‘Donki’ store heads for Bangkok
The long-awaited Don Quijote, Japan’s biggest discount store chain, is scheduled to make its debut in Thailand in the fourth quarter of next year. According to Wicha Chengcharoen, general-manager of TOA Venture Holding, two new venture companies would be set up to operate Don Quijote Mall: JCE-TOA to operate the mall and TOA-PPIH to own and develop the commercial facility.
TOA Venture Holding is an investment arm of TOA Group, Thailand’s leading paint manufacturing group, which last year reported total revenue of 15 billion baht.
The group’s core business includes paint, sugar, cable and property development. The group’s paint business, operated by TOA Paint Plc, recently listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Its share started trading on Oct 10.
Launched in 1989, the store, commonly known as “Donki”, has more than 300 branches around Japan and four in Hawaii.
Long on Thai tourists’ shopping hit list, the chain is known for its huge range of products — from basic electronics and clothing to all sorts of quirky and occasionally lewd Japanese accessories – as well as its pounding in-store soundtrack.
Mr Wicha said JCE-TOA will be 49% held by Pan Pacific International Holdings Pte Ltd, the Don Quijote Group’s holding company for overseas operations based in Singapore, 40% by TOA Venture Holding and 11% by a Thai subsidiary of Nippon Parking Development. For TOA-PPIH, Pan Pacific will hold 47.5% stake, with TOA Venture 47.5% and Nippon Parking 5%.
The two venture firms will invest a combined 500 million baht, excluding the land price, to build the mall on a three-rai plot on Ekamai Soi 5, the former site of TOA Group’s office building.
With construction about 30% in progress, the eight-storey Don Quijote mall will have total gross floor area of 26,770 square metres. It will have retail space of 10,000 sq m with 25% going to Don Quijote on the first and second floors. There will also be indoor sport and entertainment facilities on the fifth and sixth floors, along with restaurants.
The project’s commercial facility will accommodate as its core tenant a store of the Don Quijote Group’s new type of retail business “Don Don Donki”, the second such outlet to be established in Southeast..Asia after one opening in Singapore in December 2017.
The three corporate groups will create a one-of-a-kind mall focused on products and services of Japanese quality by combining their know-how on the development and operation of commercial facilities, mustering.knowledge gained in Thailand, and having big parking lots.
Don Quijote is one of the must-visit places for foreign tourists in Japan because the store offers a diverse product line-up and late-night services, as well as for its status as a spot for the ultimate “consumption experience”.
Source: Bangkok Post
Thailand surges in ranking for Ease of Doing Business
Thailand ranked 26th in the World Bank’s 2018 Ease of Doing Business report, a surge of 20 ranks on the previous rating and beating the movement of its peers in Asean. Thailand was placed 46th in the 2017 report.
In the latest report, Thailand scores 77.44 points compared with 72.53 a year earlier. It stands third in Asean in terms of Ease of Doing Business, behind Singapore, which remains second, and Malaysia, , which moves down one notch overall to 24th globally.
Other Asean members’ performances in the 2018 report: Brunei ranks 56th (up 16); Cambodia 135th (down 4); Indonesia 72nd (up 19); Laos 141st (down 2); Myanmar 171st (down 14); Philippines 113th (down 14) and Vietnam 68th (up 14).
Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was satisfied with the improved ranking. Thailand had moved steadily up the ease-of-doing-business rating over the past three years, from 49th in 2016 to 46th in 2017 and 26th in the 2018 report, he said.
However, the World Bank’s press release also revised Thailand’s ranking for 2017 to 48th, due to a change in the methodology of compiling the report. The World Bank said Thailand made impressive strides, having adopted a record eight reforms in the past year.
“Thailand has made immense progress in doing business reforms this past year, with strong government leadership at the highest levels,” said Ulrich Zachau, World Bank Director for Thailand, Malaysia and Regional Partnerships.
“With its 26th place ranking, Thailand has risen into the top 15 percent of countries globally in the ease of doing business – a great achievement. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Thailand in support of a strong business environment, and more good jobs for more people all across the country,” he said.
“Several recent major improvements in the ease of doing business stand out. Starting a business in Thailand used to take 27.5 days. Today, thanks to a series of business regulation reforms, the process takes only 4.5 days,” the World Bank report said.
“First, Thailand eliminated the requirement that companies obtain a company seal. Previously, every certificate of shares had to be signed by at least one director and bear the company seal.
“And second, Thailand repealed the requirement to obtain approval of the company’s work regulations from the Labour Department.
“Before the reform, companies with more than 10 employees were required to submit their work regulations to the Labour Department for approval. The company’s work regulations are now checked during regular labour inspections.”
Lt Gen Sansern said the prime minister mentioned that the improvement in each year was the result of the cooperation between the public and private sector, and particularly the improvements in working procedures at many government agencies.
“The government is sincere about supporting and facilitating convenience in doing business in this country and in foreign markets, by removing difficulties through use of Section 44 of the interim charter prior to normal legislation for sustainable problem solving,” he said.
Lt Gen Sansern said the government is working to improve services in several areas, such as fixing business registration fees, cutting fees for electronic business registration and e-filing for payment of corporate income tax.
Source: Bangkok Post
Thailand warmly welcomes global travellers as kingdom enters cool season
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to extend a very warm welcome to travellers from around the world, inviting them to come enjoy the Kingdom at its finest during the annual cool season.
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said: “Thailand is officially entering the cool season, and it’s the perfect time to experience the country’s amazingly diverse selection of destinations. Thai local experiences are everywhere, from flower festivals to natural parks, northern mountain treks or southern beach sojourns, this is truly a magical time to visit Thailand.”
It is a time when Thailand is in full bloom with special events and flower festivals. One of Thailand’s most amazing natural sights, the Dok Bua Tongor wild sunflower in bloom, returns to the hills and valleys of Mae Hong Son this time each year. The sunflower season also takes place in the Central Region in Lop Buri and Saraburi, just a short drive northeast of Bangkok.
When the weather is most pleasant it is also the only time of the year that the Jim Thompson Farm in Pakthongchai and Flora Park in Wang Nam Khiao is open for visitors.
With stunning mountains, vibrant hill tribes and a relaxed vibe, Thailand’s mountains provide the perfect venue for camping under the stars. Or watching the sun rises over the mountains at Phu Chi Fa to the east of Chiang Rai is another beautiful thing to do while in Northern Thailand.
Investing in Sathorn CBD Bangkok
The liberalisation of Thailand’s banking sector means more foreign banks, funds and asset managers and insurance companies will act promptly to penetrate into the sector, making Bangkok the potential regional banking hub. Golden Emperor partnered with BTS-Sansiri to hold a Bangkok Property Investment Seminar to thoroughly analyze the current market and share some investment tips. During the event, The LINE Sathorn which located right in the heart of Bangkok’s CBD Sathorn was launched first time worldwide at our exhibition. This project is perfected with its proximity to BTS station, which is less than 1 metre away and the rental demand and upside potential for condo in Sathorn will be huge, our event was attracting about 700 customers attended over the weekend.
Above: Around 700 customers attended the weekend exhibition.
Above: Terence Chan, Managing Director of Golden Emperor, provided a presentation on investing in Bangkok.
Above: Sansiri & BTS’s latest property project in Bangkok, THE LINE Sathorn also be featured at this event.
New skytrain stations planned at Saphan Taksin, Sathon
The final design for the expanded Saphan Taksin skytrain station, intended to end the bottleneck across the Chao Phraya river, should be ready by the end of the year, according to a senior company official.
Planning for another new station on busy Sathon Road is also progressing well.
The two stations, part of the Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc network, are expected to open for use in 2019 and 2020, BTSC chief operating officer Surapong Laoha-Unya told Naew Na online on Tuesday.
The Rural Roads Department, which supervises the riverside area, would be asked to approve the study and design of the expanded Saphan Taksin station. It will replace the current station, which serves only a single track that runs in parallel with Taksin Bridge and causes a bottleneck and long wait for commuters during rush hours.
Reconstruction should begin in March or April next year, Mr Surapong said. The new, larger station, with its double track, should be ready for commercial service in late 2019.
The expansion requires a 230m traffic lane diversion on either side of the bridge to maintain traffic flow, as parts of traffic lanes on the bridge will be needed for the additional rail track.
The estimated cost is one billion baht.
BTSC is also pushing ahead with a plan to build a new skystrain stop, Sueksa Witthaya Station, on Sathon Road between Surasak and Chong Nonsi stations, after the project was put to a public hearing.
The environmental impact assessment report is now being reviewed, prior to being forwarded to the National Environment Board for approval, Mr Surapong said.
The 650-million baht station is expected to take 18 months to build, and will greatly improve transport access for commuters working in office buildings in the area.
It should be ready to open in two years, he said.
AIA Thailand has financed part of the cost at 325 million baht, in return for having a direct pedestrian link between the station and its Sathon office building, according to a BTSC source.
Source：Bangkok Post
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