Area: Thailand Cultural Centre
The MRT Thailand Cultural Centre station is located next to the Esplanade Shopping Mall and the recently opened Rot Fai nightmarket, commonly known as the Train Market. Within the mall there’s a 26-lane bowling alley, ice-rink, a 13-cinema Major Cineplex, and a 1,500 seat auditorium. On top of these attractions, it’s also striving to become a city hub for art and cultural activity (to provide ‘arte-tainment’) by putting on exhibitions and activities showcasing local music, sculpture, poetry, painting, performing arts, architecture and photography.
The nearby ‘The Street’ shopping mall is part of the new breed of Bangkok lifestyle complexes, which offer shopping, dining and entertainment all under one roof. It opened in early 2016 following a complete refurbishment of the old Robinson Department Store, just a couple of minutes’ walk from Thailand Cultural Centre MRT Underground Station. Inside you will find a host of stalls selling fashion, apparel and homeware, anchor stores from prominent Thai brands such as Wacoal, True, Watsons, World Camera, along with several health and beauty stores, Thai massage shops, a section selling technology and mobile phone accessories, and two floors of restaurants. On the top floor of The Street Shopping Mall is the exciting trampoline park from Australia, Bounce Bangkok.
There is little in the way of classic tourist attractions in this neck of the woods. There is, however, the modern Thailand Cultural Centre where Thai and foreign performing arts and cultural shows take place all year round. The Social Education and Exhibition Building also accommodates a cultural library and the Thai Life Permanent Exhibition, which displays the history, culture and development of Thai people using modern technology. Situated in a purpose built 2,000-seat theatre complex opposite is Siam Niramit (also on Thien Ruamit Road). Very popular with visitors, the show is an extravagant 80-minute romp through Thai history, customs and culture – all the things that have endured through the ages and that continue to fascinate outsiders. It’s an extremely lavish affair, with ornate stage sets, spectacular costumes, special effects and a cast of hundreds.
