Siam Piwat upbeat as opening of Iconsiam approaches

[webfact]

Siam Piwat upbeat as opening of Iconsiam approaches 

By KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN 
THE NATION

 

 

SIAM PIWAT, the operator of Siam Center, Siam Discovery, and Siam Paragon shopping centres, yesterday announced its readiness for the official opening of Iconsiam - its Bt54-billion masterpiece mall designed to make Thailand a true shopping destination on the global map.
 

Scheduled to open on November 9, the new shopping complex occuping 750,000 square metres in gross floor area on a 55-rai plot alongside the Chao Phraya River on Charoen Nakhon Road, reflects the company’s confidence in the economic potential of Thailand and a sustainable growth in the number of foreign tourists, especially quality travellers, into the country.

 

Chadatip Chutrakul, chief executive officer of Siam Piwat, and a director of Iconsiam, said she and other entrepreneurs have always believed in the future of the Thai economy which has been on an upward trend over the past four to five years. The current government has solved many problems and it has also created many mega-infrastructure projects to liven the economy.

 

“The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has been moving on the right track to promote quality travellers into the country. We have seen more tourists in our shopping malls, even in the low season period. The ratio of foreign tourists to our overall shoppers has increased significantly from 35 per cent to 38 per cent in September alone. With this statistic, we can say that there is no low-tourist season in Bangkok anymore,” said Chadatip, adding that the value of spending per head per visit by foreign tourists has also increased by 13 per cent from Bt4,300 to about Bt6,000.

 

She said a total of 250,000 shoppers a day visit the company’s three shopping malls, Siam Center, Siam Discovery Centre, and Siam Paragon.

 

“For Iconsiam, we expect about 150,000 visitors daily – 70 per cent Thais living in Thon Buri and inner Bangkok, and 30 per cent foreign tourists. About 40 per cent of foreign visitors will be Asian, of which 20 per cent will be from China, while visitors from Australia, Europe and USA make up the balance ,” said Chadatip, adding that with a total population of about 2.4 million people, the Thonburi district shows great growth potential driven by private investments, especially in property such as housing estates and hotels, as well as the government’s investment in transportation projects. There will be more than 10 Skytrain routes moving from Bangkok to Thonburi.

 

Chadatip said Siam Piwat has set aside a Bt1-billion budget to celebrate the opening of Iconsiam, of which 70 per cent will be spent on media and events during the first three days of the opening. 

 

“About 90 per cent of anchors and all tenant stores are ready for the opening. Only two anchors – River Museum Bangkok and True Icon Hall, are scheduled to open in July next year,” she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Corporate/30357538

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-31

[RotMahKid]

All magicians that are very good with numbers, they should work at TAT.

 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Just what Bangkok needs, another luxury mall for the flood of Chinese who are facing the worst downturn in their economy in a generation.

[mike324]

The road around the areas are small, and that area will be a major grid lock. Its already super bad during rush hour and at odd times of the day going over saphan taksin into the city, its bound to get worse!

[PhilippBKK]

All river hotels will run shuttle boats to it, big plus for tourist there

[Nyezhov]

7 minutes ago, mike324 said:

The road around the areas are small, and that area will be a major grid lock. Its already super bad during rush hour and at odd times of the day going over saphan taksin into the city, its bound to get worse!

its a 1.5 km walk from Krung ThonBuri BTS. They will run ferrys back and forth. It is what it is. Personally, I would rather go there than hump over to Siam.

[mike324]

4 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

its a 1.5 km walk from Krung ThonBuri BTS. They will run ferrys back and forth. It is what it is. Personally, I would rather go there than hump over to Siam.

Well, there are many  folks who would drive than take public transportation. Just look at Paragon parking garage on the weekends, packed to the max and can take up to an hour to find a parking space during peak times.

 

I know it is what it is. It is only a 2-3 lane road on many of the surrounding streets. It will be hectic if they don't try to make improvements.

 

I know they will be building the BTS which reaches all the way to the mall, but even with the BTS at their door step it will be horrible.

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, mike324 said:

Well, there are many  folks who would drive than take public transportation. Just look at Paragon parking garage on the weekends, packed to the max and can take up to an hour to find a parking space during peak times.

 

I know it is what it is. It is only a 2-3 lane road on many of the surrounding streets. It will be hectic if they don't try to make improvements.

 

I know they will be building the BTS which reaches all the way to the mall, but even with the BTS at their door step it will be horrible.

I ride the BTS everyday, usually at off peak and sometimes even at rush hour. Even Siam is not a problem for me. Train too crowded? Oh well, wait for the next one. Im not in any hurry. If people choose to drive, they are stuck in traffic, not me. I find nothing about the transport sytem in Bangkok horrible except the traffic, and that fact that I have to climb stairs. A quick ride, a 10 minute walk, and bingo...there.

[HampiK]

Now they even use a free shuttle bus till the BTS end of next year is finished.

I think for the Taksin bridge it will not have a big impact, as the crowd will be on the Charoen Nakorn Road, which (especially while building the BTS track) is overcrowded.

[Nyezhov]

54 minutes ago, HampiK said:

Now they even use a free shuttle bus till the BTS end of next year is finished.

I think for the Taksin bridge it will not have a big impact, as the crowd will be on the Charoen Nakorn Road, which (especially while building the BTS track) is overcrowded.

Oh I think it's going to increase traffic across the river but I think the boats will pick up the slack for the tourists as many of them don't like to walk

[mike324]

On 11/1/2018 at 6:22 PM, Nyezhov said:

I ride the BTS everyday, usually at off peak and sometimes even at rush hour. Even Siam is not a problem for me. Train too crowded? Oh well, wait for the next one. Im not in any hurry. If people choose to drive, they are stuck in traffic, not me. I find nothing about the transport sytem in Bangkok horrible except the traffic, and that fact that I have to climb stairs. A quick ride, a 10 minute walk, and bingo...there.

Well not everyone lives close to the BTS that is why traffic is so bad, not only that most low-mid income can't afford to take the BTS. So its not a bingo for everyone.

[johng]

On 10/31/2018 at 3:47 AM, webfact said:

Chadatip Chutrakul, chief executive officer of Siam Piwat, and a director of Iconsiam, said she and other entrepreneurs have always believed in the future of the Thai economy which has been on an upward trend over the past four to five years. The current government has solved many problems and it has also created many mega-infrastructure projects to liven the economy.

I think I can predict who "Chadatip" will be voting for in a possibly forthcoming election.

[Cadbury]

On 10/31/2018 at 3:47 AM, webfact said:

the company’s three shopping malls, Siam Center, Siam Discovery Centre, and Siam Paragon.

The company being Central Group. Just the other day I had occasion to try to contact Central Group. I checked their website to get a contact email address and it featured this address   [email protected]. 

I thought I was doing well until I tried it only to find out it doesn't work. This what I got back.

Your message to [email protected] couldn't be delivered.

Then I remembered I was in Thailand. If it was a government department it would be excusable but for one of the largest corporations in the country it is disgraceful.

I hope their lifts in the new building work better than their email system.

 

Edited November 3, 2018 by Cadbury

[Nyezhov]

5 hours ago, mike324 said:

Well not everyone lives close to the BTS that is why traffic is so bad, not only that most low-mid income can't afford to take the BTS. So its not a bingo for everyone.

If you cant afford the BTS, I doubt you will be at Icon Siam.....

[johng]

If you cant afford the BTS, I doubt you will be at Icon Siam.....

The aircon is free...thats why most poeple are there.

[HampiK]

1 hour ago, johng said:

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

If you cant afford the BTS, I doubt you will be at Icon Siam.....

The aircon is free...thats why most poeple are there.

I think if people want go there for the free Aircon, then they also looking for some shopping mall near them where no BTS or anything is used. as they also not want spend the money for that. And everywhere you can find a small mall with free Aircon

I think in the begining it will have a lot of people. With the time we will see how many people want visit IconSiam… as this should be an Mall for High Brands, therefore will probably looking more like the Embassy, which is not that crowded.

[mike324]

On 11/3/2018 at 4:43 PM, Nyezhov said:

If you cant afford the BTS, I doubt you will be at Icon Siam.....

My point was that traffic will be horrible for people who travel around the area, especially over saphan taksin going into the city, not going to Icon Siam. Don't see how horrible traffic from my 1st post became about going to Icon Siam.

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, mike324 said:

My point was that traffic will be horrible for people who travel around the area, especially over saphan taksin going into the city, not going to Icon Siam. Don't see how horrible traffic from my 1st post became about going to Icon Siam.

Road traffic Im sure will increase both ways on weekends...from the level of "this sucks" to "this really sucks". Dont see much difference between the 12th and 13th Circles of Hell in that regard.