A full guide to Thonglor (Sukhumvit Soi 55) — the design studios, restaurants, rooftop bars and Japanese community.
Thonglor Road runs 3km from Sukhumvit Road — the first km is the most commercial (restaurants, bars); the deeper sois have galleries and studios.
Thonglor has some of Bangkok's most interesting restaurants — both high-end Thai and international; the Japanese community has created excellent ramen and izakaya options.
Rooftop bars and cocktail venues in the Thonglor area include some of Bangkok's best-designed spaces — later and louder than Ari, less intense than Soi 11.
BTS Thong Lo station then Grab or motorbike taxi into the soi; the soi is too long to walk the whole thing in the heat.
Thonglor has a growing number of boutique hotels and serviced apartments — a good base for anyone prioritising food and design over proximity to the main tourist sights.
Evenings are when Thonglor really comes alive, as the restaurant and bar scene picks up — daytime is quieter and better suited to browsing design studios and galleries.