Siam Piwat malls going green

Business News : Monday December 10, 2007

RETAILING / BIG MALLS

Siam Piwat malls going green

PITSINEE JITPLEECHEEP

Siam Piwat Co, the operator of Siam Center and Siam Discovery shopping complexes, is taking a more environmentally friendly approach to store decoration and products sold at its stores.

Chadathip Chutrakul, the company's managing director, said Siam Piwat was talking with its 200 tenants at the two retail complexes for co-operation in using all recycled products to decorate their stores next year.

The company also plans to reduce energy use by about 7-10% next year.

''We will use 100% recycled products to decorate our two retail complexes for all seasonal decorations at the centres. We want to raise the awareness among staff, tenants and customers in the long term who are concerned that the campaign will end,'' she said.

Mrs Chadathip said the company planed at least 52 promotional campaigns next year, and all events would be arranged in line with a ''Save Nature'' theme.

The company plans to spend about 200 million baht on advertising and promotional campaigns for both branches. At Siam Discovery only, it would spend 20 million baht for the whole year on its environmental approach.

Next year the company would hire an expert to create innovative activities, such as a design and invention contest, by using recycled paper, bottles and plastic in order to raise awareness about saving the environment while encouraging creativity and imagination among young people.

Mrs Chadathip said the overall shopping environment had improved from the same period last year because of higher tourist numbers.

If major changes come to the country's economy, they may happen in the third quarter of next year, she said.

With optimism rising that next year would be a strong year for retail operators, the company confirmed plans to open a new shopping complex and manage an existing retail project as planned earlier.

By : Bangkok Post