Central Festival Is Really Quite Good!

[thaibeachlovers]

Having spent some time in the store over the last few days, I have to admit it's really quite an excellent facility, especially the food court and the cinemas.

I still think it's inappropriate that it was built in Pattaya, and will probably fail eventually ( just not enough customers ), but that does not detract from it being a great place to hang out in on a rainy day.

Incidentally, despite some posts a while ago about it being in imminent danger of physical collapse, it is still very much standing tall.

[bartender100]

Yes, its excellent, spent a lot of time there on my last trip.

[Guderian]

Yes, I really like the place, but there are too many fashion/clothes places for the current market. Too many up-market outlets, too, though they are nice to look at. Its survival depends on whether or not the monied tourists return. Russia is still in deep doodoo, the Indians are tightwads (and probably not very well off), and the Chinese are mostly penniless in spite of their rapidly growing economy (too many people). The US and UK currencies are screwed, so it leaves the Aussies and Europeans (and maybe the odd Jap) to keep the place going. The Euro is unsustainably high, anyway, according to the French government yesterday. In hindsight, their timing building the place was very unfortunate.

[CGW]

Having spent some time in the store over the last few days, I have to admit it's really quite an excellent facility, especially the food court and the cinemas.

I still think it's inappropriate that it was built in Pattaya, and will probably fail eventually ( just not enough customers ), but that does not detract from it being a great place to hang out in on a rainy day.

Incidentally, despite some posts a while ago about it being in imminent danger of physical collapse, it is still very much standing tall.

A lot of people have forcast failure for this place, the owners are not listening! they are building another one in Khon Kean, where it will also be doomed, or will it? They have a lot of money, maybe they know something we dont!!!!

[chickenslegs]

Yes, I really like the place, but there are too many fashion/clothes places for the current market. Too many up-market outlets, too, though they are nice to look at. Its survival depends on whether or not the monied tourists return. Russia is still in deep doodoo, the Indians are tightwads (and probably not very well off), and the Chinese are mostly penniless in spite of their rapidly growing economy (too many people). The US and UK currencies are screwed, so it leaves the Aussies and Europeans (and maybe the odd Jap) to keep the place going. The Euro is unsustainably high, anyway, according to the French government yesterday. In hindsight, their timing building the place was very unfortunate.

I always see a lot of young Thai couples/families in Central - and they seem to have plenty of spending money.

[Heng]

Having spent some time in the store over the last few days, I have to admit it's really quite an excellent facility, especially the food court and the cinemas.

I still think it's inappropriate that it was built in Pattaya, and will probably fail eventually ( just not enough customers ), but that does not detract from it being a great place to hang out in on a rainy day.

Incidentally, despite some posts a while ago about it being in imminent danger of physical collapse, it is still very much standing tall.

A lot of people have forcast failure for this place, the owners are not listening! they are building another one in Khon Kean, where it will also be doomed, or will it? They have a lot of money, maybe they know something we dont!!!!

No doubt to take advantage of the substantial Aussie and European population in Khon Kaen!

Love the place, although I'd bet it's one of those 20+ years to break even type projects (clearly unfathomable to the average tourist/'long' stay expat whose average time to bankruptcy here is about 20 months).

[Jingthing]

I think anyone who says it will fail is daft. It is positioned brilliantly. Pattaya, with its crappy beach, is the most popular beach resort in Asia. Its in Thailand, an easy flight from the emerging new powerhouses of this century, India and China, not to mention the Russian bears who still think they are important. Many tourists want to avoid Bangkok entirely yet they would like a taste of a Bangkok style modern mall. Voila. Naysayers, you are simply wrong.

[syd barrett]

I think that it is great.

The banks are open on a Saturday there, and there are so many restaurants on the upper levels that there is always room to sit, except on some weekends and public holidays.

I think that the Supermarket in the cellar is overpriced though.

However, I give the place a solid 8/10 rating.

[Heng]

The banks (like most 'mall' bank branches and sub-branches) are open 365 days a year.... barring the aforementioned possibility of a building collapse and/or something like a freak Gulf of Thailand tsunami.

Now if only I could get my 'first world' banks to do that.

Edited October 21, 2009 by Heng

[gmac]

I think that it is great.

The banks are open on a Saturday there, and there are so many restaurants on the upper levels that there is always room to sit, except on some weekends and public holidays.

I think that the Supermarket in the cellar is overpriced though.

However, I give the place a solid 8/10 rating.

Some things in the supermarket are very expensive but if you happen to want the items that are on special offer there are some good savings to be made. 200gm Nescafe Gold coffee, which I always use, marked down from 390 to 252 Baht (with their spots card) as an example. I agree the full price is high but I have seen it at over 400 Baht in Lotus on occasion so I was pretty pleased today.

In general I like the whole place, despite my initial horror at the upmarket prices, and have even bought a few things in the stores. Not designer gear at rip off prices though I might add!

[Lantern]

Took these in August.

[PattayaParent]

Went in it once, never felt the need to go back.

[IHateCaptcha]

I too think it's a great addition to Pattaya and I shop and dine there regularly. On recent visits, I have noticed that several new reataurants have opened on the outside facade side on Beach Road (go up using the outside elevator. One, and Italian place, had a 3 course set-price dinner of B 350 till 6 pm that looks nice. Agree that all the designer froo-froo shops are too much (I think many of them have already closed) and therefore the first floor (ground) looks rather depressing but the upper floors of small electronic, books, health and beauty shops, etc. seem to be doing a decent trade.

It was their misforture to open an upscale retail mall during the middle of the worst world-wide recession since the Great Depression, but that's not their fault as the place was in the planning and construction phases for years. Central Department Stores is part of one of the largest retail/real estate/hotel conglomerates in Thailand and they are continuing to expand so I'm sure they will do whatever it takes to support and grow the mall (it won't be allowed to fail).

Now, The Avenue, I can see the owners eventually throwing in the towel and redeveloping the whole complex.

[gmac]

Went in it once, never felt the need to go back.

Your loss.

[Beardog]

Really high priced for a copy of a copy . Bought the same board shorts this summer in the states that rip curl was selling & the label is NOT from China as theirs are. 250 baht on the beach or 4500 baht at the mall...............HMMMMM

It is well laid out though & they really screwed the pooch on building in a recessionary period! Lots of trail of tears of vendors leaving to come. On the other hand it is great going to royal plaza & hardly any action & you can get the same copies for a heck of a lot less.

[Beacher]

I haven't bothered to go there yet but was curious to see a list of retailers. I tried their web site, but it's your standard Thai web site - basically useless - so I was wondering if anybody knows of another site with a store list.

[PattayaParent]

Went in it once, never felt the need to go back.

Your loss.

Not really because as Beardog points out I can get what I want cheaper elsewhere.

[tropo]

And it hasn't collapsed yet!

I wonder if the guys on here who were too afraid to enter have tried their luck yet.

[Ulysses G.]

Splitting all the customers up that used to go to Royal Plaza is a real shame - 3 empty shopping malls. There are a few new restaurants that are welcome, but the rest of the stuff is no great shakes.

[Tolley]

Yep got some good restaurants upstairs am on my way to Fuji shortly.

[RCR]

The A&W on level 6, facing Beach Road has an outside verandah which offers spectacular views of the beach, both day and night. I went there several times for waffles and icecream and their big frosty mug of root beer (109 baht). I'm surprised that a more upmarket restaurant didn't grab this location.

Edited October 22, 2009 by RCR

[sokal]

Having spent some time in the store over the last few days, I have to admit it's really quite an excellent facility, especially the food court and the cinemas.

I still think it's inappropriate that it was built in Pattaya, and will probably fail eventually ( just not enough customers ), but that does not detract from it being a great place to hang out in on a rainy day.

Incidentally, despite some posts a while ago about it being in imminent danger of physical collapse, it is still very much standing tall.

A lot of people have forcast failure for this place, the owners are not listening! they are building another one in Khon Kean, where it will also be doomed, or will it? They have a lot of money, maybe they know something we dont!!!!

Maybe its Chinese money, google the south china mall, its the biggest in the world but it has no customers.

[thaibeachlovers]

Having spent some time in the store over the last few days, I have to admit it's really quite an excellent facility, especially the food court and the cinemas.

I still think it's inappropriate that it was built in Pattaya, and will probably fail eventually ( just not enough customers ), but that does not detract from it being a great place to hang out in on a rainy day.

Incidentally, despite some posts a while ago about it being in imminent danger of physical collapse, it is still very much standing tall.

A lot of people have forcast failure for this place, the owners are not listening! they are building another one in Khon Kean, where it will also be doomed, or will it? They have a lot of money, maybe they know something we dont!!!!

Maybe its Chinese money, google the south china mall, its the biggest in the world but it has no customers.

I did that, and it reassures me to know that even rich people can be stupid. Central's owners should be scared. It takes more than a zillion fashion boutiques to keep a mall open.

They should put some rides in. They could build a pretty scary "death drop" ride all the way from top of the Hilton to 1st floor! Now that'd bring in the tourists.

[guzzi850m2]

Yep got some good restaurants upstairs am on my way to Fuji shortly.

3-6 very good Japan restaurants there and not too expensive, good food court too, had Indian food the other day, jummy.

It is very convenient for me when it is raining, take the car and park on level 3 or 4 so don't even have to bring an umbrella . But not good when going on the bike

2 book stores, one is quite big.

I see many Thai tourists in the weekend, but don't think they go and buy brand clothes, more window shopping and maybe eating some food.

But lets see, high season is almost here so I hope they can survive.