VIBRANT LIFESTYLE DESTINATION AT RATCHAPRASONG BANGKOK DOWNTOWN

As the original beating heart of Bangkok, The Ratchaprasong District is Bangkok’s best known lifestyle destination for Thais and tourists alike.  Highlights include 9 major shopping malls with more than 5,500 shops, restaurants and spas; 9 luxury hotels; as well as the city's 8 most famous spiritual shrines. Seamless connectivity above ground and includes the elevated Ratchaprasong Walk (R-Walk) connecting 18 different properties together with the mass transit system at BTS Chitlom.  Together this has created a single walking district, providing convenient accessibility for all. Known as Bangkok Downtown for visitors, and by the Thai name Ratchaprasong District, the famous historic intersection marks the meeting point of  Ratchadamri, Ploenchit and Rama I Roads.

The neighbourhood of Ratchaprasong / Bangkok Downtown covers a total land area of 1,020,000 square meters with 884,200 square meters of shopping area and more than 4,700 retail shops to choose from, as well as numerous hotels.  The nearest BTS Station is BTS Chitlom Station, with the district also providing walking connectivity to both BTS Ratchadamri and BTS Siam Stations. 

Ratchaprasong District is a non-profit trade association, with the objective of providing a safe, secure walkable district experience for visitors and locals to enjoy.  Members are in several categories:

Retail Centers (total 5,500 shops approx)

  • Amarin Plaza
  • centralwOrld
  • Erawan Bangkok
  • Gaysorn Village
  • President Tower Arcade
  • The Market Bangkok
  • The Platinum Fashion Mall

Hotels (total 4,228+ hotel rooms, Event & Function spaces  50,868 square meters)

  • Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel
  • Centara Grand at CentralWorld (including Convention Hall 5,250 square meters)
  • Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
  • Holiday Inn Bangkok
  • InterContinental Bangkok
  • Novotel Bangkok Platinum
  • Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong
  • The St.Regis Bangkok Hotel
  • Waldorf Astoria Bangkok

Office Buildings (158,150 square meters)

  • Amarin Tower
  • Gaysorn Tower
  • Maneeya Center
  • President Tower
  • The Offices at CentralWorld

Residences (842 Units)

  • Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard

Note: Arnoma Grand Hotel, Big C Rajdamri and Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok are RSTA’s alliance partners in developing the district.

 

 

Ratchaprasong has a rich and varied history crafted over more than 50 years, connecting the Bangkok Downtown's heritage to its future as a global city:

Luxe Lifestyle:

  • Luxury fashion and shopping experiences: Find international luxury brands and flagship stores including leading global fashion houses, luxury watches to the best of Thai designer fashions to home décor crafts
  • House of luxury, including Calvin Klein, Maxmara, Hugo Boss, Coach, Gorgio Armani and beyond
  • Bangkok's luxury watch district, featuring Rolex, AP, Hublot, Jacob & Co, Grand Seiko, Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre and more: global watch houses alongside the finest independent watch makers   
  • High street flagship concepts such as Zara, British India, H&M, and niche must haves such as Matter Makers, Boyy, Victoria Secret, Naraya or Jim Thompson
  • Lifestyle luxury and fine retail such as Rimowa, Leica, Kinokuniya and the more down to earth including Toys’R Us, Supersport and Samsonite  
  • The best of fine and contemporary dining and gourmet markets: Bangkok's biggest variety of International cuisine on offer from five star hotel gourmet dining to Michelin star restaurants such as Paste, through to fun Thai food courts at both centralwOrld's Food Hall as well as Amarin Plaza's The Cook
  • Leading gourmet supermarket at centralwOrld
  • The city’s most luxurious beauty, wellness and spas: Multiple hotel offerings at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, InterContinental Bangkok, Anantara Siam Bangkok, Holiday Inn Bangkok, Waldorff Astoria, St Regis and beyond.  Wellness and beauty embedded in the district including Panpuri, Thann Sanctuary, Jurlique
  • Fitness and health: multiple gyms and sports concepts including Fitness First, Absolute, Tribe - whether it's HIIT, crossfit or spin you'll find it somewhere in Ratchaprasong 

Energy and Excitement:

  • Every week something is happening in Ratchaprasong. Visit Multiplex theatres, bowling, karaoke or the many outdoor festivals and activities held throughout the year in the district.  Special highlight events and festive promotions include End of Season Sale, Fashion Week, Taste It All Food Festival
  • Bangkok's annual Christmas & New Year lighting and Countdown celebrations at Ratchaprasong where the entire district turns into a walking street for one night to welcome the New Year with a show like no other

Spirituality:

  • The Erawan Shrine (Brahma), people from all over the world come to pray and pay their respects at this most precious place at the heart of Bangkok Downtown
  • Ratchaprasong is also home to Indra Shrine, Narayana Statue, Goddess Lakshmi Statue, Trimurti Shrine, Ganesh Shrine and Uma Shrine

Convenience and Safety:

  • Easily accessible by sky train (BTS Chitlom) and connected by walking distance to BTS Siam and BTS Ratchadamri
  • Simple access by car, taxi, bus or boat transport
  • Reach Ratchaprasong via Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (SARL) at Makkasan station which links to BTS network
  • Visitors can use direct link to BTS Chitlom station and skywalk links to all major shopping, entertainment venues and five- star hotels
  • Closed circuit television (CCTV) system and security provide convenience and safety for customer and visitors to the Ratchaprasong district, with coordination between member buildings to provide cleanliness, safety and peace of mind

The founding of RSTA reflects the excellent cooperation between private companies and the government sector to promote Bangkok as a world-class shopping destination. RSTA has worked actively with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on the district’s development and preservation plan including a number of physical development and maintenance projects as well as promotional campaigns. Visitors can access more information at www.bkkdowntown.com and www.facebook.com/heartofbangkok

RSTA chronology

1997

Five businesses (Gaysorn Group, Erawan Group Public Co.,Ltd, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, President Hotel & Tower Co., Ltd and Maneeya Group) form Ratchaprasong Square Co., Ltd to develop the district into a world-class urban village

1999

• Launch of “Shopping Street” project to improve facilities and infrastructure in Ratchaprasong district such as creating linkage among shopping and entertainment destinations, improve sidewalk and paving, landscape, fencing and bollards and kiosk landmarks

• Launch of the 1st Bangkok Countdown Annual Event and Street Decorations at Ratchaprasong. It has become the key place to celebrate the New Year Count Down in Bangkok

2002

Opening of skywalk bridge links between Gaysorn, Erawan Bangkok and Amarin Plaza; Bangkok's first above ground private/public partnership creating the start of seamless connectivity throughout the Ratchaprasong district, enabling shoppers, visitors and workers in the area to go from building to building effortlessly.  This new model has subsequently been used in other locations throughout Bangkok.

2003

Ratchaprasong Square Co.,Ltd officially became Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA)

2004

Launch of „Joint Parking‟ program to facilitate visitors to the district, at Gaysorn, Erawan Bangkok and Amarin Plaza - this program is planned to expand in 2020.

2005

In 2005, the Ratchaprasong Downtown saw further significant linkage improvements with:

• The opening of skywalk bridge link extension to CentralWorld
• Renovation of footbridge on Rajdamri Road

In addition, the year marked the start of new exciting events programs with the launch of Ratchaprasong annual events and programmes: 

  • Visa Dining Zone
  • Ratchaprasong Summer Sale
  • Taste it all @ Ratchaprasong
  • Ratchaprasong Shopping Guides
  • Ratchaprasong Winter Sale
2006

In 2006, the RSTA marked the celebration of HM the King’s 60th Anniversary of Ascension to the Throne by organizing "Grand Invitation‟ book signing stations for the public to express their warm wishes to His Majesty and musical events for public enjoyment.

Other key milestones for the year:

• CentralWorld Co., Ltd becomes a full member of RSTA

• RSTA signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for the provision and installation of a closed circuit television (CCTV) system to provide convenience and safety for all customers and visitors to the Rachaprasong district with more than 20 million baht invested in the system that included 64 security cameras covering the skywalk and footpaths throughout the district. (District control centre was officially opened in November 2007)

2008

2008 saw RSTA introduce its first Boarding Pass Program - the first program ever in Thailand to combine the efforts of over 300 shops/outlets in Ratchaprasong area and eight leading airlines, providing special privileges to inbound tourists on selected airlines.

The infrastructure of the RSTA continued to develop, focusing on improved airquality and safety for all visitors:

• RSTA joins with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for a pilot project to solve traffic and pollution problems around the Ratchaprasong district area.

• RSTA spends an additional four million baht to upgrade wide-screen, four million pixel security cameras located on the BTS skywalk at Ratchaprasong intersection. The association also plans to install a wireless system and additional CCTVs in the district, to better monitoring all of Ratchaprasong.

2009

RSTA continued its expansion in 2009, with Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok and The St. Regis Bangkok officially joining the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA). By 2009 there are now 13 members total in the association.

District activities included:

• RSTA officially launching new website www.heartofbangkok.com

• RSTA inaugurates its annual Almsgiving Ceremony, TAK BARD LOY FAH, on the Ratchaprasong Skywalk. Held 1 December each year to celebrate His Majesty the King‟s birthday, the uniquely Thai ceremony features hundreds of Buddhist monks receiving dried food alms and offerings in a long line that stretches from the Arnoma Hotel to CentralWorld

2010

In line with the Royal Thai Government's desire to provide broader cultural and authentic Thai experiences, as well as responding to the large interest from locals regarding the spirituality within the Ratchaprasong district, together RSTA and BMA set-up the Deities Tour so that Thais and visitors wishing for prosperity can pay homage to Ratchaprasong's deities, promoting tourism in Bangkok and Ratchaprasong district.

2011

Reflecting the growth in new media channels, RSTA launches its new FaceBook page, www.facebook.com/heartofbangkok

2012

Ratchaprasong continues to expand, reaching 15 members, with new additions The Platinum Fashion Mall and Novotel Bangkok Platinum Hotel officially joining the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA).

Improving public above ground access for pedestrians, the all new 200 metre Skywalk extension from Gaysorn to Amarin featuring a new dimensional design – 10 metres wide and 2.8 metres high increase the satisfaction for visitors, along with landscape renovations on street medians and vertical gardens around Bangkok completed to celebrate H.M. the King‟s 7th cycle birthday (a Thai recognition of age is based on increments of 12, meaning the 7th birthday cycle is 7 X 12 = 84 years)

2014

Following a cycle of disruption, the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA) and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) organize economic revitalization initiatives which include Stronger Together and We Love Ratchaprasong campaigns, successfully helping Bangkok's leading downtown neighbourhood to reemerge as a prime inner city destination both for locals and foreign visitors alike.

2017

Finally the entire Ratchaprasong district becomes a fully fledged above ground walking friendly "city within a city".

The visionary “Skywalk” (elevated walkway) initiative opens the newest addition to the north named Ratchaprasong Walk (R-Walk).  Opened to the public for convenient and safe means of exploring the iconic Ratchaprasong District, R-Walk now provides access to as far north as Platinum Mall and the Pratunam intersection.

Together with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA) organized a variety of skywalk-based events and activities including the Ratchaprasong Shrine & Cultural Walk, Ratchaprasong Flavour Walk and the Ratchaprasong Shopper‟s Walk to promote limitless connectivity of the entire district.

Immediately the district starts to see a huge shift upwards in visitor arrivals and dwell time within the neighbourhood precinct.

2019

Re-design www.bkkdowntown.com to respond to a new era of travel and lifestyle.

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