Bangkok's Prominent IT Shopping Mall Pantip Plaza

Pantip Plaza (some call it Panthip) is likely the best place in Thailand to go shopping for any type of computer and PC parts and accessories. It is situated on the New Petchburi Road in the center of Bangkok, just around the corner from the most popular shopping malls and department stores the capital has to offer. It is Thailand's largest IT and computer shopping mall and the right place to find PC hardware and software: a new laptop, desktop or any other item of IT equipment. 
From all kinds of PCs, new or used computer parts at discount prices, shiny laptops, desktops, monitors, projectors, printers, scanners, cameras, security systems, computer peripherals and so on, to pirated software, sexy movies, MP3 players, counterfeit games, CD's and DVDs it's all there, under one roof, scattered over five floors plus basement and mezzanine, as well as parking lots of Pantip Plaza. All of which are reasons for its success and notoriety.  Pantip Plaza Entrance on New Petchburi Road
Pantip Plaza is open daily from 10 AM to 9 PM. However, the stores within the plaza are free to operate their own hours.
 Inside Pantip Plaza
Pantip Plaza is housing many large brand names stores such as HP, Canon, Intel, Toshiba, Acer, Samsung, Sony, Brother, Apple and other major manufacturers showcasing their latest gadgets. It also houses a few computer superstores, like IT City (fifth floor), Data IT (second floor) and DVDR2U (mezzanine level). These stores are selling only genuine products at fixed prices. There are literally dozens of different vendors including service centers and numerous small repair shops where you can get your hardware fixed, shops selling high end computer parts for building or modifying your own computer.  High-End Computer Shop in Pantip Plaza
Pantip is also well known as a stellar place to violate copyright laws and get bootleg software for PC or Mac, playstation games for consoles, MP3's, VCD's, DVD's and such. Sporadic crackdowns on pirated media and occasional busts do not prevent the many vendors from selling counterfeit products. In a matter of hours after police raids, the situation returns to 'normal', i.e. an illicit trade is flourishing all over again. The vendors barely adapt and keep their stocks hidden.
All in all, techno-geeks will definitely enjoy spending a few hours in the mall sifting through a wide selection of shops offreing computer-related goods. If you're shopping on a budget, take your time and compare the prices. Normally, the shopping mall is rather crowded particularly on weekends. Food and drinks to the rescue, there are several coffee shops, a couple of food courts and fastfood restaurants like S & P and KFC.  Computer Hardware Shops in Pantip Plaza
The polularity of Pantip Plaza led to establishment of a few additional branches: Pantip Plaza 2 - on Ngamwongwan Road in NonthaburiPantip Bangkapi - on Bangkapi Road, and alsoPantip Plaza Chang Mai - on the corner of Chang Klan (Night Bazar) and Sri Donchai roads.
There are several other malls in Bangkok with a similar, but smaller range of products on sale:
Hollywood IT - 100 or so meters away from Panthip (close to BTS Ratchathewi station)Seri Center - near Seacon SquareIT Mall in the Fortune Tower - intersection of Ratchadapiskek and Asok-Din Daeng roadsDigital Gateway - four-storey IT mall on Ploenchit Road (BTS Siam exit 2) genuine stuff onlyZeer IT Mall - on Phahonyotin Road, three kilometers past Don Muang International Airport.
To be continued...
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