Central Phuket announces landmark expansion to position Phuket as a prestigious global island destination for living
Central Pattana Plc has announced a major expansion of its mixed-use development Central Phuket in Phuket city, aiming to position the island as a global luxury coastal destination for living. The company said the project, which spans 110 rai in Phuket’s central district, will increase in scale by 40% and is scheduled for completion in 2028.
Central Pattana said the plan is designed to support Phuket’s shift towards a year-round urban economy by attracting long-stay residents, high-quality visitors and global wealth, alongside investment in lifestyle, culture, dining, coastal living and wellness infrastructure. After the expansion, the total project value of Central Phuket is expected to exceed 26 billion baht, with a total gross building area of 500,000 square metres across the 110-rai site.
The company said the development will include a doubled luxury zone, a new culinary destination and a new attractions area built on an additional 14-rai extension site.
Dr Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana, chief marketing officer of Central Pattana Plc, said Central Phuket has been developed over more than 20 years as a luxury lifestyle hub, beginning with Central Phuket Festival in 2004 and expanding in 2018 with Central Phuket Floresta, which introduced luxury brands and experiences to Phuket’s tourism market.
He said Central Phuket’s position is built on four strengths: it is the only luxury mall outside Bangkok with a significant concentration of global brands; it has long-term partnerships across business, hospitality and public sectors; it offers a comprehensive lifestyle ecosystem; and it operates as a mixed-use destination in the city centre designed to support year-round national and international activity.
Dr Nattakit said the expansion reflects Central Group’s long-term investment in Phuket, with more than 140 projects across retail, hotels, residences and Central Retail outlets, making the island the group’s second-largest investment base after Bangkok. He said Phuket is evolving beyond a tourism-focused economy into what he described as a “living economy”, supported by growth in medical, wellness and hospitality sectors, alongside branded residences and ultra-luxury developments targeting global wealth and long-stay residents.
He added that globally competitive coastal cities require a strong downtown economy that connects lifestyle, investment and community, citing Miami, Saint-Tropez and Barcelona as examples. He said Central Pattana is advancing a “Global Coastal City” model for Phuket based on three pillars: luxury lifestyle, downtown economy and a global community.
Chatree Kowitanupong, head of project development at Central Pattana Plc, said retail-led mixed-use development places retail at the core of a district, acting as a daily touchpoint that connects people to other functions. He said Central Phuket already operates as a lifestyle and economic hub linking community life, business activity and urban growth.
Central Pattana said the expansion will be delivered through three main components. Central Phuket Floresta, described as “The Pinnacle of Urban Luxury”, will double its luxury space in the fourth quarter of 2026. Central Phuket Festival, branded as “The Everyday Urban Lifestyle Gateway”, will be upgraded with expanded retail, fashion and activity spaces in the first quarter of 2028. A new attractions zone spanning 14 rai is planned for the third quarter of 2028, featuring an aquatic experience, an entertainment and culture arena, and an immersive park.
Isareit Chirathivat, head of leasing fashion and luxury partner management at Central Pattana Plc, said Phuket is entering an accelerated phase of luxury market growth. He said more than 4,700 branded residence units across 26 projects and more than 20 new luxury hotels, adding about 5,200 rooms, are expected to come online between 2026 and 2029.
He said the growth is supported by infrastructure projects, including an airport expansion intended to accommodate more than 18 million passengers a year and the Airport–Kathu–Patong expressway, which is expected to reduce travel time to 20 minutes. He also cited new marinas, deep-sea ports, international hospitals and wellness projects.
Isareit said Central Phuket sits at the centre of the island’s luxury ecosystem by connecting high-spending customers, including Thai residents, expatriates, quality tourists and long-stay visitors. He said many brands at Central Phuket consistently rank among the top three nationally for sales, with the highest spending per customer among tourist malls and sales per square metre reaching up to 2.5 times the average.
He added that Central Phuket serves more than 3,000 VVIP Tycoon members, supported by The 1 ecosystem, which the company said enables nationwide integration of high-wealth customer segments.
Central Pattana said Central Group’s luxury retail operations span 18 countries and 140 cities, positioning the group as a strategic partner to major luxury houses. The company said sustained sales performance has encouraged global brands to expand store sizes, introduce flagship-level concepts and launch Phuket-exclusive items available only at Central Phuket.
The company said the expansion includes three strategic pillars: fashion, food and attractions.
For fashion, Central Pattana said the development is strengthening its luxury retail positioning with global brands including Balenciaga, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, PMT The Hour Glass, Saint Laurent, Versace and Zegna. It also listed brands it said are opening outside Bangkok for the first time, including Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Bvlgari, Burberry, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Omega, PMT The Hour Glass, Prada, Saint Laurent, Versace, Tiffany & Co and Zegna.
Central Pattana said store expansions and new concepts exclusive to Central Phuket include Louis Vuitton’s largest boutique extension in southern Thailand and a 597-square-metre Prada boutique featuring what it described as one of its most extensive beachwear selections.
Other plans include an expanded PMT The Hour Glass store, a Celine exclusive pop-up, a Chanel Beauty exclusive pop-up, refreshed concept stores from Balenciaga and Saint Laurent, Tod’s first pop-up in Thailand under an Italian Summer concept, a Bvlgari boutique debuting an exclusive concept in Phuket, and a Tiffany & Co new-concept store featuring a mosaic façade design described as unique in Thailand.
The company said fashion and bridge-line brands at the complex now exceed 250 labels. It highlighted Zara’s largest flagship in Southeast Asia, which it said recorded the number one opening-day sales in Asia, alongside locations from Lululemon, COS, Alo and Orlebar Brown outside Bangkok.
For food, Central Pattana said it plans an ultimate culinary landmark outside Bangkok spanning more than 20,000 square metres. The company said the destination will combine local and fine-dining concepts and include brands debuting in Phuket, such as Thai Brasserie by Blue Elephant, Phuket’s largest Starbucks Reserve, % Arabica, and Haidilao’s first branch outside Bangkok. It also cited award-winning venues, including Su Va Na and said the number of Michelin-recognised restaurants is expected to double.
For attractions, Central Pattana said a new arena for entertainment and culture will anchor the development, alongside an aquatic experience it said is designed to rival leading international aquariums. It also said year-round events, including Pride Month, Songkran and Countdown celebrations, will be used to position Phuket as a global festive destination.
Juthatham Chirathivat, head of business and design development at Central Pattana Plc, said the project aims to create what the company describes as the “heart of Phuket” as a luxury coastal city, and to establish Central Phuket District as a flagship experience combining luxury, lifestyle and entertainment.
Juthatham said the development is intended to be a super-regional mall on a scale comparable to CentralWorld, with a global luxury lineup on par with Central Embassy. He said the Floresta side is focused on the global wealth segment, combining luxury fashion, premium cafés, private lounges and new lifestyle categories including sports, athleisure, active living and home.
He added that Floresta is also being positioned as a premium food and beverage destination, combining Michelin-recognised restaurants with large-scale street food experiences, alongside key anchors including Central Department Store, Aquaria and event spaces.
Juthatham said the Festival side is designed to create a complete customer journey loop across the complex, including larger fashion flagships, bringing Bangkok brands to open in Phuket for the first time, and expanding the third-floor dining zone by more than 15% to create what the company describes as a fully realised food destination. He said a mixed-use entertainment complex and new attractions within the Central Phuket District are also planned, with further details to be announced.
On design, Juthatham said both zones share a concept inspired by the Andaman coastline, local culture and an international lifestyle, with Floresta reflecting refinement and Festival reflecting urban energy. He cited signature elements at Floresta, including The Pearl Atrium and The Pearl Pod, designed with wave-like lines and natural light to reference the Pearl of the Andaman, alongside Sino-Portuguese artistry and a redesigned ground floor.
He said the redesigned ground floor is intended to function as a food destination that reflects Phuket’s coastal identity, combining local culture and everyday lifestyles with what the company described as global living and a beach club atmosphere within a coastal city.
He added that design elements from Floresta’s façade language have been integrated into the Festival side to create visual continuity, with Festival emphasising warm energy, greenery and local essence.
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