Thailand Set To Become Asia's Shopping Hub: Siam Piwat Boss

[webfact]

SIAM PIWAT

Thailand set to become Asia's shopping hub, Siam Piwat boss says

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation

Thailand will be recognised as a key shopping destination in Asia as more than 100 international brands are expected to set up retail networks here within three years.

"Our shopping malls, consisting of Siam Centre, Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon, plan to launch not less than 100 international brands in the areas of fashion, restaurants and home decorations over the next three years," Chadatip Chutrakul, managing director of Siam Piwat, said yesterday.

International brands have been shifting their focus to Asia, especially Thailand, after the economic slowdowns in the United States and Europe, she said.

The international fashion brands aim to cash in on the rebound of the Thai economy and consumer purchasing power expected in the middle of next year, she said.

Three or four major shopping malls in the Pathum Wan area of downtown Bangkok will increase their marketing budgets by at least 10 per cent next year after spending about Bt1 billion on marketing campaigns this year. This will reflect the great confidence held by international brands in the potential of Thailand, she said.

Because of its huge population, China attracted strong interest from international brands as the market in Asia with the most potential three years ago. However, it is Thailand's turn now, Chadatip said.

Many upmarket fashion brands such as Prada that are already established here also plan to extend their retail spaces to respond better to the higher spending power of consumers here.

"We expect the country's economy to recover fully by the middle of next year. The government has launched many stimulus campaigns to ease the flood impact and grow the economy," she said.

In the first half, customers budget mainly for home restoration.

"We also expect the competition in the retail market to intensify next year as many players will continue to open outlets at prime locations both in Bangkok and major cities," she said.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

[jackr]

Sorry, but as far as its malls are concerned, Bkk is mutton dressed as lamb. Ponder it side-by-side with Singapore for a second.

[glenfaux]

Luxury and import taxes make it one of the most expensive places in Asia to shop.

Cheaper to fly to Singapore for the day and enjoy a free holiday.with the savings.

Thailand can't seem to nail any of these hub statuses down due to neighboring countries doing it better.

Thailand, the hub of claiming to be a hub.

[Ricardo]

Time for a Crackdown on fake-Hubs ?

I do remember when Thailand was very-good for shopping, but have to say that rising-prices and a strong-Baht have made it much-more expensive, while cheap-imports from China to the West have lowered prices for clothes there. No-longer a bargain-basement IMO !

[LuckyLew]

Just another person wanting to see there name in print

The only thing Thailand will be a hub for can be found on walking street in Pattaya

[canardo]

LOL

very funny, Singapore beats BKK by far already.

And maybe they should take a look in Jakarta for Plaza Indonesia and Plaza Senayan / Senayan City for once, those are big, modern and multi branded malls with English speaking and service oriented staff...

Not to mention Mall of Asia in Manila, big as hell.

BKK beats Hanoi, Saigon and Yangon still though...

[alexth]

Another hub? Another? What the h*ll are they smoking in there?

[laurentbkk]

Another bright idea .......... I dont buy brand names here ( except Lacoste) as prices is higher than anywhere ..not to mention as being quite tall I cannot find my size here , shopping is much beter in Singapore ,Dubai or Hong kong ..... its not a hub for airlines, not a hub for shopping either ....I just wonder where do they get those very silly ideas ?

[Buchholz]

Another hub? Another? What the h*ll are they smoking in there?

[phiphidon]

Another hub? Another? What the h*ll are they smoking in there?

And I think Heineken need to have a word with their Product Placement team as well

[jalansanitwong]

Thailand is one of the most expensive places to shop anywhere due to very high taxes and graft pushing up prices further. How many times have you visited a shopping mall and the only busy floors are those that sell cheap canteen food and video/interent games? There are hundreds of shops selling grossly overpriced imported clothes,wallets and shoes with no customers. The Mall Tha-pra BKK is in a working class area but with luxury items that cost more than in Australia expecially bedding and household items.I cannot recall ever seeing anyone buying anything in those shops. How do they stay in business year in year out? The only real HUB in Thailand is the one thats been here decades called Patpong,Nana, Cowboy and Pattaya City. nuff said.

[alexth]

True, the busiest mall around is Panthip and still, prices for electronics are higher than Malaysia and Singapore, haven't checked other Asian countries recently

No matter what, you gotta give it to the Thais...they have a lot of nerve. Hub of tourism, hub of education, airport hub and now shopping hub...really incredible

Edited December 15, 2011 by alexth

[HKBKK]

55555

And PLEASE stop calling Prada upmarket fashion brand with shoes made in Vietnam and clothing made in Bulgaria...

Edited December 15, 2011 by HKBKK

[Payboy]

Asia's shopping hub

Hubba! Hubba !

[sparebox2]

Sorry, but I have to say that Singapore & Hong King are miles better.

[Tanuki]

Dont see how when "finished mister" and "dont have" are far to easy for Thai staff to say. It's a joke compared to Singapore, HK and even the malls in KL ate better. Customer service here? Staff in dept stores can mostly be found sitting together, out of view playing with their mobiles.

[moe666]

55555

And PLEASE stop calling Prada upmarket fashion brand with shoes made in Vietnam and clothing made in Bulgaria...

Sorry to disappoint but all of the luxury brands have outsourced

[geriatrickid]

I find the clothing in Thailand expensive and of poor quality. I'm not talking the knockoffs either. Sorry, but I stock up on my undies, socks and casual wear at a North American chain like Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic. E.g., the boxers are 100% cotton, fit, and last awhile. I was in Toronto, Canada a couple months ago and the Bay, which is owned by some big US company had quality dress shirts marked down to way below what they would have cost me at Robinsons, plus they had my size and they were 100% high grade cotton. . I bought my laptop and accessories in North America because of price, options and the ability to purchase bonafide software fee of malware. Many of my suits come from a Hong Kong tailor that understands how to make an English cut suit. The last time I purchased shoes in Thailand I ended up with expensive, poor quality, ill fitting crap that sits in the closet now. The home electronics available at most stores is the same crap dumped in Walmarts worldwide and it meets the same quality standards, i.e. it breaks quickly.

What exactly do they plan on selling?

Most tourists aren't buying much except for some of the knockoffs and those that return never buy much again after they learn that Thai garments shrink , fade and disintegrate quickly as they are not made to the same specs as for the export market. I can only buy so many silk bedspreads and table clothes. Baby clothes in Thailand often do not get tested to meet the flamability standards of the west. And on and on it goes. Sorry, but the domestic retail market doesn't offer the quality, sizes and selection found in western countries. I don't think Chinese or Indian tourists are going to go shopping and there is no way a Japanese visitor is going to buy crap.

[Footloose1949]

They need to have 'words' with the owners of the biggest malls, as their prices on some goods are eye-wateringly expensive ... their 'discount' prices on things like watches, were almost 3 times more than the RRP, 'before discount' prices in Britain!

[E1717007]

Luxury and import taxes make it one of the most expensive places in Asia to shop.

Cheaper to fly to Singapore for the day and enjoy a free holiday.with the savings.

Thailand can't seem to nail any of these hub statuses down due to neighboring countries doing it better.

Thailand, the hub of claiming to be a hub.

+1...agreed.

singapore is a free port, ton of chinese came and bought luxury goods like no tomorrow. thailand should do away the import tax!!!!!

[canardo]

55555

And PLEASE stop calling Prada upmarket fashion brand with shoes made in Vietnam and clothing made in Bulgaria...

Sorry to disappoint but all of the luxury brands have outsourced

Totally agree, when I traveled to US the first time in my life 1991. I wanted to buy a Ralph Polo Lauren shirt, what was very costly in Germany at that time. So I went to MACY's or BLOOMINGDALES (don't remember) and bought one on sale for I belive 30 or 40 USD (25% of the price in Germany), proud as hell I went home, had a look at the tag and saw "Made in Philippines", even in 1991 top brands "sourced out" already, what a disappointment for me that day.

[Misterwhisper]

And yet another wishful hub.... yawn

[Rama]

Thank God. I was worried where all the people that were flying through the airport transportation hub on their way to the movie studio hub or waiting for their surgery at the medical hub or going to school at the education hub were going to do with their free time and uncountable loads of cash. It was either shopping at the shopping hub or soi cowboy.

[Skywalker69]

Another hub? Another? What the h*ll are they smoking in there?

I don´t know but must be some strong "shit".

[alexth]

Everything nowadays is made in China, poor Eastern European countries, some countries in Africa as well as India, Cambodia and Vietnam, there's nothing 100% original anymore, not even in Milan

Edited December 15, 2011 by alexth

[drdoom6996]

I live in Thailand and I go to Singapore to shop.

[DocN]

Thailand- Hub of making up- hubs!

[Arkady]

Don't they need to do something about exorbitant import duties and the mega corruption of the Customs Department before trying to be shopping hub? Apart from that manufacturers based here fleece the Thai consumers, e.g. Sony's Thai prices for products it manufacturers in Thailand and pays no shipping or import duty on are significantly more than its prices for the same goods in the US.

Edited December 15, 2011 by Arkady

[Ned]

Bought a Braun electric shaver in Singapore a couple of weeks ago for 3,000 baht. Same machine in Robinson is going for 4,990. It's like that.

[pisico]

I find the clothing in Thailand expensive and of poor quality. I'm not talking the knockoffs either. Sorry, but I stock up on my undies, socks and casual wear at a North American chain like Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic. E.g., the boxers are 100% cotton, fit, and last awhile. I was in Toronto, Canada a couple months ago and the Bay, which is owned by some big US company had quality dress shirts marked down to way below what they would have cost me at Robinsons, plus they had my size and they were 100% high grade cotton. . I bought my laptop and accessories in North America because of price, options and the ability to purchase bonafide software fee of malware. Many of my suits come from a Hong Kong tailor that understands how to make an English cut suit. The last time I purchased shoes in Thailand I ended up with expensive, poor quality, ill fitting crap that sits in the closet now. The home electronics available at most stores is the same crap dumped in Walmarts worldwide and it meets the same quality standards, i.e. it breaks quickly.

What exactly do they plan on selling?

Most tourists aren't buying much except for some of the knockoffs and those that return never buy much again after they learn that Thai garments shrink , fade and disintegrate quickly as they are not made to the same specs as for the export market. I can only buy so many silk bedspreads and table clothes. Baby clothes in Thailand often do not get tested to meet the flamability standards of the west. And on and on it goes. Sorry, but the domestic retail market doesn't offer the quality, sizes and selection found in western countries. I don't think Chinese or Indian tourists are going to go shopping and there is no way a Japanese visitor is going to buy crap.

Nevertheless, if they wish it and make the right offerings: it will happen.

Another hub, another wishful tinkering with reality.

Alay goday