Central Group consists of a variety of diverse investments in various corporations in Thailand and abroad, including investments in retail, property development, brand management, hospitality, and food and beverage sectors, and in digital lifestyle.

History

Founder Tiang emigrated from

Hainan Island Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly ...

to Bangkok in 1925. Most other Chinese immigrants started businesses in

Chinatown, Bangkok Bangkok's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. It was founded in 1782 when the city was established as the capital of the Rattanakosin Kingdom, and served as the home of the mainly Teochew immigrant Chinese population, wh ...

. He set up his first shop in the

Thon Buri district Thon Buri ( th, ธนบุรี, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. On the west bank of Chao Phraya River, it was once part of Thon Buri province. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Bangkok Yai, Ph ...

on the outskirts of Bangkok across the Chao Phraya River from the city center. He moved across the Chao Phraya River to a location near the grand Oriental Hotel (now the

Mandarin Oriental Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group International Limited (MOHG) is a Hong Kong hotel investment and management group focusing on luxury hotels, resorts, and residences, with a total of 33 properties worldwide, 20 of which are fully or partially ow ...

), where he opened a store with his eldest son, Samrit, in 1947. In 1956, the family opened Thailand's first department store in Chinatown. In 1957, Tiang's son, Samrit Chirathivat, opened the first Central Department Store in Wangburapha, Phra Nakhon,

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

. The company's property development arm, Central Pattana was founded in 1980, and opened its first shopping centre,

CentralPlaza Ladprao Central Ladprao Thailand's first integrated shopping complex, CentralPlaza Lat Phrao ( th, เซ็นทรัล ลาดพร้าว) (previously known as CentralPlaza Lardprao) is a shopping complex, owned by Central Pattana. The comple ...

in Chatuchak District,

, in 1982. Besides expansion through physical presence in the Bangkok retail space, Central Group has in recent years built an online presence among

ASEAN ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

e-tailer Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser or a mobile app. Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of the r ...

Key business line

Malls and commercial properties

Retail and brands

Hospitality

Central Group owns and manages visitor accommodation at all major Thai tourist destinations and around the world under own banners as well as international brands. Hotels cover every segment from luxury to economy. Central’s own brands comprise Centara Grand, Centara, Centra and Cosi, while internationally-branded hotels include Park Hyatt Bangkok and Hilton Pattaya. In Japan, Central Group is a co-investor in Felice Hotel Group, whose brands include Hotel Hillarys, Hotel Relief, Hotel ICI, and Hotel Stork. Central Group has also pioneered restaurant chains in Thailand, and operates well-known local, regional, and international food brands such as Mister Donut, KFC, Auntie Anne’s, Pepper Lunch, Chabuton, The Terrace, Yoshinoya, Ootoya, Tenya, Katsuya and Fezt.

Philanthropy

Central Tham is a social development project founded by Central Group, with the objective of creating jobs and careers, helping to build and support local communities, and improving the quality of life for employees and the community in a sustainable manner. ; Thailand In 2020, Central Group donated 68 million

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

to help Thai people during

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

pandemic. ;Vietnam In 2017, Central Group presented gifts to 3,600 disadvantaged children. In 2020, Central Group donated 70,000 medical masks and 9,000 anti-drop glasses to two leading hospitals in

Hanoi Hanoi or Ha Noi ( or ; vi, Hà Nội ) is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. It covers an area of . It consists of 12 urban districts, one district-leveled town and 17 rural districts. Located within the Red River Delta, Hanoi is ...

and Ho Chi Minh City, National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Hanoi and National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Ho Chi Minh. Central Group presented 4 medical rooms for negative pressure isolation treatment, isolation support, and treatment of

patients.

References

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External links

Central Group official website
Retail companies of Thailand Real estate companies of Thailand Hospitality companies of Thailand Thai brands Companies based in Bangkok Conglomerate companies established in 1947 1947 establishments in Thailand Hospitality companies established in 1947 Retail companies established in 1947