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

[Jaivin2011]

Really wonder how it is possible when in actual reality the retail industry isvery monopolistic here with very little playing ground for foreign groups to come here and set up and even when they do come in, the thai chinese groups like Central, CP ,Major and Land and House would cause problems for them thru many means incluidng logistics etc. How can the govt allow a group like cebtral to control so mant retail groups (for your info, Central directly or indirectly controls besides Central Dept Store and Robinsons, Tops Supermarket Group, Big C Hypermarkets, Marks and Spencers, B2S, Powerbuy, Supersports, Homeworks, Office Depot, Mister Donut, Auntie Anne, etc and their CMG division controls a lot of brands thru unfiar practices and besides their other interests like Hotels, The Bangkok Post Publishing etc. They are also a very racial istic group and will never allow non-Chinese into their middle managements and executive ranks unless needed due to acqusition rules but will "milk them" amd throw them out later. These were also the same bastards that raised concerns and protests indirectly thru other groups to protests against expansion palns by groups like Testco Lotus and the plans against mum and pa shops. (though Lotus is owned by another Thai Chinese Group ie CP).

Another thing is that Thailand is also a dumping ground for products for most couture and even pret-a porter brands for instance whatever cannot be sold in the other shops in the region for brands like XXI Forever (Forever 21), MNG, Guess and even for brands like Prada etc are dumped here.

So how the hell can it ever become a shopping hub.? Not to include that prices here for brands are more expensive than Hong Konga nd even Singapore these days.

yeap, except for the lower end garbage found at Chatuchak, Union Mall and Pratunam, these are cheap but lower quality products made in thailand, China and Burma.

[JoeThePoster]

My ex-TW used to work at a local distributor of a major brand of ladies handbags. This distributor used to visit the company's warehouse in Italy just after the beginning of every season. They would place orders for goods that were returned from stores all over Europe because of defects after their initial launch. This stock was then sold here as "new arrivals" at the full price - often more expensive than in Paris or other European cities. If you want high-end goods don't buy in them in LOS.

[Thaddeus]

Hub of Hubris.

(noun - excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance)

[NxaiPan]

Hub of Hubris.

(noun - excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance)

Spot on. With a touch of willful ignorance thrown in for good measure.

It's like the UK declaring itself a Hub of Great Dentistry, or Germany as a Hub of Humour, etc etc

Source of this quote, Chadatip Chutrakul, managing director of Siam Piwa. Wonder where his missus goes for some real shopping. Singapore, London, Paris, Milan, New York?

Edited December 15, 2011 by NxaiPan

[Payboy]

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

I'm thinking that there will be strong objections to that press release.

[canardo]

Hub of Hubris.

(noun - excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance)

Spot on. With a touch of willful ignorance thrown in for good measure.

It's like the UK declaring itself a Hub of Great Dentistry, or Germany as a Hub of Humour, etc etc

Source of this quote, Chadatip Chutrakul, managing director of Siam Piwa. Wonder where his missus goes for some real shopping. Singapore, London, Paris, Milan, New York?

HE is a SHE actually, but I guess, she goes shopping in Singapore too, of course only for job reasons, international storecheck comparison, to see, ignore and complain about no Thai food courts...

[canardo]

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

I'm thinking that there will be strong objections to that press release.

Sorry, there is not prostitution in Thailand, and least it is forbidden...

[noitom]

Hub for who? What group is their target shopper? Who is she referring to? She says the first half everyone concentrates on "home restoration" - so she is referring to the Thais and Farangs who got inundated? Is this her "hub" consumer?

Everything I ever bought in Thailand, Nike's, Nautica, Ralph Lauren and other name rands had defects or showed early wear and tear. All clothes, jewelry, electronics are 25/40% cheaper in New York for example. Supermarkets and restaurants, for non Thai type standard fare, notwithstanding a few really good and pricey ones, are generally inferior to anything found in Bangkok.

Compare shopping in Bangkok to Singapore, Malaysia, or Hong Kong whee staff has expertise and is trained let alone speaking English. Have you ever asked a question in a retail shop in Thailand and three or four or however many personnel are in there have to get involved in assessing the question, Then more often than not you get a glib answer or something that doesn't make sense.

The best place for buying underwear in the world is Marks and Spencer in London - best quality and price value anywhere I've found. Maybe Thailand can become the "global hub of underwear." Certainly enough pairs of underwear get removed and put back on when on the job in "customer service" work in Thailand, both by the seller and the buyer.

[Boss]

There is still nothing wrong with the Thai's self esteem

[Payboy]

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

I'm thinking that there will be strong objections to that press release.

Sorry, there is not prostitution in Thailand, and least it is forbidden...

Now I know why that govt mouthpiece was so upset back in 1993.

[noitom]

Hub of Hubris.

(noun - excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance)

Spot on. With a touch of willful ignorance thrown in for good measure.

It's like the UK declaring itself a Hub of Great Dentistry, or Germany as a Hub of Humour, etc etc

Source of this quote, Chadatip Chutrakul, managing director of Siam Piwa. Wonder where his missus goes for some real shopping. Singapore, London, Paris, Milan, New York?

"The Hub of Hubris" - That's sensational!! Great!! Nothing captures what they excel at anymore than that simple expression. Overinflated sense of self importance. Beautiful!! I love it.

[NxaiPan]

There is still nothing wrong with the Thai's self esteem

Hub of Misplaced Self-Esteem?

[osiboy]

all brands of sportswear is cheaper in the US and Europe,, and the cost of confectionary , wine , designer labels {that you cant trust} second hand cars , fruit , dairy products ,perfume, frozen foods , electronics, ..the list goes on and on , all more expensive because of the crazy import tarrifs,...........i bought a 7 yr old BMW 320 in the UK a few years back for 40,000B /£800 , in mint condition with 75,000m on the clock ,still runs like a dream ......what would the price be in thailand ? even if it was made here it would be 1000% more, THAILAND.......THE HUB FOR THE HAVE'S AND THE CANT AFFORD IT !!

[khaan]

Thailand, the hub of claiming to be a hub.

[yumidesign]

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.

my Buddha yet another hub. and reality, the new multi multi shopping development over the boarder in Malaysia, stage 1 just opened, and next years floods what then na krub

[yumidesign]

all brands of sportswear is cheaper in the US and Europe,, and the cost of confectionary , wine , designer labels {that you cant trust} second hand cars , fruit , dairy products ,perfume, frozen foods , electronics, ..the list goes on and on , all more expensive because of the crazy import tarrifs,...........i bought a 7 yr old BMW 320 in the UK a few years back for 40,000B /£800 , in mint condition with 75,000m on the clock ,still runs like a dream ......what would the price be in thailand ? even if it was made here it would be 1000% more, THAILAND.......THE HUB FOR THE HAVE'S AND THE CANT AFFORD IT !!

this also true in australia, its cheaper for the above stuff in one of the most expensive places. Thai is only inexpensive if you live and shop like a Thai, used cars excepted,

[pogal]

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.

Agree. My Thai girlfriend works in clothing business and imports everything from China or India. She admits the stuff here is crap and sellers constantly pushing the price up once you start business with them. She said they have so many problems with Thai suppliers and services that its just a nightmare. They try to do everything themselves because they can't trust or rely on anyone... This is a Thai talking about Thais.

[stickyrice2000]

Thailand, the hub of claiming to be a hub.

[sparebox2]

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.

The quality may be different.

And if you buy in Thailand, you can service/repair in Thailand.

Also, equipment bought in Singapore comes with those awful super big British plug, which need an awful super big adapter.

[canardo]

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.

The quality may be different.

And if you buy in Thailand, you can service/repair in Thailand.

Also, equipment bought in Singapore comes with those awful super big British plug, which need an awful super big adapter.

Sorry my REMINGTON beard trimmer I bought at BOOTS here in BKK had a Singaporian plug as well and they gave me one of those elephant foot adapter with it. After 8 month (2 month after garanty expired), it stopped working...

[ginjag]

Thailand, the hub of claiming to be a hub.

AND the Thai government is the hub of all governments. No one has mentioned it's the hub of all corruption. but lastly it's the hub of all stupid claims to be the hub centre of the universe.

[TheWalkingMan]

There is still nothing wrong with the Thai's self esteem

Maybe the place should be the Hub of Self-Esteem (HOSE).

In all seriousness, sometimes I cannot believe (shocked at) what these people say. Maybe it is just a face thing to make the populace feel good, maybe they enjoy the media coverage, maybe they like the sound of their own voice... I wonder if they understand how far off the mark they are with their "hub of all things under the sun" attitude.

[hellodolly]

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.

Actually the article says nothing of the quality of the articles sold here now.

It says 100 international retailers are going to be opening up outlets here in Thailand.

I kinda took that to mean a better quality of product.

I could be wrong.

excuse me but who is ?Siam Piwat boss

Edited December 15, 2011 by hellodolly

[tingtongfarang]

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.

The quality may be different.

And if you buy in Thailand, you can service/repair in Thailand.

Also, equipment bought in Singapore comes with those awful super big British plug, which need an awful super big adapter.

You might be correct about service and repair but i know for a fact that the service and repair in hk is much better than thailand, I also found that often thai service centers dont honour worldwide garanties unless bought in thailand so i would,nt put much value on any garantie given on anything bought here,

I buy everything in hk and infact hav,nt bought anything in a shopping mall here since 6 years, Computers, phones, clothes, shoes, fishing tackle, cameras lenses 100% all purchased in hk and as for the big british plugs often they will change the cable along with the plug of choice if asked but anyway i prefure the british plugs as they are far better than the 2 pin ideas,

Hongkong is my shopping mall and i cant imagine anything happening here to change that.

Edited December 15, 2011 by tingtongfarang

[BKK22]

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.

As i remember, they planned to be a fashion hub, airport hub, many many things hub. But the only thing I can think of Thailand would be a hub is...... you know, it's everywhere even though it says illegal.

[mikebell]

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?

Spear-guns for hunting crocs and mambas.

Face masks and snorkels for underwater diving.

Medical face masks to guard against cholera/typhoid.

Mosquito repellent to help with the new swamp breeding ground known as Bangkok.

[mijan24]

Asia's shopping hub

Hubba! Hubba !

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

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

Rather than add a comment which would only reflect the common view I thought it mote appropriate to select the ones that reflect the common thought hope you agree - if not no problems one mans HUB is another mans HUB in the land of HUBS

Edited December 16, 2011 by metisdead
Bold font removed, again.

[ginjag]

There is still nothing wrong with the Thai's self esteem

Maybe the place should be the Hub of Self-Esteem (HOSE).

In all seriousness, sometimes I cannot believe (shocked at) what these people say. Maybe it is just a face thing to make the populace feel good, maybe they enjoy the media coverage, maybe they like the sound of their own voice... I wonder if they understand how far off the mark they are with their "hub of all things under the sun" attitude.

Quality items eh??? who is going to buy=Aramis for 3,000-against 2000 elsewhere ==Levi shirt 2000 Bht-against 1,300 elsewhere, camera 30% up--Timberland boot--50% up-- This hub will be a disaster unless they can compete with surrounding HUBS, but Thai logic thinks all people are so stupid they will still buy at the Thai prices--555555555555 Ha Ha and if they don't sell put up the price to get your money 555555555555Ha Ha.........they ought to take a look at TAT --then they will learn something..555555555Ha Ha

[anterian]

Thailand the hub of imaginary hubs! Do these people actually believe what they are saying? If I want bargains I go to Hong Kong or Manila, even KL is much cheaper.

[Mosha]

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.

The quality may be different.

And if you buy in Thailand, you can service/repair in Thailand.

Also, equipment bought in Singapore comes with those awful super big British plug, which need an awful super big adapter.

Brought some hair trimmers from the UK, bought a simple effective adaptor at Panthip Electronic her in Ranong, very cheap.