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Pratunam Area 
 One of Bangkok's most colourful areas, well known for its street markets,
bazaar and local vendors. Pratunam and the small Nai Lert markets offer
bargain prices for T shirts, jeans, fashion clothing, shoes, calculators,
watches, jewelry and all sorts of souvenirs. You'll need to look for the
entrances to the inside of the market, hidden between stalls and shops.
Cluttered, noisy and hot, but packed with great deals if you have the
stamina.
Panthip Plaza on Petchburi Road is Bangkok's foremost computer shopping
mall. If it's electronic or digital you'll find it here. A large selection
of printers, computers, the latest electronic gadgets, and software under
one roof.
Airconditioned shopping can be found just north of Pratunam market on
Rajadamri. Central World Plaza (formerly World Trade Centre), is a huge shopping complex which, apart from
hundreds of shops, also contains cinemas, restaurants and even an ice
skating rink!
Although not on the BTS or Skytrain
route, there are lots of taxis giving easy access to other areas. It's an
area with some good value first class hotels so if you're looking for a
central location with good, well priced accommodation, bargain shopping and
transport, this is it!
Panthip Plaza
This is the place to
find anything to do with computers, hardware or software. It's a great place
to violate copyright laws and get bootleg versions of software for PC and
Macintosh, games for consoles, MP3's, VCD's, and DVD's. It is a large
building in the Pratunam area of the city. You can find other gadgets
(cameras and electronic doo-dads) and food too (S&P, KFC, and a small food
court). It can get crowded and beware of the guys approaching you saying
"sexy movie" and motion you to follow them. Could be a sting operation.
Software CD's go for around 100-200 baht per disc. Some of these discs
are crammed with thousands of dollars of software. There's no guarantee they
will work, but most usually do (I've heard). Also, be careful about the
movie DVD's. Some recent releases are actually videotaped in movie theaters
and recorded on disc as a VCD (some customers report), so if it has not yet
been officially released on DVD, beware. There was a crackdown on pirated
media, so Panthip, for a while, was not what it used to be. It is reverting
back to normal now. The police make occasional busts on a vendor once in a
while to show that they are working. Therefore, the software vendors do not
keep their stock in the stores. Customers must wait 10-15 minutes after they
pay, so that a runner can go down to a van or other secret storage area to
retrieve the discs (so they say). The Fortune Town IT Mall near the corner
of Ratchadaphisek Road and Rama IX is a newer center for computer-related
goods. There is a subway station nearby (Phra Ram IX). Service seems to be
nicer here, it is not as crowded as Panthip, and it is cleaner too. MBK
Center also has a few software and game shops. It is also cell-phone heaven.
Check out the informative website below. Note the different types of
movie-DVD's. Don't hate me for not sending you to this site in the first
place.
100 or 200 baht per software CD.
It is near the intersection of Ratchaprarop Road and Petchburi Road. From
this intersection, walk west for a quarter mile or so. Panthip Plaza is on
the south side of the street and has a large, arched facade. The closest
Skytrain Station is Rajchathewi.
Recommended Hotels Pratunam District
 The Ecotel Bangkok 
Affordable yet stylish, Ecotel Bangkok offers European-style accommodation off Rajprarob Road in central Bangkok. A 10-minute walk from Pratunam Market and Platinum Mall, it offers free Wi-Fi and free parking.
Ecotel is a 30-minute drive from Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Chitlom BTS Skytrain Station is a 20-minute stroll from the hotel.
Fully air-conditioned, rooms at Ecotel have warm lighting which creates a cosy atmosphere. Each is equipped with a cable TV, fridge and hairdryer. Selected rooms have a personal safe.
Day trips in and around Bangkok can be arranged at the tour desk. The hotel provides added convenience with laundry services and an on-site ATM machine.
Tom Yum Thai Restaurant serves local specialities. Designed like a Paris sidewalk café, Café d’Elite serves freshly brewed coffee and European snacks.
Book now or look for more information & guest reviews!
 Baiyoke Sky Hotel Bangkok 
At 88-storeys the tallest building in Bangkok, Baiyoke Sky Hotel boasts an outdoor swimming pool, revolving roof deck and 7 dining options. It also features an open-air golf range.
Baiyoke Sky Hotel is situated in downtown area Pathumwan. It is a 5-minute walk to Ratchaprarop Suvarnabhumi Airport Link Train Station, from which it takes 25 minutes by train to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Hotel Baiyoke Sky offers luxurious rooms with panoramic city skyline views. Each room is equipped with satellite TV, minibar and tea/coffee maker.
Guests at Sky Baiyoke can pamper themselves in the spa and beauty salon, or get active in the fitness centre. The hotel also conveniently houses a grocery store and a tour service.
The hotel’s restaurants offer international, Japanese, Chinese and seafood specialities. A fruit buffet is featured at Fruit Court. Cafe options
Book now or look for more information & guest reviews!
 Century Park Hotel Bangkok
Ideally located in the vibrant city of Bangkok, the 24-storey Century Park Hotel is central to the hustle and bustle with restaurants, department stores and night markets within easy reach.
This 4-star hotel features 380 elegant and comfortable rooms, while pampering guests with their attentive staff and gracious hospitality. Besides Century Park's two restaurants, it also has a Patisserie, where you can enjoy a variety of cakes and pastries. After a long day of shopping or working, the Signature Bar and Fountain Lounge offers contemporary and stylish settings where you can relax and socialise with a drink.
The hotel is conveniently located near the BTS Skytrain, which provides an alternative and easy mode of transport to get around the city. The hotel also provides a daily shuttle bus to key shopping areas for convenience.
Book now or look for more information & guest reviews!
 Amari Watergate Hotel 
Located in Bangkok, Amari Watergate is steps from Central World Plaza and Pratunam market. Just 40 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, it features an outdoor pool, spa and 6 dining options.
Amari Watergate Hotel is 5 km from Siam Square and 8 km from Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. BITEC Exhibition Centre is 15 km away.
Offering internet access, rooms are equipped with a 40-inch LCD TV and DVD player. A private bathroom with toiletries is attached.
A squash court and an aerobics studio can be found at Clark Hatch Fitness Centre. Guests can arrange for a massage at Sivara Spa or make use of the steam rooms and sauna.
Dining highlights at Amari Watergate include the award-winning restaurant, Thai on 4 and traditional Arabic specialities and international fare at Promenade Restaurant. Dim-sum can be sampled at Heichinrou.
Book now or look for more information & guest reviews!
 Pullman Bangkok King Power
The ultra-modern Pullman Bangkok King Power, a peaceful retreat in the middle of lively Bangkok, has created an urban resort environment with its luxurious facilities and traditional Thai hospitality.
The guest rooms and suites offered at this upscale hotel are designed in an Asian contemporary style. It has an en-suite marbled bathroom, with a separate bath and shower room with rain shower head.
Furnished with deluxe amenities it includes, a flat screen television, high-speed broadband internet access, a moveable work station and 24 hour-room service.
Pullman Bangkok features a beautiful outdoor swimming pool for guests to unwind, with a drink in hand from the open air bar. It also offers a tranquil spa, where guests can pamper themselves with a wide range of treatments, products and techniques.
Guests will also be spoilt for choice with the 6 trendy dining venues it has on-site, serving a selection of Thai, French and international cuisine.
Pullman Bangkok King Power offers a free tuk tuk shuttle service to the Victory Monument Skytrain station, which provides easy access to major parts of the city. It also provides a 2-way shuttle service to Pratunam market twice a day.
Book now or look for more information & guest reviews!
More Hotels Pratunam District
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