Karun Thai Tea Opens at Airside Kai Tak 2026

Written by Vivian Cheung — Food & Drink Writer, covering Hong Kong's restaurants, dim sum and new openings · Published 22 August 2026 · Updated 22 August 2026

Bangkok's self-styled “Hermès of Thai milk tea” is coming to Hong Kong — and for once, it isn't landing in Causeway Bay or Tsim Sha Tsui. Karun Thai Tea has confirmed its first store outside Thailand will open at Airside in Kai Tak, marking Kowloon East's growing pull as a dining destination in its own right.

In short: Karun Thai Tea, a premium Bangkok milk tea brand founded in 1998, is opening its first store outside Thailand at Shop 220, 2/F, Airside, Kai Tak, expected October 2026. It is known for rich, gold-dust-topped Thai milk tea built from a refined family recipe. Opening hours and Hong Kong pricing have not yet been published — nearest MTR is Kai Tak Station, Exit C, which connects directly into the mall.

What is Karun Thai Tea?

Karun Thai Tea (การัณย์) was founded in Bangkok in 1998, built on a family recipe refined over roughly two decades of trial and error before the brand launched. It has since built a reputation in Thailand as a premium, almost dessert-level take on Thai milk tea — rich, smooth and finished with luxury touches like edible gold dust, earning it the nickname “the Hermès of Thai milk tea” (泰奶界Hermès) among fans.

Hong Kong will be Karun's first location outside Thailand, and its choice of Airside over a more traditional tourist strip is a signal of how seriously Kai Tak's newest mall is being taken as a dining and retail destination.

"Karun is often described by fans as the ‘Hermès of Thai milk tea’ — a premium spin on a street-food classic, finished with gold dust."

The flagship drink is the Karun Thai Tea Signature, a blend of black tea leaves and milk built from the brand's original family recipe, prized for its rich aroma and creamy texture. Beyond the classic, the Bangkok menu runs to blended, ice-textured versions and a handful of distinctive flavours, including Vanilla Cacao, Sweet Osmanthus and Magnolia Champaca, with adjustable sweetness levels and an optional gold-dust topping for the full luxury treatment.

In Bangkok, prices for the core range run roughly THB 85–125 (about HK$19–28), though Hong Kong pricing has not been announced and will likely differ. If you like your milk tea reinvented, it is worth comparing notes with our existing round-up of Hong Kong's best Thai restaurants and the newly opened Song Wat Thai Cuisine in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Essential info: location and opening

Karun Thai Tea (Airside) — Essential Facts

Premium Thai milk tea · Kai Tak

LocationShop 220, 2/F, Airside, Kai Tak, Kowloon

Nearest MTRKai Tak Station, Exit C — connects directly into the mall

OpeningExpected October 2026 (per early trade reporting) — exact date not yet confirmed

Opening hoursNot yet published by Airside at time of writing — check the mall directory closer to launch

Hong Kong pricingNot yet announced — Bangkok's core range runs roughly THB 85–125

First outside ThailandYes — this is Karun's first store outside its home market

Track the listing on Airside's official tenant directory for confirmed hours and an exact opening date.

Good to know: as with any pre-opening tenant listing, Airside's own page currently shows the store as “Coming Soon” with hours “to be provided” — treat October 2026 as an early estimate rather than a confirmed date until Airside or Karun post an official opening announcement.

Why Airside, and why does it matter?

Airside has spent the past two years building a reputation as one of Kowloon East's most ambitious retail and dining destinations, and a first-to-Hong-Kong tenant like Karun is exactly the kind of signing malls compete for. For visitors, it also reinforces Kai Tak as a legitimate day out beyond its sports and events calendar — worth combining with a browse of the mall's other dining floors.

If milk tea culture is your thing, it is also worth reading our wider guide to the best Thai restaurants in Hong Kong, and keeping an eye on our news archive for the confirmed opening date once Karun or Airside announce it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Karun Thai Tea open in Hong Kong?

Early trade reporting points to October 2026, but neither Karun nor Airside has confirmed an exact date. Airside's own tenant directory currently lists the store as "Coming Soon" with hours "to be provided."

Where exactly is the Hong Kong store?

Shop 220 on the 2nd floor of Airside, Nan Fung Group's shopping mall in Kai Tak. The nearest MTR is Kai Tak Station, Exit C, which connects directly into the mall.

Is this Karun's first store outside Thailand?

Yes. Karun Thai Tea was founded in Bangkok in 1998 and, as of this opening, has never operated a store outside its home market. Hong Kong is its first overseas location.

Why is Karun called "the Hermès of Thai milk tea"?

The nickname comes from its premium positioning: a rich, smooth milk tea built from a refined family recipe, finished with luxury touches like edible gold dust, priced and presented well above street-stall Thai tea.

How much will it cost in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong pricing has not been announced. In Bangkok, the core menu runs roughly THB 85 to 125 (about HK$19 to 28), but Hong Kong prices will likely differ once confirmed.

Kowloon East's dining scene keeps growing

Karun joins a wave of new openings at Airside and across Kai Tak — explore more in our guide to Hong Kong's best Thai restaurants.

Karun Thai Tea, the ‘Hermès of Thai Milk Tea’, Is Coming to Airside in Kai Tak