Minor International was founded in 1978 as Royal Garden Resorts following the acquisition of a small hotel in Pattaya with 30 bungalows and 27 rooms that had previously been a popular rest and recreation center for American servicemen. Over the next thirty-five years, this original complex was renovated several times as it was progressively enlarged to its current size of 295 rooms.

In 1988, the Company was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand to provide capital for new projects. The first of these projects was the 16,000-square-meter Royal Garden Plaza shopping center that opened in 1992 adjacent to the hotel in Pattaya. In the same year, RGR also acquired 20% of the Marriott Royal Garden Riverside Hotel in Bangkok and 26% each in the Royal Garden Resort Hua Hin and Royal Garden Village Hua Hin.

The Company expanded its hotel operations in 1995 through a share swap that allowed it to acquire the balance of the two Hua Hin properties and bring its stake up to 100%. It also opened the luxurious Regent Resort Chieng Mai that is now recognised as one of the world’s leading resorts.

This expansion policy accelerated in 1998 and 1999 with the acquisition of a 30% interest in the Regent Bangkok Hotel and the increase in the Company’s stake in the Marriott Royal Garden Riverside Hotel to 51%. The year 1999 also saw the founding of the Mandara Spa Thailand, which has since become Thailand’s premier spa operator.

This expansion policy accelerated in 1998 and 1999 with the acquisition of a 30% interest in the Regent Bangkok Hotel and the increase in the Company’s stake in the Marriott Royal Garden Riverside Hotel to 51%. The year 1999 also saw the founding of the Mandara Spa Thailand, which has since become Thailand’s premier spa operator.

In 2000 and 2001, RGR continued to increase its equity position in its existing properties with its position in the Marriott Royal Garden Riverside reaching 74%, and the Regent Chieng Mai 45% (directly and indirectly). The Company also acquired 72 rai of freehold land on Koh Samui for development of a new five-star resort.

RGR also expanded its existing relationship with Marriott International in 2001 by re-branding the two Royal Garden Resorts in Pattaya and Hua Hin to Marriott Resort & Spa’s. At the same time, the Royal Garden Village Hua Hin became The Anantara Resort & Spa following an extensive renovation and expansion. In September 2001, RGR acquired 30% of the Minor Food Group Pcl in a tender offer while December saw the opening of the new 265 room JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

In 2002, the Marriott Phuket Vacation Village opened alongside the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa offering a purpose built timeshare resort. This opening was soon followed by the acquisition of the 110 room Baan Boran Resort in Chiang Rai that sits on 800 rai of tropical gardens and bamboo rainforest. Following an extensive renovation, this property was opened as the Anantara Golden Triangle in late 2003.

The Company raised its equity interest in mid-2003 in the Minor Food Group to 98% through a tender offer and began to consolidate its results from 3Q 2003 onwards. In October 2003, the first international Pizza Company franchised restaurant opened in Kuwait signaling the start of new business for the group. During the course of the year, the Company also increased its interest in the Regent Chiang Mai from 44% to 58% and in the Regent Bangkok from 31% to 49%. These transactions culminated in November 2003 with the rebranding of both properties to Four Seasons.

During 2004, the Minor Food Group continued its international growth with new franchisees for The Pizza Company and Swensen’s signed in China, the Philippines, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Cambodia. We also returned to China through two joint ventures. In April 2004, we announced a joint venture for Beijing with the investment arm of AIG from the United States and followed this in October with a second joint venture with the parent company of Sizzler to jointly franchise Sizzler in China. In late 2004, the Company completed the acquisition of 100% of the Minor Food Group and followed this in January 2005 with its de-listing from the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

Our hospitality and leisure operations also expanded aggressively in 2004 as we increased our interest in the Marriott Vacation Villas in Phuket from 15% to 50% and in the JW Marriott Phuket from 50% to 100% during the year. We also increased our stake in the highly successful Mandara Spa operations in Thailand and China from 51% to 100% as we prepare to enter new markets across Asia and the Middle East under the Mandara and Anantara brands. In November 2004, we opened a third Anantara in Samui while a fourth Anantara, the Anantara Royal Coco Palm in Khao Lak, came under our management in August 2004, but this property was heavily damaged in the December Tsunami, which currently the reconstruction plan is still being reviewed.

In January 2005, the first new Pizza Company and Sizzler restaurants opened in Beijing. Their promising success heralds a new chapter in the long and successful history of MINT’s food service operations. Future plans in our hospitality division include the development of a new Four Season’s resort and residential property development in Koh Samui together with a 15 room Four Seasons Tented Camp in Chiang Rai. The Company plans to continue developing and managing additional resort, vacation residential and spa properties in Thailand and other Asian markets.


With the completion of the acquisition and subsequent de-listing of the Minor Food Group in January 2005, a majority of the Company’s revenues are not hotel related and our aspirations are to expand internationally beyond our roots in Thailand through our branded hotel, spa and food services. To better reflect our current and future business operations while also leveraging on the rich heritage and recognition of the Minor Group, we completed a name change in February 2005 to Minor International Pcl and now trade under the ticker “MINT” on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.


Major Events in 2006

 

January
  • Opened Four Seasons Tented Camp in Chiang Rai.
  • Selected by The Stock Exchange of Thailand to join SET 100 index starting from 1 January 2006.
February
  • Increased capital by raising 182.24 million shares worth Baht 1,066 million through 15:1 rights offering at Baht 5.85 per share. The proceeds were used primarily for investment in hotel and food businesses.
  • Issued 2 years free warrants of 292.4 million units to the existing shareholders at the ratio of 10 for 1 with the exercised price of Baht 6 per share monthly exercisable with 2 year maturity.
  • Through International Franchise Holding (Labuan) which is a wholly-owned subsidiary, increased stake in China Food Group Ltd., the company holding Beijing LeJazz Food & Beverages Co., Ltd.’s stake which invested in food business in China from 18.5% to 100% in value of Baht 31.7 million.
June
  • Signed Memorandum of Understanding with Hemas Holdings Limited (Hemas) – a company listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange – for investment in Serendib Hotel Limited (SHOT – a subsidiary of Hemas where Hemas hold 63% stake).
July
  • Restructured investment of food business in China by dissolving China Food Group Ltd. in order to simplify the investment structure.
  • Selected by The Stock Exchange of Thailand to join SET 50 index starting from 1 July 2006.
August
  • Opened Anantara Resort and Spa Maldives.
November
  • Acquired equity of S&P Syndicate Plc. of 9,710,573 shares and 9,710,573 units of warrants with the value of Baht 494.3 million equivalent 18.31% of the paid up capital of 89,021,700 shares.
  • Acquired 2,237,500 shares of Rajadamri Hotel Plc. at total consideration of Baht 134.3 million, making the total shareholding of 43,112,055 shares or 95.80% of the paid up capital.


Major Events in 2007

January
  • Through Royal Garden Hotel Management Company Limited invested 100% shareholdings in Hospitality Investment International Limited and Lodging Management (Labuan) Limited in order to invest in the hotel business abroad.
February
  • Opened Four Seasons Hotel in Samui.
  • Through MFG invested 100% in Primacy Investment Limited, which invested 100% in Delicious Foodstuff ( Labuan) Limited in order to invest food business abroad.
March
  • Opened Naladhu Hotel in Maldives.
April
  • Invested 20% in Serendib Hotel Limited, which is the subsidiary of Hemas Holdings Limited (Hemas), four hotel operators in Sri Langa : Serendib Hotel, Club Dolphin Hotel, Miami Hotel and Sigiriya Hotel.
  • Hua Hin Resort Company Limited (MINT’s subsidiary) tendered offer of all securities of Rajadamri Hotel Public Company Limited (RHC) and purchased shares from tender offer process of 1,235,562 shares. After finished RHC tender offer, MINT held RHC’s shares directly and indirectly of 44,347,617 shares or 98.55%. MINT delisted RHC’s securities from SET in 12 July 2007.
  • Invest 100% in Phuket Beach Residence Company Limited in order to expand hotel business in Phuket.
July
  • MFG (MINT hold 99.68% in MFG) invested through Primacy Investment Limited (which MFG holds100%) 1) invested 100% in Delicious Food Holdings ( Singapore) Pte. Limited 2) Delicious Food Holdings ( Singapore) Pte. Limited invested 100% in Delicious Food Holdings ( Australia) Pte. Limited, and 3) Delicious Food Holdings ( Australia) Pte. Limited invested 50% in Coffee Club Holdings Pty Ltd. in order to invest in food and beverage business abroad.
September
  • Offered to Institutional and Private investors the debenture which are unsecured, senior and without a debenture holder’s representative, face value of Baht 1,000 per unit, offering price of Baht 1,000 per unit, amount not exceeding Baht 3,900 million, divided into 1) Debenture # 1/2007 (No. 1), not exceeding of Baht 1,840 million, maturity of 2012, fixed interest rate at 4.81% per year, paid interest semiannually. 2) Debenture # 1/2007 (No. 2), not exceeding of Baht 2,060 million, maturity of 2014, fixed interest rate at 5.21% per year, paid interest semiannually.
October
  • Invested 100% in Minor International ( Labuan) Limited in order to invest in hotel and leisure business abroad.
November
  • Established Minor Information Technology Company Limited to operate a full IT service business, ie. advise, install and manage computer system, repair and maintenance the computer system, information technology, network system, information security system to the organization including government agency.


Major Events in 2008

January
  • Through Delicious Food Holding (Australia) Pty. Ltd. which 100% own by MFG invested 50% in Coffee Club Holding (Australia) Pty. Ltd. in order to expand food and beverage business abroad.
March
  • Through Hospitality Investment International Limited invested 50% in Tanzania Tourism and Hospitality Investments Limited and 50% in Zanzibar Tourism and Hospitality Investment Limited which own and operate luxury lodge in Africa.
  • Entered into the agreement with Kempinski group for the strategic development in Asia and Europe.
April
  • Through Primacy Investment Limited which 100% own by MFG invested 70% in Thai Express Concepts Pte. Ltd. the casual fast food concept operator with key location in Singapore, in order to expand food and beverage business abroad.
May
  • Invest 100% in Chao Phaya Resort and Residence Company Limited in order to expand hotel business.
  • Invest 100% in Maifad Beach Resort Company Limited in order to expand hotel business.
June
  • Opened Anantara Seminyak in Bali which is the first pure-managed hotel.
August
  • Liquidated Royal Garden Entertainment (MINT hold 100%) and transfer the entire business to MINT.
  • Invested 100% in The Coffee Club ( Thailand) Company Limited to expand The Coffee Club operation in Thailand.
October
  • Offered to Institutional and Private investors the debenture which are unsecured, senior and without a debenture holder?s representative, face value of Baht 1,000 per unit, offering price of Baht 1,000 per unit, amount not exceeding Baht 1,000 million, maturity of 2011, fixed interest rate at 5.3% per year, paid interest semiannually.
  • Opened Anantara Resort and Spa in Phuket.
  • Opened Desert Island Resort and Spa on Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
December
  • Opened Anantara Sikao in Krabi.
  • Opened Turtle Village Shopping Plaza in Phuket.

 

 


 
   
 
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