All over Bangkok you will find multi-story office buildings. It's one of the biggest modern skylines in the world. And often the first few of the high-rises are basically places for shopping, eating, banking, etc.. They are like malls or shopping centers back in the USA, but with some business elements - even supermarkets and pharmacies. In most office buildings, on the very bottom floor is a huge food court where office workers have more economical lunches. Even if you don't work in the building, that food court is still open to the public. The Ploenchit Center (above) was a place I'd mostly walk by. I remember once, though, meeting a German friend at the Ploenchit Starbucks. It's a cool spot, because you sit indoors or out on the patio. There are so many Starbucks coffee shops in Bangkok and throughout Thailand, it would boggle your mind. The coffee is predictably very good and consistent. Sometimes chains get a bad rap, but Starbucks in Asia is seen as a little bit of a higher class chain. I liked them in bit part because they were easy-to-find meeting spots. And the Ploenchit Center, like a lot of the office towers along Sukhumvit Road and in Silom, can be accessed easily from the skytrain (BTS). There's usually a walkway extension from the BTS that takes you right into the buildings.
Across the soi (small lane) from the Ploenchit Center is The Landmark Bangkok, a 5-star hotel. On Sundays they offer a pretty fabulous brunch at Atrium. And you don't have to even be a guest to eat there. I have shared before about all the rooftop bars in Bangkok. A number of them are part of hotel properties. These fancy hotels also have incredible restaurants and lounge bars. I remember one Sunday meeting this same German friend over at The Landmark for breakfast. And from The Landmark, we could look over and see the Ploenchit Starbucks patio with the big green umbrellas.
Across Soi 2 from Ploenchit Center is actually the J W Marriott.
ReplyDeleteLandmark is further down Sukhumvit after crossing Soi 4