Central World and World Trade Center Both Announce Reopening

The most severe attack in the history of Thailand by terrorists was the burning of the largest lifestyle shopping center in all of South-East Asia, CentralWorld, located in the financial capital of Bangkok and now it is about to reopen.

On September 9, CentralWorld, which had been burnt down by terrorists in May, announced its reopening will occur September 28.

Oceans away, the largest terrorist attack ever on mainland America caused the destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the world’s largest financial center in New York, New York. 

On September 11, the nine year anniversary of the attack on America by terrorists, One World Trade was officially launched. Terrorists had burn it to the ground with kamikaze flown, hijacked commercial airplanes. It is being rebuilt into four towers with the first tower already 36 stories high and a new floor being added each week.

Central Pattana Plc, the developer of CentralWorld Bangkok and also Pattaya's largest shopping center Central Festival Pattaya Beach, has accelerated the renovation of CentralWorld in Bangkok city and the redevelopment of the Zen department store, which were badly damaged by fire during the political turmoil in May 19 which lead to the criminal charges of terrorism against those responsible for burning the famous shopping center.

CPN received approval from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Public Works Department to renovate Southeast Asia's largest lifestyle shopping destination with over 550,000 square meters of retail area.

 The CentralWorld renovation is being carried out in three stages. The initial stage, which is to open at the end of this month, covers about 80% of the total space in the mall.

The second stage covering the Atrium Zone and food area on the sixth and seventh floors, will reopen between November and December this year.

The third stage, Zen and adjacent areas, will be finished by the end of August 2011.The renovation and redevelopment work is worth 2.8 billion baht in total.

More than 350 tenants have been able to re-enter the site to redecorate their shops, and CentralWorld is to reopen at the end of this month according to Kobchai Chirathivat, president and CEO of CPN.

Mr Kobchai said the redecoration is focusing on innovative designs on par with the world's leading shopping complexes.

"We want CentralWorld to return grander and better and are improving the retail space to make it more modern, beautiful, safe and environmentally friendly," he said.

"Our new design will integrate a Spring Season atmosphere by using water and being airy and light, while still retaining the attributes that made CentralWorld so popular, such as being timelessly minimal and simple," he said.

"We have also invested in upgrading the fire prevention system and the security system, with extensive CCTV and very sensitive smoke detectors."

  CentralWorld have outlined a four-point assistance plan for its tenants. It includes helping tenants to bring back customers, finding alternative sales outlets until CentralWorld reopens, providing financial assistance and making rental contracts flexible.

As part of the assistance program, Mr Kobchai  said CentralWorld is not collecting any rent from April this year until its tenants can open their shops again. Tenants can also get their extensions on their contracts equal to time lost since the riots.