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All-action rally and party promotes Pattaya Dragon and
new Raimon Land projects
Ann Wongsing, Director of Pattaya
Dragon, and Nigel J. Cornick,
CEO Raimon Land PLC (both pictured center) joined
the coyote dancers for a colorful group photo.
Pramote Channgam
Pattaya Dragon and Raimon Land worked together to devise an all-action
promotional event for the Pattaya Dragon entertainment complex and Raimon Land’s
new development project at North Point Pattaya.
The Car Rally and Island Party idea was that of Pattaya Dragon’s Ana Wongsin,
and took place on May 19.
 Sopon
Plaikuk and Wimon Kiewplai (center & right) receive the 30,000 Baht top prize
from Nigel Cornick after winning the car rally competition with a score of 249.
The rally started from Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road at 12:30pm, the cars heading in
the direction of Pattaya City and checking-in at Mini Siam. From there, the
competitors and followers were directed to North Point Pattaya, where they
boarded a yacht to Koh Larn, along with 150 coyote dancers from the Fashion
Club.
At Koh Larn there was a party on Samae Beach, with a DJ and famous artists
including Pu and the Black Head band, Daek and the Big Ass band, the Motive
band, Nuch from At Ten, and Nong Ae. Other fun for the guests included
sea-walking and a banana boat.
The action did not end there however, for as evening approached the party moved
on to Wongamart Beach at North Point Pattaya, where the food and drink flowed
plentifully and Nigel J Cornick, CEO of Raimon Land presented the company’s new
Pattaya projects at “North Point” and “The Lofts Southshore.”
More than 150 beautiful women from
the Fashion Club gathered to brighten up Samae Beach on Koh Larn.
Hide-a-bed is unique in Asia
A company that offers space saving furniture
Just occasionally, you get to meet someone with a highly
original idea to market in Pattaya and Jomtien. Only in Stuart Simmons’ case,
the business concept is unique throughout the continent of Asia. His company,
known informally as “those foldaway bed people”, was set up last year to enable
customers to take advantage of the space saving to be made in your typical
condo, which can be small or large.
 Stuart
Simmons: the originator of the ‘hide-a-bed’ concept in Asia.
So ‘hide-a-bed’ is all about saving space and making your average condo
“bigger”. Yet hide-a-beds are not limited to one-room condominiums as they are
ideal for that second bedroom. For example, the room can be utilized as an
office or children’s playroom and still be available as a bedroom as and when
required for friends or relatives who are staying over.
Interestingly, the idea came to Stuart when he was buying his own condo in
Jomtien a few years back and failed to find a company offering this particular
service. He checked out the costs of importing a foldaway bed structure and
found that, with various import taxes, the total would come to almost 100,000
baht which he felt, understandably, was ridiculous.
And so a business plan was born! Stuart or his wife Nui can arrange for a
cabinet maker to come to your home and advise in detail on the right type of
furnishings taking into account existing furniture, wood and finish. Because the
cabinets are custom designed, they can also take into account any design
alterations you have in mind and, most importantly, can utilise your existing
mattress.
It’s no wonder that Stuart has received export inquiries from all over the
world, noticeably from South America, but his company was not set up with the
overseas market in mind. “Our customers locally have included Yensabai Condo,
Residence Number One (Cosy Beach), Residences One, Two and Three at View Talay,”
says Stuart, “and we cater for all types of accommodation both modest and
upmarket.”
 The
company’s foldaway beds are custom made to fit in with any existing furniture
designs.
Stuart hails from Oxford in southern England where he was born and brought up.
He left school at 16 and spent 20 years of his professional life in retail
furnishings, becoming a manager at the early age of 19. He discovered Thailand
as recently as 1992, telling the travel agent he wanted to go somewhere “hot”.
His first visit was to Phuket, but he eventually decided to settle in Pattaya in
2003. “My first idea was to open a guest house here in Jomtien, he confides,
“but the original ‘hide-a-bed’ concept soon overtook that idea.”
And the company isn’t standing still. In the next month or two Stuart (a man
with many practical skills) and Nui will be starting their own cabinet company
better to serve the needs of their largely western clientele. “Space saving
furniture” will be the name of the game and will include – apart from the
foldaway beds of course – tables (with the chairs fitting snugly under the
folding leaves), book cases, wardrobes and cabinets of any type. Given the high
quality of the product range, the potential for growth is surely exceptional.
‘Hide-a-bed’ is located at 356/30, Moo 12, Soi Wat Boon, Jomtien Beach Road. The
phone number is 038 232 944 and the website gives a good overview of the
products. Go to www.hide-a-bed-thailand.com
Condominium sales on mass transit routes slows in Q1
Sales of condominiums located along elevated and underground
electric mass transit routes in metropolitan Bangkok slowed markedly in the
first quarter of this year, according to a new survey by the Property Assessment
and Research Information Center.
Vasant Kongchan, the centre’s managing director, said the total sales of
condominiums in the city had dropped by 7 per cent on average.
The sales of condominiums situated on Ratchadaphisek Road nosedived by 46 per
cent, those on Silom and Rama III roads dropped by 43 per cent and those on
Onnut Road fell by 14 per cent.
Sales on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River, however, increased by 20 per
cent.
Mr. Vasant said the condominium sales decline resulted from higher costs of
steel and other construction materials, surging oil prices, and criteria on
environment that obstruct project development.
Additionally, the government’s approval for the construction of electric train
projects in suburban areas encouraged some people to buy townhouses and single
houses whose prices range from Bt1-2 million in the areas instead of city
condominiums. (TNA)
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