BANGKOK: The Chinese art toy company, Pop Mart International Group, wants to expand its reach in Thailand’s creative industry and has come up with an extensive investment plan.
The company’s representatives met the Board of Investment’s secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi on Wednesday (July 3) and put forward a plan to not just make its art toys more available but also to build amusement parks and digital entertainment centres.
Pop Mart was established in 2010 in Beijing and now has more than 450 outlets and over 2,300 Robo Shop vending machines across the world. It also sells art toys via e-commerce platforms.
There are currently five Pop Mart stores in Bangkok malls, namely CentralWorld, Terminal 21 Asok, Siam Centre, Central Ladprao and Fashion Island. Its sixth branch is scheduled to open on Friday (July 5) in Megal Bangna.
The company recently collaborated with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to launch a 1-million-baht tourism campaign featuring Labubu, a popular devil doll with pointy ears and serrated teeth.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sermsak Pongpanit expects the campaign to help Thailand reach its goal of 8 million Chinese visitors this year after 3.5 million have already landed on Thai soil in the first five months of this year. – The Nation/ANN
