InvestIdeas

A simple survey:

any one of forumners here have been to Banyan resorts?
or heard of anyone been to Banyan? how's the review? Will you go back again?

Trying to understand the long-term sustainability of this Banyan brand.

nothing like going there yourself to experience it first hand....

I'm very impressed with what they did in Laguna Phuket.

I think they are trying to replicate their success from Phuket and set up similar resorts thruout the world.

Wil need deep pockets .

winston wrote:I'm very impressed with what they did in Laguna Phuket.

I think they are trying to replicate their success from Phuket and set up similar resorts thruout the world.

Wil need deep pockets .

i think they are going in the direction of brand selling.....your pocket + my brand......
also u realise the places that they built resort.....all cheap land.....I have no figures or data to back-up....but how expensive could all these ulu ulu area cost???

just like the japanese making Tofu......simple ingredient + superb skill + good water= tasty & expensive Tofu

Not vested. From DBS:-

Banyan Tree reported slight loss but in line with estimates.

4Q09 forward bookings for resorts are almost at “pre-crisis” levels.

Buy ahead of recovery, TP S$0.97 (Prev S$ 0.89).

Published March 11, 2010

Banyan Tree files petition to wind up Bahrain firm

Its says owner of Banyan Tree Bahrain has not repaid $1.1m debt

By WINSTON CHAI

BANYAN Tree Holdings has found itself at the centre of a third legal tussle within a seven-month period by seeking to wind up Bahrain firm Al Areen Holding Co BSC for debt default.

In a regulatory filing yesterday, the Singapore-listed luxury resort operator said it has filed a winding-up petition in Bahrain. Al Areen is the owner of Banyan Tree Bahrain.

Banyan Tree said Al Areen has not repaid an outstanding debt of $1.12 million resulting from a hotel management agreement signed in March 2005 and a subsequent settlement agreement inked in November 2009.

According to Banyan Tree, the winding-up proceedings may be completed within the year or in 2011 but it may not be able to recover the outstanding debt from Al Areen's wind-up.

The hotel management contract will be terminated if Banyan Tree succeeds in the winding-up proceedings.

If the $1.12 million debt becomes irrecoverable, the company's net tangible assets and earnings per share will be reduced by 0.15 cent, Banyan Tree said.

Last month, the firm initiated arbitration proceedings against Meydan LLC, Meydan Group LLC and Meydan City Corporation for various alleged breaches of the hotel management agreement for The Meydan and the villa management agreement for Banyan Tree Meydan.

The Meydan is a proposed 230-room hotel at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Banyan Tree Meydan is a proposed 77-villa resort in the same development.

Both The Meydan and Banyan Tree Meydan have not started operations yet.

Banyan Tree issued notices of dispute to Meydan LLC last November for alleged breaches of the agreements.

The Singapore firm clinched the deals to manage The Meydan and Banyan Tree Meydan in October 2007.

Last August, Banyan Tree subsidiary Laguna Resorts and Hotels was on the receiving end of a lawsuit in Thailand when it was sued by TMB Bank Public Company for barring a proxy from attending and voting at a shareholders' meeting back in 2007.

TMB Bank Public Company was a security agent acting on behalf of the creditors of Thai Wah Public Company, a shareholder in Laguna Resorts and Hotels.

Mayhem in Thailand this weekend will send this ticker south. Misadventures or Mismanagement?

LenaHuat wrote:Mayhem in Thailand this weekend will send this ticker south. Misadventures or Mismanagement?

Yes, this Red Shirt / Yellow shirt thing can go on for a long time. It may even become worse if their revered King is no longer around. Hence, I have not bought the Thai ETF yet ...

I think Banyan Tree also has something in Bangkok so that Bangkok business will definitely be affected. Also, a lot of people would also not want to go to Phuket as they have change flights at Bangkok ..

Very good brand. Unfortunately, geopolitical risk is something beyond one's control...

Hi Winston
Yes, it's a 'soft' revolution. The Thai psyche has changed forever. Thaksin's challenge of the Thai patronage system, which is hardly democratic, will live on. The unfortunate thing abt Thaksin is his corruption.
Regarding Banyan's problems in the MidEast, these could hurt its brand.

I was there in 08 when the Yellow block the airport......what will the Red block this time?


THAKSIN, WHERE ARE YOU?
Thaksin arrives in Cambodia : Thai FM

Published on March 12, 2010

Fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra left Dubai and arrived in Cambodia on Friday as red shirts started gathering to join the mass rallies on Sunday.

PM's secretary Chavanon Indharakomansut said Thaksin travelled to Siem Reap province of Cambodia by his private jet.

Thai foreign ministry has already contacted its embassy in Phnom Penh to monitor Thaksin's activities in Cambodia, Chavanont said.

Thaksin has been appointed as an economic adviser to Cambodia's PM Hun Sen and the Khmer government. The appointment has led to protests by the Thai government.