Thai convenience store operator Saha Lawson Co. Ltd. has awarded franchise rights to oil company Susco Plc to open Lawson 108 stores at its new gas stations across Thailand, Inside Retail Asia reported Aug. 9.

Saha Lawson, a joint venture between Japanese convenience store operator Lawson Inc. and Thai consumer goods conglomerate Saha Group Co. Ltd., runs Lawson 108 stores in the country.

The company will initially open two stores at new petrol stations in Bangkok and Rayong in 2017, the online news agency said, as part of Saha Lawson's plan to expand its footprint in the country to 500 units by 2020.

Saha Lawson reportedly plans to increase the number of stores to 100 by the end of 2017 and open at least 400 branches in the next three years. Of these, the convenience store operator plans to open half while the rest will go to franchisees, the report said.