Services for guests and residents at the State Tower have been relaunched under the Lebua brand since the end of the management contract with the Singaporean-based Meritus Hotel chain three months ago. Property-developer and former arms-dealer Rasri Bualert owns the 65-storey Silom Road tower, which now has 198 hotel rooms, 120 serviced apartments, shops, condominiums and the Dome restaurant at the top.

Managing director Deepak Ohri said the two restaurants, one of which will specialise in seafood, were expected to be open by August and four more meeting rooms would be available by December.

He said next year the company planned to launch a French-style spa, which he claimed would be the first of its kind in Thailand.

Ohri said the average price for a Lebua room would go up from Bt2,400 per night to Bt4,800.

"Although recording a lower occupancy rate of only 40 per cent, the hotel will still command higher returns," he said.

Ohri added that during its three years in operation, occupancy rates of just 60 per cent at the lower price had missed company targets.

The Dome restaurant has been the only profitable operation, achieving its target, he said.

Ohri said the hotel would be able to draw more guests from Japan, Hong Kong, India, the Middle East, the UK and the US, instead of concentrating largely on customers from China and Taiwan.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation