8 Best Things to Do in Pratunam

Get a birds’ eye perspective of Bangkok with a visit to the observation deck on the 309-metre-tall Baiyoke Tower. A haven away from the crowded shopping centres and traffic jams of Bangkok’s busy streets, this skyscraper offers incredible panoramic views of the city, either from its skywalk on the 77th floor or from its revolving observation deck on the 84th floor.

There’s also a shopping area, several restaurants, and the Baiyoke Sky Bangkok Hotel. Baiyoke Tower is within a 5-minute walk of the Pratunam Market. Don’t worry about following your map to find the tower – simply look up!

Suan Pakkad Palace is a gorgeous collection of 8 traditional Thai houses surrounded by a tropical garden and several ponds. Offering a sanctuary from Bangkok’s often relentless pace, this tranquil spot is just a short walk from Baiyoke Tower in Pratunam. The palace also doubles up as a museum – you can wander around the gardens into each building, learning more about the fascinating history of the palace, which was once home to a Thai princess.

Dotted about the garden is an array of artefacts, antiques and mini exhibits on display, as well as some interesting Buddhist memorials and shrines adding to that peaceful, almost spiritual atmosphere. An admission charge applies, which is reasonable and well worth it.

Pratunam Market is a centre of all things shopping in the small namesake area of central Bangkok. It specialises in cheap clothes and apparel – think knock-off designer brand tees, 50-baht ‘luxury’ sunglasses, full-length silk dresses and sarongs. This market epitomises market shopping in Bangkok, where the emphasis is firmly on affordable garments. 

Pratunam Market has a section dedicated to fancy dresses, with wigs, feathers and snazzy hats. There’s a fair share of tailors dotted around the area. A huge roof covers the entire market but if things get too sweaty, you can always escape to one of the nearby malls, such as Platinum or Shibuya 19.

Red Sky is a swanky rooftop bar perched on top of the Centara Grand Hotel at CentralWorld Mall. Whether you’ve been browsing the malls of Siam or tackling the hectic Pratunam Market, the venue is easily reachable from both places.

Located 55 storeys above downtown Bangkok, Red Sky Rooftop Bar's iconic arch is the focal point, which is simply stunning when illuminated at night. The excellent international cuisine and range of beers, wines and cocktails are on the pricey side, but you’re paying both for the quality and those all-important city views.

Trimurti Shrine, nicknamed ‘Lover’s Shrine’, supposedly brings its believers luck in love. Singles flock to this Hindu monument every night of the week, presenting Trimurti (the god of love) with offerings in multiples of 9, such as 9 incense sticks, 9 nine candles, or 9 roses. The shrine is right in front of CentralWorld Mall, with Bangkok’s relentless traffic whizzing past just a few metres away.

The Baiyoke Floating Market is proof that it's possible to have a floating market on the 75th floor! Despite how unusual it sounds, it's a cool idea, combining the fun of browsing at a market with the enjoyment of a Thai food buffet. 

The food at Baiyoke Floating Market is as good as any you’d find along the many waterways of Thailand – minus the mosquitoes! Getting to the venue is easy – Baiyoke Sky Hotel is one of the tallest buildings in Bangkok and it’s simply hard to miss. The nearest BTS Skytrain stations are Ratchatewi and Chit Lom, though both require further transport or a 20-minute walk.

Pantip Plaza is one of the most famous Bangkok electronics malls. Often considered the mother of all IT shops in Thailand, it has gained legendary status as the place to find new and used computers and accessories at rock-bottom prices. 

Occupying a rather featureless building on Petchaburi Road, Pantip Plaza is quite infamous for its widespread practice of selling counterfeit software and DVDs. The mall has certainly seen better days, but still draws in shoppers thanks to unbeatable bargains and cheap technical specialists for things like repairs and upgrades.

Platinum Fashion Mall in Bangkok is often considered to be an indoor version of the Chatuchak Weekend Market. It specialises in wholesale fashion and accessories, with 4 floors of shopping space that’s packed with some 1,300 shops.

Besides the many choices of clothing items available, it has speciality shops inside that are also worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for imported fashion from Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan. Platinum Shopping Mall has just about everything you need to embellish yourself with from head to toe – it’s worth doing some mixing and matching in your head as you browse along. Also remember that only a few shops have fixed prices, so haggling can be a big part of the fun.