Rating: 2.9/5 (10 votes)

Open Days: Generally, the building can be viewed from outside every day (it’s in a public city area). Access inside depends on actual building use and entry permissions.

Opening Hours: There is no single fixed schedule for “going inside” (it’s best to view/photograph the exterior in the morning or evening for nicer light, and avoid peak traffic hours on Phahonyothin – Ratchadaphisek).

 

Elephant Building (Tuk Chang) is one of Bangkok’s landmarks that’s unusual in a very intentional way. It doesn’t try to be a sleek, luxury high-rise like modern office towers. Instead, it chooses something far more memorable: a shape that clearly reads as an “elephant,” becoming a symbol of the Phahonyothin – Ratchadaphisek area almost by default. Even if architecture isn’t your thing, standing at the right distance is enough to make you start “reading” the form—which part feels like the head, which part suggests the legs, and which small details give it a personality beyond a typical tall building.

 

The building sits around the Phahonyothin Road and Ratchadaphisek Road intersection in Chom Phon, Chatuchak District—a northern Bangkok business zone that stays busy all day. That location gives the Elephant Building a special role as a kind of “urban compass.” Whether you’re meeting friends around Ratchayothin, heading to malls in the Ladprao area, or switching transit routes near Ha Yaek Lat Phrao, many people still look for this building to gauge distance and direction. It stands out, and it’s positioned exactly where your eyes naturally sweep when moving through the area.

 

What makes the Elephant Building worth talking about isn’t just that it “looks like an elephant,” but that its design identity grew from real constraints: land shape, regulations, and project requirements. The concept began as a large mixed-use development combining office and residential space. With a long, narrow plot and open-space rules, the earliest massing was conceived as three towers. But as the need for sellable/useable space increased, the towers had to be linked in certain upper sections. That created two large voids within the overall form, which later appeared surprisingly elephant-like—becoming the starting point for adding exterior details that made the “elephant” character unmistakable.

 

To enjoy looking at the Elephant Building, try not to see it as a building first. See it as one large animal. The resemblance comes mainly from how the massing is arranged and how the voids create rhythm. The “legs” read from the heavy, grounded forms near the base; the “body” is the long middle span; and the “head/tusks” are suggested by the more distinctive elements near the top. Shift your position slightly and the elephant can look different from angle to angle—sometimes standing square, sometimes seeming to face another direction. That’s the charm of a landmark like this: the more often you pass it, the more familiar it becomes without you even trying.

 

Although the Elephant Building is regularly mentioned in travel and architecture circles, the most sensible way to experience it as a visitor is to admire it from the outside. It’s a working building, not an attraction where you can freely explore every floor. The plan that usually works best is simple: stop by during good light, take photos from an angle that shows the shape clearly, then flow onward to nearby malls, markets, parks, or food areas around Ratchayothin – Ladprao. That way the visit stays natural to what the place actually is, and you still walk away with “real Bangkok” city vibes in your gallery.

 

Light matters here more than you might expect. Morning light tends to be crisp and sharpens the building’s edges, while evening light softens everything and adds depth to the mass. If you want a photo where it reads clearly as an elephant, stand far enough back to frame the whole form, and avoid hugging the roadside where you’ll feel rushed. This area gets traffic-heavy, especially after work. Choose safe spots for crossing and stopping, and don’t block sidewalks or pedestrian flow while photographing.

 

Getting There: The most comfortable option is MRT&mdash>get off at Phahon Yothin station, then walk or take a short ride depending on weather and luggage. Another option is BTS&mdash>get off at Phahon Yothin 24, then walk/transfer to your preferred viewing angle. If you take a taxi or drive, pin “Elephant Building / ตึกช้าง” and allow extra time, especially during morning rush and evening commute, because traffic patterns in the Phahonyothin – Ratchadaphisek zone can be unpredictable.

 

If you treat the Elephant Building as a sightseeing stop, it’s best thought of as “photo spot – city reading – then move on,” rather than a place to spend all day in one location. The value is that you get a piece of architecture that has become a shared symbol of the city, photos that instantly say “Bangkok,” and a location that connects easily to bigger malls, food areas, and nearby parks. If you like Bangkok with a story behind it, this is one place that shows the city isn’t only about newness or height—it’s also about bold ideas, meaning, and collective memory.

 

 

A: In general, the Elephant Building is a working mixed-use property (office and residential), so it’s best experienced from the outside. If you need interior access, you typically should have a related appointment or purpose in the building.

 

A: Morning or late afternoon/evening light helps the building’s edges and massing read more clearly, and it’s smart to avoid rush hours because this area often gets congested.

 

A: Yes. You can use the MRT and get off at Phahon Yothin, then walk or take a short ride. Or take the BTS to Phahon Yothin 24 and walk/transfer depending on your preferred viewpoint.

 

A: You can easily continue to Central Ladprao, Union Mall, Major Ratchayothin, or head toward Rot Fai Park and Chatuchak Weekend Market—great for a half-day to one-day plan.

 

A: It’s ideal for people who enjoy city landmarks, architectural photography, or collecting another side of Bangkok—one that lives in shared memory and everyday urban movement.