An IKEA Store in Bangkok, Thailand

[The understudy]

Good evening my HHAD Bro's, Fellas, Playerz, "Chillout"liens ect!

Well by the end of September of last year I've snapped up this News from none other than Bangkok Post. it's the Issue from September 26. 2008.

Which reads as follows.

BKKPOST: Ikea names Thai company as OEM in B15bn contract

VICHAYA PITSUWAN

The Swedish furniture retail giant Ikea has signed a five-year production contract worth 15 billion baht with S.P.S. Group, a Thai furniture maker, and plans to open a store in Bangkok next year as part of a plan to expand its presence in Asia.

Nothing more has been mentioend since so far.

But lets think this through a bit more. So far has this swedish firm expanded all over Asia the last couple of years with a strong presence in China , S. Korea and Japan. even Malaysia has one Franchise IKEA Store near KL .

Now I know there are many Furniture Sores that resemble the same young fresh kind Attitude like IKEA like Index Living Mall for example but it does not not come right close to the Original. I know many things that was made for IKEA actually came from Thailand (avery stylish if not futuristic plate that I bought @ an IKEA Store in LOs Angelles Area which @ the back it was printed "Made in Thailand.") and other counries as well of course.

Well if IKEA decides to really enter to the Thai Market by opening it's first store. The coming of IKEA could boost the activities of price war and most important of all, the attention to design which most (to all) Thai "mass-furniture" productions business still far lack behind what should have had archieved. And finally I believe there will comes the real benefits to local consumer. IKEA is perfect for all the new, small, mid to low budget condos springing up around the skytrain/Subway/Airport Express Lines.

But my worries with IKEA in Thailand would be self assembly and service charged delivery service will be a turn off for many thai customers... and that will have a negative impact during the first few years of setting up a "flat-pack, self-service furniture megastore" until Thais become more accustomed to the idea.

And lastly on a lighter Note before I finish my post with a cold zip of Water
@ their IKEA Restaruarants/small Swedish Supermarkets which they have in almost every store, how will they Name those Famous "Koedbullers" - Swedish Meatballs in Thai? "Louk Chin Sweden" ler? FYI: If I wrote the actual word of that famous dish wrong please correct me immediatly!!!

Please I wanna hear your response on this please give all your Shout out!

Your's The understudy!!!

[Randy Cornhole]

Hmmm Ikea? Well it does fill a need over here in the land of Gordon. The furniture is pretty cheap and most of it is well made. My Billy book cases have been up for 5 years and are like new.
I imagine it will be packed to the rafters when it opens and may put a number of small businesses out of work...

[Big Boy]

If IKEA does to Bangkok what it does to UK cities, then it is definitely the last thing Bangkok needs. Bangkok already has its share of traffic jams without IKEA creating another.

[Super Joe]

Ikea is sort of already here in the form of Winner, Index and some of HomePro SB stuff. Laminated flat-pack cack.
No comparison to Beautiful World, Siam Old Teak, Asian Living, WOLF etc IMO, more expensive but thses places are offering good deals right now.

Move an Ikea wardrobe 2 inches to the left and you have more pieces than you started with. Cheaper in short term but I believe costs you more in long term.

SJ

[Arcadian]

IKEA would suit me fine, I don`t want my furniture to last longer than my lease anyway!

[Super Joe]

LOL Arcadian, but I think you heard wrong, leases are 30 years not 30 days!!

SJ

[bluezephyr]

Ive never been to an Ikea store, I make all my own furniture.

Down with the flatpack

To be honest there probably is a market for affordable stylish furniture for the more affluent Thais with their obsession for Western brand names.

I knew they gave their furniture names, But F%^k me, Billy Bookcase ( i had to quickly look just to see)

[STEVE G]

I agree with Arcadian, I can’t get excited by furniture and my partner thinks Winner is up-market!
Most of the stuff we have in the village came from those guys who come around with a truck full of furniture that you can have as long as you pay for it within two years, and how that works as a business considering how little it costs, I’ll never understand.

[margaretcarnes]

Yes I can see it working for young Bangkok Thais, and expats maybe. Never bought their furniture, but have their voile curtains and a small rug in colours difficult to get elsewhere - if at all - at the price. So far no complaints.
Furniture wise in LOS I agree with others here - go for solid wood, and rattan from the guys with the barrows! That said - plenty of expats seem to want MFI stuff, despite the fact that laminate just peels off eventually in humid conditions.
Where IKEA have the edge IMO is design and practicality for storeage. But they change and update constantly, catering for the more Western trend to change everything when you decorate! How that concept will go down with Thais I don't know.
BTW isn't there a Habitat in Bangkok already?

[The understudy]

Good Morning Y'All HHAD Bro's Homeboyz, Fellas and "Chillou"liens

Welll that was a pretty good start for this Topic A vary warm thanks for all Initial posters.

I Agree with Y'all that IKEA is something that the afluent young Bangkokians & Expats would drool all over. just because the way how they them Scandinavians decorate stuff Which IKEA will surely have a massive load of them on DISplay.
But What concerns me most is that my fellow Thais aren't able to asselmbe things on their own! In those Flat Packs you have everything inside what you need to assemble that piece of Furniture themselves. Now will it be a major problem for my fellow Thais to self assemble Furniture without messing things up. And in General Will IKEA have an Impct on THai Markets?

A Shout out to all who haven't voiced your response or opinions on IKEA in Thailand. Come ON Buksida, come On SAndman, Come my man Norseman I wanna hear YA!!!

Your's The understudy!!!

[margaretcarnes]

Dear Understudy - even British people struggle to assemble flat pack furniture, I know, I've been there. Got the T shirt. It's just one of those things. So I wouldn't place blame on the customer wherever they come from.
I think there is a 'production fairy' in every flat pack furniture factory which takes delight in leaving out the one essential screw.

[PeteC]

A Shout out to all who haven't voiced your response or opinions on IKEA in Thailand. Come ON Buksida, come On SAndman, Come my man Norseman I wanna hear YA!!!Your's The understudy!!!

US, I sense the Understudy family may be thinking of investing in this venture in Thailand. Am I right or wrong? Me thinks you are doing a covert market study here. Pete

[The understudy]

Good afternoon everyone!

No No Pete me or neither my family ain't havin any involment or trying to engage in any investment in IKEA Thailand at all. With this post I wanted to gauge the interest of my fellow friends here on HHAD as much as I can on An IKEA Store in Bangkok, Thailand just out of curiosity.
I'm terribly sorry If I'm giving out the impression of doing a covert market study that's really not my intention I Promiss!!!

I'm just happy that IKEA been involved in Asia for so long and now finally comming to Thailand with it mixture of modern Design and funtionality and so on.

Your's The understudy!!!

[PeteC]

Good afternoon everyone!

No No Pete me or neither my family ain't havin any involment or trying to engage in any investment in IKEA Thailand at all. With this post I wanted to gauge the interest of my fellow friends here on HHAD as much as I can on An IKEA Store in Bangkok, Thailand just out of curiosity.
I'm terribly sorry If I'm giving out the impression of doing a covert market study that's really not my intention I Promiss!!!

I'm just happy that IKEA been involved in Asia for so long and now finally comming to Thailand with it mixture of modern Design and funtionality and so on.

Your's The understudy!!!

OK, I believe you. As to their products, too minimalist for my taste. I like something with more substance and visual appeal. Pete

[hhfarang]

Same here Pete, my feelings exactly!