Talking Stroll Down the Promenada: Chiang Mai to get classy mall in 2011

Chiangmainews CityLife Mag Vol. 19 No. 1 January 2010

There's no doubt that Thailand loves its malls, just look where all the traffic is heading on the weekends. In Pied Piper-esque fashion, cars line up one by one following the trail of the music issuing from our malls . . . who could blame us, it's dam_n hot outside.

Mallers (that's a neologism) will be pleased to know Chiang Mai will soon be home to very different kind of mall, a "totally different mall experience" as Tjeert Kwant, CEO of Dutch Property conglomerate ECC, exclaimed to Citylife. In late 2011 the international brand mall, Promenada, will be opening its doors on the Ban Sahakorn Road that links the super Highway and the second ring road, close to the Sankampaeng turn off after you pass Big C.

ECC, formed in 1991, has already developed several shopping malls in central Europe investing over 350 million dollars, and they plan to invest a massive 88.5 million US dollars in the Chiang Mai project. The BOI (Board of Investment) Thailand, has given the group tax breaks while ECC's Promenada will create thousands of jobs during the construction of the mall and of course for the ongoing running of the mall. They are currently investing in new markets in South East Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. The other investment in Asia will be called 'Promenada@Canary' which will be in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, a project not unlike the one we will have in Chiang Mai.

So what can we expect from our new mall?

Kwant, who is now living in Bangkok with his family, explained that Promenada is nothing like the average six floor mall experience. He explained that going to the Promenada is something like a "shopping resort feeling" where everything is on two floors and very spread out. "An entertainment indoor and outdoor experience" he says, adding that the shops themselves will be a mix of local, Thai and international products. "Its design, combined with atmosphere, will attract people to come for the experience as well as to enjoy its features. It will be attractive for sophisticated shoppers, and definitely for foreigners."

The mall will take up about 75,000 sqm of space, much of it for entertainment purposes, not just shopping outlets. Kwant explains that wining and dining is important to the experience, too, and says that as well as food courts there will be a selection of specialty restaurants, "where you can eat inside and outside, al fresco with shaded dining." The group is strongly considering a cinema complex, though that may come later in the future.

Kwant, who says he loves living in Thailand, has visited Chiang Mai on many occasions, and has only good things to say about the city. "You think of Chiang Mai, you think of nature, friendliness, of the colour green . . . we have designed the mall to fit with this." Even though the Promenada malls in other counties, notably Warsaw, Poland, will be similar - if you want a sneak preview - the Chiang Mai Promenada will still be unique, as Kwant explains, "it will be a Chiang Mai Promenada experience."

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Edited January 19, 201016 yr by infernalman7

Who is Bull s---ing who? It was supposed to be stared in the last quarter of 2009 now 2011? What about the Central mall on again, off again, on again and silent. I'll belive this when I see it open

Yes, well the whole world did get hit by the recession! I suppose that may have been a factor for the postponement...but that is just a wild guess!

Yes, well the whole world did get hit by the recession! I suppose that may have been a factor for the postponement...but that is just a wild guess!

Yes you could be correct on the recession but it seems comical to me that the dirt is flying on a new Central mall in Chiang Rai, a new Central mall has just opened in Khon Kaen and Korat. Seeing is believing.

The appearance is that the common areas are outdoors. One of the reasons everyone goes to the mall is that it is air conditioned.

On a positive note the location is excellent.

Maybe no cinema? Bummer.

No mall could be more classy than Gaad-suan-gaeow. Fact.

I always thought classy was different from run-down...

Who is Bull s---ing who? It was supposed to be stared in the last quarter of 2009 now 2011? What about the Central mall on again, off again, on again and silent. I'll belive this when I see it open

ECC does not own a single mall.

Regarding their so called Chiangmai project, they have no funding, no tenants, no experience, no nothing.

This mall of theirs was planned to start building 2 years ago.

They just keep up this act to get funding in place, and have been trying to get funding in place for the last 2 years.

Many of their suppliers have not even been paid in full because of their lack of funding.

Their founder has developed one single mall about 20 years ago, which has been sold already to an English investment group 5 years ago.

All this other talk about developing malls throughout Europe is complete and utter nonsense.

Kwant comes from a cleaning company and has never developed any retail space in his life and their managing director used to work in a town hall in some Dutch province.

Do not believe everything publicized about this mall for it is a lot of b.llsh.t !

Who is Bull s---ing who? It was supposed to be stared in the last quarter of 2009 now 2011? What about the Central mall on again, off again, on again and silent. I'll belive this when I see it open

ECC does not own a single mall.

Regarding their so called Chiangmai project, they have no funding, no tenants, no experience, no nothing.

This mall of theirs was planned to start building 2 years ago.

They just keep up this act to get funding in place, and have been trying to get funding in place for the last 2 years.

Many of their suppliers have not even been paid in full because of their lack of funding.

Their founder has developed one single mall about 20 years ago, which has been sold already to an English investment group 5 years ago.

All this other talk about developing malls throughout Europe is complete and utter nonsense.

Kwant comes from a cleaning company and has never developed any retail space in his life and their managing director used to work in a town hall in some Dutch province.

Do not believe everything publicized about this mall for it is a lot of b.llsh.t !

Well it LOOKED good it the mag

Shame if what you say is true...certainly would have provided a lot of jobs

In the same publication there was an article about Hollywood CNX ...whats gonna happen with that project???

Hollywood CNX went to a Grade B movie and then to the reruns.

O dear, that is terrible, if what you say is true. When we talked to them and to one or two other sources (including a bank who claimed to have approved part of the loan) it all seemed on the up and up. Shame.

You can find Con men in all nationalities

Who is Bull s---ing who? It was supposed to be stared in the last quarter of 2009 now 2011? What about the Central mall on again, off again, on again and silent. I'll belive this when I see it open

ECC does not own a single mall.

Regarding their so called Chiangmai project, they have no funding, no tenants, no experience, no nothing.

This mall of theirs was planned to start building 2 years ago.

They just keep up this act to get funding in place, and have been trying to get funding in place for the last 2 years.

Many of their suppliers have not even been paid in full because of their lack of funding.

Their founder has developed one single mall about 20 years ago, which has been sold already to an English investment group 5 years ago.

All this other talk about developing malls throughout Europe is complete and utter nonsense.

Kwant comes from a cleaning company and has never developed any retail space in his life and their managing director used to work in a town hall in some Dutch province.

Do not believe everything publicized about this mall for it is a lot of b.llsh.t !

Not sure where Pops got the information from but I thought that ECC had some malls in Eastern Europe. They also had a project they were working on in Vietnam.

I saw their proposal and was offered a space in the new mall. I do know that the funding was based on getting loans and/or investors.

Let us know more.

Who is Bull s---ing who? It was supposed to be stared in the last quarter of 2009 now 2011? What about the Central mall on again, off again, on again and silent. I'll belive this when I see it open

ECC does not own a single mall.

Regarding their so called Chiangmai project, they have no funding, no tenants, no experience, no nothing.

This mall of theirs was planned to start building 2 years ago.

They just keep up this act to get funding in place, and have been trying to get funding in place for the last 2 years.

Many of their suppliers have not even been paid in full because of their lack of funding.

Their founder has developed one single mall about 20 years ago, which has been sold already to an English investment group 5 years ago.

All this other talk about developing malls throughout Europe is complete and utter nonsense.

Kwant comes from a cleaning company and has never developed any retail space in his life and their managing director used to work in a town hall in some Dutch province.

Do not believe everything publicized about this mall for it is a lot of b.llsh.t !

Well it LOOKED good it the mag

Shame if what you say is true...certainly would have provided a lot of jobs

In the same publication there was an article about Hollywood CNX ...whats gonna happen with that project???

Same thing there, huge plans, no funding !

The group trying to do the Hollywood CNX project do not even own the land they said they did and on which the project was announced.

It's some Mexican guy with a Thai partner in Dubai owning a computer design firm in Chiangmai.

These guys did the 3-d work for the palm island in Dubai, that is where they probably got the idea for this unreal over the top Hollywood CNX project.

Problem with these guys as well as ECC is that they are making local government completely crazy with all kind of hollow promises in exchange for all kind of privileges, and in the end they make everybody looking like fools.

This all under the slogan: "fake it till you make it".

agree with gotlost on this one, wont believe it till i see it

there must be a long list of ''Exciting New Development in CM'' that have come to nought

maybe im just jaded from all the talk of CM/Thailand being the ''Hub'' of the universe

Who is Bull s---ing who? It was supposed to be stared in the last quarter of 2009 now 2011? What about the Central mall on again, off again, on again and silent. I'll belive this when I see it open

ECC does not own a single mall.

Regarding their so called Chiangmai project, they have no funding, no tenants, no experience, no nothing.

This mall of theirs was planned to start building 2 years ago.

They just keep up this act to get funding in place, and have been trying to get funding in place for the last 2 years.

Many of their suppliers have not even been paid in full because of their lack of funding.

Their founder has developed one single mall about 20 years ago, which has been sold already to an English investment group 5 years ago.

All this other talk about developing malls throughout Europe is complete and utter nonsense.

Kwant comes from a cleaning company and has never developed any retail space in his life and their managing director used to work in a town hall in some Dutch province.

Do not believe everything publicized about this mall for it is a lot of b.llsh.t !

Well it LOOKED good it the mag

Shame if what you say is true...certainly would have provided a lot of jobs

In the same publication there was an article about Hollywood CNX ...whats gonna happen with that project???

Same thing there, huge plans, no funding !

The group trying to do the Hollywood CNX project do not even own the land they said they did and on which the project was announced.

It's some Mexican guy with a Thai partner in Dubai owning a computer design firm in Chiangmai.

These guys did the 3-d work for the palm island in Dubai, that is where they probably got the idea for this unreal over the top Hollywood CNX project.

Problem with these guys as well as ECC is that they are making local government completely crazy with all kind of hollow promises in exchange for all kind of privileges, and in the end they make everybody looking like fools.

This all under the slogan: "fake it till you make it".

Reminds me of TAT PS. The location is not that great either.

Edited January 21, 201016 yr by gotlost

No, it'd be a GREAT location!

I suppose it may go the way of the proposed animation studio. Whatever happened to that one too? Was looking forward to that.

About the ECC there is absolutely a huge mall that I know of for sure in Poland and I believe other countries too, so I think that it is still a possibility. The one in Vietnam apparently is already under construction. Am heading there soon so will do some sniffing around...(if I can be bothered, since I am gonig to be on holiday!)

So many planned projects in Chiang Mai talked about but will never materialise. The mall would be fantastic though as far as location is concerned. a movie on the way home would have sounded like a splendid idea!

About the ECC there is absolutely a huge mall that I know of for sure in Poland and I believe other countries too, so I think that it is still a possibility. The one in Vietnam apparently is already under construction. Am heading there soon so will do some sniffing around...(if I can be bothered, since I am gonig to be on holiday!)

The mall in Poland is called Promenada and is developed by the founder of ECC, mr. Heijmans.

This mall however has been sold to an English investment group 5 years ago.

It is even up for sale because the English group bought it too expensive and cannot get required returns out of it.

ECC does not own a single mall anywhere in the world !

In Vietnam there is no construction going on whatsoever besides infrastructure (being done by local government) on a site which will be developed into a small suburb and on which ECC claims they will do their mall.

In Vietnam ECC claims they will start building mid or end this year, but also there, seeing is believing.

CNXwood is not going to happen anytime within two years. Their major investor, Dubai World, is apparently in trouble.

I hate the super large malls because it takes forever to find anything, and you can never remember where the he!! you are. It is easy to get lost in there. I'm going to bring a tent and sleeping bag the next time I visit the Airport Plaza. I might not find my way out by evening.

I hate the super large malls because it takes forever to find anything, and you can never remember where the he!! you are. It is easy to get lost in there. I'm going to bring a tent and sleeping bag the next time I visit the Airport Plaza. I might not find my way out by evening.

Thank goodness I am not the only one who is directionally challenged in that mall!

I venture to guess that, like casinos, these malls a purposely designed for you to get lost in.

im not too bad in that mall now

i must admit, i like it laid out in the way it is

ie electronics mostly on the same floor, restaurants on another, fashion on another

at least you can compare prices easily without walking great distances

in nz its all over the show