First Thai holistic longevity health resort opens
A British car-trader has joined with a local investor to open the country's fist holistic medical and longevity health resort worth Bt150 million in Chachoengsao, with the goal of bringing in Bt100 million in the first year.
Stephen Griffiths had often come to Thailand on vacation and seized the opportunity to invest here when he met a local health-products businessman, whom he would not name. Griffiths said he had been managing a condominium in Pattaya in Chon Buri as his first venture here before entering the health field. The 14-rai Rainbow Arokaya Holistic Medical and Longevity Health Centre is located on a bank of the Bang Pakong River in Bang Khla district in Chachoengsao. It features a clinic, healing spa, holistic and meditation centre, accommodation and natural far-infrared and minus-ion detoxification facilities using a Japanese volcanic stone for healing. "We are the first place in Thailand using volcanic mineral stone. This service is charged at Bt4,500 per eight to 10 minutes, so the price is pretty high, but we expect this imported product will become popular in the future," Griffiths said. The 1,000-kilogram stone costs Bt10 billion. It is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Griffiths claims it is popular in Japan and is proven as helping in healing. Revenue will be come from two sources, members and general customers. The centre already has 100 members and plans to end the year with 500. Three-year memberships go for Bt120,000-Bt250,000 depending on what products and services are used. Most of the members are locals and Japanese expats working in vehicle-assembly plants nearby. The centre plans to attract more international clients by participating in overseas travel expos such as the International Travel Boerse in Germany, World Travel Mart in London and Arabian Travel Mart in the Middle East. Griffiths said the joint venture was looking to develop at least four projects, in Bangkok on Phetburi Road, in Chiang Mai, in Phuket and in Krabi. "We will start with the Bangkok project probably in June. The rest will follow," he said. The recent opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport and the recovery of tourism in Pattaya are positive factors encouraging investors to set up business in the province, he added.
Suchat Sritama The Nation
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