The determination of the Central Group is to create prosperity for Thailand and create shared value with all sectors in order to drive the economy and elevate society to grow from upstream to downstream supply chains, which include business sectors, society, communities, customers, and partners. This determination reflects the commitment, strong mission, and vision cultivated by the founders, Tiang Chirathivat, Samrit Chirathivat, and Wanchai Chirathivat. The company’s DNA has been carried down from the start of Central Group's operations to the present day, in its 76th year.
Tos Chirathivat, Executive Chairman and CEO of Central Group, stated, "One of Central Group's core strategies as a retail, service, and real estate leader is to expand business while upgrading communities. We also desire to develop prosperity for the local communities and the well-being of the people in the country via the principle of ‘Growth for the Country, Great for Local Communities’. Central Group focuses on potential locations and transforms them into distinctive tourist cities while also caring for the quality of people's lives, society, and the environment. The strategy will assist in connecting key places for tourism and transforming them into local lifestyle hubs. It would also stimulate the trend of tourism in secondary cities becoming dynamic and becoming destinations for travelers from all over the world. We believe that our operation will assist in accelerating the economy from the bottom to the top of the business value chain.”
Central Group employs the principle of "Growth for the Country, Great for Local Communities" through its 3 elements operations: " Central Creation", "Central Pattana" and "Central Tham"
1. Be the first to enhance secondary cities by Central..Creation
- Create powerful cities by pursuing the expansion of numerous initiatives under investment that have an overall positive impact on society (impact investment). Growth is spread to high-potential "secondary cities" by highlighting their status as The Central of Life. Central Group is accelerating the creation of powerful secondary cities into new and remarkable monuments that will serve as new tourist and service magnets. This is regarded as the country's primary economic engine. Central Pattana has a 5-year investment plan (2023-2027) totaling more than 135,000 million baht, or an average of 30,000 million baht each year, and it spans 30 provinces.
- Create prosperous communities by enhancing them to be prime locations that create wealth in all areas, such as hospitals, colleges, international schools, wellness centers, etc.
- Create a range of investments by utilizing the Mixed-Use Development model, which includes the investment in shopping malls, retail stores, hotels, office buildings, and residences. Furthermore, construction design is prioritized in order to maintain the charm and be consistent with the uniqueness of each community area. Various businesses will expand during 2023-2024, including the following examples:
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Northeastern Region: Robinson Lifestyle in Nakhon Phanom Province, situated in Mueang District, is under development with an investment budget of over 2,000 million baht. It is expected to open in 2025. Nakhon Phanom is significant in the northeastern area as a special economic development zone and a commerce and tourism outpost. It also shares a border with Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) at Thakhek city. Nakhon Phanom has an excellent transportation link, the 3rd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, connecting Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and southern China. It facilitates travel and transit in trade and tourism. This bridge has played a role in raising the economic value of cross-border commerce with Vietnam and southern China to the greatest level in Thailand. Additionally, the building of a new dual-track railway route, Ban Phai-Mukdahan-Nakhon Phanom, would effectively connect the network for mass transit management, products, and services. As a result, the development of Central Group's new project plays an essential part in increasing Nakhon Phanom's potential to be a trendy city in Isan that will capture the hearts of tourists with its own hipster style. The province is ready to serve as an economic, tourist, and transportation hub, connecting neighboring nations and southern China. People in the community are encouraged to grow in strength. Nakhon Phanom’s cultural and natural tourism features are gaining popularity among both Thai and foreign visitors. Nakhon Phanom receives approximately 1.5 million tourists every year, generating over 2,200 million baht in tourism revenue.
Robinson Lifestyle in Nong Khai Province is scheduled to open in 2024 with an investment expenditure of 1,000 million baht. Nong Khai Province is a special economic development zone and a border city with Lao PDR's Vientiane, the capital, and Bolikhamxay Province. There is a border crossing point at the 1st Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, which is a trade gateway to Indochina, making it popular for traveling and shopping in neighboring countries. The province has also been designated to develop the transportation system to be a transportation hub, covering land routes, rails, dual-track railways, and high-speed trains, linking Thailand, Laos, and Kunming-China in the future. Nong Khai has the highest Thai-Laos border trade value in Thailand, at not less than 80 billion baht per year, with over 2 million tourists each year, and a tourism revenue of over 3,350 million baht. Robinson Lifestyle Nong Khai will become a new landmark that embodies all joy. It will brighten and refresh everyone's life.
Central Group's investments in Nakhon Phanom and Nong Khai will help boost economic growth, as well as trade, investment, services, and tourism in the Greater Mekong Subregion countries (Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China). The investments also help promote modern agriculture, create jobs, and improve the living conditions of the local people in a sustainable manner.
- Central Region : Central Nakhon Sawan (planned to open in the first quarter of 2024) is located on the North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC). It will optimize and strengthen Nakhon Sawan's potential, as well as future government initiatives such as the Northern High-Speed Railway and the Nakhon Sawan-Mae Sot dual-track railway, etc. Nakhon Sawan is a tourist destination with a distinct Thai-Chinese culture. It also has a sizable Chinese population. Central Nakhon Pathom (planned to open in the second quarter of 2024) is an extension of Central Group’s operations to the western area, with Nakhon Pathom serving as a gateway to neighboring provinces, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi. It is a secondary city that can suit consumers' needs without requiring them to travel to Bangkok.
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2. Develop people, cities, and country by Central..Pattana
- Develop people. - When the capital or secondary cities have several large-scale projects, those locations will become a center or destination for shopping, encompassing cuisine, famous brands, fashion, and lifestyle. The construction of massive projects promotes the economy at the grassroots, community, SMEs, and large entrepreneur levels. It also creates jobs, provides income to individuals at all levels, and leads to strong business liquidity. Furthermore, it generates momentum for continuing increases in tourism expenditure, resulting in a significant flow of money across the regional ecosystem. Central Group anticipates that within 5 years, there will be over 100,000 full-time employees and over 300,000 positions nationwide.
- Develop cities. - Central Group efficiently encourages the development of economic hubs, which accelerates the construction and improvement of infrastructure, utilities, and other facilities. Economic hubs play critical roles in serving transportation, trade, logistics, and governmental and private sector activities, as well as in attracting qualified investors, business visitors, and tourists.
- Develop the country. - The investment strategy of the Central Group intends to contribute to national development, build a strong grassroots economy, increase household income, and boost macroeconomic growth. Furthermore, the strategy affects the tourist sector to move forward and make a difference in each location via its magnets, such as art, culture, and way of life, in the form of community-based tourism and sustainable tourism. With a budget of more than 400 million baht per year, Central Group is committed to making secondary cities stand out in order to distribute income to local areas and plant the flag of Thailand as a world-class destination.
3. Raise the quality of life and society by Central..Tham
- Make society worth living. - The Central Group is committed to improving the quality of life for all people so that they can prosper together in a powerful and sustainable way, as well as to reducing inequality, creating opportunities for all members of society, and caring for the environment. The commitment is part of the "Central Tham" project, which is a Central Group sustainability effort based on the principle of Creating Shared Values (CSV).
- Make community development a priority. - With an annual budget of more than 200 million baht, Central Group is dedicated to strengthening communities in 44 provinces around Thailand. In 2022, Central Group generated more than 1,500 million baht for the communities, helped over 100,000 households, employed 751 individuals with disabilities, increased green space, and recovered forests on 5,519 rai. Central Group aims to create 1,800 million baht in community revenue and plant 6,500 rai of forest by 2023.
- Make educational possibilities more available. - Central Group aspires to reduce inequality, develop human resources, provide educational opportunities, and encourage project-based learning through hands-on learning based on the ideology of the Sufficiency Economy. Furthermore, the Central Group developed an educational curriculum to equip individuals with labor-market-relevant skills, coached teachers to change rote teaching into joyful collaborative learning, renovated educational institutions, and granted scholarships.
- Make it possible for those with disabilities to work. - Central Group promotes, creates careers, and expands employment possibilities for persons with disabilities so that they can support themselves in the long term. To restore and develop the potential of people with disabilities, the company provides information, trains skills, and generates careers. More than 80 persons with disabilities have been hired as full-time employees at Central Group's Contact Center and Repair Center. Aside from having a steady income, the most essential thing for them is to be accepted by society.
- Make a sustainable revenue for communities. - Jing Jai Farmers' Market is a place where local farmers can sell healthy vegetables, fruits, and community-famous goods in the Central Group areas. It produces consistent income and promotes consumer wellness. Central Group has extended Jing Jai Farmers' Market branches to more than 32 branches around Thailand, able to sustain a network of more than 10,000 farmer households and create 255 million baht in revenue for the communities.
- Make useful space for communities. - Central Group offers free space for sales of at least 100,000 square meters each year, with a total value of 300 million baht.
- Make green businesses - Central Group's environmentally responsible corporate activities seek to cut carbon dioxide emissions and reach net zero by 2050. Furthermore, the firm is involved in a number of environmental initiatives, including the development of an environmentally friendly retail mall that uses renewable energy, the installation of solar cell roofs, the construction of EV charging stations, trash management, and so on.
- Make everyone happy by living a decent life. - Central Group helps people to live a good life through a variety of projects such as developing community products and providing market channels, promoting and restoring the Na Muen Sri Textile Museum, constructing egg-laying sheds, supporting educational opportunities, a charity mini marathon to raise funds for female cancer patients, increasing green space by planting forests, promoting SMEs, and so on.
Central Group stands ready and willing to assist all sectors in developing the national economy. In adhering to the spirit of sustainable cooperative growth in every dimension, the company will leverage its capabilities as an international retail and service leader, as well as skilled staff and a solid "The 1" loyalty network, to expand investment to various provincial or secondary cities.
Central Group believes that with the commitment of all parties to work together and consistently drive the economy for the development of livable cities and model cities, it will help build on the surrounding region to become the hubs of perfect living. Furthermore, it encourages long-term growth while protecting the values and uniqueness of each area. Central Group is ready to enhance the quality of lives, society, and the environment at the same time.
