Thailand’s largest integrated district opens in time for Christmas

Bangkok denizens come as ‘One’ this holiday season as the Thai capital’s showpiece precinct welcomes the public

Strolling along the boulevard of Bangkok’s new showpiece district, toward its giant Christmas tree, feels like stepping into a holiday movie with a Thai twist.

Christmas this year hit different with the much-awaited opening of One Bangkok, the largest holistically integrated district in the heart of the city. The THB120-billion project had made its public debut in October with a star-studded celebration, followed this month by the opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, the city’s first.

Filing in from nearby embassies and mass transit links like the Lumphini MRT Station, Bangkokians are now embracing the freedom of the people-centric precinct. The self-contained city-within-a-city at the corner of Witthayu (Wireless) and Rama IV Roads hosts an array of steadily filling office towers, retail nexuses, luxury hotels, photogenic streetscapes, and more.

This month, One Bangkok is all aglow for its “Onederous” Christmas celebration. The district is adorned with festive installations inspired by Thai and Western folk tales and mythology, complete with a Christmas market.

In this whimsical world where the Garden of Eden meets the Himavanta Forest, Santa Claus rides a sleigh pulled by Siamese cats. Artist Yoon Phannapast Taychamaythakool also brings the tale of the cat to life across more than a dozen window displays along One Bangkok Boulevard.

Flanking the entrance of the boulevard, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok emanates regal charm this holiday season. Nodding to the site’s techno-majestic heritage, the hotel sets the stage for an aesthetic that parent company Marriott International describes as the “Meeting of Two Civilisations.”

Jenni Benzaquen, senior vice president of The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, saw the opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok as a pivotal milestone. “By seamlessly blending Thailand’s deep cultural heritage with The Ritz-Carlton’s timeless elegance and forward-thinking design, we are not only enhancing the city’s luxury landscape but also offering guests an experience that is both authentic and transformative,” she says.

The Crown Property Bureau had entrusted multinational developer Frasers Property Limited to transform the 108-rai (42.7-acre) plot into the landmark lifestyle district it is today. In 2015, shortly after acquiring the site, Frasers launched a three-month masterplan design competition, inviting proposals from globally renowned firms. The competition concluded with the selection of a masterplan by the US-based firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).

Winner of the Best Mega Mixed Use Development title at the PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards, One Bangkok unfolds like a vertical Thai village. “This is a masterplan tailored to Bangkok’s culture and climate and, more specifically, to this neighbourhood,” Scott Duncan, design partner with SOM, tells Property Report by PropertyGuru.

The Chicago-based architecture practice, along with Thailand’s A49, went on to design the façade of the hotel. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok features gracefully ascending open-air terraces, spectacular vantage points from which one can take in park and skyline views.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok treads the path of nobles, and One Bangkok itself stands on historic ground, where HRH Prince Purachatra established Thailand’s first radio station, lending Wireless Road its name. In designing The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, consultants explored archival images of historic noblemen’s residences, with studio PIA masterfully weaving together elements of the past, present, and future in the interior design.

Thoughtful details, such as black-and-white photos and furniture that could belong in antique homes, are artfully placed throughout the hotel. Even the lift buttons have their own typeface.

From the hotel to the streets, art permeates every corner of One Bangkok. Guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok are greeted by eye-popping installations such as “Hurricane Silver” by British duo Fredrikson Stallard while One Bangkok’s two-kilometre Art Loop has tourist attractions in the making such as The Wireless House. Hotel guests can join The New Generation creative tours through the loop, giving them a fresh perspective on the local art scene.

Upon arriving at the lobby floor, guests are greeted by glass lilies gracefully floating above a rectangular pond, illuminated by the glow of three arched windows that perfectly frame vistas of Lumphini Park.

The floral installation symbolises a larger narrative blossoming in Thailand. “Our stays are designed to create memorable moments that resonate with our guests, paying homage to Thailand’s ‘cultural bloom’—the evolution from its graceful past to its exciting future,” says Tina Liu, the hotel’s general manager.

The aptly named Lily’s restaurant, offering customisable sharing plates for groups, is conveniently located near the socmed-ready water feature. Nearby is Caleō, a sophisticated lounge where guests can enjoy afternoon teas or toast with cocktails inspired by destinations from Rangoon to New York.

On the seventh floor, just steps away from a lengthy infinity pool, stands a glasshouse that is home to Duet, a French restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef David Toutain and rising culinary star Valentin Fouache. Meanwhile, the 23rd-floor Club Lounge, adorned with locally sourced accents, provides an inviting space for intimate gatherings, offering panoramas high above the metropolis.

Related: Thailand’s largest integrated district rises

The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok features 260 keys across 15 types, beginning with the 50-square-metre Deluxe Rooms, some of which include balconies to savour Bangkok’s warm air. From there, the options only become progressively larger, including the 102-square-metre Gardenia Suites and the 127-square-metre Marigold and Amaranth Suites. The Ritz-Carlton Suite, a magnificent 389-square-metre penthouse, tops the 216-metre-high building.

Boundaries between indoors and outdoors give way with floor-to-ceiling windows, letting guests admire picturesque views from the comfort of their beds, balconies—or even bathtubs. Corner units enhance the experience with park views from multiple angles inside the bathroom.

After soaking in the views, guests can spill out into the expansive outdoor realm of One Bangkok, where public areas cover 50 rai (19.7 acres). This includes the imposing One Bangkok Park, a 10,000-square-metre, car-free civic space that served as the larger-than-life stage for the opening celebration on 25 October.

Standing 28 metres above the park is a Christmas tree that draws inspiration from the iconic Wat Arun. With vibrant glazed tiles as well as shapes reminiscent of an ubosot (ordination hall) and prang (tower), the luminous giant could only be described as the “Pine Pagoda.”

October’s “Let Our Hearts Beat as One” celebration featured emblems of Thai soft power such as Bright Vachirawit and PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn, alongside international singers Calum Scott and Loren Allred, delivering a dazzling East-meets-West spectacle.

Panote Sirivadhanabhakdi, group chief executive officer of Frasers Property Limited, paid tribute to his parents Charoen and Khunying Wanna Sirivadhanabhakdi during the opening. “This project marks a significant stride in elevating Thailand’s capital to the status of a true world-class metropolis,” says the 2018 Thailand Real Estate Personality of the Year.

Spectators were also captivated by a performance from the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra at the One Bangkok Forum, a 6,000-capacity events venue.

Complementing this is The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok’s own Grand Ballroom, which can hold up to 1,200 guests across nine flexible function spaces. The ballroom features three LED screens and an entire wall of windows framing the park.

Every day is cause for celebration at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, where a curated series of experiences, called Supporting Scenes, plus performances and artistic journeys, bring local traditions and culture to life. Among the line-up is the daily Defining Moment, a reinterpretation of the traditional klong yao (long drum) ceremony that marks the start of evening festivities.

Related: Award-winner One Bangkok unveils its ‘Evolving Bangkok’ vision

Accessible from The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, the luxurious shopping street POST 1928 is one of many retail destinations, collectively spanning over 160,000 square metres at One Bangkok. Opened together with The Storeys, the nine-floor Parade has King Power City Boutique, a 5,000-square-metre, duty-free wonderland designed by Hayon Studio, and the 4,600-square-metre Mitsukoshi in the depachika format, inspired by Japan’s food halls and supermarkets. Over 750 brands are participating in One Bangkok’s so-called Retail Loop while the dining equivalent, Food Loop, is including over 250 eateries.

As the first district in Thailand to achieve LEED Platinum certification for Neighbourhood Development, One Bangkok is emerging as a premier workplace, too. The initial office phase includes Tower 4, currently at 80% occupancy, as well as the soaring Towers 3 and 5.

As 2024 winds down, the celebrations for One Bangkok are reaching their crescendo. With a reported THB1.2-billion budget, festive activities and special promotions will continue through the year’s end.

That original radio station may no longer broadcast holiday cheer, but with a dash of ritz and a touch of “Onederous” urban planning, One Bangkok is living up to the name. A unifying landmark in the city, it may just enchant tourists and residents for Christmases to come.