PTT to open budget hotels in gas stations

BANGKOK, July 21 (TNA) - Many hotel chains have expressed their interest in a plan announced by PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), Thailand's largest petroleum firm, to open budget hotels at its gas stations across the country. Auttapol Rerkpiboon, PTT’s Senior Executive Vice President for Oil Business, told journalists on Thursday that many hotel operators have contacted his firm for negotiations on the planned project. In August, Auttapol said, PTT will invite interested hotel operators to pick up an application for their participation in the project and will then work out, within two months thereafter, a joint business operational plan for the project. Finally, Auttapol noted, PTT will select only one budget hotel chain to operate at its 50 gas stations, with the construction of the first budget hotel expected to be started at the beginning of next year and completed by early 2018. According to the PTT senior executive vice president, the opening of budget hotels in PTT gas stations will boost sales of Amazon coffee shops and convenience stores, located in the compound of the PTT gas stations, while the owners of the gas stations will also earn extra income from the budget hotels. "PTT has always supported small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Most of 1,450 PTT gas stations all over the country are owned by dealers who are his company's business partnership and share profit margin", the senior executive vice president pointed out. (TNA)