The retail arm of Thai conglomerate Central Group launched the country's largest initial public offering (IPO) last month, but its share price has since dropped from 42 baht to 36.5 baht even as fears over the coronavirus outbreak wiped billions off global markets.

Central Retail Corporation chief executive Yol Phokasub is none too perturbed, seeing instead the global crisis as an opportunity to perfect methods of reaching customers who may develop new buying behaviour due to current virus-related restrictions.