CENTRAL GROUP

The 'Central Group of Companies' is a family-owned holding company in Thailand that is involved in retailing, real estate, hotels and restaurants. Among its subsidiaries is 'Central Pattana' (SET: CPN), which is the largest developer and operator of shopping centers in Thailand and the 'Central Retail Corporation', Thailand's biggest retail conglomerate. Competitors in Thailand include The Mall Group, which owns Siam Paragon and The Emporium and several suburban shopping centers.

Contents

History

Central Pattana

Central Retail Corporation

Central Department Store

New Locations

Robinson

Other Central Retail companies

Centara Hotels and Resorts

See also

References

Notes

External links

History

Tiang Chirathivat started a general merchandise store in 1947 in Samphanthawong district, Bangkok's Chinatown. In 1957, Tiang's son, Samrit Chirathivat, opened the first Central Department Store in Wangburapha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The company's property development arm, Central Pattana was founded in 1980, and opened its first shopping center, Central Plaza Lat Phrao in Chatuchak district, Bangkok in 1982.

Central Pattana

The retail property development and management arm of the Central Group, Central Pattana was founded on June 17, 1980 with a registered capital of 300 million baht. The company became registered as a public limited company in 1994 and was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1995. The company operates eight shopping malls in Bangkok, including CentralWorld, as well as shopping centers in Chiang Mai and Pattaya. Expansion plans include the Central Plaza Chaengwattana, in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi and a second shopping mall (to include a Central Department Store) in Pattaya, both due for completion in 2008.

Central Retail Corporation

Central Retail Corporation is the largest retailer in Thailand, owning the Central Department Store chain, as well as its former rival, Robinson, and has an interest in the BigC chain of hypermarkets.

Central Department Store

Central stores are positioned as an upper-market chain. It has 11 stores in Bangkok and branches in Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Phuket. It compares to such US retailers as Bloomingdale's or Neiman Marcus.

New Locations

★ Chaeng Wattana- Central Plaza

★ Pattaya- Central Festival

★ Chonburi- Central Plaza

★ Khon Kaen- Central Plaza

Robinson

The Robinson department store chain (SET: ROBINS) was established in 1979 and was merged with Central in 1995. The company has 19 branches and is positioned as a mid-market retailer, similar to such US chains as Sears or Macy's.

Other Central Retail companies

★ Power Buy – An electronics retailer with more than 40 stores.

★ Office Depot – The office-supply giant's stores in Thailand have been operated by Central since 1996.

★ B2S – A chain that sells stationery, books, magazines, school and office supplies, music CDs and movie DVDs.

★ Supersports – A sporting-goods store.

★ Homeworks – A building supplies and home-improvement retailer.

★ Tops Supermarkets – The Netherlands-owned, US-based Tops grocery chain is operated in Thailand by Central. It has nearly 90 stores nationwide.

★ Zen – An upmarket department store, it opened in 1990 as one of the anchors of the World Trade Center in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok. Now named CentralWorld, the shopping center has undergone its major renovation, you can now visit the new Zen store tastefully designed.

★ BigC – A chain of hypermarkets, majority owned by the Casino Group of France.

★ Watson's – The Thailand outlets of the Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa drugstore chain are run by Central.

★ Marks & Spencer – Central is a franchisee of the British retail chain, with M&S located within Central Department Stores and two freestanding stores in Thailand.

Centara Hotels and Resorts

Central Hotels and Resorts, renamed Centara Hotels and Resorts in 2007, owns 11 resort hotels in Thailand, including the Sofitel Centara Grand at Central Plaza Lat Phrao in Chatuchak district and the Sofitel Centara Grand Hua Hin Resort, which was Thailand's first resort-style hotel, built in 1923 by the State Railway of Thailand. Other hotels are located in Krabi, Ko Samui, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Mae Sot. The company plans to open two more hotels, Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld in Bangkok, and the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort in Pattaya in 2008.

See also

★ List of shopping malls in Thailand

References

★ CRC corporate profile (PDF), Central Retail Corporation website. (Retrieved July 11, 2006).

Notes

1. Annual Report 2005, Central Pattana PLC. (Retrieved July 18, 2006).

External links

★ Main corporate website

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★ Central Pattana

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★ Central Online - Main portal for company's retail brands

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★ Zen Department Store

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★ Centara Hotels & Resorts