A new shopping experience awaits patrons as malls set to open this Sunday

[webfact]

A new shopping experience awaits patrons as malls set to open this Sunday

 

Picture: Manager 

 

It is widely expected that Thailand's ubiquitous shopping malls will be allowed to open this Sunday.

 

It will be an experience that will bear little resemblance to a couple of months ago before people became fully aware of the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Picture: Manager 

 

While some shops and restaurants have already opened and given  customers a taste of the "New Normal" the opening of the malls will doubtless see hundreds of thousands of people nationwide leave their homes and head for Central, Robinson's, Paragon, Emquartier and all the rest.

 

Manager reported on the measures being undertaken by the nation's leading mall groups to comply with government orders and create what they hope will be a safe and clean environment for their patrons.

 

What they want to avoid most of all is a second wave of infection and more economic hardship that further closures would bring.

 

Central group that has 33 stores nationwide including some of the biggest outside Bangkok has five main points in their directions and assurances to customers. 

 

That they are safe, clean, have screening, are practicing social distancing and are offering a "touchless" experience at their stores.

 

Picture: Manager 

 

They will have registration using QR codes so that people can be contacted in case of the need to trace them.

 

The Mall group that run places like high end stores in Bangkok like Emporium, Emquartier and Paragon are limiting their the number of patrons to their floor space.

 

If the number through the door exceeds one per five square meters they will shut temporarily until the crowds ease.

 

Other malls such as Icon run by Siam Phipat group, the MBK group and Robinson's also have large numbers of measures in place.

 

It will be masks for everyone, shields for many key staff, temperature checks with temperature guns to the forehead everywhere.

 

Marks on the floor will indicated where you should stand. People will have to wait outside some shops on spaced out chairs especially if they become overcrowded. 

 

Picture: Manager 

 

Meanwhile, the elephant in the room will be the possibility that the crowds will cause a further spike in the pandemic in Thailand.

 

And despite all the precautions the country and its shopping sector could be back to square one.

 

Source: Manager

 

 

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[cornishcarlos]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

They will have registration using QR codes so that people can be contacted in case of the need to trace them.

 

No more gold shop heists then... Pheeeewwwwwww

[Crossy]

No doubt the app will crash within minutes due to poor coding and under-powered servers (the Chiang Mai registration system managed 1/2 a day).

 

I wonder how well it works with no mobile data ????

 

[Jingthing]

So does that mean running the tracking app and checking in and out with QR codes is going to be required to enter the malls or not?!? 

[zeamonkey]

This experience sounds about as attractive as visiting someone ill in the ICU, same procedure. You new normal has nothing i want.

[zeamonkey]

14 minutes ago, Crossy said:

No doubt the app will crash within minutes due to poor coding and under-powered servers (the Chiang Mai registration system managed 1/2 a day).

 

I wonder how well it works with no mobile data ????

 

Would any right minded IT security person install this app on their phone? Guess that the price for shopping, we can spy on your whole life.

[Crossy]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So does that mean running the tracking app and checking in and out with QR codes is going to be required to enter the malls or not?!? 

 

Who actually knows at this stage. Doubtless we will find out on Sunday (we don't even know if the malls will be open yet).

[zig]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

They will have registration using QR codes so that people can be contacted in case of the need to trace them.

It is an extra hassle that might cause customers to avoid going to malls unless absolutely necessary. So much for reopening economy...

[Mavideol]

the more difficult to enter the better, that means a lot of us (the ones like me that don't like shopping malls)  don't have to take the wives shopping ... she has been looking forward that opening moment for quite some time  555

[Oldie]

I can't hardly await the opening now. To experience this new shopping experience will be a on top of my list. 

[BobbyL]

Has there actually been a confirmation announcement about the reopening this Sunday? I don't recall seeing anything from the government confirming it and my wife called ikea yesterday as we want to order curtains etc from them and they said they were still waiting to be told if they can open. 

[mr mr]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, the elephant in the room will be the possibility that the crowds will cause a further spike in the pandemic in Thailand.

what pandemic in thailand ? the 70 people ? i find it harder by the day actually accepting that this is going to happen. what the fork is going on with our species ? 

[Brunolem]

15 minutes ago, mr mr said:

what pandemic in thailand ? the 70 people ? i find it harder by the day actually accepting that this is going to happen. what the fork is going on with our species ? 

Not 70...56!

 

Wait in line in the heat outside before being authorized to enter the shopping mall...

 

Go through a procedure similar to the one required to visit Chernobyl...

 

Walk around without touching anything while trying to breathe through a face mask...

 

and upon returning home, be ready to find yourself under quarantine a few days later, because some guy you came accross during your visit at the mall happened to test positive...

 

I think I'll pass and stick to Lotus and Big C.

 

Thanks but no thanks.

 

[CLW]

No thanks for visiting malls in the near future. During the closure online shopping could fullfil all my needs. 

Only a few items, such as pants I would prefer to try and buy in the shop.

[JTXR]

2 hours ago, Brunolem said:

I think I'll pass and stick to Lotus and Big C.

 

That's a good plan, but I suspect once there's an app out there (however glitchy it might be), all the stores will eventually be forced to require customers use it. 

[sammieuk1]

Get them 80% off stickers ready and take down the old 120% on ones its selling time????

[Artisi]

And, if you don't own a phone or forget (conveniently) to bring it with you - do you get sent home with a note from the teacher? 

[1Gringo]

no word about health clinics to reopen.  I can only get one of my essential inhalers from my clinic.  is this yet another way for the Thai government to kill farangs?  it's certainly not good for my health.

[bodga]

No  thanks  ill  give  all  those places  a miss.

[ukrules]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

If the number through the door exceeds one per five square meters they will shut temporarily until the crowds ease.

That right there is the problem.

 

There will be 100's standing in line outside waiting to get in. I've seen photos of this happening in the UK in the past weeks.

 

[Brunolem]

7 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

There will be 100's standing in line outside waiting to get in. 

 

You can add: standing in line outside...in the heat right under the burning sun!

 

 

[Sundown]

I will not spend a single minute and baht in those useless shopping centers. Open the beaches!!!!!!

[Mulambana]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

There will be 100's standing in line outside waiting to get in. I've seen photos of this happening in the UK in the past weeks.

OMG, UK. The land of desease and filthy people carrying those deseases. More death and destruction due to people's know-it-all arrogancies.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Mulambana

[faraday]

3 minutes ago, Mulambana said:

OMG, UK. The land of desease and filthy people carrying those deseases. More death and destruction due to people's know-it-all arrogancies.

Bit harsh.

 

What land of milk & honey are you from then?

[solomon david]

Will this include mbk from this Sunday? 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, Sundown said:

I will not spend a single minute and baht in those useless shopping centers. Open the beaches!!!!!!

 

You don't like free air conditioning?  I like free air conditioning while I'm admiring the local scenery and perhaps getting a bite or a coffee in a nice, cool food court or restaurant.

Edited May 15, 2020 by impulse

[Tropicalevo]

I do not know how old the store or the photo is, but I thought that advertising alcohol is illegal in Thailand. Or does Johnnie Walker sell water now?

Edited May 15, 2020 by Tropicalevo

[Caldera]

The headline makes it sound as if it will be a pleasant experience. Reading the details, it sounds anything but.

 

I've got to say I got used to shopping online. The main draw for me in shopping malls were the cinemas, and since they will remain closed, I won't be in a hurry to experience that new experience.

[Boomer6969]

7 hours ago, mr mr said:

what pandemic in thailand ? the 70 people ? i find it harder by the day actually accepting that this is going to happen. what the fork is going on with our species ? 

This is the wrong way to look at it. The question you have to ask yourself is how many lives may have been saved thanks to the restrictions that have been put into place. It definitely irritates me sometimes, but at 67, with a good chance to die if I catch it, I am thankful to be alive.

[Ventenio]

i don't even remember the PRE-Wuhan days........how many decades has it been?

 

i'm guessing most of us are into self-preservation.

 

I don't think COVID would do anything to me.  Well, if I haven't gotten it already, I would say 3% chance it would kill me.  KILL.  If I need to eat and get food, i'll take my chances.   see my gf, i'll take my chances.  BUT go to a mall and walk around.......nothing there is worth it.  wait for vaccine.