However that is but a small part of the company's plans. The company aims to have more than 50 stores in operation in Asia, not including Japan, by the end of next year. The next store will open in the Philippines in two months.

Li and Fung (Retailing) owns Toys Retailing and the licence to operate Toys "R" Us stores in Asia except in Japan. The company currently operates 36 Toys "R" Us stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. Thailand is the fifth country in the region to receive one of the giant toy shops.

Manit Lertsakornsiri, country manager of Toys Retailing (Thailand), said the company expected to achieve sales of between Bt300 million and Bt400 million this year.

It opened the first local outlet, a 2,000-square metre store, on the sixth floor of Central City Bang Na shopping complex last December, followed by the 1,100-square metre store at Carrefour on Rama IV.

"We had a good welcome from Thai shoppers and expatriates, especially during the school holidays. Each store is attracting thousands of shoppers a day. Both branches are expected to break even within two years," said Manit.

Opening stores in Bangkok costs between Bt40 million and Bt50 million each.

Manit said that its retail partners, Central and Carrefour, had offered space in their shopping complexes in north and western Bangkok.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn, The Nation