By Cees Cuijpers, Founder & Managing Director, Town & Country Property
In an era defined by disruption, digitization, and shifting consumer behavior, the real estate industry stands at a crossroads. The old models—rigid, inflated, and increasingly out of touch—are being challenged by a new breed of developers and consultants who understand that adaptability is not optional; it’s essential. At the forefront of this transformation is Town & Country Property (TCP), a name synonymous with innovation, integrity, and strategic foresight in Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard.
The founder and managing director of TCP has spent decades navigating the complexities of the property market in Chonburi province. Our philosophy is clear: real estate must evolve with the world, not resist it.
Online Shopping on-the-Line?
The COVID era didn’t just change consumer habits; it fundamentally rewrote the social contract between people and places. Today, logistics platforms have become household staples, and online shopping has exploded. When I see my neighbors ordering home deliveries from the 7/11 just 70 meters down the street, it poses an existential question to every mall owner: Are people still going out primarily to shop? Or is entertainment the key?
The reality is that many consumers treat physical shops as showrooms—an opportunity to window-shop, test products, and then return home to order the same item cheaper online from suppliers who have hardly any overheads.
This is the battle facing major developers like Central Pattana (CPN), The Mall Group (TMG), Frasers Property, and TCC Assets. How quickly can they change course? We are seeing a battle reminiscent of the mobile phone industry, where giants like Nokia and Blackberry were overtaken by the visionary companies—Apple and Samsung—that anticipated the future.
The mall of the future must offer a win-win situation, allowing shop owners to earn a living while competing effectively against the online world.
The Experiential Revolution: Leisure as the Anchor
This need for authentic change is starkly illustrated in the dining sector. Consider the observation of a once-unshakeable market leader: the famous MK Restaurant chain. Just a few years ago, you couldn’t walk into an MK without facing a queue; today, many outlets look eerily empty. This is not due to a drop in overall demand for hotpot, but a failure to evolve, as newer, more concept-driven sukiyaki and hotpot chains are dominating the market. Relying on the famous MK duck alone is no longer enough to sustain footfall—it’s a clear lesson that stagnation in core anchor businesses is a deadly threat to the entire mall ecosystem.
The good news is that online competition can be defeated when malls find new ways of persuading people to visit rather than stay at home. Visitors no longer come to buy next season’s fashions; they come to socialize, to engage, and to be entertained.
This rapid evolution is flipping the very definition of a shopping mall on its head. We are witnessing a clear trend for malls to assign greater floorspace to leisure venues. In fact, while a quarter of mall floor space is currently occupied by food and entertainment, we expect this figure to rise to up to 50%, especially in newly built malls. Leisure is the new anchor.
The experiences driving footfall must be authentic. Customers are looking for immersive dining, concept restaurants, and personalized service that cannot be replicated on a phone screen.
Making Experiences Count
Core entertainment products are being enhanced to create unique, shareable experiences. Consider the rise of VIP Cinemas: this is beyond watching a movie. It’s a private venue for just you, your family, and friends, seated in comfortable recliners with a waiter serving five-star food and drink from a menu curated by a Michelin-starred chef. It’s about creating moments of luxury and shared enjoyment.
This investment in “experiential” leisure—from virtual reality adventures to immersive dining—is the essential evolution.
The Town & Country Vision for Chonburi
Does Town & Country Property, again, have the vision of what the future market is going to look like? The answer is yes.
We recognize that the future lies in creating comfortable, high-yield destinations. This means smaller, branded shop units offered with reasonable lease conditions in comfortable malls, providing shop owners a fair chance to compete. These new generation malls must be designed with plenty of leisure and relaxation areas, making the visit itself the product.
This shift will ultimately enable Chonburi and Pattaya to reach their full luxury potential. Is Pattaya ready for international brands? Are its residents still required to shop in Bangkok for Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier? No. By providing these new generation malls—compact, smarter, and experience-led, we create the viable platforms that attract these international luxury brands, finally meeting the local demand for sophistication.
From vision, to concept, to reality, to future. We believe in providing solutions that deliver long-term value for investors and a revitalized experience for consumers.
Town & Country Property doesn’t dream. We deliver.
About the Author
KC Cuijpers is the Founder and Managing Director of Town & Country Property, and the undisputed authority on real estate across Chonburi province. A Dutch-born strategist who made Pattaya his home in 1997, KC traded the chaos of Western urban life for the clarity and opportunity of Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard and never looked back.
With over two decades of hands-on leadership, KC has become the go-to consultant for investors, developers, and expats seeking more than just property—they seek perspective. From luxury estates to commercial reinvention, his work is defined by precision, pragmatism, and a deep understanding of what drives value in today’s world.
KC doesn’t follow trends. He anticipates them. He doesn’t sell dreams. He builds them. If you’re looking for the future of real estate, delivered with candor, creativity, and a track record that speaks for itself, Town & Country Property is the only name you need to know.
