Siam Square
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Siam Square is a shopping and entertainment area in Bangkok, Thailand. The area connects to other important shopping centres, such as Siam Center/Siam Discovery Center, MBK Center and Siam Paragon.
Within Siam Square itself, there is a wide range of shops and services, including tutor schools, restaurants, cafe, designer clothing boutiques, record stores, bookshops, Hard Rock Cafe and banks. The customers vary from young-aged school and college students to office workers and foreign tourists. It is sometimes referred to as the "Shinjuku of Thailand".
The central area of Siam Square is an open area named Center Point, which normally hosts activities or special events every weekend.
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[edit] History
Siam Square's first buildings were constructed in 1965 on land belonging to Chulalongkorn University. The aim was to provide rental income for the university. Because of its proximity to the university, the area quickly grew up.
From ordinary shop buildings, it changed to brandname shops and has attracted investors to set up. Its magnificent has brought many investors to set up other businesses like hotels, shopping centres and restaurants.
Eager to connect to Siam Square, surrounding businesses sought to make connections to the area, including an air-conditioned pedestrian overpass from MBK Centre.
[edit] Location
Siam Square is in Pathum Wan district and is bordered by Henri Dunant, Rama I and Phaya Thai roads. Opposite across Rama I Road are Siam Paragon and Siam Center/Siam Discovery Center, which can be accessed via the Bangkok Skytrain's Siam station, as well as a pedestrain bridge; MBK Center is across Phaya Thai Road, and accessed from the Bonanza Mall, via a covered, air-conditioned pedestrian bridge. Parking in Siam Square is available for a nominal fee, but is typically congested, especially on weekends. Parking attendants are on hand to assist.
[edit] Transportation
- Bangkok Skytrain – Siam station.
[edit] Businesses
[edit] Hotel
- Hotel Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square – Has a popular nightclub, CM2.
[edit] Cinemas
- See also: List of cinemas in Thailand#Apex
- Scala – Built in 1967, with around 900 seats, the Scala is Bangkok's oldest single-screen movie theater.
- Lido – An older multiplex of three cinemas; often plays foreign and independent films that aren't screened elsewhere in Bangkok.
- Siam – Another 1970s-era single-screen theater, part of the Apex chain, which also runs the Scala and Lido.
[edit] Tutor schools
Many tutor schools are located in Siam Square. The schools specialize in a particular subject or subjects. Among them are:
- Access – English language.
- Anapco – Mathematics, physics, chemistry, English, Thai, social studies.
- ANS – Mathematics, physics, chemistry, English, Thai, social studies.
- Applied Physics – Physics.
- Au Center – Chemistry.
- Davance – Thai language, social studies.
- Ent'concept – Fun learning English language by music.
- Jia – Mathematics.
- CSC – Mathematics, physics, chemistry, English, Thai, social studies.
- GET – Mathematics, physics, chemistry, English, Thai, social studies.
- The Brain – Mathematics.
[edit] Restaurants
- Hard Rock Cafe – Popular tourist spot in Bangkok.
- Scala – Chinese restaurant on ground floor of cinema.
- S&P – A Thai restaurant chain with a Thai and international menu.
- See Fah – Another Thai chain of restaurants.
- Coca – The first hot pot restaurant chain in Thailand.
- MK – A popular Thai-style hot pot chain restaurant.
- It Happened to be a Closet – Small kitchen serving Italian cuisine located on the second floor of a clothing boutique under the same name.
- Vanilla – A Italian restaurant and gift boutique.
[edit] Shopping
Aside from chain stores, such as a two-story Watson's pharmacy branch, there is a myriad of shops and boutiques, selling local designer-label apparel, jewelry, music and bric a brac. The Bonanza Mall, opposite MBK Center, is a congested warren of stalls selling discounted fashion items for teens and university students.
