Various Thai media outlets are reporting that not one but two Apple Bangkok stores are under construction. The US tech giant is notorious about not commenting on its store plans anywhere in the world, even when branding appears on barriers covering its construction sites. However, the first Apple Bangkok store is scheduled to open at IconSiam, the massive retail and entertainment destination being built on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, which will officially begin trading on November 9.
Thai business magazine Positioning Magmeanwhile, is reporting a second Apple Bangkok store is being developed outside the giant CentralWorld shopping centre in the heart of the city.
This will be constructed underground, in similar style to the Apple store near New York’s Central Park, with a glass canopy above the courtyard through which customers can enter, before descending down a curved staircase.
The Icon Siam store will bear more of a resemblance to the Apple store on Singapore’s Orchard Road, featuring a two-story high glass frontage and most likely overlooking the river.
Both stores were probably designed by Foster + Partners which has a long pipeline of unique Apple store designs around the globe. Its most recent work was Apple Macau.
Apple now operates about 500 of its own stores in 24 countries.