watch a movie at tesco lotus

Major Cineplex Group, the leading operator of multiplex cinemas, yesterday announced a long-term partnership with Tesco Lotus to expand the number of theatres in the outskirts of Bangkok and upcountry in the latter's hypermarket complexes.

The win-win partnership will allow Major Cineplex to speed up its theatre expansion upcountry, benefiting from Tesco Lotus' strong network in the provinces. The move will also allow Tesco Lotus to attract a huge number of movie-goers into its hypermarkets by adding the entertainment anchor of multiplexes.

Tesco Lotus will this year renovate three major stores - in Navanakorn (Pathum Thani), Nakhon Pathom and Srinakarin (Bangkok) - to add multiplex cinemas.

Tesco Lotus's store in Ban Pong, Ratchaburi - due to be opened later this year - has been created with multiplex theatres in the blueprint.

Vicha Poolvaraluck, chairman of Major Cineplex Group, yesterday said the group had invested Bt300 million this year on expanding its multiplexes in Tesco Lotus stores. About 30 screens will be opened within hypermarket complexes - that is, between four and six theatres per location.

He said the group would also allocate more than Bt1 billion next year to invest in its cinema expansion in Tesco Lotus complexes.

"We will open our new Esplanade complex, another group flagship brand set for a trendy entertainment venue, at Tesco Lotus on Rattanathibet Road in the third or fourth quarter next year. Requiring investment of nearly Bt1 billion, the complex, occupying retail space of between 50,000 and 60,000 square metres, will contain many entertainment magnets, including multiplex theatres and ice skating, under one roof," said Vicha.

Major multiplex theatres will also be opened next year at the Tesco Lotus store on Rama IV Road as part of its major renovation.

"The group's investment is currently aimed at expansion to cover all regions of the country, with the emphasis on provincial outlets. The move will help expand the movie industry and promote growth of multiplex-format cinemas to meet high demand from provincial movie-goers," said Vicha.

Major Cineplex currently operates 330 screens in 43 locations, of which 17 are upcountry.

Vicha added that the group would like to increase the proportion of upcountry theatres from the current 20 per cent to 40 per cent in the next three years.

"Until today, our cooperation with Major Cineplex was on a piecemeal, case-by-case basis. However, going forward, our relationship will be more systematic. This is in line with Tesco Lotus's policy to build bigger malls, which we call 'lifestyle shopping malls', to provide better service and increased convenience to our customers and to correspond with their changing lifestyle," said Tesco Lotus CEO Steve Hammett.

Major Cineplex opened its first outlet in a Tesco Lotus store in 2002 at Bang Kapi. Since then, Major multiplexes have been added to five other Tesco Lotus stores - in Samui, Phitsanulok, Krabi, Salaya (Nakhon Pathom) and Phetchabun.