Some Cha-Am residents have long bemoaned the absence of a shopping mall in town. The nearest options are currently located either in Hua Hin or Tha Yang; both being around 25 kilometres away. Construction of a new Cha-Am Tesco-Lotus is now underway to resolve that issue for these local ‘shopaholics’.
However there has already been a less than enthusiastic response from those concerned about the plight of small shopkeepers around town and the prospect of traffic issues. The location is already subject to some traffic problems, especially during busy weekend holiday periods.
As one of the developers of the Hua Hin Blúport Resort Mall once commented when that facility was under construction; “I think they should be worried about less traffic, not more.” Cha-Am’s new Tesco-Lotus is nowhere near the scale of Blúport, but that sentiment may still be relevant.
Construction is in the early stages, with the foundations just started behind temporary fencing surrounding the site. The location is on Srisakulthai Road, known to the locals as the ‘hospital road’. Locals will also recognise the location as being adjacent to ‘Sports Village’, a favourite housing precinct for expats.
After the recent arrival of Makro Food Services in town, this new shopping facility may be a sign that Cha-Am is slowly coming of age, to become more than just a sleepy tourist village.
