Phuket's Next Grand Stage: Siam Piwat Chooses the Andaman for Its First Home Outside Bangkok in 67 Years

On Monday, 5 October 2026, the company that built Siam Paragon and co-owns ICONSIAM did something it has never done before: it looked beyond Bangkok. Siam Piwat unveiled ICONPHUKET — a THB 10 billion (about US$300 million) destination rising in Thalang, in the green north of Phuket — and in doing so chose the Andaman coast as the first home for a major project outside the capital in the company's 67-year history [ref:1].

For an island already loved around the world for its beaches, the message lands warmly: this is not a stopover on the way to somewhere else. Phuket is the destination — the stage where the South shows itself.

Twelve attractions, and a park around them

ICONPHUKET is planned as a "hybrid retail-attraction and entertainment destination" — a phrase that becomes more interesting when you look at the proportions. Twelve world-class attractions are planned across the site, and about one-third of the whole project is given over to attractions and entertainment rather than shops [ref:1].

Even more striking: more than 40% of ICONPHUKET will be green and open space, with a design that draws on the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Southern Thailand [ref:2]. In other words, nearly half of this destination is not a building at all — it is shade, water, trees and room to breathe, in keeping with the island's own rhythms.

A stage for all 14 southern provinces

Perhaps the most meaningful promise for the region's makers and growers: ICONPHUKET is designed as a gateway connecting the potential of Thailand's 14 southern provinces, providing a platform for small and medium-sized enterprises, community enterprises and local producers to reach both Thai and international visitors [ref:1].

Picture a batik maker from Phang Nga, a pineapple grower from Kapong, a shell artisan from the coast — each with a way to present their work to the world without leaving the South. That is the quiet ambition underneath the big numbers.

And the numbers are big. Siam Piwat expects the destination to welcome 80,000 to 100,000 visitors per day once fully operational, and estimates the surrounding development will support 50,000 to 80,000 jobs from construction through full operation [ref:1].

The wider ark

ICONPHUKET will sit at the heart of Synthesis Ark Phuket, a mixed-use megaproject by CV Group of Companies worth more than THB 50 billion (US$1.5 billion), spanning over 80 hectares (more than 500 rai) with residences, hotels, offices, educational institutions and wellness facilities — and convenient access to Phuket International Airport [ref:2]. Phase 1 of the wider development is scheduled for completion in 2032 [ref:1].

The location itself tells a story: Si Sunthon, in Thalang district — the island's historic, leafy heartland rather than its famous beach strips [ref:1].

Built to be genuinely iconic

Siam Piwat CEO Chadatip Chutrakul put it plainly: the company does not build often, but when it invests, the project must be able to compete with the great destinations of the world. "Building a world-class destination is not only about putting up something large with heavy investment," she said. "It has to be genuinely iconic" [ref:1].

For the Andaman coast, the announcement feels like a vote of confidence in what communities here have always known: the South's craft, food, nature and creativity are world-class material. From 2029, they will have one more grand room in which to say so — with the sea a short drive away.

Construction timelines are long and details of the twelve attractions will be announced later, so the smart traveller's move today is simple: come know the coast as it is — the festivals, the workshops, the morning markets — and you will recognise the roots of everything ICONPHUKET promises to showcase.