Club Med and Thailand’s Central Group Capital have signed a Hotel Management Agreement for a new beachfront resort on Koh Samui, marking the brand’s first Exclusive Collection property in Thailand and its third in the Asia-Pacific region, with an anticipated opening in the second half of 2028.
The agreement, announced April 21, 2026, places one of the world’s most established all-inclusive operators into one of Southeast Asia’s most competitive luxury island markets, backed by the largest hospitality investment fund ever launched in Thailand.
Key Facts At A Glance
- Club Med and Central Group Capital signed a Hotel Management Agreement for a Koh Samui resort on April 21, 2026
- The resort will open in the second half of 2028; booking details will be released closer to opening
- Located a 25-minute drive from Koh Samui International Airport on a private beachfront exceeding 200 metres
- The property is Club Med’s first Exclusive Collection resort in Thailand and its second Club Med property in the country, following Club Med Phuket, which opened in 1985
- It is the third Exclusive Collection resort in the East and South Asia Pacific (ESAP) region
- Club Med’s Exclusive Collection tier currently spans 21 properties and represents 13% of the brand’s total global capacity across a network of over 60 resorts in 25 countries
- Central Group Capital launched its inaugural fund in April 2023, fully subscribed at THB 10 billion (approximately USD 300 million), the largest of its kind in Thailand
The agreement was revealed at Club Med Kiroro Peak in Japan, in the presence of Stéphane Maquaire, President and Chief Executive Officer of Club Med; Rachael Harding, Chief Executive Officer for the ESAP region; Bruno Courbet, Country Director for Thailand, Indonesia, India and New Markets; and Soravit Chairoj, Managing Partner and Co-Head of Central Group Capital.
A Strategic Bet On Koh Samui
The choice of Koh Samui as the site for Club Med’s flagship Thailand expansion is commercially significant. The island has long competed with Phuket and Krabi for the upper leisure market but has historically attracted a different traveller profile, characterised by higher average daily spend and a preference for boutique and resort-scale experiences over mass-market hotel corridors.
Club Med’s Exclusive Collection tier is positioned above its standard Premium offering and is designed for guests seeking a more curated, smaller-scale all-inclusive environment. The Koh Samui property is anticipated to feature new dining concepts and family-oriented facilities alongside the private beachfront setting. The resort will be built to celebrate Thai heritage and natural surroundings, according to the official announcement.
Stéphane Maquaire described the project as an expansion that strengthens Club Med’s leadership in premium all-inclusive travel while supporting sustainable destination growth and engagement with local communities. Bruno Courbet framed the resort’s concept around what he called redefining new luxury, combining boutique intimacy with a human-centric approach focused on cultural openness and seamless guest experiences.
The Central Group Capital Partnership
Central Group Capital is the fund management arm of Central Group, one of Thailand’s leading conglomerates with significant retail, hospitality, and real estate holdings across the country. The fund, which reached full subscription at THB 10 billion at its close in April 2023, targets high-potential hospitality investments to support tourism recovery and deliver institutional returns.
Soravit Chairoj stated that the partnership reflects the fund’s belief in Thailand’s global appeal and Koh Samui’s status as a top-tier destination, describing the development as maximising the prime beachfront asset’s potential. The collaboration brings together Club Med’s operational expertise and brand equity with Central Group Capital’s local market knowledge and financial platform, a structure increasingly common in Southeast Asia’s premium hospitality development cycle.
Market Context
Thailand’s performance within Club Med’s Asia-Pacific portfolio provides additional commercial rationale for the Koh Samui commitment. Club Med reported a 41% increase in forward sales for its existing Phuket resort in 2026, indicating strong and sustained demand from international source markets, with Australia among the most active.
The Koh Samui resort will join Club Med’s global network of over 60 Premium and Exclusive Collection properties across 25 countries, and will be sold through Club Med’s direct and trade distribution channels.