The Best Skateboard Parks and Shops in Bangkok

The Best Skateboard Parks and Shops in Bangkok

It would be fairly accurate to say that the skateboarding trend has never really been taken to heart in Thailand and Bangkok like it has in America and other Western countries.

But there is still much more of a local skate scene in Bangkok than many people may initially realise, and there are not only a growing number of skateparks, but also skate shops selling both international and locally-produced brands of boards and their related regalia.

And while many of these parks are pretty ‘DIY’ affairs courtesy of local skaters, and it is rather unlikely to find anything with ramps that are too extreme by comparison to other extreme sports, some of the best ones in Bangkok have good layouts and plenty of space in which to work on those skate tricks.

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Some of these parks have even been featured in a few pro tours, demos and competitions that have occurred in Thailand, but there is one thing that any potential visitor to Bangkok who fancies trying their hand at skating here needs to consider – the heat!

Thailand is a tropical country and it’s not that difficult for some visitors to work up quite a sweat from just a brief stroll down the street, let alone pulling ollies and flips in a skatepark in the midday sun and 30-plus degree temperatures.

So this is likely to be the main issue with any outdoor parks, and is one of the main reasons why many Thai skaters are far more likely to visit any of these venues in the evening when it’s (a least a little) cooler.

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The Bangkok skate scene is not massive and could still be considered as largely ‘underground’ – so in a bid to provide just a few brief insights to the scene and its related culture we have combined this post into an introduction to both some of the skateparks and the shops that are closely associated with the scene.

Bangkok Skateparks

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 1. Hua Mak Skatepark

 This Bangkok skatepark is a huge and spacious affair that could be considered as being of professional standard – it is considered by most locals as the park with the highest standards.

It’s an indoor park — well, it does have a roof at least – but don’t expect any air-conditioning other than the natural kind, and this place has been featured on a few pro tours and demos (The Fallen Footwear Tour being a prime example).

The skatepark is located right next to the famous Rajamangala Stadium (home of the Thai national football team), and is part of the Hua Mak Sports Complex where many famous Thai/international sporting events have taken place.

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Hua Mak Skatepark comprises a few reasonably-sized ramps and rails and is usually likely to be the place where any Bangkok skateboard competitions are held. Due to its roof and ‘indoor’ feel, this is obviously the ideal choice for Bangkok skaters during the months of the rainy season.

In terms of ramps, this place has wooden banks, flat banks, boxes, quarter pipes and stair sets, along with plenty of handrails. Unlike many of the other skateboard parks in Bangkok, thankfully the props in this venue are well maintained and kept in pretty good condition all year round.

Location: Ramkhamhaeng Road, Hua Mak Subdistrict, Bang Kapi, Bangkok

Opening times: 10 am – 10 pm

Price: 200 baht (for the whole day)

2. Benjasiri Park Skatepark

This is a pretty small Bangkok skatepark of the free, outdoor variety.

It does have a pretty smooth and pothole-free concrete floor with a few small metal ramps. These ramps can be moved around (and often are), so don’t expect the place to look exactly the same every time you visit in terms of layout!

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There are also a couple of low rails and a grind box, along with a long, curved, concrete bank on one side of the park. There is also a 5ft-high mini ramp, but it is steep and narrow so hard to skate except for seasoned skaters.

Another plus is the flood lights which ensure an evening skating session once the sun has disappeared for the day. This is a great city-centre location surrounded by classy shopping malls etc., and the park itself is a nice city green spot with a lake in the middle.

 Location: Benchasiri Park, Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Toei. (Right next to Phrom Phong BTS station)

Opening times: 5am – 9pm

Price: Free 

 3. Thammasat X-treme Plaza

For the uninitiated, Thammasat is a Bangkok university with 2 campuses. It also just happens to have a pretty big outdoor concrete skatepark in one of the campuses on the outskirts of the city in the northern Bangkok region.

Needless to say, the skatepark in this place is of a high standard and quality, with nice smooth concrete. Here you can find a variety of banks, ledges, rails, stair sets and some big hips, too. And the place is floodlit and safe. Certainly this particular outdoor venue is well worth a visit for any budding skaters in Bangkok, whether they be locals or visitors.

 Location: Thammasat Universit, Rangsit Campus, Khlong Luang, Bangkok 12120

Opening times: 4pm – 9pm

Price: 100 baht

4. The Pink Skatepark

This place is an outdoor park under a bridge, and it has what might be termed more of an authentic ‘street’ feel to it. The name apparently comes from the pink graffiti that adorns the spot, and many of the rails have since been painted in the same colour.

It’s hardly as DIY as some of the ‘backstreet’ skateparks in Bangkok which have largely been put together by local enthusiasts as best they can though (and most people don’t even know about). And although this is an outdoor park, it does benefit from the cover of the overpass.

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In fact, the Pink Skatepark does have international standard wood / metal frame ramps, along with flat banks, rails and kickers. Some of the ramps here are pretty challenging, although younger or less-experienced skaters are fine here as there are plenty of smaller ramps by way of comparison to what might be considered more ‘pro’ parks.

Experienced skaters definitely have enough here though to keep them occupied for a good few hours.

Location: Right next to Khlong Tan ferry pier, under the Ekkamai overpass, on Phetchaburi Road. The nearest BTS station is Ramkhamhaeng SRT-city line.

Opening times: Always open

Price: Free

5. The Yellow Skatepark

Continuing for a moment with the colour theme — The Yellow Skatepark is a fairly low-key, DIY affair that is also situated under a bridge, quite close to the Wong Wian Yai BTS station.

It’s basically an area of concrete with some DIY ramps and rails that local enthusiasts have added as and when they have been able. And again this place is ok for a spot of skateboarding when it’s raining as the motorway bridge overhead provides cover.

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Nothing special but better than nothing if you are close to the area, and like many of the other Bangkok skateparks you won’t find the place overly-crowded.

Location: Wong Wian Yai

Opening times: Always open

Price: Free

Bangkok Skate Shops

 Upon deeper investigation it is actually amazing to find out just how many skate shops there are in Bangkok now!

With that in mind, we can only present a small insight into them with just a couple here to give you the idea and set you on your way.

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Preduce

Preduce has been around since 2002 and was the first Thai Skateboard shop, and most Bangkok skateboarders consider the brand as Thailand’s premier skate shop.

Preduce opened their flagship store in Siam Square in 2006, and the name has developed into a place considered as the home of Bangkok skateboard and street culture by establishing itself as an authentic and innovative local brand.

Needless to say, Preduce has been involved in projects with local and international designers, artists, film-makers, photographers and musicians, which has helped to elevate the profile of the brand.

Preduce has its own skateboard team which has done its utmost to put the Thai skateboarding scene into global waters. They have produced several videosshowcasing both their talents and the local scene, and the names of them if you want to try and find them are as follows:

“Smooth” (2005), “Sambai” (2009), “Chaiyo” (2012), “Sawatdee” (2014), “Selamat” (2016) and “Supermix” (2018).

The Preduce brand is now distributed internationally, and there is an ever-expanding range of products available now which includes skateboard decks, wheels, and hardware, as well as a full clothing line and various other accessories.

ADDRESS: 218/9 Siam Square Soi 1, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330

WEBSITE: https://www.preduce.com/

Tong Tong Shop

Tong Tong is a Bangkok skateboard retailer that may be easier to find than a lot of them.

It is actually located in what is known as the Metro Mall – a small chain of shops that runs through various sections of the underground MRT station at Chatuchak (which is also an interchange station for the BTS).

This is only a relatively small store, but it still carries a reasonable range of well-known brands both local and international, as well as all the usual regalia and accessories that one may hope to find in any self-respecting skate store.

Address: Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

Hours:  7:30PM ⋅ Opens 10AM Sun

Phone: 086 554 5755