip for Electronics, IT stuff and direct tie-in materials, not for anything else.

The place is teaming with brands, and reducing arbitrarily the amount of IT available there won't magically make business go up. Part of the decline was because people just couldn't get there easily the last 6 months or so.

Ahalf billion baht waste of time energy and money to change something that works into something that can work no better than the original did before Bangkoks troubles started up again.

[impulse]

Arabs do.

The rest of us discovered torrents.

Arabs aren't the only ones who buy porn.

Lots of countries block torrents, or have IP rights lawyers who fish for people who utilize torrents- then send them humongous bills to stay out of court.

How many torrent sites are blocked in Thailand, and how long do you figure before they lock down the rest?

Or worse yet, how long before you get a knock on your Thai door from the popo with a one way trip to the airport for violating IP laws?

Or, more likely, a registered letter from an IP attorney in your home country who has identified your computer as one belonging to a citizen of a country that's subject to real IP laws. Along with a note saying you're subject to arrest when you go through immigration back home if you don't settle up in advance.

Besides that, you can pay $1 or 2 for a DVD, or you can tie up your interweb connection and wait hours on a torrent. Frustrating way to deal with a porn emergency, eh?

Edited March 26, 2014 by impulse

[drand11]

Love to see a section/area dedicated to Thai based Mfg. selling to Westerners. Must be the actual Mfg's Showcase type rooms. Be an interesting and appealing addition. Maybe even a place with true/volume/wholesale pricing.

[Artist]

I have fond memories of Pantip as I have been going there several times each year for over a decade, mainly for Windows software.

Nearly all my computing is in The Cloud now and I don't require any new Windows programs. My Chromebook is brilliant and I shall never buy another Windows computer, so goodbye Pantip.

It also means I dont need to stopover in BKK anymore and just fly straight on to Udon Thani so I don't spend money on hotels either.

I wish the International Airport at Udon Thani was an international airport so I could avoid BKK altogether.

[Jim walker]

Its ok if you want an alternative cheap copy of something that’s overpriced expensive and a genuine manufacturer item, or some old spares for an obsolete computer but very dark and dingy place to go about in just another old shopping Mall that has had its day plenty nice new light and airy shopping centres to visit in Bangkok.

[ricklev]

They could just try getting rid of those slimy sleazy dirty disgusting morons hawking porn at every foreigner and immediately increase the numbers of customers.

[ricklev]

They could just try getting rid of those slimy sleazy dirty disgusting morons hawking porn at every foreigner and immediately increase the numbers of customers.

[Cricketnut]

Bangkok has a surfeit of glossy, cookie cutter malls that all sell the same goods. What makes Pantip; Pantip are the individual little shops on the upper floors who sell unique lines of products and yes...a lot of older stock that can not be found anywhere else...the kind of stuff you don't ever think about until you need it. How many times on this forum have people asked where they can find a memory stick or power supply or mother board for a five year old computer? You won't find such things in Power Buy or IT City.

These shops survive because the rents are low and because there are so many under one roof, customers come to Pantip because they know they have a decent chance of finding what they need. Renovation means higher rents and many of those small shops will not be able to remain...that will be our loss.

"Creepy"?? A "slum"?? What are you on? If you only want to walk on polished marble floors then stick with Paragon, Gaysorn, Emporium and all the other temples to homogenized retail excess.

Pantip is like an old style market bazaar and of one thing we all can be sure...after it is gone, the lamentations for its loss will flow more loudly than the protest of it's imminent change.

I whole heartedly agree, a Bangkokians icon as well as for farangs. I love the place and especially a great place to have fun and bargain....what a shame.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tingtong]

will it still be the hub of illegal fakes?

probably packaged nicer...but i wouldnt expect much change from the fakes.

that was and is still a drive of its traffic, i dont expect that ppl want to go there for the food court; but who knows?

anyway, in the times of easy downloading even fake dvd isnt a lure anymore. faster to use the internet at home to get a movie, than find a parking place at Panthip...what also comes for a charge, even for customers.

[bkkgooner]

Pantip is one of my favorite malls. But, not the one in Pratunam.

I like Pantip Ngamwongwan.

I happens to have a make up closer to what has been proposed for Pratunam. And, believe me, it is nothing resembling "cookie cutter". In fact, the top floor almost seems like an indoor Chatuchak!

God that place is awful especially the ground floor, the floor selling all of the amulets is interesting for a walk around though.

Pantip badly needs to be fixed up and some of the sellers could do with being turfed out there's a lot of garbage sold there but also a good few shops selling high quality products and who know their stuff quite well. Right now it definitely has a slummy creepy quality to it

[jobsworth]

get there now!

the top floor is full of bargains.

laptops - spares - video screens - micro computers.

don't be upset about porn - just ignore it and walk on by.

[MickGC]

Been closely involved with computers for more than 30 years. Been visiting Pantip for 25 of those years. Is a wonderful place for those in the know. Hope they don't <deleted> it up too much.

[EyesWideOpen]

I long ago switched from Pantip to Fortune Town, Rama 9 metro. Smaller but no crowds, no porn, and no fahrang pricing. Tesco Lotus in the same building - I buy accessories there because they have a 7 day no quibble return policy (some staff cannot believe that is possible in Thailand, but you can insist).

As I have. Fortune town is far better. And the porn hawkers at the escalators in Pantip are just

frigging pathetic, but not to be seen in Fortune town...

[fishbrando]

I really hate the aggressive porn hawkers at Pantip Plaza - they've actually reached out and grabbed my arm before. I slapped his hand until he let go.

It's also not the most convenient location as people have mentioned - need to take a bus or taxi.

For computer parts, mail order is really the way to go these days.

[mojorison]

For the love of god, please put the pornos on the ground floor. (And get rid of the A&W)

[mojorison]

For the love of god, please put the pornos on the ground floor. (And get rid of the A&W)

[bander]

"Consumers increasingly prefer to purchase technology products at their nearby residential areas or at IT shops in big department stores."

Why go to Pantip and get ripped off when you get a fixed price at the IT shops at department stores, and who want to be harassed by the boys who sell porn movies at Pantip by blocking the way and put a catalogue up in your face everywhere

[bander]

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I really hate the aggressive porn hawkers at Pantip Plaza - they've actually reached out and grabbed my arm before. I slapped his hand until he let go.

It's also not the most convenient location as people have mentioned - need to take a bus or taxi.

For computer parts, mail order is really the way to go these days.

They grab your arm with one hand and try to steal your wallet with the other, scumbags all of them

[JesseFrank]

I really hate the aggressive porn hawkers at Pantip Plaza - they've actually reached out and grabbed my arm before. I slapped his hand until he let go.

It's also not the most convenient location as people have mentioned - need to take a bus or taxi.

For computer parts, mail order is really the way to go these days.

I always ask them, how much for your sister, which seems to keep them at a distance.

[northernjohn]

I wonder if they are going to do some thing about the one here in Chiang Mai or just continue to let it go down hill.

the It store has cut there size by about 40% at a guess.