Covid-19 and the economy: Big four star Bangkok hotel operating for 50 years announces closure

[rooster59]

Covid-19 and the economy: Big four star Bangkok hotel operating for 50 years announces closure

 

Image: Daily News

 

The Windsor Suites Hotel on Sukhumvit Road Soi 20 in Bangkok has announced that it is closing temporarily from the end of April.

 

A memo to staff from the general manager said they would all be made redundant.

 

The Covid-19 crisis and a "dramatic downturn in business" is to blame.

 

The memo said that renovations would be taking place and the hotel would reopen when demand had returned to normal. Existing staff who wanted to reapply to work their again would be given priority, they said.

 

The hotel says online that it has 347 suites and is just 350 yards from Asok BTS in the downtown area of Bangkok.

 

It has been in operation for 50 years and is a 4 star facility.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-07

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[petermik]

The first of many methinks......

[Just1Voice]

hen a place such as this shuts down, you know things are getting seriously bad. 

[spiekerjozef]

Good idea

[Ian Nagle]

This place is on a cliff edge.

Edited March 7, 2020 by Ian Nagle

[NCC1701A]

AirBNB is a factor.

[ianezy0]

If it is a 4 star facility and 50 years old, it will no doubt be due for renovation. I see this as blaming the virus as an excuse to make the staff redundant while they lavish millions on renovation.

 

[Ian Nagle]

2 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

If it is a 4 star facility and 50 years old, it will no doubt be due for renovation. I see this as blaming the virus as an excuse to make the staff redundant while they lavish millions on renovation.

 

There is a signicant down turn. I bet the place is virtually empty.

[xtof2]

This place is a slum... for a so-called 4 star hotel.

Not a surprise, the bad ones out first.

[Cake Monster]

16 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

AirBNB is a factor.

And you can bet your Nuts that all the people that borrowed heavily to buy Houses and Apartments for ' AirBNB ' customers, will also be bricking it.

[sanemax]

21 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

If it is a 4 star facility and 50 years old, it will no doubt be due for renovation. I see this as blaming the virus as an excuse to make the staff redundant while they lavish millions on renovation.

 

Why wouldnt they just say that they would be closing for renovations ?

[Jane Dough]

8 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

And you can bet your Nuts that all the people that borrowed heavily to buy Houses and Apartments for ' AirBNB ' customers, will also be bricking it.

Many of them are Chinese so there is a bit of karma involved.

 

Rooster.

[canopus1969]

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Why wouldnt they just say that they would be closing for renovations ?

'cause they needed a good excuse to get rid of all the staff

[JHolmesJr]

Ive heard its owned by the same company that run the President brand.

Indian folks.....rich as hell.

[sanemax]

5 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

'cause they needed a good excuse to get rid of all the staff

Wouldnt, *closing for renovations* be sufficient ?

[sammieuk1]

Putting corona aside I would think the continuing ridiculous strength of the Baht finished them off ????

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, Ian Nagle said:

There is a signicant down turn. I bet the place is virtually empty.

Best time to renovate

[richard_smith237]

55 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Wouldnt, *closing for renovations* be sufficient ?

I suspect they want to use a ‘lese majeste’ clause.

 

It would seem they don’t want to pay staff while the renovation is on-going, they want to make the staff redundant, potentially using a lese Majeste clause so they don’t have to make redundancy payments according to labor laws, then re-hire the same staff once renovation is complete. 

 

If so, a very sh!tty way to treat their employees - I hope the Thai Labor department get involved with this so the employees don’t get the shaft. 

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Wouldnt, *closing for renovations* be sufficient ?

Yes.

But that would not be saving face.

 

[Dexxter]

I stayed in The Windsor Suites Hotel early 2014 during the "Bangkok Shutdown" sit-ins. Great hotel in a great location. I am surprised the hotel is 50 years old because the building seemed a lot newer than that. Were they operating in a much smaller building before the current one?

[Dexxter]

1 hour ago, xtof2 said:

This place is a slum... for a so-called 4 star hotel.

Not a surprise, the bad ones out first.

Not sure why you say that. Back in 2014 when I stayed there I was quite impressed by the hotel and the room. Maybe I had a better room than you. Maybe I was naive back then. Maybe I need to try more 4 star hotels. ????

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

I suspect they want to use a ‘lese majeste’ clause.

I assume that you mean force majeure, in any case, they will have to pay the severance pay to their employees, they should have a provision in place for this already.

[RichardColeman]

Must be fake news - arrivals were up in January according to TAR or whatever

[timendres]

2 hours ago, sanemax said:

Wouldnt, *closing for renovations* be sufficient ?

I suspect they are positioning themselves for any potential government handouts that are related to the COVID19 breakout.

[30la]

Don't blame the virus, look for reasons in your management and how tourists around the world are treated in this country.
The bubble begins to explode, well done BOT, without your support (Baht artificially held high) it would have taken a little longer!

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

hen a place such as this shuts down, you know things are getting seriously bad. 

 

They're not really shutting down though are they? Cutting operating costs by making staff redundant and renovating during the lull in occupancy. Maybe been considering the renovations for sometime, but looking for the right opportunity.

 

Can then re-open when this current "pandemic disaster" has blown over and be selective about who they re-employ. 

 

 

[Kinnock]

2 hours ago, sanemax said:

Wouldnt, *closing for renovations* be sufficient ?

Not under Thai employment law.

[Baerboxer]

6 minutes ago, 30la said:

Don't blame the virus, look for reasons in your management and how tourists around the world are treated in this country.
The bubble begins to explode, well done BOT, without your support (Baht artificially held high) it would have taken a little longer!

 

Please explain to us how you believe the BoT keeps the ThB artificially high?

[iaminwa]

Shame. Good place.

Edited March 7, 2020 by iaminwa

[Orton Rd]

3 hours ago, ianezy0 said:

If it is a 4 star facility and 50 years old, it will no doubt be due for renovation. I see this as blaming the virus as an excuse to make the staff redundant while they lavish millions on renovation.

 

Mrs work for 2 modern ones on Suk and a famous 4 star at SIam, all have closed floors, laid off staff and even cut the internet off to save money. Almost nobody there at all.