New Pantip Plaza Outlets Planned

[george]

New Pantip Plaza outlets planned

Two local department stores sold to Charoen

BANGKOK: -- Banglampoo Department Store Co, one of the oldest Thai-owned department store operators, has sold two of its three outlets to liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, according to an executive from the department store operator. The two outlets are located in the Bang Pho area and on Ngam Wong Wan Road. The company is currently involved in a legal dispute over its third store, in Banglampoo, with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the source said.

The value of the deals was not disclosed.

According to the source, TCC Capital Land Co, a property unit of Mr Charoen's TCC Group, is transforming the two outlets into branches of Pantip Plaza, the popular IT centre on Phetchaburi Road.

The four-storey outlet in Bang Pho, located on seven rai, closed its doors in the middle of the month after being in operation for 20 years and will be renovated in the near future. The Ngam Wong Wan Road outlet is now being renovated while still operating as a retail outlet.

Banglampoo Department Store is the latest victim to succumb to the fierce competition in the retail business, especially from foreign operators.

Some local stores have stayed in business by linking up with foreign retailers.

For example, two long established Thai department store operators _ Pata and Cathay _ have thrown in the towel on their Bangkok supermarket businesses and allowed the Tesco Lotus discount store chain to open at their outlets.

``Our operation in Bang Pho remained profitable but its performance is way down from 10 years ago. We couldn't compete with foreign retail chains,'' said an employee of Banglampoo Department Store.

TCC Group executives did not respond to queries from the Bangkok Post about the transactions and Jirasak Wangchucherdkul, one of the co-founders of Banglampoo Department Store, declined to talk about the matter.

However, key executives from TCC Capital Land Co did confirm that Banglampoo's Bang Pho branch would be renovated into a new Pantip Plaza.

The Ngam Wong Wan branch, meanwhile, has already been renamed Pantip Plaza and is scheduled to open officially with almost 100,000 square metres of retail space next February.

According to an executive of Pantip Plaza, the first and second floors of the branch will be a shopping plaza with a Tops Supermarket, restaurants and fashion outlets and the remaining three floors will have shops selling IT-related products.

Some experts see the transformation of the department stores into IT centres as a very good move.

Ekachai Sirijirapatana, president of the SET-listed IT City chain, whose flagship store occupies the top floor of Pantip Plaza, said there was plenty of room for expansion in the IT retail business.

``Whether Thailand's economy is up or down, the demand for IT products continues to grow because of the low penetration rate of computer units per person in Thailand,'' he said.

--Bangkok Post 2005-09-26

[IMA_FARANG]

New Pantip Plaza outlets planned

Two local department stores sold to Charoen

BANGKOK: -- Banglampoo Department Store Co, one of the oldest Thai-owned department store operators, has sold two of its three outlets to liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, according to an executive from the department store operator. The two outlets are located in the Bang Pho area and on Ngam Wong Wan Road. The company is currently involved in a legal dispute over its third store, in Banglampoo, with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the source said.

The value of the deals was not disclosed.

According to the source, TCC Capital Land Co, a property unit of Mr Charoen's TCC Group, is transforming the two outlets into branches of Pantip Plaza, the popular IT centre on Phetchaburi Road.

The four-storey outlet in Bang Pho, located on seven rai, closed its doors in the middle of the month after being in operation for 20 years and will be renovated in the near future. The Ngam Wong Wan Road outlet is now being renovated while still operating as a retail outlet.

Banglampoo Department Store is the latest victim to succumb to the fierce competition in the retail business, especially from foreign operators.

Some local stores have stayed in business by linking up with foreign retailers.

For example, two long established Thai department store operators _ Pata and Cathay _ have thrown in the towel on their Bangkok supermarket businesses and allowed the Tesco Lotus discount store chain to open at their outlets.

``Our operation in Bang Pho remained profitable but its performance is way down from 10 years ago. We couldn't compete with foreign retail chains,'' said an employee of Banglampoo Department Store.

TCC Group executives did not respond to queries from the Bangkok Post about the transactions and Jirasak Wangchucherdkul, one of the co-founders of Banglampoo Department Store, declined to talk about the matter.

However, key executives from TCC Capital Land Co did confirm that Banglampoo's Bang Pho branch would be renovated into a new Pantip Plaza.

The Ngam Wong Wan branch, meanwhile, has already been renamed Pantip Plaza and is scheduled to open officially with almost 100,000 square metres of retail space next February.

According to an executive of Pantip Plaza, the first and second floors of the branch will be a shopping plaza with a Tops Supermarket, restaurants and fashion outlets and the remaining three floors will have shops selling IT-related products.

Some experts see the transformation of the department stores into IT centres as a very good move.

Ekachai Sirijirapatana, president of the SET-listed IT City chain, whose flagship store occupies the top floor of Pantip Plaza, said there was plenty of room for expansion in the IT retail business.

``Whether Thailand's economy is up or down, the demand for IT products continues to grow because of the low penetration rate of computer units per person in Thailand,'' he said.

--Bangkok Post 2005-09-26

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is plenty of room for IT services in Thailand because of the "low penetration rate of computer units per person in Thailand".

No sexual pun intended.

[DaveYo]

First and foremost of all folks, The current Pantip Plaza is run by the mob itself. They sell mostly illegal tit for tats there. Now they want to build Pantip Plaza 2 and 3 to sell more illegal stuff. Whewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. They have yet to shut down the first place yet. This money goes up the ladder here folks, and you can see flat top with his smiling face down yonder.

Sigh

Daveyo

[astral]

Have I missed something here?

Surely there are Pantip type stores popping up all over the place already, under the name

of Tuk Com. Sri Racha, Rayong, Pattaya, etc..........

[astral]

Have I missed something here?

Surely there are Pantip type stores popping up all over the place already, under the name

of Tuk Com. Sri Racha, Rayong, Pattaya, etc..........

[hansco]

Have I missed something here?

Surely there are Pantip type stores popping up all over the place already, under the name

of Tuk Com.  Sri Racha, Rayong, Pattaya, etc..........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hope they are better than the Chiang Mai Pantip, just been and half the shops are empty and the others are expensive.

[Heng]

First and foremost of all folks, The current Pantip Plaza is run by the mob itself.  They sell mostly illegal tit for tats there.  Now they want to build Pantip Plaza 2 and 3 to sell more illegal stuff.  Whewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.  They have yet to shut down the first place yet.  This money goes up the ladder here folks, and you can see flat top with his smiling face down yonder.

Sigh

Daveyo

First and foremost Dave, Thippthana Arcade Co. Ltd has majority shareholders who are royalty, including the founder whose land the original Pantip Plaza is located on. Are you suggesting they are also gangsters?

[linglop]

First and foremost of all folks, The current Pantip Plaza is run by the mob itself.  They sell mostly illegal tit for tats there.  Now they want to build Pantip Plaza 2 and 3 to sell more illegal stuff.  Whewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.  They have yet to shut down the first place yet.  This money goes up the ladder here folks, and you can see flat top with his smiling face down yonder.

Sigh

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is not the Panthip Plaza I would recognise. I have bought two computers and other equipment there over the years, all of which came with genuine guarantees. Would you include the book shops and IT mall on the top floor there for instance in your description?

Cooincidentally I live just over a stones throw from Bamlampoo Ngam Wong Wan. I welcome the upgrade to this sorry department store altho from all accounts the current occupants renting space do not welcome the proposed increase in rentals. I would be surprised if the proposed Tops Supermarket would survive at this location.

Ngam Wong Wan already has an IT store at the Mall as well as supermarkets at Tesco Lotus and the Mall.

[Diablo Bob]

Have I missed something here?

Surely there are Pantip type stores popping up all over the place already, under the name

of Tuk Com.  Sri Racha, Rayong, Pattaya, etc..........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hope they are better than the Chiang Mai Pantip, just been and half the shops are empty and the others are expensive.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How true...... But I have to admit, it is alot better than 6 months ago. I have gotten some great deals in Chiangmai (HP DesignJet plotter and a 21" Flat screen monitor), but still the available choices for stores and the lack of competition have had little affect on the prices.

I just wish that the stores would fill up.........

[Diablo Bob]

What's the point? So what!

The beauty of going to Panthip is the fact that it is selling underpriced rip-offs of the original!

I appreciate the fact that I am getting pirate software at a fraction of the price as "Legitimate retail". So, I am giving my money to the small guy rather than the "Big guys at Microsoft".

I am getting clone computers from small shops for a fraction of the cost of buying an HP or DELL.

The only original hardware I purchase are my scanners and printers.

I LOVE PANTHIP PLAZA!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

First and foremost of all folks, The current Pantip Plaza is run by the mob itself.  They sell mostly illegal tit for tats there.  Now they want to build Pantip Plaza 2 and 3 to sell more illegal stuff.   Whewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.   They have yet to shut down the first place yet.  This money goes up the ladder here folks, and you can see flat top with his smiling face down yonder.

Sigh

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

First and foremost Dave, Thippthana Arcade Co. Ltd has majority shareholders who are royalty, including the founder whose land the original Pantip Plaza is located on. Are you suggesting they are also gangsters?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dave has a case of Thaksinitus. He speaks without thinking same same