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PussyLover 69
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Report from The Nation dated Friday 9 June 2006 :-
CentralWorld on course to claim crown as largest mall in Thailand
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CentralWorld will become the largest mixed-used shopping centre in Bangkok when it opens on July 21, 2006. About 85% of the lifestyle retail complex will be ready on that day, while the remaining areas, including Zen Department Store and a nearby zone, will be completed in December.
A celebration will be held in August, according to Sudthidej Chirathivat, senior executive vice-president for business development and project construction at Central Pattana Plc.
''The size of the shopping complex at CentralWorld will be 30% bigger than Siam Paragon, which is widely known as the largest in the heart of the city at the moment,'' Mr Sudthidej said.
CentralWorld has a total project space of 830,000 square metres, which comprises the Shopping Complex (550,000 sq m), a five-star hotel with 500 rooms, a Convention Centre over 17,000 sq m, a 45-storey office building covering 80,000 sq m and an indoor parking space for more than 7,000 vehicles.
The office tower has been completed while the convention centre is due for completion in 2006 and the hotel in 2008.
Currently, the 15-billion-baht Siam Paragon, which is located next to Siam Discovery and Siam Centre in the Pathumwan area, has total space of 500,000 sq m.
Mr Sudthidej said CPN had been spending 26 billion baht to develop and renovate CentralWorld, which occupies the site formerly known as the World Trade Center on a 64-rai leasehold plot at the Ratchaprasong intersection.
Wallaya Chirathivat, the executive vice-president for business development at CPN, said the seven-floor shopping complex consisted of two department stores (Zen and Isetan), 500 shops including 35 flagship stores and 36 that are the first of their kind in Thailand, six specialised mega-stores, 50 restaurants, 18 cinemas, a bowling hall, children's zone and learning centre and an outdoor square.
The complex has six zones, each designed to offer shoppers a different ambience within a single over-riding theme. About 400 of the shops will be open for shoppers in July.
''We hope to attract 150,000 shoppers per day, of whom 50,000 will be tourists,'' Mrs Wallaya said.
''They can have real shopping experiences because we will have a wide range of brands and products that one can afford,'' she added.
The exterior of CentralWorld features a state-of-the-art 300-metre long glass facade and two LED screens placed on the facade, while the main features inside are a waterfall, a translucent mobile art installation and several ''magical chairs'' that can change from opaque to clear when sat upon.
The glass facade is intended to give the whole centre a sense of transparency and create a light and joyful mood.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:04 pm on June 8, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 21 July 2006 :-
CentralWorld opens today : Big budget set for promotion overseas
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Central Pattana Plc (CPN), the listed property arm of the Central Group, has set an aggressive foreign promotion budget to draw tourists to visit its CentralWorld, Thailand's newest shopping complex that is due to open its doors today. CPN president Kobchai Chirathivat said the company would spend 300 million baht to promote its mixed-used lifestyle complex this year. Almost 40% of the budget would be spent on foreign campaigns including roadshows jointly held with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and foreign media visits.
''In the past, we used only one-fifth of the promotion budget on foreign activities. But this time, we will spend much more on them because CentralWorld positions itself as an international shopping destination,'' he added.
CPN wants CentralWorld to be a showcase that will benefit the company as it undertakes international retail expansion by 2010.
CentralWorld has total space of 830,000 square metres divided into six individually designed zones including the debuts of 36 fashion stores, 50 restaurants and 21 cinemas.
About 200 shops or 60% of the complex are ready today and the remainder will be completed by the end of the year.
''We're confident of the [successful] opening of CentralWorld even the overall economy is not good. We built it for the future. Despite a decline in purchasing power, the average flow of shoppers at our complexes is on the rise,'' Mr Kobchai said.
Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana, CPN's executive vice-president for marketing, said CentralWorld, dubbed the largest shopping centre in Southeast Asia, was designed with a European influence, giving the whole complex a sense of transparency and making the mood inside light and joyful for shoppers.
''With our lively store design, we expect our shoppers will spend more time with us _ up to 4-5 hours from 2-3 hours previously,'' he said.
Chart Chirathivat, CPN's international leasing manager, said shoppers would today have a new shopping experience from Greek food dining to new fashions from brands such as Ted Baker from the UK, Country Road from Australia, G-Star Raw from the Netherlands, Castro from Israel and Camper shoes from Spain.
''You won't feel you're shopping in the old-style shopping atmosphere of the World Trade Center. We have already deleted this image,'' Mr Kobchai said.
Naris Cheyklin, CPN's chief financial officer, said the company would start realising income from CentralWorld in the third quarter. ''The opening of CentralWorld will help boost sales for CPN by 15% this year,'' he added.
CPN shares closed yesterday on the SET at 17.30 baht, up 50 satang, in trade worth 32.05 million baht.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 12:06 am on July 21, 2006
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Anchorage
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How do I get to CentralWorld Shopping Centre?
Directions?
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:23 am on July 22, 2006
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Yurune
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directions?
where you coming from??
it's the old World Trade Centre....diagonally opposite the Hyatt Erawan
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 5:00 am on July 22, 2006
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Skip
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Shame what they're doing to this place- all in the name of trying to 'best' Siam Paragon. The expansion has eaten away all the space formerly used by the Winter Beer Festival. 
The old mall was too cavernous as it was....
Getting there on foot: easiest way of all is to take BTS to Chitlom > head for Geysorn Plaza > down one level inside > exit over pedestrian bridge above Rajdamri Rd.
Once they finish the BTS pedestrian bridge you will eventuall be able enter direct at about the midway point between the Siam and Chitlom BTS stations.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 5:25 am on July 22, 2006
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barrafish
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Quote: from Yurune on 6:09 pm on July 22, 2006
" it's the old World Trade Centre"
Just a query, did all the world's trade occur at this centre at one time ?
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:57 am on July 22, 2006
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ColoradoGuy
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I suppose the ice rink from the old World Trade Center will not be redone in the new place. I had some fun in that place. 
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:31 am on July 22, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 21 November 2006 :-
Flagship restaurants at CentralWorld
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The Central Restaurant Group (CRG) yesterday announced that the flagship outlets for each of the five restaurant chains it operates would be located at CentralWorld on Bangkok's Rajdamri Road.
Mister Donut, Auntie Anne's and Baskin Robbins outlets are already operating at the mall, while KFC and Pizza Hut - the two other brands CRG operates in Thailand - will be opened in the next couple months
CRG business-development director, Nathapol Montolsophon, said it had spent almost Bt20 million decorating its first three restaurants in CentralWorld, which occupy more than 300 square metres on the sixth floor.
"Unlike our conventional stores, new menu innovations at our flagship outlets at CentralWorld, including the coffee zone, have been designed to meet the lifestyle of young people working in the area," said Nathapol.
The Mister Donut outlet has been decorated to have a yellow-toned, "living room" atmosphere and also features a micro donut kitchen to demonstrate the donut-making process. "We've also created exclusive menu items such as Choco Bites and French Crullers that customers can only find at the Mister Donut flagship store in CentralWorld," said Nathapol.
The Auntie Anne's restaurant at the mall also has exclusive menu items such as vegetable and tomato soups, chicken and ham salads and pretzel sandwiches, as well as offering table service.
CentralWorld's Baskin Robbins is the first in Thailand to feature the "cafe style" used in outlets in South Korea, said Nathapol. More than 18 flavours of ice cream are on offer at the flagship outlet in order to back Baskin Robbins' positioning as the flavour innovator in the ice-cream market.
CRG operates 444 food outlets throughout Thailand, 51 of which were opened between September 2005 and September this year. Mister Donut outlets account for 171 of the restaurants, while KFC accounts for 124 and Auntie Anne's 80, with Pizza Hut and Baskin Robbins making up the rest. Almost 90 per cent of CRG restaurants are located in shopping malls.
"We will maintain our aggressiveness in opening new outlets in locations such as hypermarkets, office buildings, hospitals and schools," said Nathapol, adding that rapid expansion would help maintain CRG's revenue growth, particularly considering the increase in property developments in Bangkok and the major provinces.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:55 pm on Nov. 20, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from The Nation dated Monday 4 December 2006 :-
God-fearing retail titan - Central Pattana chief Kobchai is hoping to repeat the firm's domestic success overseas
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In the tough retail business, Kobchai Chirathivat, president and chief executive of Central Pattana, must feel fortunate that he has everything on his side to ensure the sustainable growth of the empire.
He has God in his heart, and supporting him is the strong network the Central Group has built up over the past five decades.
Through Christianity, Kobchai believes that God has always been beside him and has helped him better understand the world. He has applied that understanding in his work.
"All humans are sinful from birth," he says. "Whenever they have money, or whenever new products are launched, all they want is to spend and claim ownership of the new products."
That suits him well, because Central Pattana - the country's leading developer of major shopping complexes - has to find and implement all possible strategies to lure people to spend as much as possible.
Kobchai should be pleased with the company's achievements. It has developed many shopping complexes around Bangkok and upcountry, including Central Plazas at Lat Phrao, Pinklao, Bang Na, Rama II and Rama III, Central Festivals at Pattaya and Phuket, and Central Airport Chiang Mai. Under his leadership, at least 18 more shopping complexes are planned by 2010, and up to 30 in the next 10 years.
Despite being slow to move, Central Pattana is also embarking on overseas investment, and Kobchai is convinced it will be just as successful overseas as it is locally, thanks to three main elements.
First, Central Pattana has operated department stores for many decades and has gathered much experience in running shopping complexes. "Only experienced players know how to maintain shopping complexes so that they look forever new, even though time passes."
Second, the empire has an extensive network of business partners who are ready to work with Central Pattana as a single team.
If Central Pattana builds a shopping complex anywhere, it is guaranteed that Central and Robinson department stores, the supermarket chains, MK Suki and Minor Group will be there, and once the leading brands are on board, they will attract other retailers, big and small.
"Usually, we can close space sales within weeks," Kobchai says. "Without such partners, an operator will have problems luring tenants. Nobody can guarantee that they will come with us, and if they don't, we'll run into deep trouble."
Third, Kobchai attributes the success of new complexes to Central Pattana's expertise in designing. New centres must be functional and convenient, with the ability to constantly change to capture shoppers.
"In Asia, there is no company like us," Kobchai says. "We have all that distinguishes us from others."
Thanks to its listing status on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, the company has also succeeded in launching a property fund to raise money for the construction of a new development project, without having to raise the company's debt-to-equity ratio. This practice looks likely to be adopted if Central Pattana decides to invest overseas, something it has been planning for several years.
Kobchai says Central Pattana might be slow in implementing its plan, but he prefers to ensure that its first overseas outlet will be a success.
"In going overseas, we want to be slow but sure. We are studying several markets, including China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. However, we need to be thorough as it takes time to find prime locations. Locations are a life-and-death matter for all shopping complexes. Without the right locations, we wouldn't do it.
"All the way, we know we stand a chance, particularly in China. Most people know about the bustling business conditions of Shanghai and Beijing. But not many know that China has more than 20 cities with over 10 million inhabitants."
Overseas or locally, Kobchai believes that people can't live without shopping complexes. Everywhere, they have become a major part of people's lives. They are places where business people meet, where shoppers make themselves happy by spending, where entertainers can find entertainment services.
For the present and in the near future, Central Pattana will stick to its four main development concepts - Central World, Central Plaza, Central Festival and Central Town - depending on the locations and sizes. No matter how different they may be, they are meant to be one-stop shopping centres, at least in Kobchai's opinion.
He spends time wandering around in shopping complexes and it's perhaps not surprising that he believes the four concepts will fit all situations, now that they satisfy him. "Some days we may want to live a quiet and simple life, so we go to smaller complexes where traffic is light. But on other days we want to mingle with big crowds."
Locally, he foresees the day when specialty shopping complexes will arise, in which entire complexes are dedicated to specific groups of products.
"A complex in Tokyo offers the entire range of hobby-related products, while there is a designer complex in the US where people can find all designer products," he says. But he admits it could take years to develop in Thailand. The purchasing power here is not very high and he says such innovations need - of all things - grooming from parents.
Right now, people go to complexes to dine, to watch movies, and for gaming. It will take time before parents take their kids to music classes or sports venues, but at that stage, he believes a new generation will drive new retailing demands.
Kobchai Chirathivat is a surprising man, with so many lessons to offer. Yet he leaves one wondering where he learned his many business ideas, when he is clearly more willing to spend time in church, swimming at his gym, or strolling through local shopping complexes than travelling overseas.
"God has blessed me with hearing," he says. "I talk to everybody, even chauffeurs, and I remember all the conversations by heart. I have not travelled a lot, but talking keeps giving me new business ideas. Walking around shopping complexes also helps. A trader needs to know what clients feel."
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 11:16 pm on Dec. 3, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from The Nation dated 16 September 2012 :-
Central Group chief Vanchai passes away
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Vanchai Chirathivat, chairman of diversified Central Group, Thailand's largest department store chain and a major shopping centre operator, has passed away at the age of 84.
Vanchai presided over the group's steady expansion over the past several decades in Thai and overseas markets, marked by the recent acquisition of a major European department store chain which has 11 branches in Italy.
He is the second son of Tiang Chirathivat, founder of Central Group, which was established after World War II.
The original Central retail outlet was opened on Bangkok's Si Phya Road, selling imported books, garments and cosmetics, among other goods.
Later, Vanchai and his late elder brother Samrit helped their father open the first Central department store in Bangkok's Wang Burapha area.
In 1989, Vanchai became chairman of Central Group, after which he started to re-organise the fast-expanding diversified retail conglomerate for further expansion in both domestic and foreign markets.
Central Retail Corporation was set up to take charge of all retail activities, while Central Pattana Co became responsible for shopping centre development schemes.
The trading and wholesale businesses were grouped under Central Marketing Group while the hotel business is under Centara Hotels and Resorts and the fast-food business under Central Restaurants Group.
The diversified multibillion-baht business empire has been run by the Chirathivat Family Council, which consists of key members of the family, especially those from the second, third and fourth generations.
Sudhitham Chirathivat is now chairman of Central Group's executive board. The group's combined sales revenue is projected to top Bt188 billion this year, while the group's combined investment outlay for 2012 is about Bt30 billion.
The group has also prepared for the Asean Economic Community, which will be effective in 2015, creating a single market of some 600 million consumers in 10 countries.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and China are among the top markets being eyed by Central Group.
Over the next five years, sales from overseas operations are projected to rise to more than 20 per cent of the total, up from the current 11 per cent, according to Sudhitham.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:53 am on Sep. 16, 2012
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