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Published on March 3, 2008

The Payuhanaveechai family, owners of the Racha Kiri Resort and Spa in Nakhon Si Thammarat, will add another 30 villas worth more than Bt100 million and aimed at high-spending foreign tourists.

Managing director Chanchai Payuhanaveechai said construction would start next year on vacant land adjacent to the existing property on Nai Phlao Beach in Khanom district.

All of the new rooms are designed to serve international tourists, particularly from Sweden, Finland, Japan and South Korea.

He said Khanom was growing in popularity among both foreign and local tourists, because it was such an unspoiled setting, similar to Koh Samui 10 years ago. It is also features a 10-kilometre long beach and various natural attractions.

"We believe Khanom will become a popular destination soon, following in the wake of Koh Samui," said Chanchai.

The family built the Racha Kiri Resort just over two years ago for Bt250 million. It was the biggest investment for the family in the province after becoming established in several businesses in Bangkok, including a hotel on Ngarmwongwan Road.

The family is also involved in direct sales, apartments, property development and construction.

Apart from hotel expansion, the family plans to develop a 50-unit home-office project in northern Bangkok in the next three or four months.

Chanchai said the Racha Kiri was the only luxury hotel in the province and was created to serve high-spending tourists. It consists of 33 villas with rates ranging from Bt7,000 to Bt18,500 per night.

The hotel had an average occupancy rate of only 10-20 rooms a night over its first two years. However, that performance has been improving with 50-per-cent occupancy this year due to more marketing activities abroad.

The hotel predicts occupancy will reach more than 60 per cent. It has already participated in international tourism trade shows in Germany and Singapore and will this year join local travel fairs.

The hotel will also focus on the conference business. It offers a 100-seat conference room.

There are about 30 hotels offering 1,500 rooms in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Most are three and four star.

Chanchai said four or five hotels were being developed in Khanom, so existing operators now faced tough competition. The Rach Kiri plans to survive by focusing on high-end markets.

He added that hotel operators in the province were working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to promote Khanom as a new destination.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation