Frasers expands its regional presence

Vira-anong Chiranakhorn Phutrakul, left, deputy chief executive at UOB Thailand, moderates a panel with Mr Panote at a regional conference in Singapore.

- +

Frasers Property, the Singapore-based property developer and management company of the Sirivadhanabhakdi family, is deepening its presence in Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore to build a resilient portfolio amid an increasingly uncertain global environment.

Panote Sirivadhanabhakdi, group chief executive, said the trade environment is increasingly uncertain and conditional, prioritising domestic value creation and compliance with stricter origin rules.

Thailand, Southeast Asia and Asia more broadly stand to benefit selectively from this transformation, he said.

"In the longer term, we are optimistic about the growth drivers, including strong demographics, urbanisation and a rising middle class, all of which support long-term consumer demand and urban development, even as near-term uncertainties in the trade and geopolitical landscape introduce new layers of complexity and cost," said Mr Panote.

But to realise this potential, stronger local ecosystems and integrated logistics will be needed, he said at a regional conference co-hosted by United Overseas Bank (UOB).

"Our strategy is built on addressing long-term fundamentals, and we are deepening our presence in our key markets such as Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore to unlock more opportunities," said Mr Panote.

The focus is on resilient asset classes amid ongoing macro-uncertainty, particularly for the industrial and logistics sectors, where growing emphasis on domestic production and traceable supply chains reinforces the need for real estate partners with scale, transparency and strategic reach, he said.

Frasers Property is well-positioned to evolve with the supply chain recalibration, with roughly 3.8 million square metres of international-grade industrial and logistics warehouses operating in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

In February, Frasers and joint venture partners unveiled ARAYA – The Eastern Gateway, which positions Thailand for the long term in terms of capturing opportunities from trade shifts, said Mr Panote.

Spanning more than 4,600 rai, he said the estate provides a fertile seedbed of growth for the semiconductor, electronics, electric vehicle, pharmaceutical, logistics and data centre segments.

"We view our role as a real estate investor-developer-manager to be more than just creating spaces. It is about fostering the right environment and playing field for companies and communities to grow and flourish," said Mr Panote.

"Southeast Asia's story is still unfolding, and we believe it remains a compelling destination for investment and impact."

A diversified presence across the region in industrial and logistics, residential, retail and commercial enables Frasers to contribute to its progress in several facets, helping to shape connected, liveable and sustainable cities of tomorrow, he said.

"We remain mindful that success in the new global trade landscape will depend on adaptability, ecosystem resilience and the ability to create genuine local value," said Mr Panote.

Last week, Frasers and UOB announced a strategic memorandum of understanding to jointly support industrial investment, trade promotion and financial facilitation for businesses expanding across Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Under the agreement, Frasers Property Industrial Thailand provides general support for businesses investing in industrial space, including offering guidance on local policies, regulations and potential investment opportunities.

UOB Thailand is offering financial solutions, including project financing, trade facilities and treasury services, leveraging its regional banking network to support cross-border investments.

Frasers operates more than 3.48 million sq m of industrial facilities across Thailand, housing 946 factories and warehouses nationwide.

In Vietnam and Indonesia, the company holds 140,000 sq m and 150,000 sq m of industrial space, respectively.

PROPERTY FINANCING & ADVICE

Estate operators leery of inheritance tax

Estate operators leery of inheritance tax

A new inheritance and gift tax, if in place, will drive money out of Thailand, undermine local savings and investment and discourage companies from listing on the stock market, warn Tha...

Property tax rethink scheduled

Property tax rethink scheduled

A controversial draft bill on the land and buildings tax will be reviewed and is expected to take four months to complete.

0 people commented about the above

Readers are urged not to submit comments that may cause legal dispute including slanderous, vulgar or violent language, incorrectly spelt names, discuss moderation action, quotes with no source or anything deemed critical of the monarchy. More information in our terms of use.

Please use our forum for more candid, lengthy, conversational and open discussion between one another.