THE BOONTHAVORN home interior decorating, furniture and fittings brand is to build a multi-billion baht megastore on one of the most prized pieces of retail real estate on Phuket - the huge vacant property opposite Tesco Lotus in Phuket City.

While plans are still in the preliminary stages, the occupants of a row of stores and restaurants on the block have moved out in readiness for the large piece of prime space to be levelled.

A few cows graze now where thousands of consumers will gaze and probably also graze before too much time passes.

Development of the 32 rai site is likely to begin next year, with the Phuket store likely to be rivalled only by the Bangkok head office.

Such has been the pace of Phuket property development targetted at Thais that the arrival of Boonthavorn became inevitable. The land had been bought some time back, so Phuket is no sudden impulse market for Boonthavorn.

While Thais have been the prime market for Boonthavorn, the Phuket megastore is expected to also aim at expats in villas, condominiums and homes of all kinds.

Coincidentally, while Boonthavorn is planning its move onto Phuket in 2012, Tesco Lotus is levelling a large former rubber plantation at Thalang, opposite Thalang Hospital, where a Tesco Lotus will soon be erected on a scale to rival the original Tesco in Phuket City.

As Phuket's population shifts north, expect to see more of the big retailers following the demographic trail through Kathu to Thalang.

Tesco Lotus was the first international style supermarket with carpark on Phuket. Now at Billion Plaza opposite, the growth of Phuket continues to prove it is becoming one big city with a large screen projecting advertisement and news at vehicles waiting at the traffic lights.

The cows on the Boonthavorn block will soon be moving on as Phuket continues to race rapidly into its own future.