Bangkok, at your own pace

Getting to know Ekkamai and Thonglor

Ekkamai and Thonglor are neighbouring parts of Sukhumvit known for cafés, restaurants and places to meet. Ekkamai follows Sukhumvit 63, while Thonglor follows Sukhumvit 55. Their sois, or side streets, give the area much of its character. The BTS Skytrain connects the main-road end of each area with the rest of the line, with a separate journey into the smaller streets.

By Leelasanc · Edited 28 October 2026

Homes, trees and apartment buildings in Thonglor, Bangkok, photographed in December 2015. — Homes, trees and apartment buildings in Thonglor. Photograph taken in December 2015.Photograph by Ryosuke Yagi · Bangkok, Thailand · CC BY 2.0 · Colour adjusted, cropped where stated, and resized. Adapted photograph retains the licence linked here.

In this story

Two neighbouring areas, several different stops

Cafés, restaurants, homes and meeting places are spread through the smaller sois around Sukhumvit 63 and Sukhumvit 55. An address near the main road will feel different from one further into a side street. For a stay of several days, the places you expect to use often are more useful starting points than the area name alone.

Coffee, meals and a place to meet

Steps in Ekkamai Soi 10 combines a café with vocational training, while Kaizen serves specialty coffee and brunch on Sukhumvit 63. In Thonglor Soi 17, theCOMMONS brings several food vendors into one meeting place. These offer different ways to spend time in the area, from coffee on your own to a meal with friends. The separate café guide goes into individual venues.

Coffee and cafés in Ekkamai

A Japanese-shopping stop in Ekkamai

DONKI Mall Thonglor is on Sukhumvit 63 in Ekkamai. It is a stop for Japanese groceries, shopping and food, despite the Thonglor name. The DON DON DONKI store and the mall’s other businesses have separate opening hours. Our DONKI guide gives the branch address and explains the difference.

Shopping at DONKI Mall Thonglor

DON DON DONKI Thonglor entrance beside Sasaki Flowers, photographed in July 2019 — DON DON DONKI at DONKI Mall Thonglor on Sukhumvit 63. Photograph taken in July 2019.Photograph by Book9416 · Don Don Donki Watthana District, Bangkok, Thailand.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cropped and colour graded by LEELASANC, then resized for display. Photographed 11 July 2019. · Adapted image under the same licence.

Plan the last part of the journey

Thong Lo (E6) and Ekkamai (E7) are neighbouring stations on the BTS Skytrain’s Sukhumvit Line. If you expect to use the train each day, check the journey from the station to your chosen home as well as the trip to your destination. The smaller streets, crossings and onward transport are part of that journey, especially with luggage or when returning late.

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Roof structure and platforms at BTS Ekkamai station, photographed in 2019 — BTS Ekkamai, one of the stations serving the area. Photograph taken in September 2019.Photograph by KrebsLovesFiesh · E7 Ekkamai Station · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Colour adjusted and resized for the web. · Adapted image under the same licence.

Useful questions

Are Ekkamai and Thonglor the same neighbourhood?

They are neighbouring areas. Ekkamai follows Sukhumvit 63 and Thonglor follows Sukhumvit 55, each with its own BTS Skytrain station.

Can I plan everything from the BTS station name?

The station is a starting point. Check the route to the exact café, restaurant or home, including travel into the smaller side streets. Some destinations need onward transport.