It’s official: the spaceship-like extension outside Central World, the one that Apple and the Central Group have long tried to deny was going to be an Apple Store, is an Apple Store. (How’s that for a lede?)

 

Apple let the cat out of the bag this week, announcing that its latest Apple Store in Thailand will open this Friday, Jul 31, at the Ratchaprasong shopping mall.

 

According to the brand, this two-floor Apple Store, connected to Central World on both levels, will feature an all-glass design sheltered under a cantilevered “tree canopy” roof. The wood touches continue throughout, as a spiral staircase, fashioned out of stainless teel, wraps around the tree’s timber center, leading from the ground level to the second floor. Outside, a plaza speckled with benches and Indian almond trees offers shade and a place to play with your new Apple products.

 

The store incorporates many of Apple’s latest features, including free-standing displays, a boardroom and a forum centered on a video wall. In the future, the forum will play host to live sessions from Bangkok artists and musicians, while the ground-level boardroom will provide developers and business entrepreneurs a space to receive personal advice from the Apple team—a team of 130, who can collectively speak 17 languages, for the record.

 

As we live in a pandemic-driven world, take note that the Apple Store will be by-appointment-only this Friday. Visit apple.com/th/centralworld to choose from available times (each non-transferable reservation admits one person) and expect a wait.

 

Happy shopping.