Hypermart to expand investment in Thailand

BANGKOK, June 13 (TNA) - Buoyed by the growing Thai economy, Big C Supercenter Public Company Limited (Big C), a most established hypermart in Thailand, is spending over 40 million baht to fund the construction of its new supermarket in the heart of Bangkok that, once opened later this year, will become its first retail platform in the country to serve consumers 24 hours. Big C Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vipada Duangratana announced the plan on June 12, stating that the new around-the-clock-supermarket, named Big C Foodplace, will be opened at the Samyan Mitrtown, a new business and learning complex, in Bangkok's Pathumwan area, where more varieties of fresh food and ready-to-eat food products will be sold comprehensively. Vipada said the new Big C Foodplace, to be opened on a more than 800-square meter-space, will specially serve health-conscious consumers, namely students, office workers and tourists, and it is expected to earn Big C at least 300-400 million baht annually. Vipada revealed that Big C also plans to later open more 24 hour-supermarkets to other potential areas in Bangkok and other provinces. The Big C deputy CEO told journalists that the new investment plans are based on an updated assessment that the Thai economy should keep expanding with more certain prospect of the domestic politics, especially after the new general election is held next year, consequently stimulating people's purchasing power by 5-6 per cent on average although the total sale of Big C fresh food and ready-to-eat food products is likely to even expand by 8-10 per cent on average this year. The deputy CEO insisted, meanwhile, on keeping intact the prices of consumer products at all Big C retail stores to help ease people's rising costs of living, caused by rising fuel prices, and on promoting the reduced use of plastic bags for the sake of environmental protection through its campaigns launched in cooperation with the Thai Ministry of Commerce. (TNA)