Thai beauty clinic chains are interested in expanding into other Southeast Asian markets to cash in on huge purchasing power after the Asean Economic Community (AEC) kicks off late this year.
Sectors including infrastructure, logistics and hotels are investing to be ready for the AEC, while increasing tourist arrivals will bring more middle-class people to the region.
More beauty clinics are expanding their business in Asean, particularly in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar.
Thai chains planning Asean expansion include Meko Clinic, Biocos Group, BB Clinic and Wuttisak Clinic.
Biocos Group is owned by former actress Sirium Pukdeedumrongrit, while BB Clinic is run by a daughter of former finance permanent secretary Somjainuek Engtrakul.
Wuttisak Clinic will open more clinics in Asean members after having a presence in the region for several years.
An executive at Beautiplex Co, operator of Meko Clinic, said the company was negotiating with businessmen in Cambodia to open a clinic worth 50 million baht there.
The potential Cambodian partner operates a food business.
Competition in Cambodia is not intense, as it has few beauty clinics.
About 40% of Meko customers in Bangkok are foreigners from the US, Australia, Singapore and the Middle East.
Of the foreign customers, 10% are Cambodians with high spending power, the executive said.
Beautiplex is also interested in opening beauty clinics in Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
At home, Beautiplex is expanding its beauty clinics in Thailand.
It is set to spend 70 million baht to open five Meko clinics in the next five years, taking the total to 10.
A stand-alone clinic covering 500 square metres on Soi Thong Lor will open this year.
With the new branches, Beautiplex's sales are expected to double to 600 million baht over the next three years.
Thailand's beauty clinic business has grown by an average of 20% per year in the past five years.
"But the market is forecast to grow by only 5% this year due to the economic slowdown and the price war among operators," the executive said.
Ms Sirium, chief marketing officer at Biocos Group, the operator of Slimming Plus beauty centres, said the company was in the process of exporting its skincare products to Asean markets.
The first two destinations are Myanmar and Vietnam early next year, followed by Laos, Indonesia and Malaysia.
"We'll test the market with our skincare products. If the response is good, we will decide whether to open our beauty treatment centres there," Ms Sirium said.
Thai clinic chains have received a good response in Indochina, where Botox treatments are very popular.