• Prepare for the launch of the first Okura Prestige hotel in Northern Thailand, featuring a luxury ryokan experience under the ’Okura’ brand outside Japan for the first time in the world, with contemporary design and impressive service, including a Lanna kaiseki restaurant and full onsen services.
  • Continuing the development of the “Okura Cruise,” the world's first luxury teppanyaki and kaiseki cruise ship by Okura, showcasing unique Japanese culinary art, set to launch in December this year.

Asset World Corporation Public Company Limited (AWC), a leading lifestyle real estate group in Thailand, has signed a cooperation framework to develop several real estate projects with Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., a global hotel chain that combines traditional Japanese beauty with first-class accommodations, exquisite dining, and excellent service. They will collaborate on projects in Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and other key cities in the country. The Okura Prestige hotel will be the first under the 'Okura' brand in Northern Thailand, offering a luxury ryokan experience in the Okura style outside Japan for the first time in the world. Additionally, AWC and Hotel Okura are jointly creating the 'Okura Cruise,' the world's first luxury teppanyaki and kaiseki cruise ship by Okura, featuring a fine dining Japanese restaurant on water, which will soon be available for advance reservations, with inaugural trips scheduled to operate on the Chao Phraya River by December. This cooperation framework with Hotel Okura aligns with AWC's strategy to partner with leading global hotel brands to develop quality properties and enhance a unique luxury portfolio in strategic locations, expanding the customer base while supporting Thailand's tourism industry towards becoming a sustainable global destination.

Under this cooperation framework, AWC and Hotel Okura will develop over 500 rooms together under various brands in key tourist destinations in Thailand, while presenting the spirit of Japanese hospitality or 'Omotenashi,' which goes beyond customer service to emphasize genuine care and attention to customer needs at every stage of their experience, including a focus on well-being through food for both body and mind. The projects under this collaboration will include the first Okura-branded hotel and ryokan in Northern Thailand, located on Chang Klan Road in Chiang Mai, as part of AWC's 'Lannatique Destination' project, along with the development of other new projects in Bangkok and other key cities to create world-class quality destinations.

Na-Walapa Traisorat, CEO and Managing Director of Asset World Corporation Public Company Limited (AWC), stated, "We are very pleased to continue our long-term collaboration with Hotel Okura, one of the global hotel chains from Japan, through this strategic partnership to expand the Okura brand portfolio to key tourist destinations in Thailand, especially bringing the renowned Okura brand and services to Chiang Mai, reinforcing AWC's commitment to supporting Chiang Mai as a sustainable global tourist destination. This project will connect with AWC's 'Lannatique Destination' project, showcasing the uniqueness of Thai and Lanna culture to travelers from around the world, linking Japanese experiences and traditions to the cultural heritage of various nations that have influenced the Lanna region throughout history, celebrating the spirit and charm of cultural arts that reflect the community's values through time from the past to the present and future."

"Additionally, the 'Okura Cruise,' the world's first luxury teppanyaki and kaiseki cruise ship by Okura, represents a historic collaboration that will bring the cruising experience under the 'Okura' brand to Thailand on the Chao Phraya River, a key highlight of tourism in Bangkok, supporting Thailand as a sustainable global tourist destination."

Mr. Toshihiro Okita, Chairman of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., stated, "We are delighted to be part of this growth alongside AWC through various projects that we will develop together to stand out and succeed, just like The Okura Prestige Bangkok. We are very excited to bring the Okura brand to Chiang Mai for the first time, allowing our customers to experience Thailand's world-renowned tourist destination through impressive service that uniquely blends Japanese culture with Lanna culture. This collaboration between us and AWC has stepped into a tighter partnership, with expectations that Okura will manage more hotels in Thailand over the next five years. Furthermore, we are pleased to collaborate with AWC and be part of this significant journey on the Chao Phraya River with the world's first luxury river cruise operated by Okura, offering hospitality in the traditional Japanese style against the backdrop of beautiful views and historical landmarks along Bangkok's major river, under Hotel Okura's mission to provide superior service in the traditional Japanese manner to our guests from around the world. We believe that our expertise and excellence in service will strengthen AWC as a leader in Thailand's lifestyle real estate business and support the sustainable growth of Thailand's tourism industry."

The first Okura-branded hotel and ryokan on Chang Klan Road in Chiang Mai will connect with AWC's 'Lannatique Destination' project, presenting a service concept that combines elegance and simplicity, serving as a destination for comprehensive holistic health care. The design is inspired by the flourishing Lanna culture, seamlessly intertwined with contemporary Japanese art and history, offering traditional ryokan-style accommodations with tatami mats, yukata sets, and private onsens in the rooms, allowing guests to experience Japan blended with contemporary design that emphasizes simplicity, along with diverse services and a menu focused on well-being for the body, mind, and spirit of visitors. Key highlights include an omakase restaurant, a Lanna kaiseki restaurant, full onsen services, a Zen garden, and a Japanese café.

AWC and Hotel Okura are moving forward with the 'Okura Cruise,' the world's first luxury teppanyaki and kaiseki cruise ship by Okura, which is set to embark on its inaugural journey on the Chao Phraya River in December and will soon be available for advance reservations. A ceremony for the laying of the ship's keel was held, which in Thai culture signifies the beginning of building a ship that will bring happiness, victory, and prosperity. Na-Walapa Traisorat, CEO and Managing Director of Asset World Corporation Public Company Limited, along with senior executives and honored guests, attended the ceremony on May 21, 2024, at the Mits Division shipyard in Samut Sakhon, marking a auspicious start to what promises to be a luxurious Japanese dining cruise experience in Thailand.

The 'Okura Cruise,' the world's first luxury teppanyaki and kaiseki cruise ship by Okura, will operate on the Chao Phraya River, starting from the Asiatique The Riverfront destination to Rama 8 Bridge. The exterior is luxuriously designed with abstract geometric shapes inspired by 'Origami,' the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, and the Japanese folktale of the crane and the turtle, symbolizing longevity. This ship will be the first fine dining floating Japanese restaurant, offering kaiseki (Japanese course meal) and teppanyaki (hot plate cooking) experiences, complemented by stunning views of famous attractions along both banks of the Chao Phraya River. Guests will enjoy enhanced comfort and relaxation in a premium lounge located at the Asiatique The Riverfront destination before boarding the ship.

Currently, AWC and Hotel Okura have projects underway, including The Okura Prestige Bangkok with 240 rooms, and there are plans for additional rooms under this cooperation framework in Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and other key tourist cities, set to open by 2028 with over 500 rooms.