Gateway Ekamai mall aims to offer an alternative shopping experience from the other cookie-cutter centres across Bangkok. The mall is meant to epitomise the Japanese lifestyle that Thai people embrace readily with a mix of restaurants, clothes stores, health and beauty shops, as well as an edutainment centre, a large IT zone and a 24 hour supermarket. Whilst it probably won’t deliver for Japanophiles its ease of access via the skywalk link to BTS Ekamai and decent, affordable selection of restaurants under one roof is sure to attract visitors.
The overall experience is very pleasant. A huge Maneki-neko (lucky cat) welcomes you as you step off the train and the building’s soft lines and terracotta colours are warm and inviting. Inside the mall is light and airy, with origami birds floating up high in its central atrium. There are also replica cherry trees, lanterns, a bamboo water fountain, girls dressed as geishas and the sound of J-pop. Although the experience might not be entirely authentic it adds to the soothing atmosphere.
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