Malaysian hotel group keen on Bangkok

"Thailand is very important for the group because it is a freedom city where tourists can connect with all Asean countries as well as the Indochina region," CEO Hanley Chew said yesterday.

The company would be Malaysia's first hotel group to penetrate the Thai market, he said. It already operates 14 hotels and resorts with more than 3,000 rooms combined in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia. Six projects are under way in those countries.

Chew said the group was open to various investment structures so that it could enter into a joint venture with local partners, sell a franchise or take over full management of a property

Details of investment and a timeframe for the first project are not finalised yet, as it is still in talks with several investors in Bangkok.

Sunway Group operates hotels under two brands - Sunway for five-star hotels and Allson for the four-star level.

Its flagship property is the 123-room Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa Kuala Lumpur.

The Sunway Hanoi is wholly owned by the group while the Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh is a joint venture with local partners.

The group manages two Allson hotels in Cambodia and has sold franchises for one in Singapore and another in Indonesia.

The group also runs a property development firm, theme park, hospitals and two universities in Malaysia.

"For the new hotel in Thailand, it could be at a four-star or five-star level depending on negotiations," Chew said.

The best way to compete with local hotel operators, with their acclaimed services and established patronage, is through human resources, so the group would focus on "software" development, he said.

With more than 20 years of experience within the travel and hotel industry in various cities in Malaysia, Burma, Bali and China, Chew is ready to spread into Thailand.

He also plans to venture into China and Australia in the future.

Since Sunway's acquisition of Allson International Hotels and Resorts in 2004, Chew has been responsible for the management of all hotels under the Sunway and Allson brands.

He also plays a key role in the development of new management contracts within the Asian region.

He also oversees Sunway International Vacation Club Bhd, Sunway Healthy Lifestyle Sdn Bhd and Sunway Travel Sdn Bhd in Malaysia.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation