Centara Hotels&Resorts is to greatly expand its presence in the South Thailand province of Krabi following the signing of management contracts for three new properties within the same master development in Klong Muang, Krabi.

The properties are Centara Pelican Bay Resort&Spa Krabi, Centara Pelican Bay Residence&Suites Krabi, and Centara Pelican Bay Villas Krabi.

Perry&Son Co Ltd is developing all three properties, with Centara signing the management contracts on November 21, 2013.

Centara opened its first Krabi resort, Centara Grand Beach Resort&Villas Krabi, in 2006. A second resort, Centara Anda Dhevi Resort&Spa Krabi, followed this in 2012.

“Krabi has emerged as a prime tourist destination in recent years, and has enormous potential for the future,” says Thirayuth Chirathivat, chief executive officer for Centara Hotels&Resorts.

“We are very proud to have been a leader in developing Krabi for visitors, and these three new ventures give us superb scope to add to our presence in this beautiful part of Thailand.”

Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Centara Hotels&Resorts, says that the addition of the three properties will further help develop tourism to the region.

“The three resorts offer three different holiday styles within an area of outstanding natural beauty,” he says. “They will give us a tremendous strategic marketing advantage, and will further raise the profile of Krabi as a quality destination.”

First to open will be Centara Pelican Bay Residence&Suites Krabi, which is currently in its pre-opening period and is due to have its soft opening before mid-2014.

The property will have 92 residential units, with one restaurant, a swimming pool, a business corner and a beach club.

Design and planning for Centara Pelican Bay Resort&Spa Krabi will start in the middle of this year, with the soft opening due in the first quarter of 2017.

The resort will have 210 rooms. Facilities will include two restaurants and a bar, a swimming pool with snack bar, a Spa Cenvaree, a banquet room, a business center, a fitness center, and a kids’` club.

Centara Pelican Bay Villas Krabi will be an all-villa resort. A mock-up villa has been completed, and master planning and construction will take place alongside Centara Pelican Bay Resort&Spa. The opening is expected to be at the same time.