Bangkok's Siam Centre sees 25-30% drop in traffic

[webfact]

POLITICS
Siam Centre sees 25-30% drop in traffic
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A leading shopping complex in Bangkok, Siam Centre, has seen a 25-30 per cent drop in the number of shoppers in the past 4-5 months, according to its operator.

Parisa Chatnilbandhu, vice-president for retail business of Siam Piwat - the mall operator, said that political turmoil has taken toll on the operations. Before the protests began, it welcomed average 78,000 shoppers on weekday and average 100,000 on weekend. Fashion products were the hardest hit, while food and souvenirs managed to show some growth in sale.

Plans are being plotted to tackle the situation.

"We have started discussing on business plans to cope with the negative factors. Marketing activities will be cut as well as other expenses. Other solutions are being reviewed, to minimise impacts on tenants and our business partners," she said.


-- The Nation 2014-05-26

[bigbamboo]

Things should pick up of their own accord now that people can feel safer around and about in Bangkok.

Just hope those who have lost money don't opt for the traditional Thai economic principle of putting up their prices to recover their shortfalls.

[Luk Mhee]

Firstly, a vibrant civil society can only exist when individual organizations can work without fear or concern. (Which is in the process of happening now)

Secondly, it is within your rights to sue the protest leaders for loss of revenue.

[leggo]

Even before the protests started I rarely saw anybody actually buying anything from the high end stores! Most of the stuff on show you can buy in Europe, often cheaper than in Thailand and often with bigger sizing. Persnally as an ex retail executive with 25 years experience in London and USA I see no way those guys are going to recover. The rents are astronomical and the boom times are over!

[BigRick]

Beats the fire sale at the areas malls they had the last time there was unrest. From what I have seen 80% of that foot traffic is just to get a fancy paper bag.

Edited May 26, 2014 by BigRick

[Gunna]

Firstly, a vibrant civil society can only exist when individual organizations can work without fear or concern. (Which is in the process of happening now)

Secondly, it is within your rights to sue the protest leaders for loss of revenue.

It maybe in your country, but not in Thailand.

Even if you could, who would you sue ?

I'd like to see you try suing the Red Shirts as they are the ones that made many people scared to go out with their grenade attacks and random drive by shootings. And then even harder getting any money out of them or TS if you won the case.

[chotthee]

Because most of them now go to Amarin Plaza for their hamburgers.

[Benmart]

Firstly, a vibrant civil society can only exist when individual organizations can work without fear or concern. (Which is in the process of happening now)

Secondly, it is within your rights to sue the protest leaders for loss of revenue.

It maybe in your country, but not in Thailand.

Even if you could, who would you sue ?

I'd like to see you try suing the Red Shirts as they are the ones that made many people scared to go out with their grenade attacks and random drive by shootings. And then even harder getting any money out of them or TS if you won the case.

Political parties have a treasury and a hierarchy of leadership. Anything is possible, even in Thailand given that attorneys are adept at making money. I try to not say something can't be done. When I have, I've been often been proven wrong.

[UbonRatch]

Firstly, a vibrant civil society can only exist when individual organizations can work without fear or concern. (Which is in the process of happening now)

Secondly, it is within your rights to sue the protest leaders for loss of revenue.

First, societies vary by definition. Thailand is a collectivist society, as opposed to individualistic, so you can write off the first sentence you proclaim.

Second, there are no protest leaders; thus, please tell me who you would like to sue, or is it that you live in retrospective hopefulness.

[anon467848]

The fashion outlet and jewelry shops will definitely notice a drop in sales now that certain govt. officials won't be getting their daily / weekly padded brown envelopes.. The luxury car market has probably taken a big hit as well... som nam nah to the corrupt govt. vermin..

[leggo]

Firstly, a vibrant civil society can only exist when individual organizations can work without fear or concern. (Which is in the process of happening now)

Secondly, it is within your rights to sue the protest leaders for loss of revenue.[/quo

Was this written by someone from another planet?

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[WhizBang]

Even before the protests started I rarely saw anybody actually buying anything from the high end stores! Most of the stuff on show you can buy in Europe, often cheaper than in Thailand and often with bigger sizing. Persnally as an ex retail executive with 25 years experience in London and USA I see no way those guys are going to recover. The rents are astronomical and the boom times are over!

And yet they are building more and more mega shopping malls. I don't understand it myself. Places like Siam Paragon are usually a wash with people, especially on holidays and weekends, but few are actually buying. Most seem to go just for the AC.

[doukee]

Must live off food court revenue.

[PaullyW]

No big deal. Most of those people were just walking around in their for the free A/C and to take selfies. Most people dont spend enough in there to cover their individual cost of A/C and bathroom use.

[anteater]

*Lovely lovely coup.

I'd think that this 25-30% drop in traffic will increase once the true dangers become known among foreign visitors. How many tourists want to come to Thailand and get wounded by shrapnel just to say "I support the Thai ammart"?

This whole thing is going to be a mega disaster for Thailand.

And all because the ammart such as Abhisit couldn't "debase" themselves by simply holding discussions with Peua Thai. From what one hears, they are going to pay the price - and big time.

All the previous is allegedly.

*Lovely lovely coup.

[orosee]

What was 4-5 months ago? Christmas peak just over, tourist season on full swing, New Year cash bonus shopping frenzy, Chinese New Year, couple of other big Asian holidays... of course visitor numbers have dropped, never mind the protests or the coup