Richmond Hotel plans to invest Bt2.6 billion between 2007 and 2009 to build four hotels in Pattaya, Koh Chang, Krabi and Kho Pha-ngan. The company expects to break ground in Pattaya and Chang next year, followed by Krabi in 2008 and Pha-ngan in 2009, said Laksawan Wongworrakan, Richmond's managing director. It hopes the new hotels will attract more foreign tourists.

The property in Pattaya will feature 500 rooms and a convention hall. The hotel on Koh Chang will consist of 150-200 rooms, as will the hotel in Krabi. The Pha-ngan resort will offer about 100 rooms.

"Over five years, we aim to reach 2,000 rooms, up from 455 now. All the hotels will be rated four- or five-star," Laksawan said.

 "Although we're going to the places later than others, we're offering something different, with what we call lifestyle convention resorts."

Each resort comes with function rooms, activity rooms and outdoor spaces designed for mobile meetings as well as recreational activities.

The company is also preparing a site in Chiang Mai for a hotel in the long future. A further project in Krabi involves residential development.

Apart from its flagship Richmond Hotel on Rattanathibet Road in Nonthaburi province, the Wongworrakan family also manages a serviced apartment in Bangkok's Sukhumvit area. Another serviced apartment is due to open later this year in the capital's Pratunam area.

The government hopes to make Thailand a meeting and convention hub with the construction of more convention halls in Bangkok and Pattaya.

Two more exhibition centres are on the drawing board for Phuket and Chiang Mai.

MICE- meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions - business is projected to grow along with the economy. Local meetings and incentive bookings are also on the rise.

The company recently spent Bt1 billion renovating and expanding its Richmond Hotel north of Bangkok, its first big remake after 12 years of operation.

General manager Teerawat Jaiprasat said construction cost Bt500 million, decorations Bt200, and upgrading technology and facilities Bt300 million.

The hotel added more than 300 guestrooms to the existing 116. Meeting rooms now number 14, up from five before. A spa and fitness centre was also built.

The hotel expects to average 70-per-cent occupancy this year. It aims for revenue of Bt120 million this year, Bt200 million next year and Bt250 million in 2008.

Richmond's room rates are Bt2,000-Bt20,000 per night. About 70 per cent of its customers are officials working in government offices located in northern Bangkok, such as the Public Health, Commerce and Justice ministries, and the Provincial Water and Provincial Electricity authorities.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation