Central Group is a Thai multinational conglomerate founded by Tiang and Samrit Chirathivat in 1947, and still privately owned by the Chirathivat family as of 2025[update]. Its publicly traded subsidiaries include Central Retail, Central Pattana (commercial real estate development), and Central Plaza Hotel (hospitality group and restaurant operator). Its privately held subsidiaries operate several European department stores, including those acquired from the former KaDeWe Group and Selfridges Group, and financial services.

History

Founder Tiang emigrated from Hainan Island to Bangkok in 1925. He set up his first shop in the Thon Buri district 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), where he opened a store with his eldest son, Samrit, in 1947. In 1956, the family opened Central Department Store, the biggest department store in Thailand at that time, in Wang Burapa district, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The company's property development arm, Central Pattana, was founded in 1980, and opened its first shopping centre, CentralPlaza Ladprao in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, in 1983. Besides expansion through physical presence in the Bangkok retail space, Central Group has in recent years built an online presence among ASEAN e-tailers and a strong presence of luxury department store collection in Europe.[citation needed]

Public subsidiaries

Central Retail

List of Central Retail department stores
NameYear foundedNotes
Big C1993
Central Department Store1927One location in Indonesia
Go!
Lanchi Mart
Robinson Department Store1979Acquired by Central in 1995
Thai Watsadu2010
Tops1996
Robins2014Vietnamese rebranding of Robinsons Department Store
Zen1989Rebranded to Central in 2019

Central Pattana

List of Central Pattana properties
CityNameYear openedGross floor area
AyutthayaCentral Ayutthaya202168,000 m2 (730,000 ft2)
BangkokCentral Bangna2001500,000 m2 (5,400,000 ft2)
CenTRal cENtrAL[th]2027150,000 m2 (1,600,000 ft2)
Central EastVille2015150,000 m2 (1,600,000 ft2)
Central Embassy20141,000,000 m2 (11,000,000 ft2)
Central GR92011214,000 m2 (2,300,000 ft2)
Central Ladprao1982310,000 m2 (3,300,000 ft2)
Central Park2025130,000 m2 (1,400,000 ft2)
Central Pinklao1995317,000 m2 (3,410,000 ft2)
Central Rama 22002273,000 m2 (2,940,000 ft2)
Central Rama 31997188,000 m2 (2,020,000 ft2)
Central Ramindra199386,000 m2 (930,000 ft2)
CentralWorld2002830,000 m2 (8,900,000 ft2)
Marche Thonglor202362,000 m2 (670,000 ft2)
The Central Phaholyothin2026460,000 m2 (5,000,000 ft2)
The Esplanade Ratchada2021105,000 m2 (1,130,000 ft2)
ChanthaburiCentral Chanthaburi202275,953 m2 (817,550 ft2)
Chiang MaiCentral Chiangmai Airport1996173,000 m2 (1,860,000 ft2)
Central Chiangmai2013260,000 m2 (2,800,000 ft2)
Chiang RaiCentral Chiangrai2011110,000 m2 (1,200,000 ft2)
ChonburiCentral Chonburi2009156,000 m2 (1,680,000 ft2)
Central Si Racha202171,000 m2 (760,000 ft2)
Khon KaenCentral Khonkaen2009200,000 m2 (2,200,000 ft2)
Central Khonkaen Campus202662,000 m2 (670,000 ft2)
Ko SamuiCentral Samui201490,000 m2 (970,000 ft2)
KrabiCentral Krabi202586,600 m2 (932,000 ft2)
LampangCentral Lampang2012110,000 m2 (1,200,000 ft2)
Nakhon PathomCentral Nakhon Pathom2024126,000 m2 (1,360,000 ft2)
Central Salaya2014185,500 m2 (1,997,000 ft2)
Nakhon RatchasimaCentral Korat[th]2017233,000 m2 (2,510,000 ft2)
Nakhon SawanCentral Nakhon Sawan2024133,300 m2 (1,435,000 ft2)
Nakhon Si ThammaratCentral Nakhon Si2016125,000 m2 (1,350,000 ft2)
NonthaburiCentral Chaengwattana2008310,000 m2 (3,300,000 ft2)
Central NorthVille2003210,000 m2 (2,300,000 ft2)
Central WestGate2015352,000 m2 (3,790,000 ft2)
Central WestVille[th]202393,000 m2 (1,000,000 ft2)
PattayaCemtral Marina Outlet199570,000 m2 (750,000 ft2)
Central Pattaya2009210,000 m2 (2,300,000 ft2)
PhitsanulokCentral Phitsanulok2011100,000 m2 (1,100,000 ft2)
PhuketCentral Phuket2018400,000 m2 (4,300,000 ft2)
RayongCentral Rayong2015155,000 m2 (1,670,000 ft2)
Samut PrakanCentral Village Luxury Outlet[th]201980,000 m2 (860,000 ft2)
Mega Bangna[th]2021500,000 m2 (5,400,000 ft2)
Samut SakhonCentral Mahachai2017131,250 m2 (1,412,800 ft2)
Shah Alam, MalaysiaCentral i-City2019259,000 m2 (2,790,000 ft2)
SongkhlaCentral Hatyai2013295,000 m2 (3,180,000 ft2)
Surat ThaniCentral Suratthani2012130,000 m2 (1,400,000 ft2)
Ubon RatchathaniCentral Ubon2013186,284 m2 (2,005,140 ft2)
Udon ThaniCentral Udon2009250,000 m2 (2,700,000 ft2)

Central Plaza Hotel

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 Reserve, Centara Grand, Centara Boutique Collection, Centara, Centra by Centara and Cosi, while internationally branded hotels include Park Hyatt Bangkok and Hilton Pattaya. In the Maldives, Centara Grand is opening its fourth location on February 1, 2025. In Japan, Central Group is a co-investor in StayFactory Hotel Group, whose brands include Hotel Hillarys, Hotel Relief, and Hotel Stork. In Switzerland, Central Group has also comprised Central Hotel Zurich company and Globus supermarket.

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.

Private subsidiaries

European luxury stores

List of Central Group department stores in Europe
CountryNameYear foundedYear acquiredNotes
DenmarkIllum18912013
GermanyAlsterhaus19122015
Kaufhaus des Westens19072015
Oberpollinger19052015
ItalyLa Rinascente18652011
IrelandArnotts18432022Joint venture with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund
Brown Thomas18481983Joint venture with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund
NetherlandsDe Bijenkorf18702022Joint venture with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund
SwitzerlandGlobus19072020
United KingdomSelfridges19082022Joint venture with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund

Financial services

One of Central Group's aspirations towards the New Central New Economy strategy is to create convenience for both merchants and consumers with financial services and Fintech, with the ultimate goal of a cashless society in Thailand.

  • Credit – The1 credit card, sales finance, personal loans
  • Payment – gift cards, e-payments, e-wallets
  • Insurance brokerage – motor, health, personal accident, property & casualty, group life

Gallery

External links