Introducing the new product, “Instant House”, which launched in June 2024.
Boosting Thailand's Glamping Boom with the New Product “Instant House”
To strengthen its tent business, Tomas Engineering has begun manufacturing and selling Japan's “Instant House” in Thailand as a new pillar of its business.
Despite its charming, rounded appearance that seems straight out of a fantasy world, the Instant House is equipped with advanced Japanese design technology to withstand harsh natural environments. Its standout features include the ability to be “instantly installed anywhere” and “the use of insulation materials for year-round comfort”. In Japan, over 100 units have already been installed at glamping facilities and other locations.
▲ Installation example in Japan (Photos provided by: LIFULL ArchiTech Co., Ltd.)
The outdoor market has been expanding in Thailand in recent years. Among these, “glamping”—a popular form of luxurious camping that is easy to enjoy without the need for extensive equipment and is also photogenic— has gained significant traction in Thailand, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Note: “Glamping” is a portmanteau of the English words “Glamorous” and “Camping”, and typically, glamping facilities provide camping gear, food materials, and meals.
"▲ Interior example of the Instant House (Photo provided by: LIFULL ArchiTech Co., Ltd.)
We are confident in the quality of the Instant House. The key now is how quickly we can spread it in the market. To create a glamping boom in Thailand, we are planning to set up model houses for the Instant House across the country in the near future.
There are some concerns that the Instant House might be slightly over-engineered for Thailand, given its advanced design tailored to Japan's harsh natural environments. We plan to first assess its suitability for the Thai market, and if necessary, we are considering making flexible adjustments in the future to better align with market needs while preserving the core concept and branding of the Instant House.
Contributing to Improved Living Conditions in Disaster Areas and Refugee Camps
The Instant House was originally conceived as an alternative to temporary housing by architect Keisuke Kitagawa, a professor at the Graduate School of Engineering at Nagoya Institute of Technology. He visited the disaster-stricken areas after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, he sought to help those living in cold evacuation shelters achieve more comfortable living conditions as quickly as possible. This tent product was created in collaboration with LIFULL Co., Ltd. through an industry-academia partnership. The Instant House has been used as an emergency shelter in disaster areas, with recent donations made to the regions affected by last year’s Turkey-Syria earthquake and the Noto Peninsula earthquake in January of this year.
We are also considering providing Instant Houses to improve the living conditions of people in refugee camps near the Myanmar border and disaster-stricken areas across Thailand, where people are forced to live in group settings. This initiative would involve collaboration with government agencies and local municipalities from both Japan and Thailand.
【Information provided by: THAIBIZ June issue】
Vol.1：Three years after taking over the tent business: New Tomas Tent aims to expand into the Thai market