THB
Thailand's Big C to raise USD129.91m for small store growth
Big C Supercenter Plc (BIGC), the Thai hypermarket operator, plans to raise THB4 billion (USD129.91 million) for business expansion this year, with a particular focus on small-format stores.
The company's board on Friday approved a private placement of up to 23.6 million authorised but unissued shares, representing 2.9 percent of Big C's existing share capital.
Based on current share price, the amount raised will be about THB4b.
Thai Robinson set to open 25 new stores
Thailand's department store chain Robinson Department Store plans to invest THB2.8 billion (THB90.97 million) to open five new stores this year as part of a plan aimed at boosting revenues by 20 percent.
Jiraphan Thongtan, general manager for finance for Robinson, told investors at a briefing last week that the company would aim to open five new stores per year over the next five years.
Investment for each store is projected at THB500 to 700 million, she said.
Thai Jasmine rice store price to rise
The retail price of Jasmine rice will go up by at least THB10 (USD0.33) per five-kilogramme pack after the Songkran holiday, Thai Rice Packers Association president Somkiat Makcayathorn said on Friday.
Somkiat said the price had to increase because of higher costs of raw materials and fuel along with the government's plan to increase the daily minimum wage to THB300.
LG budgets USD58.98m for marketing push in Thailand
LG Electronics (Thailand) Co will spend THB1.8 billion (USD58.98 million) this year to increase marketing and improve production efficiency at its Rayong factory.
Some THB1.2b will be used to promote its electrical appliances, while 600 million will be used to enhance production efficiency. LG allotted THB450m for washing machine and TV efficiency and 150m for air-conditioners, especially inverters.
Thailand's Asia Books eyes 25pc revenue growth
Asia Books Co expects revenue growth of 20-25 percent to THB1.2 billion (USD38.6 million) this year thanks to an aggressive business expansion since last year.
The company plans to open 12 new branches with total investment of THB120m after adding eight branches last year including its biggest store at CentralWorld costing THB100m and taking up 1,000 square metres.
Thailand's leading English-language bookseller expects reading to pick up this year.
Thailand's tourism revenue in 2011 a record high
Thailand's tourism business boomed in 2011, with overall revenue up 23.92 percent over 2010 to THB734.59 billion (USD23.11b), a historic high, despite the flood crisis, Supol Sriphan, director general of the Tourism Department at the Tourismand Sports Ministry, said on Thursday.
He said 19.09 million tourists came to Thailand in 2011, up 19.8 percent on the previous year.
Thailand's KTC focus on leisure spending
Thailand's leading credit card operator Krungthai Card (KTC) will kick off more aggressive marketing campaigns and promotions next year to encourage more leisure spending among cardholders.
The company expects spending via KTC for travel and leisure activities will rise by 10-15 percent to THB11-15 billion (USD352.23-480.32 million) in 2012, said Pittaya Vorapanyasakul, executive vice-president for travel and leisure marketing.
Thailand's food exports to be slowed by floods
The massive floods caused THB50 billion (USD1.59b) in damage to Thailand's food industry, dampening next year's export estimate to THB971b, says the National Food Institute.
More than 1,300 food factories in Thailand were affected by the floods, or about 15 percent of all food factories, according to NFI president Petch Chinabutr.
Factories in regions that were not inundated, such as the North and the South, had to slow production by 10-30 percent for lack of raw materials and packaging.
Thailand's gift basket sales sag this holiday season
Thailand's Sales of New Year gift baskets are expected to grow only 5 percent from last year, hurt by the floods.
The value of gift baskets is estimated at THB780 million (USD25.01m) this year, up from THB740m in 2010. The niche reached THB1 billion in sales four years ago.
Interview: Reebonz Thailand making luxury affordable
Somkiat Chaisuparakul remembers well how his first customer placed an order for a Prada bag costing 71,000 baht (USD2,294), on 28 September last year. Half an hour later, five other customers clicked to buy more handbags and it assured him that a potential number of Thais welcomed online shopping for luxury labels.
