Bangkok isn’t especially well-known for being dog friendly, but we’ve sniffed out a great selection of malls, cafes and green spaces where your fur babies (and kids!) are more than welcome.
1. The Commons
This hip lifestyle and food mall in Thonglor soi 17 welcomes pets, adding to its vibe as a casual, neighborhood meeting place. Pets aren’t specifically catered for with food, drinks or activities, but you’re free to bring them with you while you have a meal, eat ice cream or just hang out in the Commons’ central communal areas. On busier weekends, it’s the paw-fect destination for mingling with other dogs and their owners. Use the ‘Puppy Parking’ outside of the ground floor food section to tether leashed dogs if you’re just running in for a quick coffee or meal.
Given that most public parks in Bangkok don’t allow dogs, this man-made reservoir and recreational area offers a rare green space for walks with Fido as well as for kids to bike and scooter around. There’s a four kilometre-long bike and jogging trail around the lake, giving you the perfect place to stroll around the water’s edge. A word of caution: some dog owners let their pets off the lead, so you’ll need to be vigilant if you’re coming here with young children.
3. K Village
Chic boutiques and restaurants abound at this open-air lifestyle mall, nestled between Sukhumvit 24 and 26. Along with a couple of dedicated pet shops, you’ll find plenty of pooch-friendly cafes, restaurants and dessert joints on the ground floor. There’s lots of shade and open spaces for strolls, while a central patio area serves as a popular meeting spot for fellow dog owners to gather and relax. As a bonus, the free little dog park is right next to the children’s play area.
4. Pooch Cafe
Eat cake and sip a frothy latte while the kids cuddle a super-cute puppy. That’s the main premise behind Pooch Cafe on Sukhumvit 31. There’s a 200++ baht fee to play with the adorable dogs, which includes a free pack of Pooch Treats to feed them with. The cafe also has a small but yummy menu of desserts and coffees, and boasts a “cappuccino printer”, which lets you print your own photos into the foam of your coffee!
At Central Festival Eastville, shoppers can walk around designated areas of the mall while pushing their pup around in a rented doggie cart. There’s also a huge pet store, The Pet Safari, that offers grooming and dog-sitting services, a pooch-friendly cafe called Dogkery Café, and an outdoor dog playground kitted out with astroturf and obstacles to set tails happily wagging. As for the rest of the family? There’s the FAM PLAYLAND indoor playground as well as a huge B2S Think Space book, stationary and art supply store with a play & learn space for children.
Heading out of town without your pet pooch or need a petsitter?
Check them into Unleashed BKK, the ultimate urban retreat for your four-legged friend. A western-style daycare and boarding centre for dogs run by Englishwoman Gemma Booth and her partner, there are no cages; instead, dogs sleep together in a communal area with lots of toys, beds and blankets to make them right at home. They’re also kept active and entertained with a range of activities, including swimming and running at the doggie pool and park next door.
Alternately, Dog Park 49 offers a spot for your dog to happily run around, jump in the pool, make new pals, get groomed, or even spend a night.
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