The upmarket Siam Paragon shopping mall offically opened yesterday and should provide tourists with a great place to shop for high end goods. It has an area of 500,000 square metres with 250 retail stores, restaurants, movie houses and bowling lanes. On the lower level there is a new attraction for Bangkok, a Siam Ocean World featuring 30,000 marine creatures representing 400 species. It will comprise the main oceanarium with an acrylic ocean tunnel, touch pools for children, a panoramic fishbowl with 360-degree view, a 4D theatre, a rainforest area, and a huge eight-metre-deep coral reef. It will be open 9am-10pm and fees are 450 baht for adults, 280 baht for children.
Located on Rama 1/Phetchaburi Road where the Siam inter-continental hotel used to be, with Siam Discovery on one side, Central World Plaza on he other and main skytrain station near by.
Thought this might be of interest to all you shoppers.

Thanks for the info. I will look into it on my trip in February.

Wow!! When I was there in Sept/Oct, it looked like they had a lot of work yet to do before opening. Are you sure this isn't a "soft" opening? Much like the new airport (?) which opened for the hooplah, but will not be IN USE until maybe June or July 06. I would guess that the Paragon may have an anchor store or two open, but I'm not sure they would have everything ready this quickly. I'm still anxious to visit the new place. It will be a great addition to an already amazing shopping destination!!

Carol

Thanks for the info. I was wondering if it had opened or not. I'm excited about it although I still grieve the distruction of the Siam Intercontinental Hotel. I've watched the Paragon being built step by step and never thought it would end up such a mega mall with an aquarium and all. At first, those of us at the Siam Intercontinental Hotel were told that a new Intercontinental Hotel was going up, with a mall attached,this was a few months before the old one was torn down. Then the word was of only a mall going up to which many commented,"Great, all Bangkok needs is another mall." But, who knows...maybe it'll all work out. I leave for Bangkok this Friday and will look forward to checking it out. I'll report back. I'll probably be at the mall this coming Sunday. Happy Travels!

guenmai
Think of me as you are shopping!! Wish I could be there. Looks like mid January for me, but tickets are soooo high right now that I might just change that thought and go a bit later.
Carol

Does anyone know if the aquarium is now open? It sounds like a great attraction.

Carol...too bad we won't be there at the same time. We would definitely have a ball! I'll keep you in spirit though. We'll probably just cross each other's paths since I leave BK Jan 06th, to return home, and you'll be coming in about a week later. Take care. Happy Travels!

craig - According to the article in the Bangkok Post it appears that it is. One really will not know until someone reports on it and the mall.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/101205_Bu...2005_biz37.php

I'll report on it next week. Happy Travels!

Thanks Guen.