High-speed Net Cafes For Bangkok Subway

[george]

High-speed Net cafes for subway

BANGKOK: -- Starting next month, subway commuters will be able to log on to a high-speed Internet service while en route to work.

Following yesterday’s signing of a three-year exclusive deal between True Corp Plc and Metro Mall Co Ltd, True will open its first True Station Internet cafe next month at the Sukhumvit subway station.

Ten more subway-station Internet cafes are planned, starting with Chatuchak and Phaholyothin.

Each cafe will require an investment of Bt6 million to Bt7 million, inclusive of the leasing fee, said Papon Ratanachaikanont, assistant to True president and CEO Supachai Chearavanont

“They [the cafes] match the lifestyles of modern commuters. They board a fast train and they should want to have high-speed Internet access,” Papon said.

Supachai said the subway cafes would serve as a pilot project, with the company planning to open 100 Internet cafes across the country over the next 18 months. Half of the cafes will be in Bangkok and half in the provinces.

Supachai said about 20 shops would operate under a franchise system, with the franchising fee still to be finalised.

The return on investment is expected to be at least 14 per cent, he said.

The telecom company has stepped into the Internet-cafe business as it believes it has major expansion potential, given that there are only around 10,000 such cafes operating in the country at present.

Out of that number, 6,000 are run by professional operators.

--The Nation 2005-05-26

[mnoorsapl]

High-speed Net cafes for subway

“They [the cafes] match the lifestyles of modern commuters. They board a fast train and they should want to have high-speed Internet access,” Papon said.

--The Nation 2005-05-26

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will it give a try.

[The_Other_Mac]

High-speed Net cafes for subway

“They [the cafes] match the lifestyles of modern commuters. They board a fast train and they should want to have high-speed Internet access,” Papon said.

--The Nation 2005-05-26

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If TRUE thinks that 25 km/h constitutes a high speed train, that explains a lot about their definition of high speed internet access.

[stumonster]

I think a better idea would to be having 802.11 wifi access while in the subway system.

you would be a bit pissed off if you missed your train because you were in a net cafe.

[ProfessorFart]

Can't people wait 20 mins until they get into work??

This sounds a bit bizzare to me. Worryingly gimmicky. Probably just a ruse to gloss over a shaky start to the service?

[Sphere]

“They [the cafes] match the lifestyles of modern commuters. They board a fast train and they should want to have high-speed Internet access,” Papon said.

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How about getting the mobile phones working properly first?

[Heng]

Can't people wait 20 mins until they get into work??

For some people, their work is IN the net, and 20 minutes of revenue is 20 minutes of revenue.

[Joey Boy]

High-speed Net cafes for subway

“They [the cafes] match the lifestyles of modern commuters. They board a fast train and they should want to have high-speed Internet access,” Papon said.

--The Nation 2005-05-26

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If TRUE thinks that 25 km/h constitutes a high speed train, that explains a lot about their definition of high speed internet access.

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