A Visit to Modern Education: Chiang Mai's Strangest Mall

[Frank James]

I was riding my bicycle out route 1006, the road that leads out to San Khampaeng. I thought I was on the right road to Promenada Mall, but was nowhere close. Much too far North and East. (Carry a map? Not me!) Just short of the Outer Ring Road, I found the Modern Education Mall. This is a truly unusual place. It is a single building, of strikingly modern design, that seems to specialize in stationery and what we used to call “school supplies.”

The best thing about returning to school for me, back in days of old, was to go to Woolworth's or some similar place, and buy notebooks, pens, pencils, gum erasers, protractors, cheap rulers, etc. This big shop has everything the student would ever need in the way of school items, and arts and crafts supplies. There is a great collection, perhaps the best in Thailand, of every sort of writing implement, from the cheapest disposable sure-to-leak-or fail ballpoint, to precise gel pens, to luxury writing instruments in a glass display island. There is also an island devoted to every sort of calculator, an item made semi-extinct now, replaced by the emulation apps for any sort of calculator available for the smart phone.

I was not prepared to find this abundance of goods. I had been mourning the loss of the Office Mate shop at Pantip Plaza, as disorganized as it always was. It was a good place to get office supplies and good quality printer paper. However, this place has Office Mate beat for selection, and has endless isles of oddities. One aisle has a strange collection of locks, from the hard-to-find removable desk drawer lock (A great item for travelers) to a huge, heavy, u-lock from China for your bike, only 300 baht. I did not see any IT-related items, such as replacement ink cartridges, but they may be in a separate area.

I didn't make it to the upper floors, yet, but I plan to return. The place sits all by itself, surrounded by a huge parking lot. There is a fountain outside containing one of those perpetually spinning marble balls, but it is sadly dry at the moment. The landscaping out front is in need of attention. I saw a lot of staff inside, but no customers, at 11:30 AM. It has the look of a place that might be closed at any time. That would be a shame, because it is packed with useful items. Perhaps they are holding out to see what will happen with the nearly completed complex of mixed commercial/residential soon to open across the road.

It's definitely worth a look.

[dingdongrb]

Did you by chance ask how long they have been open so far?

[Frank James]

Did you by chance ask how long they have been open so far?

The staff seem very shy. There was no move by anyone to come over and offer to help me. In fact, they all seemed somewhat nervous. When I worked in "big box retail" in the US, there was a "15 foot rule". If you were withing 15 feet of a customer, you were supposed to go up to them and ask them if they were able to "find everything all right?" Is that lame, or what?

Being somewhat of an introvert, I don't mind when the staff leave me alone to wander. If I want help, I will ask.

[laolover88]

Been there quite a while

No education available, of course.

Shuffling and sharpening of pencils is, of course, the hallmark of every student, faced with an exam, who knows nuffink!

[iainiain101]

its been open at least 2 years.

[masuk]

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=382

[Wopanese]

Awesome place. I can always find *something* I need there!

[jaideeguy]

But, what a waste of space. The actual inventory could be easily fit in a building 1/4th the size. I drive by it often on the Bo Sang road and rarely see more than 1 or 2 cars parked there.

[Konini]

There's a huge stationery shop next to Baan and Beyond at Airport Plaza. I think one of the big brands, can't remember which one - definitely not B2S. It's tucked away at the end of the building, so easy to miss (I missed the first few times I went to B&B.