Asiantravel Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Since I started living here, every year Royal Garden Plaza has had a splendid Christmas atmosphere every December because of fantastic lights that covered the whole front facade and a decent size christmas tree on the beachfront side. But this year absolutely nothing! Inside the centre there’s a few decorations but very low-key. I wonder what has happened to make them seem so unenthusiastic about Christmas this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJCM Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 The Russians leaving ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konying Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Half of the shops not paying rent or closing due to lack of sales and customers , hence the savings. Those decorations are not very cheap to put on and just as expansive to maintain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 The "war on Christmas" has reached Thailand...Thank God! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred110 Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 The "war on Christmas" has reached Thailand...Thank God! Oh no, the Grinch is here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJCM Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 (edited) The "war on Christmas" has reached Thailand...Thank God!Oh no, the Grinch is here! Nope, looking at his / her Avatar a cross over between Margaret Thatcher and "The Grinch" Edited December 11, 2015 by MJCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Fewer Russians and reckon the tourists from the Middle East, South Asia, and China don't really care so much about "Christmas" -- the religious holiday or the modern commercial OBSCENITY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 The "war on Christmas" has reached Thailand...Thank God! Oh no, the Grinch is here! Grinches are people too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattayaPhom Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Terrorist attack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asiantravel Posted December 11, 2015 Author Share Posted December 11, 2015 Fewer Russians and reckon the tourists from the Middle East, South Asia, and China don't really care so much about "Christmas" -- the religious holiday or the modern commercial OBSCENITY. well the finances of the retailers in Thailand and other countries would be in a very sorry state indeed without this ' modern commercial OBSCENITY' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Fair enough. It's a retail gimmick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asiantravel Posted December 11, 2015 Author Share Posted December 11, 2015 Half of the shops not paying rent or closing due to lack of sales and customers , hence the savings. Those decorations are not very cheap to put on and just as expansive to maintain I guess it had something to do with less shoppers but wouldn't it help to draw a few more customers by making the place look a bit more cheerful at this time of year and because they have always put on a big show in the past? by leaving it looking so bare it's like advertising the fact that things may not be going so well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konying Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Half of the shops not paying rent or closing due to lack of sales and customers , hence the savings. Those decorations are not very cheap to put on and just as expansive to maintain I guess it had something to do with less shoppers but wouldn't it help to draw a few more customers by making the place look a bit more cheerful at this time of year and because they have always put on a big show in the past? by leaving it looking so bare it's like advertising the fact that things may not be going so well? Yes it would make more sense, but it also makes sense to reduce the price when nothing is selling, yet in Thailand prices increase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi850m2 Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Central is killing them slowly but surely. Looks like most prefer Central now, myself included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 From my last visit I simply have the impression that Royal Garden (as a shopping place) is going south? So they spared th effort for a "Christmas decoration". Other theory: they join the paranoia of the west to avoid any reminiscence to this Christian holiday to not annoy the muslim tourists? And the Chinese have no idea too. For the few remaining westerners, why the effort ? In Germany some markets formerly called "Christmas markets" are not "Winter markets" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 The Russians leaving ? More likely the Chinese arriving. I expect much more to be made here of Chinese New Year in 2016 than in previous years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenBravo Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 The correct name for Christmas is Saturnalia. The Christian church nicked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Central is killing them slowly but surely. Looks like most prefer Central now, myself included. Pretty much yes but Royal has that Ripley's dreck, good for the kiddies, and also Bon Chon Korean fried chicken. Also Saras upstairs is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Half of the shops not paying rent or closing due to lack of sales and customers , hence the savings. Those decorations are not very cheap to put on and just as expansive to maintain How much do they cost to put on and maintain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Yes it's pretty sad in there these days...there doesn't really seem to be a niche in the retail market for Royen mall anymore. This is especially so for locals as there is no supermarket there and they even ripped out the theatres a few years back There remodel of 4-5 years ago was sorta a flop...with the opening of the fancy food court on the forth floor...never see very many people up there and many of the restaurants have come and gone. The mall and the adjacent Marriott hotel are owned by the Minor Group so plenty of money behind it. I imagine there is less than 10 years remaining on the lease on the place and a plot of land that size (stretching from Beach Road to Second Road) would make for a nice condo tower or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaaSaparot Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Central is killing them slowly but surely. When Central Festival first opened, I would have agreed, as RG looked done and dusted. But I would say these last couple of years RG has been thriving, there is no empty units or the like, and seems busy anytime I am in. McDonalds moving to be replaced by that discount sports ramshackle did strike me as strange though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimmer Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Flame that will lead to bickering has been removed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asiantravel Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 Central is killing them slowly but surely. When Central Festival first opened, I would have agreed, as RG looked done and dusted. But I would say these last couple of years RG has been thriving, there is no empty units or the like, and seems busy anytime I am in. McDonalds moving to be replaced by that discount sports ramshackle did strike me as strange though. I agree this! I have always regarded this shopping centre is very uniquely placed and when someone mentioned earlier about not having a supermarket personally I regard that as irrelevant because of the nature of this centre with a heavy emphasis on novelties such as that shop which sells the latest in home lighting and clocks etc and they did very well on the third floor which is devoted almost entirely to entertainment. This could have been a very dead area after they closed the cinemas but is now almost always seems packed with people even if they are students! And this is what prompted me to make the original post because it just seems strange that a shopping centre which is so highly geared towards entertainment chose to keep the front facade so bland and boring this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Central is killing them slowly but surely. When Central Festival first opened, I would have agreed, as RG looked done and dusted. But I would say these last couple of years RG has been thriving, there is no empty units or the like, and seems busy anytime I am in. McDonalds moving to be replaced by that discount sports ramshackle did strike me as strange though. I agree this! I have always regarded this shopping centre is very uniquely placed and when someone mentioned earlier about not having a supermarket personally I regard that as irrelevant because of the nature of this centre with a heavy emphasis on novelties such as that shop which sells the latest in home lighting and clocks etc and they did very well on the third floor which is devoted almost entirely to entertainment. This could have been a very dead area after they closed the cinemas but is now almost always seems packed with people even if they are students! And this is what prompted me to make the original post because it just seems strange that a shopping centre which is so highly geared towards entertainment chose to keep the front facade so bland and boring this year. Maybe you've just jumped the gun and they haven't put them up yet? Check back on Monday to see if they haven't put them up this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegman Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 The American guy (Thai citizen) who owns the mall also controls most of the franchises there. It may just be the changed demographic of their customers do not justify the expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk10002000 Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 too many malls. Big C at the dolphin and Gardens was all I ever needed or wanted. I don't go to a seaside place in a less developed country to spend time in a mall. We have plenty of malls in Southern California and Florida where I live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Central is killing them slowly but surely. Looks like most prefer Central now, myself included. Yes, always happens. Look at the districts of Bangkok over the last 30 years. When a mega mall opened, it slowly but surely strangled all the others nearby. Been to Mike Shopping Mall recently? Lots of emptiness on the upper floors. Many low rent Burmese stalls on the lower floors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toenail Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Fewer Russians and reckon the tourists from the Middle East, South Asia, and China don't really care so much about "Christmas" -- the religious holiday or the modern commercial OBSCENITY. OMG, I guess you have never been in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong... or even Tokyo during the holiday seasons. Their light displays will cover the whole sides of buildings, Santas and trees everywhere. True, these are not predominately so called Christian countries but the Holiday decorations are looked upon as more of a New Year celebration and with all the commercialism about exchanging gifts, Santa is more popular than ever in these cities. (Ironic how you even hear a Merry Christmas from a clerk in these South Asian or East Asian countries or even see Merry Christmas written on signs; whereas in the USA, government institutions, and businesses are becoming nervous to use the words Merry Christmas, Christmas tree, or have religious Christmas songs playing in public schools or stores. Why??? Afraid about getting sued by non-Christian groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toenail Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 And I heard that another shopping center complex will open on the corner of Pattaya North and 2nd RD... A private corporation sees how successful Central Festival on central Beach Rd is packed so this BKK company thinks they can do the same? Really??? Look at Royal Garden or the Avenue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asiantravel Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 Central is killing them slowly but surely. When Central Festival first opened, I would have agreed, as RG looked done and dusted. But I would say these last couple of years RG has been thriving, there is no empty units or the like, and seems busy anytime I am in. McDonalds moving to be replaced by that discount sports ramshackle did strike me as strange though. I agree this! I have always regarded this shopping centre is very uniquely placed and when someone mentioned earlier about not having a supermarket personally I regard that as irrelevant because of the nature of this centre with a heavy emphasis on novelties such as that shop which sells the latest in home lighting and clocks etc and they did very well on the third floor which is devoted almost entirely to entertainment. This could have been a very dead area after they closed the cinemas but is now almost always seems packed with people even if they are students! And this is what prompted me to make the original post because it just seems strange that a shopping centre which is so highly geared towards entertainment chose to keep the front facade so bland and boring this year. Maybe you've just jumped the gun and they haven't put them up yet? Check back on Monday to see if they haven't put them up this weekend. doubtful because in past years they put them up almost at the same time as central festival put up their Christmas tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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