The prize for world's worst shopping mall designs must go to Thailand hands down. Malls in this kingdom for some reason draw hordes of Thais; more people jam into the shopping high-rises than in any other place I've seen, and certainly far more than in the U.S. In the capital, Bangkok, there are hundreds of them to cater to the city's ten million residents. One would think that with so many potential customers, mall architects would carefully lay out a plan to fully and easily direct the teeming throngs, but no.
Imagine if you will a six story shopping plaza, complete with the requisite multi-cinema complex and amusement park on the top floor. Now imagine walking into the huge structure, which has several wings off a central foyer with shops ringing each floor. If one wanted to find one's way to the cinema, it would be a daunting task for three reasons: 1. There are no signs directing one to the actual cinema; 2. There is no floor plan anywhere in the complex; and 3. Asking for directions is fruitless, as no one seems to know exactly where it is, or if they do, how exactly to get there. After trying hopelessly to find the sixth floor (the escalators stop at the fourth floor), a shop owner graciously led us through the maze of hallways and shops to another set of escalators on the other side of the mall that led to the cinema.
As an experiment, I asked for a shop that I knew was not in the complex, and four people directed me in different directions and to different levels in search of the non-existent store.
If trying to find a particular shop isn't frustrating enough, adding to the claustrophobic experience is a curious personality trait of the collective Thai culture: A mall must not be tranquil: the more noise that can be generated, the better. Throughout the complex, what can only be described as "midway fair barkers" send amplified messages into the chaos, often competing next to one another.
If you visit Thailand and wish to experience the indoor multi-level version of the massive Bangkok weekend market, go to "The Mall." An iPod with earbuds is highly suggested if you dare enter the "malls from hell." Oh, yes, and it is best if you do not have a specific store in mind to locate.
3 comments:
Excuse me if I smile, John, at the typical American point of view, i.e. signs are the normal landmark, an absolute truth to follow, and without which life is a maze. I've been living for more than fifty years in central and southern Italy, and I find myself quite at ease in the recognizable Thai hodgepodge. I keep on loving your descriptions, of course.
Oh, my Thai wife adds a simple reason for the "hordes of Thais": the AC. It's always much cooler and dryer in a mall than outside, as for any closed space (skytrain, bus, taxi). That's why during the three trips I made to Bangkok last year I caught a cold each time.
Points well taken. But even Chatuchak market has a map! If one has no time commitment and doesn't mind the noise or wandering for hours, it could be considered one way to beat the heat (I prefer a coffee shop--if it is not in a mall). It is not for the person who is looking for one particular item or store, which then makes it a typical Thai experience! Thanks for your comments, as usual.
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