Long Songkran break to boost ticket sales

Early this month, a Bangkok University poll found that 51 per cent of the 1,283 survey participants, aged 18 and over in Greater Bangkok, had no plans to travel over the Songkran period.
Commenting on the survey, SF CinemaCity marketing director Su-pat Ngamwongpaiboon said the company expected an increase in the number of movie-goers, particularly family customers who intended to base themselves at home and just go out with relations during the Thai traditional New Year.
The anticipated increase in the number of SF customers is also down to the opening of cinemas at two new shopping complexes in the business district of Bangkok, namely Terminal 21 and CentralPlaza Grand Rama 9, plus the reopening of a cinema at CentralPlaza Lat Phrao.
Meanwhile, Pannatat Phrom-supa, general manager for Thailand of United International Pictures (UIP), told The Nation that after witnessing changing consumer behaviour in major cities such as Bangkok for many years, the company had found that April was a good month for releasing new movies.
“Though there are long holidays this month, people in those key cities opt to kill holiday time by out-of-home activities like going shopping, dining at restaurants and seeing movies,” Pannatat said.
UIP is therefore confident about releasing “Battleship”, expected to the year’s biggest blockbuster, this month, and expects it will contribute to higher returns than in the same period last year.
During this month, about 15 new movies are being screened in theatres across the country.
Meanwhile, leading cinema operators have also launched a series of promotional campaigns to attract movie-goers.
SF has introduced the “Summer Dream Holiday 2012” campaign, which runs until April 30, while Major Cineplex is offering a free movie ticket today for those aged 60-plus.