If you thought the True “Sip ‘n’ Surf” outlet in Khao San was pretty neat, check out the company’s latest and biggest effort. Far more than just a place to pay your phone bill (though you can do that, too), the True Brand Concept Shop is to us, one of the highlights of Siam Paragon. It's an all-in-one “lifestyle” center where you can chill, shop and check out technology that will make you go “wow!”

The store occupies a huge space, more than 600 square meters, with a dark and cavernous nightclub feel. Compared to the retro warmth of the Khao San branch, the new flagship is stylish in a much more modern way, from the furniture to the attractive, black-clad staff. The first thing you notice as you approach the glass-fronted shop is the sign, a towering black-and-red flip dot screen, the biggest of its kind in Asia, we are told. Step closer to it and you can hear the “dots” flip and feel the air blowing out of the holes, which is impressive enough until you notice that your shadow is being “projected” onto the screen—and not only that but it moves as you move.

You know those “virtual” aquarium screen savers or those DVDs that turn your TV into a fish tank? At this shop an entire wall is the screen, and what you see is a live broadcast from Siam Ocean World. More eye candy can be found in the open kitchen, which is backlit on three walls with a changing rainbow of colors.

Unlike most “concept” stores, the technology here enhances the experience but it isn’t meant to be the whole experience. So customers will come back for other, more practical reasons, which can be as simple as grabbing a snack and a took lae dee cup of coffee (B60-80), made with True’s own special blend of beans grown in the North, or to check their email. They even sell flowers.

There are officially several different zones, but they’re all open to each other and not always all that distinct. In the “zone” that most closely resembles a cafe, you can plug your iPod into one of the docks built into the tables and charge your battery while listening to your music through speakers enclosed in a plastic dome that hangs from the ceiling. In the future, if things go according to plan, you’ll even be able to share your music with the cute girl across the room who has her head up her own dome. If you don’t have your own iPod, don’t worry: There’s a rotating cast of DJs on hand to spin tunes for the whole room to hear.

As you would expect there is a multimedia area, where you can surf the Net while watching UBC or a DVD on flatscreen monitors mounted on poles at different heights and angles. Projected on a wall is another giant screen that displays SMS messages (sent to 84000).

In addition to cakes, smoothies and other quick foods for your stomach, you can feed your mind and soul with books and CDs. Stocks are limited to 600 or so books and 1,000 CDs, but many items are rare or limited edition. Similarly, the selection of tech toys for sale—phones, iPods, digital cameras and accessories—is much smaller than what you’ll find at MBK or Panthip, but limited to high-end, hard-to-find and the newest products, from car GPS systems to Blackberries to Doraemon and Hello Kitty phones. The prices aren’t the lowest in town, but they’re competitive. Plus the little extra that you might pay is worth it for the pleasant atmosphere and level of service.

Shopping at the True Brand Concept Shop is the way shopping should be. There’s no hard sell, and the staff, who seem genuinely happy to be there, know what they’re talking about (and if they don’t, they’ll try to find someone who does, as opposed to the usual “mai roo”-“mai mee”-“mai dai” routine).

If you have a problem or question about your laptop or phone, there are people on hand who can help—even if you didn’t buy it there. Honest. They’ll let you touch and try out the products, and in most cases you can listen to the CDs or read the books and magazines before you buy. And if you want to sit down and charge your iPod, no one is going to give you dirty looks if you don’t buy a cappuccino.

If it all sounds impossibly warm and fuzzy, remember that this is a “concept” store. It’s different because the goal is not to squeeze as much money as possible out of every person who walks through the door. Instead, True is using it to try out new ideas, to gauge customer preferences and to get visitors to like and trust the brand. So later you’ll happily part with your cash—no squeezing necessary.