Buddy to build museum
July 5, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under Hospitality, News, Thailand
BANGKOK, 4 July 2012: The Buddy Group will build three more hotels at popular tourist destinations in Thailand, while investing in two attractions on Bangkok’s Khao San Road.
Buddy Group chief executive officer, Sanga Ruangwattanakul, said the group’s focus right now was on building a strong base at Khaosan Road, with two projects under development.
“We plan to develop two new attractions on this street,” said Mr Sanga. “Starting with a museum that tells the story of this road housed in a 100-year heritage building that we leased recently”.
Sanga Ruangwattanakul
The museum will open this August after an extensive renovation.
Mr Sanga has yet to give the museum a name, but a ground floor French restaurant due to open at the same time will get its name from a famous reataurant brand in France, Chez Bruno. The second floor will house the museum outlining the history of Khaosan Road and the Rattanakosin Island district. It will even have a library.
The second project is what Mr Sanga calls an innovative retail shop that will allow young entrepreneurs to sell products they have designed or invented.
“We came up with the idea of building an innovative retail shop for those who have products but have no channel to sell them… it will add a shopping attraction to Khaosan Road,” he said.
The innovative retail shop will open at a property next to the restaurants Tom Yum Gung on Khaosan Road and will cost the group Bt70 million to build.
The group has plans to expand its hotel portfolio to Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket by 2015.
“We will develop three to four-star properties of around 200 rooms each, but land purchase at the three destinations are still being negotiated
Buddy Group owns and operates six hotel properties, in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samui. They are: Hotel De’ Moc; Buddy Lodge; Buddy Oriental Samui Beach Resort; Buddy Oriental Riverside Pakkred; Buddy Boutique Inn and Marco Polo Hostel. The group also owns five restaurants (Khinlom Chom Sa-Phan, Tom Yum Kung, Song Fang Klong, Sidewalk Café Ratchadamnoen and Song Fang Klong Dinner Cruise) and five pubs and a café (Mulligans Irish Bar, Brick Bar, Molly Bar, 999 West, the Club and the Fabulous Dessert Café).
