Terminal 21 Shopping Complex, Bangkok

With every new shopping mall or department store that was built in Bangkok over the past decade, a lot of us went - "ANOTHER mall?!  Aren't there enough already?!?!"

I had the same reaction again when I recently visited Bangkok after two years and heard Gateway at Ekamai, Terminal 21 at Asok, and couple of other new shopping malls have developed since I left.

Nevertheless, I still went to Terminal 21 out to see if they made it any different from the rest.  Especially after I was told, "when you go to Terminal 21, at least go check out the restrooms on every floor."

Weird suggestion, right?  I know.  But I went in and came out AMAZED.

When I entered the mall, I must have seen the longest escalator in the world or something, connecting from the ground floor until the third.

As I walked around, I saw the boards at escalators saying 'departure' and 'arrival' along with city names...and each floor was designed based on the concept of some of the famous cities around the world, like Istanbul, Tokyo, London, San Francisco, Paris, etc.  Istanbul had Turkish lamps hanging from the ceiling, and other sculptures or pillars representing the city.  Same goes for all the other floors and other cities (see the Japanese lanterns below).

Turkish lamp chandelier

gorgeous Turkish lamps and street

let's test your eyes: read what it says on the black cloth!

Terminal 21 is more like a retail complex having small stores and local brands too, unlike Emporium and Siam Paragon that mostly have foreign and higher end brands.  A mall is incomplete without a Food Court, and there's a pretty big one in Terminal 21 too with a variety of cuisines.  There is a dedicated vegetarian section too.  And Thai dessert.  Fresh mango and sticky rice, my favorite.

Mango and sticky rice

There are few more photos of Terminal 21 that I have of many other themes, structures, sculptures, wall and ceiling decor, and cities.  But I don't want to spoil your excitement when you go visit this place yourself, so just a few glimpses here.

Walking around further, I spot this t-shirt in one of the stores.  Yes, I think we have had enough of 'gangnam style' already!

oppa no no no!

But what about the restrooms?

I'm getting there.  Dessert at the end.  (oops. lol.)

See these pictures below?

theme restrooms with different concepts

A different concept inside restrooms too, even if they are on the same floor.  If one was a wharf-themed with barrels and crabs, another was bakery-themed.  If one restroom had rocks, leaves, and bamboos giving a feel of Japan, another had beautiful lamps and marbled sinks representing Turkey.  If one restroom had lights, posters, and foot or hand prints like Hollywood, another one had the 'tube' and a feel of London.

restrooms in Terminal 21

Although the temperatures in Bangkok never require heating the toilet seat or setting the water temperature to warmer, this has been the only kind I have EVER seen in Bangkok.  I'm afraid all these fancy toilets might not last too long because of curious people experimenting on each button, you know.  Anyway, now that I am back to US and to !@#$%^&* bathroom tissues, I might just start crying if I talk about how good the water spray felt.

So let me leave you with my happy face instead.

Hollywood ............................................................... Japanese

Do you have an experience to share about some place's ambiance you really loved?  Write away!
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