Imperial Queen's Park Hotel staff told to leave during 2-year renovation

[webfact]

HOSPITALITY
Hotel staff told to leave during 2-year renovation
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- TCC Group, the conglomerate owned by Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdim, will shut down Imperial Queen's Park Hotel for renovation and ask nearly 800 staff to leave.

Previously it had said it would keep all of its staff on at full pay during the renovation.

According to several employees at the hotel, work is scheduled to begin in October. The property is set to resume operating in 2016-17 under a new management company, probably Marriott Hotel Group.

Last month TCC issued an internal memo on the change, followed by a letter asking all workers - about 770-800 - to leave the hotel from July 15 to September 30 ahead of the renovation work.

All staff will receive compensation varying according to seniority and salary.

Hotel representatives said staff with 30 years of experience were the first target. They were asked to go on vacation leave on July 15 but will still draw pay until September.

The second target of 20-year staff will be given a similar option next month and the third group - all the rest - is set to wave goodbye by the end of September.

All staff will received 16 times current monthly pay, of which 10 months' worth will come from TCC under the employment law, two months from the hotel and four months directly from Charoen.

"TCC Group officers said they would spend about Bt200 million for the hotel closure," a hotel employee said.

According to hotel staff, TCC had spread the news that it would continue employing all staff and would also pay full salaries during the two-year closure. TCC has changed its plan and asked staff to leave the hotel instead, they said.

Asked why they do not to stay and fight this move, many staff said they wished to go and might return in the future, as TCC has said it will open the opportunity for all staff to rejoin the hotel when it is reopened.

However, besides the basic 16 months, some staff have asked TCC and the hotel for additional compensation of one to seven months depending on length of service.

They also urged the hotel to raise the minimum wage to Bt15,000 a month before paying compensation and let all staff stay on until the end of September. However, management has remained silent on these extra demands.

Some long-stay guests have been told to move out to recommended properties with a rental refund.

The hotel is reportedly averaging an occupancy rate of 68 per cent this month. Key markets are foreign group tours from countries such as Japan, airline crews and local travellers.

The hotel was built 23 years ago by Akorn Huntrakul and sold to Charoen about 18 years ago. It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

TCC group has so far contracted Starwood Group to manage its six hotels, with the latest in Koh Samui, rebranded from Imperial Samui Beach Resort to Sheraton Samui.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Hotel-staff-told-to-leave-during-2-year-renovation-30239773.html

[thenation]2014-07-30[/thenation]

[jacky54]

Amari would never treat staff like this

[konying]

Amari would never treat staff like this

Treat like what? To pay upfront almost 1.5 years worth of salaries?

Enough money to put down a deposit on a house.

Or pay double the amount required by law

[harrry]

Sounds fair treatment,  It is probable that the salaries are lower than usual earnings with bonuses but very few companies would consider paying this especially seeing many of the staff are probably by law only due a couple of months.  I think the people complaining about this should just open another bottle of Chang.

[razer]

In my experience, it is unusual for Thai blue bloods to be so generous. Hope this sets an example of doing the right thing as opposed to being forced to do what is mandatory by law.

[konying]

Hang on a mo - this is where I usually stay when in Bangkok as a) they always upgrade me and b) has one of the best buffets in Bangkok but I was told they were only upgrading one tower at a time ?!
 
The hotel desperately needs upgrading but wow that's an expensive ol refit with no income coming in !

Not to worry when the owner is the richest man in Thailand and hotel has not been renovated for 18 or so years.

Not to mention with 68% occupancy while others consider 55 to be well doing, they have made enough money

[lopburi3]

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

[maxjay]

 

Hotel staff told to leave during 2-year renovation
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- TCC Group, the conglomerate owned by Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdim, will shut down Imperial Queen's Park Hotel for renovation and ask nearly 800 staff to leave.

Previously it had said it would keep all of its staff on at full pay during the renovation.

According to several employees at the hotel, work is scheduled to begin in October. The property is set to resume operating in 2016-17 under a new management company, probably Marriott Hotel Group.

Last month TCC issued an internal memo on the change, followed by a letter asking all workers - about 770-800 - to leave the hotel from July 15 to September 30 ahead of the renovation work.

All staff will receive compensation varying according to seniority and salary.

Hotel representatives said staff with 30 years of experience were the first target. They were asked to go on vacation leave on July 15 but will still draw pay until September.

The second target of 20-year staff will be given a similar option next month and the third group - all the rest - is set to wave goodbye by the end of September.

All staff will received 16 times current monthly pay, of which 10 months' worth will come from TCC under the employment law, two months from the hotel and four months directly from Charoen.

"TCC Group officers said they would spend about Bt200 million for the hotel closure," a hotel employee said.

According to hotel staff, TCC had spread the news that it would continue employing all staff and would also pay full salaries during the two-year closure. TCC has changed its plan and asked staff to leave the hotel instead, they said.

Asked why they do not to stay and fight this move, many staff said they wished to go and might return in the future, as TCC has said it will open the opportunity for all staff to rejoin the hotel when it is reopened.

However, besides the basic 16 months, some staff have asked TCC and the hotel for additional compensation of one to seven months depending on length of service.

They also urged the hotel to raise the minimum wage to Bt15,000 a month before paying compensation and let all staff stay on until the end of September. However, management has remained silent on these extra demands.

Some long-stay guests have been told to move out to recommended properties with a rental refund.

The hotel is reportedly averaging an occupancy rate of 68 per cent this month. Key markets are foreign group tours from countries such as Japan, airline crews and local travellers.
The hotel was built 23 years ago by Akorn Huntrakul and sold to Charoen about 18 years ago. It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

TCC group has so far contracted Starwood Group to manage its six hotels, with the latest in Koh Samui, rebranded from Imperial Samui Beach Resort to Sheraton Samui.

 

The article is confusing.  Reads like typical TIT double talk.  Who gets what and for how long? 

And does anyone really believe the renovations will go as scheduled.  Has anything related to building & construction ever gone as scheduled here in Thailand?

 

According to their website, TCC has thirty hotels and resorts in Thailand alone...not six hotels as stated in the article. 

TCC Website: http://www.tccland.com/hotel.html

 

Why not offer staff an opportunity to work at another TCC hotel, or relocate to another area of Thailand...with a job waiting for them.

I worked in the hotel industry for close to 25 years, one of the many benefits, IMO, was the opportunity to work, and live in different locations.

[dddave]

I wonder if this also spells doom for Queens Park Plaza; one of the last of the small, no Go-Go bar areas around Sukhumvit.

[Strangebrew]

Figuring the amount of money they took from tourist I would of kept paying staff monthly write off then when reopened call them back.

[Bluespunk]

"They also urged the hotel to raise the minimum wage to Bt15,000 a month before paying compensation and let all staff stay on until the end of September. However, management has remained silent on these extra demands."

Dream on. That's at least 192, 000, 000 Baht if they pay all 800 staff that as a minimum.

16 months salary seems fair enough to me. Hopefully they will stick to promise to re-employ ex staff. Edited July 30, 2014 by Bluespunk

[Payboy]

At least there was no fire.

[noitom]

It's a very generous severance.

[Jeffbaa]

Last week they organized a Job Fair exclusively for their staff where other hotels in Bangkok were invited to set up booths.  My hotel's HR department attended.  I heard that there were many employees who have been working there for decades.  The fear is that most of them will be 'too old' to get jobs at other hotels.  My HR department also said while the staff were lovely, the hotel has been managed 'Thai style' and they fear that most of the large international hotel groups would not take them, opting rather to hire younger staff and train them to their standards.  It's the "Can't teach old dogs new tricks" mentality.  I really wish them the best of luck.

[thairastawoman]

Why should staff who do not respect their employer should be respected anyway ? They like to leave whenever they want without notice ? So I would also tell them to leave whenever I want without notice !

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

 

 

The "professional reporters" part is where your thinking went off the rails...
 

[bangon04]

 

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

 

Well 11,200 rooms would indeed make it the biggest hotel in Bangkok............but room service might be a bit slow at peak times.

[Prbkk]

Pay 8,000 Baht a night to stay there; the person cleaning your room earns 8,000 Baht a month. Little wonder he's one of the richest men in the country.

[ginjag]

Pay 8,000 Baht a night to stay there; the person cleaning your room earns 8,000 Baht a month. Little wonder he's one of the richest men in the country.

 

Yes x how many rooms if 100% occupancy ----  one of those that should pay extremely high taxes.

[ginjag]

 

 

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

 

Well 11,200 rooms would indeed make it the biggest hotel in Bangkok............but room service might be a bit slow at peak times.

 

 

If that amount of rooms the hotel would squeeze into Lumpini Park  JUST.

[ginjag]

 

Pay 8,000 Baht a night to stay there; the person cleaning your room earns 8,000 Baht a month. Little wonder he's one of the richest men in the country.

 

Yes x how many rooms if 100% occupancy ----  one of those that should pay extremely high taxes.

 

 

Over 11,000 rooms it would be a refugee camp.

[Tchooptip]

 

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

 

 Not a single one hotel in the whole world with 11,200 rooms pffff

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_hotels_in_the_world

Edited July 30, 2014 by Tchooptip

[JoeThePoster]

 

 

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

 

Not even sure there is one hotel in the whole world with 11,200 rooms pffff

 

 

Err, Hotel California, everyone checks in, no one leaves. Remember?

[ginjag]

 

 

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

 

Not even sure there is one hotel in the whole world with 11,200 rooms pffff

 

 

Look up Guinness Book of records.    You see a 5 star hotel in Thailand can afford to lay on more staff per customer that is why they have excellent world ratings.  Imagine for instance 11,000 rooms with an average of 2 per room, staff at 2/3 per customer lets work on an average of 25,000 staff.    

[jacky54]

I wonder if this also spells doom for Queens Park Plaza; one of the last of the small, no Go-Go bar areas around Sukhumvit.

 

 

One can only hope, these trashy places were moved out of main Suk years ago, times change. Soi zero, Washington sq, Clinton Plaza, Asoke corner and Suk Sq all history.

Edited July 30, 2014 by jacky54

[whybother]

The property is set to resume operating in 2016-17 under a new management company, probably Marriott Hotel Group.

 

 

Already signed, sealed and ... delivered in 2016-27.  (no, the 2 is not a typo).

Edited July 30, 2014 by whybother

[gemini81]

 

 

Pay 8,000 Baht a night to stay there; the person cleaning your room earns 8,000 Baht a month. Little wonder he's one of the richest men in the country.

 

Yes x how many rooms if 100% occupancy ----  one of those that should pay extremely high taxes.

 

 

Over 11,000 rooms it would be a refugee camp.

 

 

Nowadays it is; for herds of Chinese.

[Tchooptip]

 

 

 

It is claimed to be the biggest in Bangkok with more than 11,200 rooms.

 

Really?  I do not think so!  Why is it so hard for professionals reporters to translate numbers from Thai to English?  It is actually more than 1,200 rooms.

 

Not even sure there is one hotel in the whole world with 11,200 rooms pffff

 

 

Look up Guinness Book of records.    You see a 5 star hotel in Thailand can afford to lay on more staff per customer that is why they have excellent world ratings.  Imagine for instance 11,000 rooms with an average of 2 per room, staff at 2/3 per customer lets work on an average of 25,000 staff.    

 

+ imagine fed and ...housed 

[konying]

Pay 8,000 Baht a night to stay there; the person cleaning your room earns 8,000 Baht a month. Little wonder he's one of the richest men in the country.

Yes, he also pays electric and water and taxes and has 1200 people earning 9000 per month( not 8) and pays that irrespective if rooms are empty and rented.

Despite what you like to think, business owners work little harder than you like to think and take risks much bigger than you can even imagine

[belg]

was in hotel once,... wife booked promotional room via voucher or something..

 

when we arrived, the hotel was under re-construction ... it smelled bad paints and noises of drilling

 

 

we left to complain to the front desk the first minute...

 

this was there super promotion ?

 

but my wife made it clear that if they did not move us to a normal "wing" ...