Watching movies in a chair has become commonplace. Cineplex operator SF Cinema now offers beds in selected cinemas to woo cinemagoers to return after their numbers dropped sharply with the pandemic.
The bed is queen size with quality bedding accessories, including reclining and the ability to lie flat. A bed lamp and side table are also provided.
Before the show, moviegoers will be treated in a dedicated lounge where snacks and drinks are served.
Such services are available starting today at "The Bed Cinema by Omazz" on the seventh floor of CentralWorld, said Suvit Thongrompo, chief marketing officer at SF Corporation.
SF co-invested 50 million baht with Lotus Mattress, the marketer of several mattress brands such as Lotus, Dunlopillo and Omazz to renovate SF World Cinema.
The goal is to offer the ambience of staying at a modern luxury home.
There are 40 seats provided per bed cinema with a ticket fee of 900 baht per bed Monday to Wednesday, and 1,000 baht Thursday to Sunday.
Movies will be screened 4-5 times a day.
According to Mr Suvit, prior to the pandemic, SF screened movies 5.5 times a day, though this rate gradually dropped.
The company's cinemas were closed for 75 days during the lockdown period.
After lockdown, the cinema only screened movies 2-3 times a day. It wasn't until November that the number of movie screenings returned to 80% of the normal level.
Full screening is expected in December when several Hollywood movies are scheduled to be made available in the market.
"2021 is likely to be another golden year for Thailand's movie industry because there are more than 10 blockbuster movies from Hollywood lined up to be screened next year, after being delayed from this year because of the Covid-19 outbreak," Mr Suvit said.
Regarding a possible second wave of Covid-19 infections, Mr Suvit said he didn't think it would have much impact on the movie business because he believes the government has managed to contain the spread of the virus.
"Whenever there are blockbuster movies made of over 100 million baht available in the market, we believe that moviegoers will go to see the movie as usual," Mr Suvit said.
However, the company has been trying to seek income from new services to increase its sales opportunities such as special content, talk shows and alternative concerts, he said.
SF Cinema is mulling opening more bed cinemas in some locations, said Mr Suvit.
SF wants to open four new movie theatres next year with a combined 20 screens -- one in Bangkok and three upcountry, he said.
Each requires an investment of 10 million baht.
SF has movie theatres in 64 locations with 400 screens.
