What is wrong with Promenada?

[super22k]

I think one of the problems with these malls is that they are too advanced and modern for the Thai people who prefer to shop and eat in the traditional markets.Rimping and Dukes are about 10 years ahead of most Thais.

In Nakon Si Thammerat I saw a family of Thais afraid to use the esculator.They were viewing it with great suspicion.See what I mean?

The poster who said the taxi driver told him Promenada was owned by a farang therefore Thais will boycott it is very near the mark.An English friend of mine had to open up his resturant using his Thai girlfriends name.It still went down because it was too clean and well lit.

Also,Thais cannot pronounce Promenada.After 2 years my Thai girlfriend still cannot pronounce it.Not good for business.But in the retail trade things can turn around quickly.It has good music on a Sunday night and the attraction could grow.Let us hope so.

[Ulysses G.]

In Nakon Si Thammerat I saw a family of Thais afraid to use the esculator.They were viewing it with great suspicion.

I remember when KSK opened in Chiang Mai and the Thais were afraid to get on. They would stand at the end and suddenly leap on a stair and go up. It was really annoying to use them as sometimes you had to stand in line. That was 20 years ago though. I don't think many Thais are that backwards in 2014.

[elektrified]

I think one of the problems with these malls is that they are too advanced and modern for the Thai people who prefer to shop and eat in the traditional markets.Rimping and Dukes are about 10 years ahead of most Thais.

In Nakon Si Thammerat I saw a family of Thais afraid to use the esculator.They were viewing it with great suspicion.See what I mean?

The poster who said the taxi driver told him Promenada was owned by a farang therefore Thais will boycott it is very near the mark.An English friend of mine had to open up his resturant using his Thai girlfriends name.It still went down because it was too clean and well lit.

Also,Thais cannot pronounce Promenada.After 2 years my Thai girlfriend still cannot pronounce it.Not good for business.But in the retail trade things can turn around quickly.It has good music on a Sunday night and the attraction could grow.Let us hope so.

What a load of rubbish. Thais want modern, air conditioned places to eat in; not 'traditional markets'.

Rimping and Dukes 10 years ahead of most Thais? I guess that's why 90% of the clientele at Rimping and about 75% of the clientele at Dukes are Thais.

I also disagree that Promenada is difficult to pronounce for Thais. In fact, most Thais say that farangs can not pronounce MAYA correctly!

[naboo]

I think one of the problems with these malls is that they are too advanced and modern for the Thai people who prefer to shop and eat in the traditional markets.Rimping and Dukes are about 10 years ahead of most Thais.

In Nakon Si Thammerat I saw a family of Thais afraid to use the esculator.They were viewing it with great suspicion.See what I mean?

The poster who said the taxi driver told him Promenada was owned by a farang therefore Thais will boycott it is very near the mark.An English friend of mine had to open up his resturant using his Thai girlfriends name.It still went down because it was too clean and well lit.

Also,Thais cannot pronounce Promenada.After 2 years my Thai girlfriend still cannot pronounce it.Not good for business.But in the retail trade things can turn around quickly.It has good music on a Sunday night and the attraction could grow.Let us hope so.

What a load of rubbish. Thais want modern, air conditioned places to eat in; not 'traditional markets'.

Rimping and Dukes 10 years ahead of most Thais? I guess that's why 90% of the clientele at Rimping and about 75% of the clientele at Dukes are Thais.

I also disagree that Promenada is difficult to pronounce for Thais. In fact, most Thais say that farangs can not pronounce MAYA correctly!

90% of the clientele at Rimping may be Thai, but that does not mean 90% of the Thai population shop at Rimping. I'd say over 90% of the Thai population routinely shop at local markets, whilst under 10% regularly visit malls. Obviously these ratios will be different within Chiang Mai, though I'd still say the majority mainly shop at local markets.

[Wong!]

The problem is that not enough Thais like it and the reasons for that are unlikely to be found here since this is not a forum for Thai opinion.

Sounds great to us. Promenada has less zombies getting in the way than the other malls in CM, except for maybe Maya. And, despite popular belief, not all westerners live in Hang Dong, so its very convenient for some of us less sheeple foreigners.

[Wong!]

I'm surprised. The Lanna Food Court on the basement level at Central Airport (not the one upstairs by the cinema) is as good as it gets and on par with some better food courts in Bangkok.

I was going to mention that & also it is always filled with Thai's

so food must be good.(the one outside Rimping)

When did Thais suddenly develop a pallete? I must've missed that?

[Johpa]

What a load of rubbish. Thais want modern, air conditioned places to eat in; not 'traditional markets'.

As the former owner of a Thai restaurant in the US you are absolutely correct, it is the ambiance more than the food that takes precedence for the modern urban masses. A clean air conditioned environment with decent food served in a timely manner is what everyone wants. But eventually you forget what really good Thai food should taste like because you just don't find it in food courts. On the rare occasions when I find myself fooled into going to one of the malls with my wife, I head to the back entrances to see if there are outdoor food stalls that cater to the workers as a meal option. OK, it is also an excuse to distance myself from the shopping. Alas, it is usually still not great Thai food, but at least as good at the food courts for less money, and larger portions.

[Seligne2]

The problem is that not enough Thais like it and the reasons for that are unlikely to be found here since this is not a forum for Thai opinion.

Sounds great to us. Promenada has less zombies getting in the way than the other malls in CM, except for maybe Maya. And, despite popular belief, not all westerners live in Hang Dong, so its very convenient for some of us less sheeple foreigners.

Enjoy it while you can, because "...less zombies getting in the way..." means that Promenada is not long for this world. If shops there don't make their numbers there in the first year or so, it's bye-bye Promenada.

[khwaibah]

The problem is that not enough Thais like it and the reasons for that are unlikely to be found here since this is not a forum for Thai opinion.

Sounds great to us. Promenada has less zombies getting in the way than the other malls in CM, except for maybe Maya. And, despite popular belief, not all westerners live in Hang Dong, so its very convenient for some of us less sheeple foreigners.

Enjoy it while you can, because "...less zombies getting in the way..." means that Promenada is not long for this world. If shops there don't make their numbers there in the first year or so, it's bye-bye Promenada.

No chance, it's bye bye shops not making enough money in the short term, Promenada is not going anywhere.

Chiang Mai can't go East, North has crap road access, West and South are the natural areas for expansion - it's just a matter of time before the population density is there to support it.

Daaaaaa. The only way Chiang Mai can expand west is to blow Doi Suthep up with a nuke.

[Dante99]

Chiang Mai can't go East, North has crap road access, West and South are the natural areas for expansion - it's just a matter of time before the population density is there to support it.

Chiang Mai will as you say certainly expand to the West as you suggest. The large national park and mountains to West will provide for excellent development and clearly have increasing population density.

To the North nothing will happen because as you say there is crap road access, the roads to Mae Rim and Mae Joe are like two lane dirt tracks.

Oh, wait a minute, all that is all just totally rediculous.

[Johpa]

To the North nothing will happen because as you say there is crap road access, the roads to Mae Rim and Mae Joe are like two lane dirt tracks.

Oh, wait a minute, all that is all just totally rediculous.

Not totally ridiculous. Back in the mid 1980s the original contractor expanding the old two lane road up the 107 to Mae Rim tore up the old road and then disappeared with the money leaving it mostly a two lane dirt road.

[super22k]

We cannot blame the Farang owner of Promenada for the lack of customers.I dont think the Thai boycott of western owned businesses is widespread.After all look at this list:

1. Tesco Lotus is a British (London)company.

2. Carrefour is a French company.

3. 7/11 (Houston),McDonalds,Burger King,KFC and Hard rock Cafe are all USA companies.

I dont know about Big C but they are westernised.

There is nothing wrong with eating food from street markets but you will find that the multi-national companies will swallow you up eventually.

[iainiain101]

We cannot blame the Farang owner of Promenada for the lack of customers.I dont think the Thai boycott of western owned businesses is widespread.After all look at this list:

1. Tesco Lotus is a British (London)company.

2. Carrefour is a French company.

3. 7/11 (Houston),McDonalds,Burger King,KFC and Hard rock Cafe are all USA companies.

I dont know about Big C but they are westernised.

There is nothing wrong with eating food from street markets but you will find that the multi-national companies will swallow you up eventually.

Big C is French. Owned by Casino Groupe or something similar.

[elektrified]

We cannot blame the Farang owner of Promenada for the lack of customers.I dont think the Thai boycott of western owned businesses is widespread.After all look at this list:

1. Tesco Lotus is a British (London)company.

2. Carrefour is a French company.

3. 7/11 (Houston),McDonalds,Burger King,KFC and Hard rock Cafe are all USA companies.

I dont know about Big C but they are westernised.

There is nothing wrong with eating food from street markets but you will find that the multi-national companies will swallow you up eventually.

7-Eleven is a Japanese company, bought by the Japanese sometime in the 1990's when the company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

[Seligne2]

7-Eleven is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is owned by a Japanese holding company, Seven & I Holdings, Co. Ltd.

[super22k]

So Big C is owned by a French company. I didnt know 7-eleven was owned by a Japanese company.I only know it started off in Houston USA when a man used to bring odds and ends back to his workplace and sell them to save his workmates going into town to shop.An example of fine USA initiative.(I am English)

Does anyone know who owns Maya.Is it Thai or foreign?

Thai people should not worry because all countries have multi-national companies.

Bye the way,Tesco was named after the daughter of its London owner.Tessa Cohen.First 3 letters of her first name and first two letters of her last name.Happy shopping!

[elektrified]

So Big C is owned by a French company. I didnt know 7-eleven was owned by a Japanese company.I only know it started off in Houston USA when a man used to bring odds and ends back to his workplace and sell them to save his workmates going into town to shop.An example of fine USA initiative.(I am English)

Does anyone know who owns Maya.Is it Thai or foreign?

Thai people should not worry because all countries have multi-national companies.

Bye the way,Tesco was named after the daughter of its London owner.Tessa Cohen.First 3 letters of her first name and first two letters of her last name.Happy shopping!

MAYA = Thai company. Rather large one I believe.

[northernjohn]

I have given it a lot of thought and I now know what is wrong with Promenada.

Any thing you don't like.

What is right with it.

Any thing you like.

[Duvidl]

In Nakon Si Thammerat I saw a family of Thais afraid to use the esculator.They were viewing it with great suspicion.

I remember when KSK opened in Chiang Mai and the Thais were afraid to get on. They would stand at the end and suddenly leap on a stair and go up. It was really annoying to use them as sometimes you had to stand in line. That was 20 years ago though. I don't think many Thais are that backwards in 2014.

I saw exactly the same thing happen a few weeks ago at the Maya Mall. Old Thai lady was afraid to get on the escalator despite the pleadings of two younger family members.

[junglechef]

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Sorry wanted to delete my post as I see what I wanted to say others have already

How do you delete post?

Edited October 23, 2014 by junglechef

[CMHomeboy78]

In Nakon Si Thammerat I saw a family of Thais afraid to use the esculator.They were viewing it with great suspicion.

I remember when KSK opened in Chiang Mai and the Thais were afraid to get on. They would stand at the end and suddenly leap on a stair and go up. It was really annoying to use them as sometimes you had to stand in line. That was 20 years ago though. I don't think many Thais are that backwards in 2014.

I always thought the first escalator in Chiang Mai was the one - still to be seen, but now defunct - at Kad Luang that was installed when the market was rebuilt soon after being destroyed by fire in 1968.

According to my wife, there was an earlier one in a small department store named Tantiyanan in the market area that survived the conflagration.

My own recollection is of the one in the new branch of Tantrapan that replaced a bowling alley in 1979 on the site of what is now Computer Plaza. That was the only modern one I can remember seeing anywhere north of Bangkok in those days.

Chiang Mai had escalators since the late 1960s, and possibly earlier. The ones installed in Kad Suan Kaew in 1984 were certainly the biggest that local people had seen here, but not the first.

[Ulysses G.]

There was a small escalator in Tantrapan on Thapae road, but I never saw it actually working.

[CMHomeboy78]

There was a small escalator in Tantrapan on Thapae road, but I never saw it actually working.

Yes, I remember that in the original Tantrapan, but the one I was referring to was in the second store that opened on Manee Noparat in 1979.

[MESmith]

Even now in 2014, folk seem to forget that once at the top of the escalator they have to start to walk, or else the folk behind them will pile into them

[junglechef]

They are yelling down to the rest of their family blocking the entrance on the bottom (yes been stuck in between having to walk backwards in place to avoid running over the three little girls with them)

[Thorgal]

With some of them you can hurt your hand/arm badly if fou don't pay attention.

The hey should put a screen...

Edited October 24, 2014 by Thorgal

[DaamNaam]

It was fairly busy tonight with all the decent restaurants full to the brim.

Promenada is here for the long haul.

[junglechef]

Don't know the mall biz but a restaurant usually needs to have customers in more then just the peak times to succeed.

[ianf]

Don't know the mall biz but a restaurant usually needs to have customers in more then just the peak times to succeed.

The shops are surviving because until business picks up they are paying no rent. Which means that the holding company is getting very little revenue, which means cash is draining out. The owners are Dutch and have made many mistakes along the way, including opening when they were not ready to do so - and that was a year behind their announced date. They had to open in the end because shops had bought their stocks ready to move in and legal threats were being issued ..... The owners have a similar operation in Vietnam which is successful, I hear. The future? How long can they keep subsidising this white elephant? That's the main question.

I was interested in the early days in opening a small operation there, and they really did the hard sell on me - even though the space I proposed was quite small. They gave me huge throughput and walk figures which at the time seemed too good to be true, so my wife and I abandoned our business idea.

[northernjohn]

Don't know the mall biz but a restaurant usually needs to have customers in more then just the peak times to succeed.

That is true. I believe that the good ones have survived the low season and can look forward to a more profitable high season. More than likely not as high as they had hoped for but never the less a good one.

The Mall is going to be awhile before it is a big success. As has been said here earlier people are finding it a peacefull place with out all the noise. Slowly but surely the shops will fill. It is defiantly a long term proposal.