PANTIP PLAZA

This article is about the Bangkok shopping center. For the Internet forum, see Pantip.com.

Pantip Plaza is an indoor IT shopping mall located on New Phetchaburi Road in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok, Thailand. The sale of counterfeit software and DVDs are the major reasons behind this mall's success and notoriety.

Pantip Plaza is featured in a hit song by Loso, "Pantip", which has a hook chorus, "mai bai Pantip" ("no go Pantip" or "I won't go to Pantip") and is about a man dating a woman and taking her shopping at World Trade Center, MBK Center and Siam Square, but he refuses to take her to Pantip Plaza.

Software

Legitimate licensed software remains unpopular for the majority of Pantip shoppers due to high prices and the availability of counterfeit versions of the same software. Prices of counterfeit software, DVDs and games range from about 100 to 300 baht (USD 2.50-8).

A few publishers, such as Blizzard Entertainment, offer licensed "for sale in Thailand only" software with localized Thai packaging and manuals at prices in the $8-$20 range.

As of December 2005, purchasing pirated software remains an easy and open practice, despite the occasional shuttering of all shops selling illegal software and entertainment CDs, DVDs, and VCDs during police checks.

Hardware

Pantip contains three large retail shops and several hundred small shops specializing in parts, modifications, hardware, networking, second hand, laptops, Macintosh and peripherals. Of note is a wide selection of second-hand business machines from IBM, Gateway, and Dell. Most of these machines come via cargo ship from Western countries. A large majority are, however, stolen goods from a number of sources. Recently hardware manufacturers such as Asus have reported the stolen hardware and are able to 'lock them down' when a specific peripheral is connected to the Asus website.

Chiang Mai location

There is another Pantip Plaza in Chiang Mai, on the corner of Changklan Road and Sri Donchai Road.

Coordinates: 13°45′0″N, 100°32′15″E