All Montblanc stores "permanently closed"?

the siam paragon one was the last to go, i walked past it in feb and it was already empty. the rent in those malls is insane, like 2-3 million baht a month for a decent sized unit, so if sales were slow it makes sense they cut losses. if you want montblanc stuff, check the airport duty free or the resellers on fortune town's 3rd floor, they have legit stock for way less

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yeah they shut down all their Bangkok boutiques earlier this year, around march i think. the one at siam paragon was the last to go. honestly not that surprising, their prices were wild even by luxury mall standards and the service was always kinda stuffy. i heard the thai distributor just didn't renew the franchise agreement, prob couldn't compete with all the grey market sellers online

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honestly i think the grey market thing is what killed em. you can find montblanc pens and wallets at half price on facebook groups like "ของแท้มือสอง" and the warranty is the same. i knew a guy who worked at the emquartier location and he said the thai distributor was losing money for years but kept hoping tourism would bounce back. it never really did. if you want to see their stuff in person before buying, central embassy still has a small section in the department store but its not a full boutique

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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