Photos shared on Twitter show the final stages of construction work on what will become Apple's second retail store in Bangkok, Thailand.

EQ oq0cUwAIKU9Y
The location is in front of the Central World mall. The area, which now features a white stone courtyard, was closed to the public long before Bangkok's first Apple store, Apple Iconsiam, officially opened in November 2018.

Over the past year, a temporary wall has kept the very large cylindrical construction site shrouded in mystery, but that has recently been removed and now only a temporary black covering conceals the building's glass walls, housed under a giant flat circular roof.

EQ owQnUEAAkQAJ
Outwardly, the store design is reminiscent of Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in California. Leaked architectural plans also appear to reveal the store's interior layout.

The plans show a ground floor with the familiar sequoia wood product tables arranged in a ring around the shop floor and shelves for displaying products along the walls.

ERZtqubXUAIcg0q
At the center of the store is a winding staircase to the second floor, which includes a large video screen indicating the Forum area and tables with seats for Today at Apple sessions and possibly Genius appointments. There is also a basement, which was formerly the parking lot of Central World.

bangkok central world apple store
Lights have been seen emanating from behind the black covering, suggesting that lighting has been installed and interior decoration is almost complete.

apple store bangkok central world
Given the how long it has been in development and the progress made so far, it looks like the store could open very soon. Once completed, it could well become the largest Apple Store in Southeast Asia, overtaking even Apple Orchard Road in Singapore.

(Thanks, Artit!)

Top Rated Comments

Donnacha Avatar
40 months ago

Weird. Never thought Thailand would be a profitable market. Are these stores intended for the Thai or western expats and tourists?
Thailand is actually a wealthy country, it is just that most of the money and all the power is held by the traditional elites centered around Bangkok and the army. They keep having to suspend democracy because the poor majority of Thais keep voting the wrong way.

Following the latest coup six years ago, and with an odd new king charting a very different course than his father, Westerners are being phased out in favor of Chinese tourists and investors. There are still plenty of Western retirees, but most are not natural Apple customers, and most have been financially constrained by the rise in value of the Thai currency in comparison to their own. Few are in the mood to spend these days.

Thais, on the other hand, feel they gain "face" by wearing designer clothes or driving an expensive car. Most go into debt to create the impression that they have more money than they do. Owning a Macbook or iPhone gains them a lot of "face".
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
40 months ago

This might be one of the most unique stores yet. I mean, there are several unique stores already, but man... This seems very cool.
I love how Apple is not just taking the copy-paste approach to their stores like 99% of chain stores do.

I've noticed a similar trend with certain gas stations here in Canada having unique designs to try and gain attention from consumers, since there's so much competition. The latest I've seen is a Shell station with large, angled Cedar beams and an open design. Quite artistic.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jayducharme Avatar
40 months ago
I actually like the black around the store. It looks like a giant 2013 Mac Pro.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
40 months ago
This might be one of the most unique stores yet. I mean, there are several unique stores already, but man... This seems very cool.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SteveJUAE Avatar
40 months ago

Weird. Never thought Thailand would be a profitable market. Are these stores intended for the Thai or western expats and tourists?
Apple products are widely available in Thailand just service and supports sucks

Apart from carriers shops even Thai equivalent of Bestbuy carries standard stock and then there are authorized retailers

My best bargain was in Thailand where due to exchange rate and Apple being slow to adjust meant I could buy my wifes rMB $60 cheaper than the US and $200 cheaper than UAE
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
top stories 25mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Design Leak, iOS 16.4 Coming Soon, and More

Saturday March 25, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware. iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
apple tv 4k red image

Apple Releases tvOS 16.4 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD

Monday March 27, 2023 10:00 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 16.4, the fourth major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, tvOS 16.4 comes two months following the release of tvOS 16.3. The tvOS 16.4 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update....