Fashion Trend Center

The Face: Its name grabbed our attention, so we gravitated towards this “trend center.” A cool book and magazine cubby. Trend books are kept on lock-down behind the reception counter. The magazine selection is fab and up to date. Sit and peruse pricey fashion books you’d normally just skim through at Asia Books.Quiet, isolated (no neighboring offices) and staff are helpful but sometimes don't have a clue. No photocopy services available but they'll scan and do print outs at B20 per page for black and white and B50 per page for color. (That feeling that you've been robbed comes at no extra charge.)

The Feeling: A place for a work-free afternoon to read and hone on your fashion prowess. The primo trend books tempt you into passing ideas on to your tailor for your next big outing. However, if you couldn't care less about fashion, it’s really nothing spectacular—Asia Books or Kinokuniya will do just fine.

The Fees: Members fees and privileges vary from B200-4,000.

6/F, The Office at Central World Tower, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-264-5353, www.fashiontrendcenter.com. Open Tue-Fri 10:30am-8pm. 

Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC)

The Face: A huge location with a very impressive presence. The first gallery is very informative and highly entertaining, great for insight on the origins and inception of design, which are displayed through objects, descriptions and multimedia showcases. The second gallery shows monthly exhibitions. Staff are helpful and informative—though, somehow invisible. The global material collection of Material ConneXion is massive and useful for designers and trade people.

The Feeling: It's all above standard and beyond our expectations, though the membership fee is heartbreaking. If you need any inspiration or are looking to expand your right-brain creativity, this is definitely the place. It can be used as a temporary office in the afternoons or as a great spot for a "creative" first date.

The Fees: B600-600,000. Free for first time visitors.

6/F, The Emporium, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-664-8448. www.tcdc.or.th. Open Tue-Sun 10:30am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phong.

Maruey Knowledge & Resource Center

The Face: The hall is bright and airy with ceiling-high glass windows and modern décor. Book collections are plentiful but most of them focus on finance and investments. Audio-visual learning is available as well as chess, a big screen projector and 30 plus computers. People can enjoy a morning chat over a cup of joe on the ground floor but upstairs is reserved for serious study only. The second floor houses academic, financial and business information of the companies listed in the stock market. Librarians here are as typically stuffy as they usually are. Free WiFi is provided and a coffee shop next to the library serves up Starbucks-like coffee; upstairs is a B2S bookstore.

The Feeling: Their early-bird opening and night owl closing hours are great. It gives you a chance to visit either before or after work. Some casual reads are also available too. This library brilliantly combines the old and the new into one place.

The Fees: Free entry for all but only members can check out books. Member fees are B100, but gold and silver members have to pay B300 and B500 respectively, in case of damaged books.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand building, 62 Ratchadaphisek Rd., next to Queen Sirikit Center, www.maruey.com, 02-229-2063-4. Open Sun-Thu 8:30am-11pm, Fri-Sat 8:30am-midnight. MRT Queen Sirikit Center.

TK Park & ICT Learning Center

The Face: TK library is a quirky interpretation of the typical library with comic books and casual reads. Computer services are provided at B10 for every 30 minutes by use of a refillable member card. A minimum value of B300 on your card enables you to check-out two books at once and return them within seven days. There's a music library too but good luck finding a spot thanks to all those kids. A VR (virtual reality) room is across the hall and an ICT learning center is next door. With about a 100 computers available, service fees are B10 per hour but you have to take a tiring hop-around-the-hall for the pre-pay process. A computer library's on the left and a seminar room is next to it. On the right, find a 4D Theater, E-training class and British Council rooms in that order.

The Feeling: It has a lovely, family-friendly environment that kids just love. It mixes a grandpa-library with a young, cutting-edge one. Stuck baby-sitting tiny tykes? Bring them here while you surf for porn next door.

The Fees: Free entrance. Membership cards are B50 for children and seniors and B100 for adults.

4/F, Central World Plaza, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-250-7620. www.tkpark.or.th, BTS Chitlom. Open Mon-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm.

The Style by Toyota

The Face: The first floor has a prototype car display, café, and an IT terminal with content ranging from fashion, music, moviez, design, sports and technology. Discover the Ubiq window—a touch screen panel for designing screen savers, pictures or cars that you can burn onto CDs or download into phones. Their see-through LED screen boasts to be the biggest in Asia—and is actually the outside wall of the building. The DJ booth and design lounge are on the second floor. The third floor is an event and workshop hall.

The Feeling: It’s geared for teens that like to cruise around Siam but everyone is welcome and the content of the IT terminal is quite enjoyable. The touch screen computers and the Ubiq window don't 100% work. It’s a good place to come after a long hard day of shopping—and could possibly evolve into the new "center point," who knows?

The Fees: Free.

240/9, Siam Soi 2-3, Rama 1 Rd. 02-658-4444. Open daily 10am-8pm. BTS Siam.