Details have finally emerged about a new riverside development on the banks of Bangkok’s Chao Praya River.

The Icon Siam development, which is currently under construction on a large plot of riverfront land between the Hilton and Peninsula hotels, will include two large retail complexes covering 525,000m², two luxury residential apartment buildings rising 70 and 40 stories, a conference centre and a riverside event area.

There will also be a series of attractions called the ‘Seven Wonders’, including what is being billed as “Southeast Asia’s longest land-based multimedia water-and-fire feature”, stretching more than 400 metres.

The project, which is expected to cost US$1.54 billion to develop, is being created by Siam Piwat, which operates the Siam Paragon mall, Magnolia Quality Development Corporation and Charoen Pokphand Group.

“Icon Siam is like a new city and embraces residential, retail, and cultural components. It is located at the heart of a broad catchment area for international and local customers, with three million residents, 200 upscale residential projects and more than 10,000 rooms in 50 world-renown hotels within a 5km radius,” said Tipaporn Chearavanont, CEO of Magnolia.

Above: Chadatip Chutrakul, CEO of Siam Piwat (centre); Tipaporn Chearavanont, CEO of Magnolia Quality Development Corporation (right) and Narong Chearavanont, senior executive assistant to chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group (left)

Narong Chearavanont, senior executive assistant to chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group, said the new project was intended be “a global-scale attraction to further boost Bangkok’s appeal”.

The stretch of the Chao Praya River between Taksin Bridge and Memorial Bridge is home to several international hotels, including the Sheraton, Mandarin Oriental and Shangri-La, as well as the Hilton and Peninsula. It is also home to the River City shopping complex, which also acts as the main pier for Bangkok’s evening dinner cruises.

But Icon Siam will become the largest development in the area, with 400 metres of river frontage – the longest of any development in central Bangkok.