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Tag: chinatown

  • Naraya Opens Flagship Store In Bangkok’s Chinatown, Showcasing Exclusive Collections And Extended Hours

    Naraya Opens Flagship Store In Bangkok’s Chinatown, Showcasing Exclusive Collections And Extended Hours

    Naraya, a renowned brand specializing in fabric bags, has established a new flagship store in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown, specifically at the busy crossroads of Yaowarat Road and Phadung Dao Road.

    Store Highlights

    The store boasts an extensive collection, with over 2000 specially selected items sourced from the brand’s vast inventory of more than 30,000 SKUs. This new flagship store sets itself apart from the rest with its unique extended hours, from 9 am to midnight. This change is designed to accommodate evening shoppers and international tourists, who often explore the Chinatown district after sunset.

    Exclusive Collections

    In addition to a wide array of offerings, the flagship store showcases exclusive collections, including the Chinese New Year Collection, the Silk line, and the vibrant Vivid Collection.

    Naraya’s Expansion

    Currently, Naraya maintains a strong presence in Thailand with a total of 19 operating stores, which include 18 primary branches and one boutique dedicated to silk products. After experiencing a significant surge in sales last year, the company is poised to continue its expansion plan. It aims to inaugurate five additional stores this year, strategically located across Bangkok and other significant provincial cities.

    Questions & Answers

    What distinguishes the new Naraya store in Chinatown from other branches?
    The Chinatown store offers extended operating hours from 9 am to midnight, specifically catering to evening shoppers and international tourists.

    What are some exclusive collections available at the Naraya flagship store?
    The flagship store features an exclusive Chinese New Year Collection, a Silk line, and the Vivid Collection.

    What are Naraya’s expansion plans for this year?
    Naraya plans to extend its reach by opening five more stores this year across Bangkok and significant provincial cities.

  • Singapore’s Chinatown Point Mall Finally Sold

    Singapore’s Chinatown Point Mall Finally Sold

    Singapore’s Chinatown Point Mall has been sold to a subsidiary of Pan Asia Realty Advisors, for S$520 million (US$383.28 million). The joint-venture, including Mitsubishi Estate and CLSA Real Estate Partners, will also acquire four accompanying strata office units in the office tower element of the project.

    Perennial Real Estate Holdings and a consortium of investors including Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) have agreed to sell their entire interests in the retail complex.

    The consortium will receive S$225 million in cash for their shares in the company holding the assets as well as for assignment of shareholder loans. Perennial, which holds a 50.64 per cent stake is expected to receive approximately S$125.3 million of that amount, subject to final adjustments.

    “The transaction is a testament to Perennial’s ability in identifying quality assets, creating value via enhancement initiatives, and ultimately unlocking value via divestment for all stakeholders,” said Pua Seck Guan, Perennial CEO.

    After settlement, Perennial’s retail management subsidiary will continue to manage the mall.

    Built in 1993, the Chinatown Point project includes a 25-storey strata-title office tower next to the mall. SPH and Perennial bought a 60 percent stake in the mall in 2016, at a value of S$442.5 million.

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  • Globe rolls out fiber in world’s oldest Chinatown

    Globe rolls out fiber in world’s oldest Chinatown

    Globe Telecom has entered a collaboration with the city government of Manila to roll out fiber broadband technology in Binondo. This initiative will provide internet connectivity with speeds of up to 1Gbps to the world’s oldest Chinatown.

    Early this year, Globe made a call for local governments’ support for its initiative to build on its network infrastructure and provide better a internet experience for its customers, as part of efforts to transform the Philippines into a digital nation by 2020. The city government of Manila, led by Mayor Joseph Estrada, was the first government to respond to the call.

    The fiberization of the entire Binondo district, an age-old center of commercial activities in the capital, is expected to benefit business and residential establishments in the area and is expected to drive business growth in the district. The project will be completed in the third quarter of the year.

    “Globe is able to deploy fiber broadband technology in Binondo only because we are united with the local city government in realizing a vision of developing ‘connected communities’ where both enterprise clients and customers at home get to experience the full benefits of having world-class data connectivity,” Globe chief commercial officer Albert de Larrazabal said.

    “We hope to replicate the realization of this vision in many other areas in the country as we all aspire to further drive local economic growth.”

    The deployment of fiber broadband technology in Binondo will deliver ultra- fast internet to at least 5,000 new business and home subscribers as part of the initial rollout, Larrazabal said.

    Globe will also roll out small cell technology in various parts of Binondo as part of its efforts to expand network coverage and capacity.

    The pilot rollout of fiber broadband technology in Binondo forms part of Globe Telecom’s initiative of creating an internet super highway nationwide. By forming partnerships with other local government units, the operator plans to deploy fiber in 20,000 districts by 2020 that will provide internet access to around 2 million homes nationwide.

    Parallel to this, Globe will also invest in capacity enhancement for both mobile and wireline using different technologies that include 3G, LTE and Wi-Fi.

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  • Slower sales for Chinese New Year goodies, say Chinatown retailers

    Slower sales for Chinese New Year goodies, say Chinatown retailers

    Food takes centrestage during Chinese New Year, like most festive celebrations. But in the lead up to the occasion this year, retailers selling festive goodies say business is more lacklustre compared to 2015.

    Family-run bak kwa (sliced barbecued pork) stall Bee Kim Heng has seen festive retail sales drop by 10 to 20 per cent compared to last year. Based at People’s Park Food Centre, Bee Kim Heng — which is run by Mr Teo Ah Thin, 81 — has been in operation for almost 50 years.

    “We suspect it’s the economy, (it’s) because of the retrenchments that are going around in the market,” said Mr Damien Teo, who helps his father out during busy periods like Chinese New Year.

    Mr Teo, who is in his 30s, added: “A lot of our business is very dependent on regular customers. Some of the regular customers, for example — in the year before, they’d buy 3kg, maybe 5kg. This year, some of them have cut down in terms of the quantity they buy. They just want to save up a bit, I guess.”

    Similarly, fruit and nut supplier Tian Ran has experienced a 30 per cent drop in sales for the festive period. “A lot of people are browsing and tasting, but fewer are buying. I think it’s due to the bad economic situation,” said a Tian Ran employee, who only wanted to be known as Mr Fang.

    Mr Fang has been selling peanuts and melon seeds — traditional Chinese New Year snacks – for the past eight years. While this year’s takings are poorer than last year, the 40 year-old said he feels things are not as bad as in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis.

    Less than a few hundred metres away, in the annual Chinatown Festive Street Bazaar, employees running a temporary waxed meat stall also opined that buying sentiment is poor.

    “We’re mainly in distribution, but we have set up a stall at this bazaar for many years. This year, sales are down about 30 per cent,” said a stall employee, who only gave his name as Mr Liang.

    The 56-year-old who has been in the business for 30 years, believes that shoppers have held back due to the rainy weather, and a poorer economic climate.

     

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  • Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrates Singapore’s Golden Jubilee

    Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrates Singapore’s Golden Jubilee

    A yearly extravaganza, Chinatown will once again don on specially designed lanterns, accompanied by a myriad of decorative installations, to present the lights and sounds of the Mid-Autumn Festival that will take place from Sunday, 13 September to Monday, 12 October 2015.

    A total of 2,300 lanterns will line the busy streets of the precinct, stretching from Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road down to South Bridge Road. Bearing a strong SG50 theme this year, the Festival, which is named A Golden Jubilee Mid-Autumn will celebrate Singapore’s Golden Jubilee with the nation.

    For the first time, Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee (KA-KS CCC), the organizing committee for the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival, will work closely with the students and faculty of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) for a creative interpretation of the street lanterns and decorations.

    Dr Lily Neo, Grassroots Adviser said: “2015 is a very significant year for Singapore as the nation celebrates its Golden Jubilee. The Chinatown precinct has a rich heritage, and we hope that by injecting strong elements of local culture and icons of yesteryear, this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival can be more meaningful for Singaporeans and tourists. We are also delighted to be able to create opportunities for the youths in Singapore to be more involved in our traditional festivals and gain a deeper understanding of our cultural heritage.”

    Witness the Festival come to life at the Official Opening and Light Up Ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, 13 September 2015 along New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be gracing the event as the Guest-of-Honour, kick starting the celebrations at the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival. Local and overseas talents will showcase thematic performances with a uniquely Singaporean storyline that makes a reference to the history and traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

    Mr Kenneth Lim, Director, Cultural Precincts Development, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “The Mid-Autumn Festival, set in the historic precinct of Chinatown, is another key event to allow Singaporeans and visitors to deepen their understanding of the festival’s significance and witness how it is celebrated. The exciting line-up of events this year will not only be a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but also one that will allow visitors to engage and interact with locals through the different activities on offer, and allow them to better appreciate Singapore’s unique multicultural heritage.”

    Youth engagement through first-time partnership with NAFA students for lantern designs

    KA-KS CCC stayed true to its aim to engage the younger generation and provide youths with opportunities to be actively involved in traditional festivals by partnering with NAFA this year.

    Through a collaborative effort, 10 students from NAFA have been handpicked to participate in this year’s Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival, presenting innovative interpretations of elements that are truly Singaporean and re-proposing them onto the lanterns and street decorations this year. From landmarks like the iconic old Toa Payoh playground to campaign icons like Singa the Courtesy Lion and Water Wally that mark the key milestones in Singapore’s history, this year’s decorations will bring a sense of nostalgia to all Singaporeans.

    Over the last four months, the students had the opportunity to work closely with KA-KS CCC, as well as a team of experienced craftsmen from Zi Gong Zhongyi Lantern Lighting Art in Sichuan to design, build and install the lanterns.

    Ms Marienne Yang, Vice Dean of NAFA’s 3D Design Programme said: “The 10 participating youths are Year Two and Year Three students reading for their Diploma in Design. This includes participants from the Interior & Exhibition, Object & Jewellery as well as Landscape & Architecture Design programmes. They worked as a multi-disciplinary team to propose and refine concepts for KA-KS CCC for this large scale installation, and had hands-on learning experience with the craftsmen on aspects of the production and set-up process.”

    Festival highlights

    To engage the young and old in the celebratory ambience of the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2015, KA-KS CCC has organized an array of exciting events and activities from Monday, 13 September 2015, to Monday, 12 October 2015.

    A first this year, KA-KS CCC and the Chinatown Business Association will host the Chinatown 1960s Fancy Dress Contest “Mid-Autumn Festival 2015 – Back to the 60s”, a fancy dress contest featuring fashion styles of the 1960s, on Saturday, 26 September 2015. Participants will showcase fashion statements of that era at the first ever pop-up runway along Pagoda Street. Visitors who come dressed in their 1960s attire will also stand a chance to bring home limited edition door gifts.

    Shortlisted works from close to 180 children and students who pit their creative skills against each other at the annual Mid-Autumn Lantern Painting Competition will also adorn the streets of Chinatown. Winning lanterns from the competition, held on Saturday, 6 September 2015, will be displayed at Chinatown Food Street along Smith Street until Monday, 27 September 2015.

    Experience the festival in its full glory and discover the charm of Chinatown via the complimentary Heritage Walking Trail, where our friendly tour guides will bring participants around the precinct, sharing anecdotes and historical facts about the heritage of Singapore’s Chinese enclave. With a wide variety of stalls at this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival Festive Street Bazaar, visitors will have endless options as they shop for traditional snacks and knickknacks such as mooncakes, preserved food, decorative items to potted plants and clothing.

    Be entertained by lively and vibrant Chinese cultural performances, festive songs, and music and dance performances by local entertainers and troupes from China at the Nightly Stage Shows at Kreta Ayer Square during the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival period.

    Join 3,000 participants for the annual Mass Lantern Walk on Sunday, 27 September 2015, and immerse in the Mid-Autumn festivities under the dazzling displays around Chinatown. The Mass Lantern Walk procession will take a leisurely stroll down Chinatown, while being entertained by local and overseas performing groups, as well as eye-catching mascots decked out in vibrant LED suits at 10 locations along the route.

    For more information on the variety of activities lined up for this Mid-Autumn, please refer to Annex I and II. Or you may visit us at:

    – Website:www.chinatownfestivals.sg

    – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chinatown.festivals

  • ‘Team Singapore one for all’ $15m tourism spend

    ‘Team Singapore one for all’ $15m tourism spend

    Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board are to invest S$20m ($14.8m) on a coordinated effort to encourage more visitors to engage in leisure, business and MICE activities.

    All three parties have agreed a two-year partnership aimed at enriching Singapore’s appeal to more visitors through an enhanced and coordinated approach, involving the country’s national airline, its leading airport and the destination as a whole.

    The 15 ‘visitor markets’ that are initially being targeted with this new ‘one for all’ approach include Australia; China; Germany, Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; New Zealand; the Philippines; Taiwan; Thailand; Vietnam; the US; and the UK.

    In a joint statement, the trio say that they hope to refine the Singapore experience to leisure visitors coming to and through Singapore and Changi Airport, along with intensified direct marketing efforts to consumers and through trade partnerships.

    In addition, the partnership is also investing some of its money to increase marketing investment aimed at business travellers and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions).

    Singapore Airlines CEO, Goh Choon Phong said: “This partnership demonstrates our commitment to further developing our home base as a travel hub and promoting Singapore as a destination of choice. We are pleased to continue working closely with STB and CAG and draw on our respective strengths, to promote sustainable growth of inbound travel to and through Singapore.”

    Lee Seow Hiang, CEO of the Changi Airport Group added: “One of the key initiatives in this collaboration is developing and enhancing joint programmes that will contribute towards strengthening the global mindshare and perceptions of both Singapore and Changi Airport.

    “We look forward to working together to leverage our collective strengths and insights and to amplify our efforts to promote the Singapore experience.”

    Adding his comments, Lionel Yeo, CEO of the Singapore Tourism Board said: “Our airline and airport are an integral part of the Singapore experience. The new product offerings demonstrate SIA, CAG and STB’s commitment to provide today’s discerning travellers with a more seamless and in-depth experience.

    “To constantly refresh and add value to the visitor experience, it is essential for the industry to rally together; STB looks forward to more partnerships with the industry.”

    The three partners says that one of the ‘key highlights’ of this new initiative is the introduction of the Stopover Premium package which is an upgraded version of the Singapore Stopover Holiday. They say this is the latest in the three partners’ ongoing efforts to create more distinctively targeted experiences for travellers with different needs to enjoy Singapore more fully as a destination.

    This is being aimed at both premium leisure and business travellers and includes stays in selected five-star hotels with breakfast and Wi-Fi, priority hotel check-in services and private transfers (for ‘Club’ room stays).

    Other exclusive ‘privileges’ include spa discounts or shopping vouchers and access to a variety of premium leisure experiences across the island (first and business class passengers only).

    The partnership is also offering a ‘refreshed’ and enhanced Free Singapore Tour, aimed at taking transit passengers on a free guided tour of Singapore’s heritage attractions and city skyline.

    The new programme now boasts longer itineraries, more iconic landmark sights, photo stops and additional tour timings. The Singapore Tour has proved hugely popular over nearly three decades, with more than one million visitors taking advantage of the offering since it was first introduced 28 years ago in 1987.

    It currently includes several attractions (see below) including Little India, Chinatown, the Colonial District, the main business district and many other attraction.

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