New Central Mall In Cr?

[peteinCM]

My friend in Mae Chan (a small business owner and MBA student) has just told me that 500 acres were just sold there to build a Central Festival North Chiang Rai complex that will include a Central Department store, the usual mall stores, a Tesco-Lotus, a Tops, a major cinema, a Sofitel hotel, and more. The slated opening date is in December. Mae Chan is very central in terms of Chiang Rai, Mae Sai, Chiang Saen, Mae Salong, etc. It will be reportedly the largest mall in Northern Thailand (much larger than the Central Airport in CM).

It makes sense to me as I think the CR area is vastly underserved when it comes to upscale shopping. This could make the CR province a much bigger tourist destination and make it more attractive for expats. I know the Central Festival in Phuket and that is a very nice mall IMO. It would be great to see something similar or better in the CR area. This project, if carried out, could also make it a good time to invest in this region.

I hope it happens.

[sceadugenga]

Is that December THIS year?

[brahmburgers]

if there's a cinema, I hope it shows Eng-lang movies. Currently there's no Eng-lang movie house north of C.Mai. Of course, getting a decent 'selection' would be cool, but in an outpost like C.Rai, we pretty much adapt to what we can get.

to extend the movie topic a bit; I doubt there's a movie venue in all of Thailand that shows artsy or nouveau films (in their original languages or in Thai). In the States, nearly every city and town has at least one such venue. The closest Thailand comes is their Bangkok-based 'film festivals' - though I've heard they're rather badly managed.

[CSS]

if there's a cinema, I hope it shows Eng-lang movies. Currently there's no Eng-lang movie house north of C.Mai. Of course, getting a decent 'selection' would be cool, but in an outpost like C.Rai, we pretty much adapt to what we can get.

to extend the movie topic a bit; I doubt there's a movie venue in all of Thailand that shows artsy or nouveau films (in their original languages or in Thai). In the States, nearly every city and town has at least one such venue. The closest Thailand comes is their Bangkok-based 'film festivals' - though I've heard they're rather badly managed.

I first heard about the shopping complex a few weeks back on http://www.chiangraitoday.com/. They had a poll asking whether respondents were pleased that it would be built in Chiangrai.

As far as films go the trio of Apex theatres (scala, lido, and siam) are probably closest. They show non-Hollywood based films in native languages. They currently have films from Japan, Spain, Germany and Thailand in each films native language.

[Joel Barlow]

As for movies - we have rental and Tachilek, why complain? I've been told the theater at Big C sometimes shows Hollywood movies with sub-titles, but haven't cared enough to check. Tops at Edison offers little that's special, TescoLotus MaeSai was slightly interesting once or twice, but not anymore. Appy Square (near the Ha-yaek, not Appy Plaza on Airport Road - Old Airport Road...) was once going to host a Central - that fell through due to the '97 'crash' and I dare say something similar might re-occur. Mae Jan has long been a repository of non-performing loan investment! I'm not at all sure Makro is doing all that well, although Big C sure gives the appearance of doing tremendously. My wife and I still prefer to find many things the 'traditional' way - at the non-air-con markets, cheaper, more local-society-friendly, and less feul consumptive. It was fun to go to the Big C food court for quite a while (I liked the alcohol girls' uniforms, gone now, and we both liked the food), but last time - and for the first time - I did not much of my food. The mu-satay had been bad before (at the ha-yaek it is still wonderful, B2 a stick) but was now "ma mai dak" (not fit for a dog). Other food there remains OK, and MK popular but hardly packed... how badly do we net a mega-mall? not at all, I'd say. At the TexcoLotus food court they piped in crowd noise to make things sound busy... charming atmosphere that made for!

[goski]

The whole idea sounds stupid in my ears. Rumours have been started before about expansion and building so that pieces of land can be sold.

[Jahil]

can this information be confirmed?

[Chiang Rai Guy]

I'm personally only for a movie theater. Chiang Rai has been a beautiful secret for a long while. This may just be the end of it. As for the location, I can't believe Central would consider building in a very rural area of Mae Chan. It makes no sense for them financially. They need to be closer to the city. That Central would consider building in Mae Chan, however, would save a lot of small businesses in CR city from closing their doors, however. There a lot of pros and cons either way, I don't see them opening in Mae Chan.

[goski]

I second that, except for a new movie theater. Why not just throw in some movies with thai text at Big C? Thai people have to face the struggles of reading subtitles at some point...

And seriously, how many here do actually have to eat that western bread and cheese once a week with all the lovely thai stuff around? As Tesco didn´t care about outrunning the local businesses in the Mae Sai area so does the very dodgy plans for Mae Chan try to outrun the whole area of Mae Chan and Chiang Rai downtown. It´s stupid, just as stupid as blaming the haze on farmers burning their paddies which they have done for hundreds of years.

[sarpesius]

....TescoLotus MaeSai was slightly interesting once or twice, but not anymore. ....

I did not know there was a TescoLotus in Mae Sai. This raises the town's credit a notch.

Can you tell me how to get there from the main border gate?

It is not listed on Tesco's website. In fact, when you click on the Mai Sai dot on the map on the Tesco site, you get the Chiang Mai store.

sarpesius

[mumbojumbo]

....TescoLotus MaeSai was slightly interesting once or twice, but not anymore. ....

I did not know there was a TescoLotus in Mae Sai. This raises the town's credit a notch.

Can you tell me how to get there from the main border gate?

It is not listed on Tesco's website. In fact, when you click on the Mai Sai dot on the map on the Tesco site, you get the Chiang Mai store.

sarpesius

It's a small crap store with nothing to offer

[little_muppet]

Ohh greeting to you all,

Its me Unknown User.. i havnt been here for awhile so surprise of this news. R u sure they r going to have this big departmentstore? didnt most cr ppl only window shoping...i think the department store owner should think twice to build it bigger than Central air port CM. keep cr stay the same ... not happy about this rumour..

Miss chiang rai alot!! hope i can come back soon

unknown xxx

[klikster]

Chiang Rai has been a beautiful secret for a long while.

" .. secret .. long while."?

When I first flew into CR in '89, a couple of dozen farangs were on the plane. The more I walked around town the more farangs I saw. The hardest part of visiting in the late 80's early 90's was getting a flight and a room.

[goski]

Things change. Three different airlines flying in, usually with only a couple of farangs on them and there doesn´t seem to be anyone alive anymore in this city But then again, Chiang Rai is a bit bigger than only the city.

[klikster]

Things change. Three different airlines flying in, usually with only a couple of farangs on them and there doesn´t seem to be anyone alive anymore in this city But then again, Chiang Rai is a bit bigger than only the city.

I was there for several days a few months ago (October, I believe). I noticed significant tourist foot traffic in town. I stayed at the Diamond and maybe a dozen Suzuki jeeps pulled out each morning with the 'trek' tours.

The one expat haunt I visited had a fair crowd.