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Tag: Thailand

  • Feel International brings Myanmar cuisine into Thailand

    Feel International brings Myanmar cuisine into Thailand

    Myanmar restaurant chain Feel International is set to open in Thailand. Opening in the popular Bangkok tourist area of Pratunam on Thursday (January 24), the group intends to introduce Myanmar cuisine to Thai consumers and foreigners.

    “At present, many restaurants are attempting to cater to the needs of tourists from China, however there are eight flights to Bangkok from Yangon every day, and there are tens of thousands of Myanmar citizens working and studying there, so there is a potential market for Myanmar cuisine”, said Feel International operations director Ko Johnny.

    “This is the very first Myanmar restaurant opened in a foreign capital city. Bangkok is one of the biggest restaurant markets in the world. It offers a wide variety of cuisine, even something as exotic in Asia as Ethiopian. Bangkok is the first step for Myanmar traditional food to penetrate the international markets”, he said.

    The restaurant intends to serve lunch boxes with Myanmar favourites for Myanmar people working in companies and offices around the area.

    Discussions are being held to open further restaurants in Chiang Mai and Mesauk.

  • Thailand’s Zen Corporation completes IPO

    Thailand’s Zen Corporation completes IPO

    Thai restaurant operator Zen Corporation secured THB975 million (US$31.35 million) via an IPO issued last Wednesday.

    The firm sold all 75 million shares on offer, representing 25 per cent of its registered capital, at THB13 each. Its stock price grew 17.69 per cent over the course of its trading debut, as strong demand pushed the value per share up to THB15.30 on the first day.

    Zen Corporation is known for its various restaurant chains, including its eponymous brand as well as Musha by Zen, Sushi Cyu Carnival Yakiniku, AKA, On the Table Tokyo Cafe, Tetsu and de Tummour.

    The firm also operates food delivery, catering, restaurant management and consultancy services, as well as food retail operations.

  • Tesco Asia sales slip further, but profit up

    Tesco Asia sales slip further, but profit up

    Tesco Asia like-for-like sales continue to decline while the UK-headquartered company repositions its offer – masking a stronger underlying performance for the business.

    “We have made good progress in our discussions with suppliers towards a new commercial approach,” explained Tesco CEO Dave Lewis in a quarterly update.

    “We also accelerated planned changes to our operating model in Thailand, helping to reduce costs and underpinning our profit recovery.”

    Lewis said that despite minor changes to the government-issued welfare cards scheme during the third quarter, Tesco Thailand sales fell by about 1 per cent for the 19-weeks including the key Christmas trading period.

    Restructured Thailand store operations have led to reduced costs, underpinning profit recovery at the expense of sales.

    Referring to Tesco’s global operations, Lewis added: “We have more to do everywhere but remain bang on track to deliver our plans for the year and as we enter our centenary we are in a strong position.”

    The December quarter represented the 12th consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth for Tesco globally, with sales up 2.6 per cent.

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  • Thailand franchise market ready for further growth

    Thailand franchise market ready for further growth

    Thailand franchise consultancy Gnosis Co expects a healthy market for franchises in the country.

    Gnosis MD Sethaphong Phadungpisuth said more than 50 chains from both local and international brands are exploring the market this year following measures to ease regulations on the part of the Business Development Department.

    “The Thailand franchise market will become more active this year. We expect the overall number of new franchise brands both from abroad and the domestic market that will open their franchise in Thailand this year to increase by 10 per cent to about 630 brands”, he said.

    According to Gnosis, some brands have chosen Thailand as a springboard to other Asean countries, in particular Myanmar and Laos.

    Among those diverse brands set to start operations in Thailand this year include Taco Bell, The Edge Learning Centre, and Singaporean hygiene and disinfection products firm Sureclean. Additionally the number of Taiwanese milk tea chains continues to increase in the territory.

    Franchise business in Thailand is estimated to be valued at THB250-300 billion (US$7.84 billion).

  • BreadTalk buys out Thai partner

    BreadTalk buys out Thai partner

    Minor Group has sold its half share in BreadTalk Thailand to the bakery’s Singapore-listed owner.

    BreadTalk paid US$5.15 million for the stake, which Minor Group is expected to use to expand its other food and beverage brands in the kingdom, including The Coffee Club.

    The BreadTalk Thailand joint venture, called BTM Thailand, was set up in 2014.

    Minor Group’s other brands in Southeast Asia include ThaiExpress, Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe, Swensens and the Pizza Restaurant Company.

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  • Don Quijote Thailand launches as Don Don Donki

    Don Quijote Thailand launches as Don Don Donki

    Japanese discount chain Don Quijote has launched its first store in Thailand.

    Trading as Don Don Donki, the Don Quijote Thailand foray marks a continuation of an aggressive and rapid rollout of stores across Asia, including in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia. The company plans to expand its overseas store network from the current 41 to 200.

    Located at Mall Thonglor, an upscale residential area of Bangkok which is home to many Japanese expats, the store anticipates US$18 million in annual sales.

    The 28,000sqm shopping centre is operated by a joint venture among Pan Pacific, Thai paint maker TOA group and a local subsidiary of a Japanese parking lot developer.

    “Thailand is the most marketable country in Southeast Asia,” said Takao Yasuda, founding chairman and supreme advisor at Pan Pacific.

    “We will continue to explore opening multiple stores here.”

    Don Quijote Thailand is operating under the alternative name – as it does in Singapore – because the Don Quijote brand is used by another business.

  • Armani Box Bangkok pops up at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Armani Box Bangkok pops up at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Giorgio Armani Beauty has opened an Armani Box Bangkok pop-up store at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

    Located in the departures hall, the pop up will showcase the brand’s beauty ranges until the end of this month.

    The Armani Box Bangkok store was designed with hot-red walls and black lighting fixtures. A giant gorilla, Uri, welcomes visitors as they enter the store. Created by Italian artist Marcantonio Raimondi Malerba, the full-sized golden gorilla is a replica of the black one that resides in Giorgio Armani’s home in Milan.

    Thai and Chinese KOLs, Ms Nutty Ploychompoo, Ms Archita Siripinyanond and Ms Liu Lin (Xiao Yu) at the Armani Box Bangkok

    Thai and Chinese KOLs, Ms Nutty Ploychompoo, Ms Archita Siripinyanond and Ms Liu Lin (Xiao Yu) at the Armani Box Bangkok

    The Armani Box Bangkok is decked out with a series of cinematic details to explore

    The Armani Box Bangkok is decked out with a series of cinematic details to explore

    Armani Box Bangkok is decked out with a series of cinematic details and visitors can become ‘movie stars’ with a series of details to explore, including making a Walk of Fame digital handprint and filming their own screen test.

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  • Under Armour Thailand eyes 20 per cent sales growth

    Under Armour Thailand eyes 20 per cent sales growth

    Under Armour Thailand is targeting a 20-per-cent sales increase in the kingdom, according to the brand’s exclusive Asian distributor Triple Pte Ltd.

    The company is focusing on footwear sales to follow up on its gains in the apparel sector in a sporting goods market expected to see 5–7 per cent growth this year. It will also offer a wider range of branded products, including sleepwear.

    “Under Armour is a relatively new brand in Thailand, and it has huge potential to spread its wings here,” said company CEO Michael Binger during a visit to Thailand last week. “We want to grow our footwear business at a faster pace than in the past and expect footwear sales to increase to 35 per cent of total sales by 2020, up from 25 per cent last year.”

    As part of this year’s expansion plans, Triple Pte is planning exploratory Under Armour Thailand outlets in the country’s north, with a shop-in-shop scheduled for the Mall Nakhon Ratchasima as well as a potential new shop in popular tourist destination Chiang Mai. It will also launch another branch in suburban Bangkok.

    “We see huge potential in the sporting goods business in Thailand,” said Binger, “and we feel confident in our capability to propel Under Armour to success here because we are an alternative brand for people looking for innovative performance shoes.”

    Thailand is Under Armour’s second fastest-growing market in Southeast Asia after Singapore.

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  • Espoir Thailand debuts through Eveandboy

    Espoir Thailand debuts through Eveandboy

    Amorepacific-owned makeup brand eSpoir has launched in Thailand via cosmetics retailer chain Eveandboy.

    Nearly 130 eSpoir products are available at Eveandboy stores at Siam Square One shopping mall and at Terminal 21 near Asoke Station.

    The highest-profile eSpoir products include Dewy Face Glow moisturiser with hyaluronic acid, No Wear Lipstick, and Pro Tailor Foundation Be Silk / Be Glow.

    The South Korean brand will launch in eight more Eveandboy stores and an online mall to build a strong presence in the Thailand beauty market and expand channels.

    Amorepacific says it plans further expansion into other Asean countries.

  • Lazada Excels cross-border business across Southeast Asia

    Lazada Excels cross-border business across Southeast Asia

    Lazada is boosting its cross-border operations for international brands and merchants to after its cross-border sales quadrupled over the last three years The Alibaba-owned company says it plans to bring onboard more quality international brands and will identify and nurture the top 300 brands in each of the six. countries that Lazada operates in: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This will allow those brands to grow their business and enjoy benefits such as higher visibility of their products when users search and browse the site.

    “We want to serve as that bridge between our quality cross-border merchants and some 560 million consumers in Southeast Asia,” said Lazada Group’s co-president Jing Yin, speaking in Shenzhen at the company’s first cross-border seller conference for this year.

    “Backed by the best expertise and infrastructure from Alibaba, as well as our in-depth understanding of Southeast Asia, we are able to equip our cross-border sellers and brands with the knowledge and tools to ride this massive growth in the region,” Yin told more than 1000 merchants at the event.

    What Lazada describes as “a meteoric rise in e-commerce spending in Southeast Asia” reflects the increasing demand for cross-border products as the GMV from Lazada’s cross-border category grew by 4.6 times between 2016 and 2018. According to industry estimates, Southeast Asia’s e-commerce market is on track to hit US$240 billion by 2025, surpassing earlier estimates by $40 billion.

    Among the key initiatives announced at this week’s conference was a revamped Global Collection: a dedicated channel showcasing an assortment of Lazada’s cross-border merchants from all around the world. Global Collection 2.0 taps on algorithm-based search functions to filter the wide cross-border assortment to spotlight sellers offering popular and good quality products so customers can find them easily.

    “With the new Global Collection, customers will get their parcels much faster,” said a Lazada spokesperson. “They can get their parcels within seven working days from the day they place their orders if they choose the standard shipping option.”

    First launched in 2013, Lazada’s cross-border business has grown to become one of the most diverse marketplaces featuring brands and merchants from all over the world. The top five markets which cross-border sellers come from are Mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea, the US and Europe, with women’s fashion, home and living and kids’ fashion ranking among the most popular cross-border items. Lazada is now looking at launching new categories, offering bulky products like furniture and home appliances.

    Last year, Lazada set a new record, with its last-mile delivery fleet across Southeast Asia delivering more than 1 million parcels in a day.

  • Grand Opening of Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha

    Grand Opening of Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha

    Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has celebrated the grand opening of its dramatic new waterfront hotel in Doha, introducing the company’s elegant Thai hospitality to the State of Qatar for the first time.

    The 265-key Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha is a striking new hotel located in the city’s West Bay district, which is home to many of downtown Doha’s most stunning skyscrapers. Overlooking the Arabian Gulf, the hotel is just moments away from the lively Doha Corniche and 25-minutes’ drive from Qatar’s Hamad International Airport.

    The launch of this new landmark marks a major milestone for Centara, as the company continues to expand its international footprint. One of the Middle East’s most eagerly-anticipated new hotels, Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha harmoniously blends luxurious interiors and facilities with the timeless charm of Thai hospitality, while also showcasing authentic Qatari culture.

    The grand opening event featured traditional Thai and Qatari performances, including a falconry show, plus executive speeches, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and VIP dinner created by Michelin starred chef, Alfred Prasad.

    “Doha is one of the most dynamic destinations in the world today, and we are delighted to enter this important market with such a spectacular new hotel. Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha is an iconic addition to the city’s skyline. With spacious accommodation, luxurious facilities and gracious Thai service, this hotel will cater for all types of guest, from leisure visitors and large family groups to long-stay business travellers. We look forward to welcoming all guests to Doha in the future, as the city embarks on an exciting new era of international prominence and prosperity,” commented Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Office, Centara Hotels and Resorts.

    Guests have a choice of stylish and spacious accommodation, comprising studios, suites, one- to three-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom penthouses, all featuring floor-to-ceiling windows with breath-taking views of the Gulf. Residences range in size from a generous 45 square metres to an opulent 365 square metres and come fully equipped with comfortable bedrooms, separate living and dining areas, kitchens, and cutting-edge technology, including Smart TVs.

    Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha features a collection of contemporary F&B outlets, including Caprice, a café-inspired restaurant showcasing exquisite Thai cuisine and international fare; Dalchini, which promises progressive Indian from creative Chef Alfred Prasad cuisine; plus a chic Lobby Lounge and a refreshing Pool Bar. In-room dining is also available and residences have their own cooking and dining facilities.

    There are many opportunities for relaxation, including an indoor pool with panoramic views of the Gulf, a spacious fitness centre and aerobics studio. There is also a kids’ club and children’s pool for younger guests, plus a gift shop, prayer room and two flexible meeting rooms.

    A key cultural and economic hub for the entire Middle East region, Doha is home to a wealth of cultural attractions including the historic Souq Waqif market, Museum of Islamic Art and State Grand Mosque, plus major shopping malls and soft sandy beaches. It is also rapidly emerging as a global sporting destination, hosting the annual season-opening Qatar Open tennis tournament, the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships and of course, the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    The Middle East is a key strategic part of Centara’s five-year development plan, which aims to double the company’s global portfolio of hotels and resorts by 2022. Centara Muscat Hotel opened in 2017, and following this week’s grand opening of Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha, the group further plans to launch Centara Grand Hotel Doha in the first half of 2020.

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  • AEON gives hefty prizes for the lucky winners of the “AEON Happy Pay” campaign

    AEON gives hefty prizes for the lucky winners of the “AEON Happy Pay” campaign

    Recently, Ms. Saranya Pipoppinyo (5th from left), Vice President Marketing of AEON Thana Sinsap (Thailand) Public Company Limited awarded prizes to the lucky winners of the “AEON Happy Pay” campaign. The grand giveaway comprises of three prizes of gold bars, worth 100,000 baht each, the second is 20 prizes of 50 satang gold necklaces and the third is 100 vouchers with a combined value of 586,500 baht.  Eligible participants include AEON Your Cash customers that make an installment payment at participating department stores and shops from 30 August – 30 November, 2018.

     

  • Thai AirAsia says it will not buy shares in Nok Air

    Thai AirAsia says it will not buy shares in Nok Air

    Asia Aviation, majority shareholder of budget airline Thai AirAsia, said on Wednesday that it would not proceed with an acquisition of shares in rival carrier Nok Airlines, sending Nok’s shares down.

    Nok’s shares fell more than 12% and Asia Aviation’s prices slid nearly 3% in the morning trading session.

    Asia Aviation said in February that it was in talks to buy Nok shares, although Nok had said at the time that it was “not aware of any details in this respect”.

    Nok is 53% owned by the Jurangkool family, which also controls Thai Steel Cable PCL and unlisted auto parts maker Thai Summit.

    Intense competition among budget airlines has led to quarterly losses since 2015 for Nok.

    Asia Aviation owns 55% of Thai AirAsia, with the remainder held by Malaysia’s AirAsia Group Bhd.

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  • Lancome Bangkok pop up store in a fantasy wonderland

    Lancome Bangkok pop up store in a fantasy wonderland

    Lancome’s fantasy wonderland pop‑up at Bangkok King Power Rangnam, featuring the brand’s first ever interactive LED projection, will come to a close on March 10.

    The Chinese New Year Lancome pop-up was launched on February 4 following the success of Lancome’s festivities at King Power Rangnam the previous year. In keeping with the brand’s stated commitment to “empower women to express their best selves”, Lancome’s “Wish Big” pop-up featured a state-of-the-art LED installation that went up to the atrium ceiling, surrounded by floating lanterns symbolising wishes rising into the heavens.

    Guests enjoy real-time interaction with the retail design as they walk around the 10‑metre-long LED installation. The wonderland-inspired design is fully integrated with the entire retail space, allowing Lancome to completely take over of the Rangnam atrium.

    Every single visible touchpoint and the six‑metre-high chateau structure is branded with Lancome’s signature shade of Parisian rouge, wishing visitors a good start to the New Year and contributing to the festive CNY atmosphere.

    The immersive experience in Lancome’s wonderland continues inside the pop-up with a custom “boomerang photo booth” that allows visitors to virtually interact with Lancome products. All photos and videos can be downloaded so visitors can share them on social media. On the other side of the pop‑up, a large LED installation displays a Parisian cityscape that doubles as an interactive game, giving customers  the chance to “catch” floating Lancome products on screen and exchange them for prizes in store.

    “King Power aims to elevate the experience of duty‑free shopping through the careful curation of our retail offerings,” said King Power Group’s senior executive VP Susan Whelan. “Particularly during this holiday season when more people will be travelling, we want to make our customers feel right at home here with us.”

    “We are committed to bringing greater happiness to each and every one of our customers, and we hope that their experience with Lancome here will create more happy moments and happy memories for a wonderful start to the year ahead,” said Lancome Travel Retail Asia Pacific GM Tao Zhang.

    The pop-up also offers travellers a range of exclusive gift-with-purchase, all styled to reflect the flying pig that Lancome has chosen as its symbol for the new year.

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  • Thai telcos to establish telecom CERT

    Thai telcos to establish telecom CERT

    Eight Thai telecom operators have reportedly signed an agreement to establish a dedicated telecom computer emergency response team (CERT).

    The operators, which include incumbents AIS, Dtac and True as well as state-owned operators TOT and CAT, will establish the CERT over the next 12 months.

    The collaboration will initially involve sharing information about cyber threats, as well as collaborating on analytics to deal with threats to state agency websites and e-commerce sites.

    Other signatories include Symphony Communication, CS Loxinfo and United Information Highway.

    The move to establish a dedicated industry CERT is in line with the cybersecurity bill recently passed by Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly. The telecom body will be the second industry CERT to collaborate with the national CERT after the finance industry.

    The telecom CERT will be self-regulated and managed by the Telecommunications Association of Thailand, the report states.

    The association is seeking funding of 20 million baht ($630,000) from telecoms regulator NBTC to help pay for the establishment of the CERT. The full budget has not yet been set, but all members are expected to contribute.

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