Bangkok | Mega Bangna + IKEA Bangna

Perhaps you should have stayed in the country a little longer and travel around a bit Kastrup. Cph and Malmoe function as one big city region for many people since the bridge between then was built. That Sweden has a state alcohol monopoly has nothing to do with that culture.

The southernmost part of Sweden used to belong to Denmark in the past and the cities there are very different from cities further up north.

I think we are drifting from the thread topic here. Hopefully the Thai furniture market is big enough for both an IKEA and for domestic furniture stores to flourish. Actually I think it is, as the Thai brands have their own unique qualities. Another thing is that IKEAs are usually located far out in the suburbs while other stores can often be more conveniently found in the nearest shopping center.

Major investments on track

Bangkokpost 3/05/2010


Major Cineplex Group, the country's largest cinema operator, says it will continue its planned investments this year and next despite the prolonged political unrest.

Presenters promote offers at Major Bowl, the bowling-alley chain operated by Major Cineplex.

Chairman Vicha Poolvaraluck said the company would invest about 600-700 million baht this year to open between 30 and 40 new screens in six different locations, including Saraburi and Mahachai district in Samut Sakorn, which was completed last month.

The company will also invest 800-900 million baht next year to open another 30 and 40 new screens, including a 15-screen cinema worth 600 million baht at the new Ikea furniture complex on the Bang Na-Trat Highway.

``Similarly to other people, I'm tense and quite worried about our country's fate given the violent situation,'' he said.

However, he said, businesspeople have to find a way to ensure that life and business can go on.

Mr Vicha said that while the red-shirt protests had severely affected tourism, the impact on local consumption was modest. ``The current political turmoil has had less impact than the global economic recession and the H1N1 flu.''

Thai consumers still have good purchasing power but are adjusting their habits by going to suburban shopping malls and entertainment venues that are not in the protest areas.

Mr Vicha said Major recorded good ticket sales in the first quarter of this year with growth of about 10-15% from a year earlier.

``We saw a surprisingly good performance in April even though we closed two cinema complexes at Siam Paragon and Metropolis because of the red-shirt demonstrations,'' he said.

The company's other cinema outlets including Pin Klao, Bang Na, Fashion Island and Ratchayothin, were still doing extremely well.

Mr Vicha said the company was still optimistic about reaching its sales growth target of 10% in the second quarter, and full-year revenue growth of 10-15%.

The company has revised its business strategy in light of current political tensions by focusing on better communication with customers, utilising all channels including the internet and SMS.

Somehow I think IKEA products are junk. I'm disappointed with this furniture giant tapping Thailand's market. The waste management can project ahead larger piles of trashes at the dump sites as a result. I don't have anything against the corporation, but I am not big of a fan for this kind of mass production. Thailand has advantages on labors and cost of production. The design and competitive material need to be improved to captivate consumers in the domestic market as well as those in the globally open markets. Small and local vendors have advanced in creactivity in design but still lack of quality and sophisticated managment to meet the requirement for such large volume order. Instead of welcoming other competitive furniture franchise, Thailand should have its own giant furniture makers to set foot out there internationally.

There are no points to stop businesses from entering free markets, but it's not too late for the Thai investors to come up with a well-sought solution and put together a strategic plan to probe back to those countries that deem to be an open market. It would be a national triuph to see a Thai giant furniture firm competes in the Swedish market.