ID :
143975
Tue, 09/28/2010 - 15:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/143975
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Thailand's fire-damaged CentralWorld complex opens Tuesday
BANGKOK, Sept 28 - Thailand's CentralWorld shopping complex --the country's largest and the second largest in Southeast Asia-- reopened Tuesday for shoppers, some four months after it went up in flames on the last day of the April-May protests at Ratchaprasong.
According to Central Pattana (CPN) president and chief executive officer Kobchai Chirathivat, 80 per cent of the total area reopened, while the remaining areas will be back to business by the end of the year.
CentralWorld was set afire by disgruntled Red Shirt protesters after their leaders surrendered to police on May 19 after a half-day of violence and the military closing in on Ratchaprasong intersection where the demonstrators had encamped since early April.
Mr Kobchai said the reopening was to stimulate the economy in Ratchaprasong area after the economy there has continuously improved since the end of June.
Some 400 out of 600 shops are back to business and CPN has extended some financial assistance to business tenants. The total sales volume in the shopping complex until the end of this year is expected at around Bt100-200 million (US$3-6 million), the executive said.
CPN has also improved its security system to the level of international standard such as installing surveillance cameras at all corners, increasing the number of security officers, providing a system that connects government-related agencies, having smoke detectors in shops and equipping the escalator system with security detection for customers.
Mr Kobchai said the building's structure was approved by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Public Works Department and certified by the Thailand Engineering Institute.
Meanwhile, Zen Department Store, located on a wing of the CentralWorld which collapsed after eight consecutive hours of fire, is due to open in August next year. (MCOT online news)
According to Central Pattana (CPN) president and chief executive officer Kobchai Chirathivat, 80 per cent of the total area reopened, while the remaining areas will be back to business by the end of the year.
CentralWorld was set afire by disgruntled Red Shirt protesters after their leaders surrendered to police on May 19 after a half-day of violence and the military closing in on Ratchaprasong intersection where the demonstrators had encamped since early April.
Mr Kobchai said the reopening was to stimulate the economy in Ratchaprasong area after the economy there has continuously improved since the end of June.
Some 400 out of 600 shops are back to business and CPN has extended some financial assistance to business tenants. The total sales volume in the shopping complex until the end of this year is expected at around Bt100-200 million (US$3-6 million), the executive said.
CPN has also improved its security system to the level of international standard such as installing surveillance cameras at all corners, increasing the number of security officers, providing a system that connects government-related agencies, having smoke detectors in shops and equipping the escalator system with security detection for customers.
Mr Kobchai said the building's structure was approved by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Public Works Department and certified by the Thailand Engineering Institute.
Meanwhile, Zen Department Store, located on a wing of the CentralWorld which collapsed after eight consecutive hours of fire, is due to open in August next year. (MCOT online news)
