Is the condo market in Pattaya and Jomtien Beach finally cooling off?

The buzz around Pattaya and Jomtien Beach is that sales are down!

A friend of mine from one of the most prominent reality companies here in town has confirmed rumours as to what was already believed, that sales are down this year. Down to what degree? Last month alone saw a decrease of about 75% compared to November of last year. Of course you'll still get the majority telling you sales are rocking and business is great.

What does this mean for the potential buyer?
  Overall i would have to say that it should mean nothing. If you want to have a place here in Pattaya or the neighboring Jomtien Beach and even down to Bang Sarae, these are still nice places to live regardless of what the property market is doing at the moment. Property is a long term investment in its own right, not a get rich quick overnight goldmine.

Is buying a condo right now a good idea as an investment?
 If you are looking to purchase to make a return on monthly rentals one thing you should consider is if you have enough friends that either holiday here regularly, or if you know enough locals to rent for long term. Agencies have a far bigger database of available properties than prospective renters.

Is buying and looking towards the equity a good odea over the mid to long term?
 I would have to say definitely. In the 10 years i have been here prices on everything have contimued to rise. This is in the wake of tsunamis, political instability, airport closures, foreign exchange rates declining by an average of 25%, property and land prices have continues to rise.

All in all Thailand is still a great holiday destination and place to live. Pattaya and Jomtien Beach are particularly convienent and ex-pat friendly beach communities. The newer condos offer better construction, more luxury and hold their value. In particular Nova Group and Tudor Group are some of the best deals going atthe moment.

Novana residence announces new units available with some of the best prices in Pattaya

Brand new units available in foreign name starting at just 65,000 Baht per Sq. meter!!

Nova groups success continues with it's South Pattaya city location "Novana Residence". These affordable luxury condos are in a great location just off of Pattaya 3Rd rd and soi 17.

1. New units include: 2 - 25 sqm units on the 2nd floor priced at 1,625,000 B.
2. Also there are 2 more 24 sqm units available on the 4th floor with excellent pool views off the balcony for only 1,560,000 B.
3. One more 24 sqm unit is also available on the 8th floor is also going for 1,560,000.

These units will not last long at this outstanding value. Easy pricing plans are as follows:

• 50,000THB for reservation fee.
• 20% sign contract after 2 weeks (minus the reservation fee)
• 20% over 3 months.
• 20% over 6 months.
• 40% on Completion

For more information or to arrange a viewing please contact us at info@pattayarealestatemarket.com

Novana condo in Pattaya releases more foreign units

Great news for foreigners that were interested in the Novana Condo Development!

 I have just received word that Nova Group, which is the developing company behind Novana has just releases 5 more units available to foreigners!

For those unfamiliar with this development it is situated just off of Pattaya 3rd Rd. This is an ideal location for many reason.

• It is located very close to shopping andschools.
• Very convenient to local nightlife.
• 5 minutes from the beach and Bali  Hai Pier and just 10 minutes to Jomtien Beach.
• Easily accesible from local transportation.

Please contact us at info@Pattayarealestatemarket.com for more information and the best deals for this development or any of your property needs. look forward to hearing from you.

Pattaya Real Estate Market Team!

Thailands floating markets are no longer free in Pattaya

Pattaya no longer the cheap tourist destination it used to be. This is due to a few reasons...

• Thai baht strengthening against most currencies.
• Related inflation and increases in general.
• Uninformed tourists that do not realise they are getting scammed and happily paying what they feel are small fees.

Thailand is well known for its two and even three tier pricing but the low fees being imposed on tourists in Pattaya's floating market located just south of Jomtien beach takes the cake. This is approaching typical internet MLM ( multi level marketing ) scams. It apprears that tourists that pay to be part of a tour to be taken to the market will now be charged entrance fees on arrival.

This took place on December first where previously the market was free to all visitors. The fee structure will now currently beas follows...

1. Typically free for Thai nationals.
2. A nice break for those of that live here...we can enter free with a Thai drivers license or work permit.
3. Foreigners that are brought be a Thai can also enter free as Thais are entitled to bring two guests.
4. Foreigners that show up on holiday unaccompanied by a Thai citizen will be charged 200 Baht.

All i can say is congradulations to Pattaya Floating Market and Thailand in general for showing tourists just how appreciated they are. At least this time they have showed some restraint towards ex-pats.

Will new condo and housing projects in Thailand be completed on time?

Thailands property developers are facing a shortage of workers.

Reports from property developers are there just not enough workers available to fill the demand for upcoming projects in the new year. The new minimum wage increases still will not solve the problem.

Thailand has a 0.6% unemployment rate according to "The Nation", and the construction, infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors are looking at a shortage of approximately 200,000 workers.

While reasons for this may be debateable and the above unemployment rate skeptable, the lack of workers seems prominent.

One attempt to solve the problem has come from the Housing Business Association asking Labour Ministry to ease restrictions on foreign workers. There are an estimated 2 million foreign workers in Thailand at the present time.

While it can't be estimated just how many delays in new projects breaking ground it would seem wiser for property buyers to be looking at projects nearing completion as opposed to buying empty shells on pieces of land that have not yet broken ground.

Here in Pattaya, where there are still a huge number of new projects lined up for 2013, even if builders can deliver units on time there may be a question of the local Thai government having enough workers to complete the necessary infrastructure...which all in the Pattaya Jomtien Beach area know is lacking to say the least.

Real Estate development in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket to remain hot!

Developers  continue to remain confident in the property market in 2013. Predictions are property will grow by 5-10 per cent, this based on strong growth in gross domestic product, which is anticipated at roughly 4-5 %.

This confidence is spurring a plan to launch new residential projects worth more than Bt200 billion next year. locations targeted are the  Greater Bangkok community and upcountry regions such as Chon Buri, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Khon Kaen.

The top three property firms - Pruksa Real Estate, Land & Houses and Sansiri - told The Nation last week that they would each launch between 30 and 40 projects, totalling nearly 100. These 3 developers projects are estimated to be worth around Bt90 billion to Bt100 billion.

Asian Property Development, a top 10 listed real estate firm, is planning at least 18 projects worth a total of Bt20 billion. SC Asset Corporation is also planning at least 14 projects worth Bt20 billion, and LPN Development is planning at least another10 projects. their projects will also be worth between Bt15 billion and Bt20 billion. This creates a total investment budget for these launches next year will be between Bt100 billion and Bt130 billion.

 Pruksa Real Estate president and chief executive officer,Thongma Vijitphongpun has stated that the company has strong confidence demand for home purchases will grow next year at an estimated 5 to 7 %. This is in line with Thailand's expected GDP growth.

Kree Dejchai, SC Asset Corp chief operating officer, said the company would continue to focus on the middle-to-upper-income market next year. Up to 70% of its new projects will be low-rises projects including detached houses and townhouses.

Most property firms stated that the market this year would post 5-per-cent growth over 2011.



 

Jomtien beach condo rented as Thailands high season kicks in!

Our 1 bedroom condo we have been featuring, in the much desired View Talay 1 building in Jomtien, has just been rented for the high season and beyond. There are still many other good deals still out there but they may not last for long.

A few recommendations are Two Phum Puy Guesthouse on Pratumnak soi 5, and the serviced apartments in the brand new much acclaimed Tudor Court on Pratumnak soi 2.

For information on these properties or any other interests you may have please e mail us at info@pattayarealestatemarket.com.

Is Pattaya’s condo market facing a bubble?

According to recent numbers, residential increases in property - especially the condo market in the Pattaya Jomtien Beach area - have only risen on average of 1 percentage point per year. That is amounts to 4% combined over the last four years. These increases are inclusive of inflation consisting of both rising land prices as well as a significant increase in materials cost.

These numbers are much lower than the bubble of 1996, and the financial crisis of 1997… 11% lower from 1993 – 1996. In addition, home loan rates have increased only half (12%) what they were during the bubble of 93-96 where they topped out at 25%.

Although the last 2 years have seen an increase of 5%, versus the 2% FOR 2008 – 2009, this is in confluence with Thailands GDP which has been maintaining 2% annually. This is the same as it was 10 years ago.

Current supply seems to be meeting demand as Pattaya, Jomtien Beach, and Thailand in general continue to grow. This growth is attributed to rising foreign investment, foreigners ex-patriating and retiring in Thailand as well as domestic growth and investment as a whole.

Pattaya Real Estate Market gone a bit quiet??

If you have been following our blogs lately, this one or others i publish, you may have noticed not alot of activity recently. Does this mean that Pattaya Real Estate Market has gone a bit quiet?

Not at all. Khun Sa is still publishing her articles in Thai and handling affairs in the office, as well as updating our website.

I have been offshore finishing a contract the last 2 months and with the internet being as slow as it is in combination with this old and barely breathing lap top, it has just been too difficult to get a hold of quality information and write about it.

I should be back in Pattaya by the middle of this month and once again be hard at it, putting new listings as well as good information for tourists, prospective renters and buyers along with ex-pats. Thanks for all the support from all of our friends

Brian

Thailands major airports and tourist destinations ready for record high season!

Thailands 6 major airports are gearing up for high season and numbers are expected to well exceed double digit increases in tourists coming through. Somewhere between 13.5% and up to as much as 60% according to an article in todays Bangkok Post.

Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkoks main international airport could see figures rise to as much as 142,000 passengers per day up over 19% from the average 119,000. Tourists flying into bangkok easily access not only Bangkok but other popular tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Jomtien Beach, Ayutthaya as well as serving as a gateway to many of Thailands wonderful tourist spots. DonMueang, Bangkok's hub for Air Asia and other low budget carriers, should see as much as 50 more flights per day.

Phuket's international airport will also be seeing nice increases in arrivals up almost 24% with the number of flights increasing from 163 per day to 178.

Chaing Mai, Chaing Rai, and Hat Yai are all looking forward to projected increases ranging from 14% to 27%. A good portion of this increased traffic will be coming from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports via Thai Airways as well as the fore-mentioned low budget carriers in addition to international arrivals.

Huge Jomtien Villa rented but still for sale!

One of our listings that featured a wonderful 2 story 4 bedroom 5 bathroom villa in Jomtien Beach just the other side of South Pattaya has been rented. The property is still for sale at 8.5 MB making it a great business opportunity with tennants already residing on a 1 year contract. See More

Retraction on Pattaya tourists getting more Thai baht for their money

I would like to apologise for the last blog post i presented. The Thai Baht is not at 31.40b and rising but roughly, at the time of posting this blog post, is currently about 30.50b to the USD holding fairly steady.

I am currently on an assignment offshore and with the limited internet connection i have been a bit out of touch. I was excited when i came across the post in the "Pattaya Daily News" with those rates i quoted. Therefore, in the last post and felt i would share what benefits could be reaped by tourists coming to Thailands many wonderful tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Jomtien, Koh Samui, Phuket, Krabi, Chaing Mai, etc.

Having lived in Thailands Pattaya Jomtien area for the last 10 years i still feel these tourist destinations are a great value despite the strong Baht and a great for ex-pats to work, live, and retire.

If you are looking to rent for short term holiday, long term stay, or buy property in the general Pattaya, Jomtien area please check out our tabs on the top of this blog or visit www.pattayarealestatemarket.com. For any other information or specific inquiries e mail info@pattayarealestatemarket.com. Thank you very much and again apologies for the mis-quote.

Pattaya tourists may get a little more for their money as Thailand’s baht weakens

It was not long ago the Thai baht dipped briefly below the 30.00b mark against the U.S. dollar. The baht seemed to be correcting itself when it roughly flirted with the 32.00b level. As of last month the baht was once again threatening the psychological level of  30.00b ,but seemes to have taken a bounce favorable to tourists coming to spend their holidays here in Thailand.  This, just in time for the coming high season and hopefully this trend will continue. Today the baht climbed to 31.40b for one U.S. dollar.

Gold also fell to levels flirting with the 23,000 Baht per baht. This means good news for tourists with their currency giving them more spending power especially in high season dependent areas like Chaing Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya and Jomtien Beaches.

 Just as well local hotels, guest houses, and serviced apartments may see customers adding nights to their stay as their holiday becomes more affordable. Likewise tour operators, souvenir shops and local businesses may see more trade as their products become cheaper and more doable for tourists.

Pattaya and Jomtien have seen an incredible amount of building over the last year since last year’s high season and developers, as well as local tradesman, are optimistic their rooms will fill up. Here’s to a great high season!

Good news for Pattaya and Jomtien as Thailands tourist numbers continue to rise!

The report is out and the number of Thailands tourists has seen an increase of 8% in the fiscal year between Sept /30 /2011 and Sept /30/2012. It is estimated that Thailand has seen 15 million tourists enter the Kingdom so far this year, with an expected 20 million by years end according to a statement made by Suwat Sidthilaw. This Thailands Ministry permanent - secretary.

Despite some bad publicity of crime in Pattaya and Phuket including jet ski scams and crooked taxi drivers, tourism continues to thrive. Thailand has seen its fair share of obstacles over the years from tsunamis, political unstability, and flooding, yet still holds strong.

Thailand continues to work to solve runway problems and slow immigration queues at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport but with the opening of the old Don Mueang Airport and plans to further commercialise Pattaya's Utapao it looks like things are getting better.

Tudor Court on Pattaya's Pratumnak Officially Completed!

I just received word that the Tudor Court poject on Pratumnak Hill in South Pattaya is now officially completed and open in all aspects. This includes both the long awaited serviced apartments as well as the beautiful swimming pool. All the landscaping is also done. You can get more information and a better look at this magnificient complex at www.pattayarealestatemarket.com

Thailands Pattaya and Jomtien Beaches...Oh how they are being missed

Hello to all readers, Pattaya Real Estate Market clients and advertisers. I have been unfortunately out on an assignment until around the 10th of next month.

Business is as usual as both Khun Sa and Khun Naan are there handling things. I am being forwarded messages and in the loop despite the very poor internet out here offshore. Please check back on the blog as i will be forwarded updates and able to help with translation I  will still be updating this blog as much as i can in addittion to the forsaleinpattaya.blogspot.com and forrentinpattaya.blogspot.com blogs.

Having been stuck in a hotel in a remote town for the last three weeks in Malaysia made me realise just how much Pattaya and Jomtien have grown.
For example.
                   It was a 700B cab ride to the nearest atm machine.  

                  Beer was on average 180B for a big bottle of Tiger and 22B for Heineken.$$$.

                  We had 15-30 minute waits for taxis, no sorng taews or motorbike taxis anywhere. Often very difficult to get one to come pick us up in an offbeat area.

As much as Pattaya and Jomtien have grown and as much as the congestion is building at least there is almost always cheap public transportation available, and a 7-11 close by not to mention the plethora of atm machines and the convenient access to your money. Looking forward to getting back. Thanks for all the support from our friends, family, clients, and advertisers!

Brian
Pattaya Real Estate Market Team

Pattaya suffers effects of tropical storm Gaemi

If you have ever been in Pattaya during a heavy downpour you will be no stranger to how quickly the town can flood. Poor drainage has plagued the city for decades and with all the new development little has been done to correct the problems of poor drainage, not to mention how the flooding further effects an already poor infrastructure.

Local government has assured its citizens that rescue services are on full standby as is the military to aid local poice and rescue teams if necessary

Although the storm appears to be weakening and the worst of it possibly over, it will still take sometime to recover and with another powerful storm set to come in behind Gaemi, conditions may continue to be tough.

Locals have been encouraged to stock up on essentials, which will undoubtedly be causing prices on necessary goods to rise dramatically. Batten down the hatches and stay safe everyone.

Pattaya Real Estate Market Team!

New Doublewide Shophouse for Sale Soi Siam Country Club

A brand new double wide 3 story shophouse is now completed and for sale on Soi Siam Country Club. Perfect for new business, or convert upstairs into apartments or guest house. See More...

Pattaya tour boat sinks off of Bali Hai

Earlier this afternoon a tour boat carrying 22 Korean tourists went down after reportedly taking on a huge wave. All 27 people were rescued including 22 passengers and 5 crew members. All were reportedly wearing life jackets at the time. Over crowding is the suspected reason for the sinking of the boat. Pattaya Sea Rescue squad and authorities are investigating the incident as well as the tour operators licenses.

Just a few days ago there was a collision just off the coast of Hong Kong where passengers were not as lucky. Always remember just because you're on holiday doesn't mean to let your guard down. When going by sea always wear life presevers or at least make sure there is sufficient amount for passengers and crew and they are easily accessable in an emergency.

This blog was published with some information aquired from the "Bangkok Post" and "Pattaya One.Net."

Holiday safe, regards Pattaya Real Estate Market Team!

Brand new Shophouses for sale off Soi Buah Khao

New! 3 story shophouses have just been completed and are up for sale just off of Soi Buah Khao and the Soi Diana intersection. This area continues to grow like wild fire with new bars and condo complexes currently in development. There are 6 units available and are at a very cheap 4.9 MB per unit. See More

Tudor Court Condos on Pratumnak ready to move in!!

The long awaited completion of Tudor Court Condos on Pratumnak soi 2 are now being occupied! The rubble has been removed, the grounds have been cleared and the dust swept away.

Developer Simon Ditchburn has just announced that buyers are now moving in. There are still a few units available and Pattaya Real Estate Market has some of the best prices available.

Tudor Court Condos are built to the highest European standards with attention taken in every last detail. They will soon be offering serviced apartments available for rent shortly as well. For a better look at these high quality units check out the video below

Shop for sale soi Siam Country Club

A double wide Shophouse measuring 4 meters wide per unit has just come up for sale in Nong Prue Soi Siam Country Club Area. Bargain price of 5.8 MB in a rapidly growing area. Similar new Shophouses are going for 7.5 MB and up. See More

Condo market continues to soar!

The Chonburi area is expected to see 13,000 new units this year alone with another 8,000 for the Hua Hin Cha-Am region. The greater Bangkok area is expection another 60,000 units up almost 43%. This according to a survey conducted by the REIC.

There have been some declines reported in low rise residential developments, Bangkok saw a decline of 29% in comparison to this time last year. The business section in "The Nation" has allot of buzz lately regarding housing and condo prices and the amount of current and expected development. I found these numbers and this article interesting and have posted it below.

THE NATION October 2, 2012 1:00 am

 

Huai Khwang, Chatuchak, Din Daeng, Sukhumvit from Phra Khanong to Samut Prakan, Chon Buri province, Hua Hin and Cha-am show signs of a condominium glut this year, according to the Real Estate Information Centre.

A survey by the REIC found that more than 13,000 condo units would enter the market in Chon Buri and nearly 8,000 units in Hua Hin and Cha-am this year. They will account for about a half of all sales in both locations.

In Greater Bangkok, the centre estimates new condo projects will supply 60,000 units this year, up 42.85 per cent from last year, and low-rise projects - detached houses, townhouses and duplexes - will supply 35,000 units, down 14.28 per cent. This will drive volume growth for the residential market to 15.85 per cent this year.

The full-year estimate for Greater Bangkok reflects the introduction in the first nine months of condo projects with 46,000 units, up 42 per cent from only 32,500 units in the same period of last year. Of those 46,000, 39 per cent or 18,000 units have usable space of 26 square metres or less, 36.9 per cent or 17,000 units have more then 30sqm and 23.9 per cent or 11,000 units have from 26-30sqm.

The first nine months recorded 24,000 units of new low-rise residential projects. This represented a steep decline of 29 per cent from 34,000 units in the same period of last year.

Of the condo projects launched in the first nine months in Greater Bangkok, 71 per cent were developed by 34 listed property firms and the remaining 29 per cent by 100 non-listed firms.

Of the low-rise residential projects launched in the first nine months in Greater Bangkok, 69 per cent were developed by listed property firms and 31 per cent by non-listed companies.

Samma Kitsin, director-general of the REIC, said yesterday that demand for condos was rising after the flood hit Bangkok and its suburbs late last year.
Of the condo projects launched in the first nine months in Greater Bangkok, 71 per cent were developed by 34 listed property firms and the remaining 29 per cent by 100 non-listed firms.

Of the low-rise residential projects launched in the first nine months in Greater Bangkok, 69 per cent were developed by listed property firms and 31 per cent by non-listed companies.

Samma Kitsin, director-general of the REIC, said yesterday that demand for condos was rising after the flood hit Bangkok and its suburbs late last year.

Prices in Greater Bangkok for condos rose 6.4 per cent on average this year, while detached-house prices increased 3.3 per cent and townhouse prices by 4.7 per cent. Developers had to cover their rising construction costs, he said.

The Bank of Thailand is also closely monitoring the condo market in Greater Bangkok as prices have spiked, central bank officials said last week.

The condo price index last month rose 8.1 per cent year on year, while mortgages increased 9.3 per cent. The detached-house price index climbed 2.4 per cent and that for townhouses 1.8 per cent year on year.

The supply of high-rise residential units in August expanded 4.8 per cent and that for low-rises by 13.9 per cent from July in Greater Bangkok.

Thailands Don Mueang airport officially back in operation

Don Mueang airport is now back in full operation. The first Air Asia departed for Bali on time at 03:00 this morning. The airport will be serving as a domestic hub, an international airport and assist with connecting flights from international origins to domestic destinations.

This should free up room and ease congestion at the already over crowded Suvarnabhumi airport and make things easier for tourists and business travellers. See the article below taken from this mornings "The Nation"

02/10/2012

 

Don Mueang International Airport started buzzing from 3am yesterday as its first flight of the day, AirAsia's FD3677, took off for Denpasar, Bali, on the dot of 6.15am as scheduled. All the ground staff, especially Thai AirAsia chief executive officer Tassapon Bijleveld, were delighted by the smooth takeoff.

Taking off smoothly and on time is common in the aviation industry, but for AirAsia this one was very meaningful, because yesterday was the first day for the low-cost airline to relocate its operations from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The airline and Airports of Thailand spared no costs in keeping passengers in Terminal 1 entertained. AirAsia organised fashion shows and AOT paid for concerts. Their joint efforts were obviously meant to prove that the old airport was back in action.

Terminal 1 was full of people, as passengers, media personnel and guests jostled for a part of the action. In fact, an airport guard said he had never seen the facility this busy before.

And though there was a bit of a traffic jam getting to the departure building at 6am, passengers were not disappointed by how smoothly everything went.

Passenger Wichai Lhaoprapatsorn said he had no problems with the airline's relocation. He was taking a connecting flight to Yangon from Chiang Rai. However, he did voice concerns about having to take connecting flights with other airlines that fly out of Suvarnabhumi. He said Don Mueang should offer free transport to Bangkok's main international airport.

Things did not go too smoothly for everybody, however, as five foreigners ended up missing their flight. They had probably not heard about the relocation, though AirAsia staff have been going out of their way to inform people.

Meanwhile, Tassapon said Don Mueang's preparation was acceptable with the exception of some lighting problems, unclear signage and ground transport. He said he would inform AOT about these problems and hope the authority finds solutions within a week.

AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes was also present at the airport yesterday and said this relocation was a crucial step for Thailand to become a low-cost-carrier hub in the region. He added that cutting down the international passenger service charge would certainly help. He cited Malaysia, which only charges passengers Bt300.

Tassapon added that moving to Don Mueang was also beneficial for AirAsia because this airport was closer to downtown Bangkok. Hence, he said, the airline expected the number of its domestic passengers to increase by 5 per cent. Its current load factor for domestic flights is between 82 and 85 per cent.

Thai AirAsia operates about 160 flights daily, of which 45 are international. Next year, its daily flights should hit 200 and the airline hopes to generate at least Bt20 billion in sales revenue.

Nok Air CEO Patee Sarasin welcomed AirAsia to Don Mueang, saying its presence would change the dynamics of the airport. He said this market had more room for growth, especially since competition has intensified.

Currently, Nok Air operates 89 flights out of Don Mueang and its average load factor is 85 per cent. In the first quarter of next year, the firm plans to fly to four or five cities in China because of high demand. The airline already operates three charter flights per week to Nanjing.

Nok Air is also planning to get listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand, aiming to spend the funds raised on expanding its fleet. It has about 11 planes at present and hopes to boost that number to 20 by next year.

It is aiming for profits worth more than Bt500 million by the end of this year, which shows a vast improvement from the Bt198 million it projected early this year. He said the airline had recorded profits worth Bt400 million so far this year.

Pattaya continues to play a huge role in South East Asia Tourism

Cambodian airline Air Hanuman will soon start servicing 3 return flights between Siem Riep and Pattaya's Utapao airport per week. Opening up Pattaya as a servicable hub from more local destinatons is great news for local hotels, guest houses and serviced apartments as well as local -- and hopefully -- legit tour operators. For more please see this mornings article from Pattaya 103!

Pattaya: Airport announces new flights to Cambodia from Utapao

Cambodian airline, Air Hanuman, has negotiated a regular route between Siam Reap Cambodia and Pattaya’s own Utapao Airport.  The service, which will initially be a weekly series of three return flights, will mean that tourists can leave Pattaya and be in Cambodia in just about an hour.

(link to their site is at the bottom of this article)

This new route is great news for travelers who want to visit Pattaya from Siem Reap and explore the mysterious Siem Reap-Angkor Wat Temples, from Pattaya.

To date, the only options have been either the long drive to Bangkok’s airport or the day long drudge over Thailand to the border and  the less comfortable roads of Cambodia.

Utapao was built by the US Military during the Vietnam conflict and was used as the main hub for Thailand a few years back when Bangkok Airport was closed.  At the time, Pilots and airlines were not only impressed with the runways but also the facilities and ease for passenger to get through the usual queues quickly to board and leave the planes.

Flights start this month  and are planned for 2PM departures from Siam Reap and 4.PM departures from Pattaya, using B737-300 aircraft in a joint venture with  Tonle Sap regional airlines.
In a meeting today, Sunday, the Company executives explained that this just the tip of the iceberg as far as new routes are concerned for the company. Many more are planned, affording passengers easier access to numerous destinations via their hub.

As a bonus to travellers who are new to Cambodia, everything is accessible through the company website, from ticket and Hotel accommodation through to tours and travel, all using experienced staff and hotels which are recommended by the airline.

In addition to Pattaya residents travelling to Cambodia, the airline is working on a joint promotion of Pattaya City to Cambodian residents and plans to share the many great reasons why visitors should come to Pattaya city from Siem Reap.
 http://airhanuman.com/book.php



Read more: http://www.pattaya103.com/pattaya-airport-announces-regular-cambodia-flights/#ixzz280oclOvS

Chonburi Condo market on the rise

In the hottest selling areas for condos such as Pattaya, Naklua, Jomtien, and even the proclaimed "Beverly Hills" of Pattaya..Pratumnak Hill, there seems to be one overshadowed market place.

Chonburi province in its own right boasts huge industrial compounds that require corporate housing for both Foreigners and Thal Nationals.

LPN Development is currently estimating demand at 10,000 new condominium units per year to house blue and white collar workers currently working in Chonburi factories and industrial estates. These new projects are slated to very reasonably priced starting at 550,000 Bt and not to exceed 2 Million Bt.

To gain a better understanding of just how much of a housing shortage exists through Chonburi's industrial compounds please check out the article below from "The Nation".

SOMLUCK SRIMALEE
THE NATION October 1, 2012 1:00 am

 

More than Bt20 billion worth of new condominium projects will be launched in Chon Buri province, including Pattaya, in the current second half of the year thanks to strong demand. Most of the demand is for condos priced lower than Bt2 million.

LPN Development says it sees demand in Chon Buri for nearly 10,000 condominium units per year.

These are located near eight industrial estates around the province, such as Amata, Laem Chabang, Saha Group's estate, three projects near Pinthong Industrial Estate, Hemaraj and Panthong Kasem Industrial Estate.

These estates host 479 manufacturing plants that employ more than 211,000 people, 10 per cent of whom are white-collar staff. Chon Buri also has five universities.

LPN Development managing director Opas Sripayak said many employees in the industrial estates and students and teachers in the universities rented serviced or unserviced apartments costing between Bt3,000 and Bt5,000 a month. But Chon Buri province has only 28 apartment projects with a combined 1,262 units, not enough to handle the rising demand.

The company's survey also showed that industrial-estate employees who want to buy a home needed the price not to be higher than Bt2 million.

As a result, the company decided to launch its latest condominium project, Lumpini CondoTown Chonburi-Sukhumvit, worth Bt2.6 billion. The project has 4,181 units at starting prices of Bt550,000, which have utilisation space of 21 square metres.

The project will open for booking next weekend.
By the end of last week, the company had already issued 2,000 queue tags to people interested in booking next weekend, and expects tags to total 2,500-3,000 before bookings open on Saturday.

This is an indication of the strong demand in this market after the company had successful launches of three condominium projects in Pattaya worth Bt8.2 billion in the first half of the year.

Sansiri also will launch its first condominium project in Pattaya, in the Wong Amat area, next weekend called Baan Plai Haad, worth Bt2.2 billion, with 353 units at a starting price of Bt3.59 million.

In the third quarter, Kingdom Property Co launched a condominium project called Southpoint Pattaya, worth Bt2 billion.

In the same quarter, Kotobuki Property launched a condominium project worth Bt95 million at Lamthan, Chon Buri province.

A survey by the Agency for Real Estate Affairs shows 87,500 residential units worth Bt246.5 billion in Chon Buri province, of which 60,241 have sold. The agency believes that the rest will be sold out by the end of the year because this market has strong demand, especially for units priced lower than Bt3 million.

Inside look at Luxury Villa Estate Talay Sawan in Bang Saray!

A while ago i posted about a luxury housing village in Bang Saray. What makes this village truly unique is not only its original take on Thai Bali design, but the fact that the entrance is roughly 50 meters from the sand  in Bang Saray beach.
Housing estates on the beach are basically non existant. Combining this, with the fact how rapidly Bang Saray and the entire Eastern Sea Board are growing makes this not only a great place to live but a very sound investment. The pictures do not do the villa justice, have a look at the video below to get a feel for what living in this luxury estate may be like and check out our ad at pattayarealestatemarket.com.

 

Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi's new expansion to come at tourists and travellers expense

If you read our last post you saw the article i reported on from "The Nation" regarding upcoming improvements to the airport. It now seems we the travellers and tourists, business men etc will be paying for these improvements.

The AOT is hiking up fees for domestic flights to 150Bt from the previous 100Bt. In addition international flight will now have a 800Bt service charge compared to the previous 700Bt.

"The Nation" have published the following article in this mornings paper:

NONGNAPAS MAIPANIT
THE NATION
September 29, 2012 1:00 am

 

Air travellers will have to pay more for passenger service at Suvarnabhumi Airport after operator Airports of Thailand announced plans to increase the charges next year.

However, AOT also plans to invest up to Bt5 billion in developing facilities at the airport in a bid to ease congestion.

Somchai Sawasdeepon, director of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said yesterday that the passenger service charge for international flights would be increased to Bt800 from the current Bt700 while that for domestic flights would be raised to Bt150 from Bt100 currently.

"Though the number of passengers has grown by an average of 8-9 per cent annually, we don't expect traffic jams at Suvarnabhumi Airport, as some airlines have moved to provide services from Don Mueang Airport," he said. AOT expects the number of passengers at Suvarnabhumi next year will decline to 45 million, compared with an estimated 52.6 million this year. The main reason is that Thai AirAsia, an airline that carries 10 million passengers a year, has relocated to provide services from Don Mueang.

He said Suvarnabhumi would restore some space on the terminal's fourth floor for use by passengers. The airport also targets luggage-loading times not exceeding 20 minutes.

Somchai said AOT planned to invest up to Bt5 billion on developing facilities in the airport such as luggage conveyors (Bt1.8 billion), air-conditioning improvements (Bt677 million), computer network (Bt334 million) and rest-room improvement (Bt100 million).

In addition, AOT is proceeding with Suvarnabhumi Airport's second-phase construction, requiring an investment of Bt62 billion to enable traffic of 60 million passengers a year, up from 45 million currently.

Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi airport to catch up with modern times?

The debacle better know as Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi airport -- aka "Swampy" -- has finally realised  it needs to catch up with modern times and be able to properly cope with the yearly increases in travellers coming in and out. This  may finally begin to improve its image.

Word is they are hiring 250 more immigration officers to help speed up entrance into the kingdom. Also they are setting a minimum of 20 minutes after a flight parks for the first bag to come out from the carousel.

If that isn't enough to get excited about they are in the process of implementing 15-30 minutes of free wifi service in the terminals. That's right a whopping 15-30 minutes free....at least its a start :). This is what i gather after reading this article i found on "Thai Visa" listed below.

BANGKOK, Sept 29 – Suvarnabhumi Airport hopes to see great improvement in immigration checks, baggage claims and internet service soon to cope with the increasing passenger load next year, airport director Somchai Sawasdeepon said yesterday.

The international airport will have 180 less flights or 10 million less passengers each day after budget airline Thai AirAsia relocates to Don Mueang airport on Monday.

Mr Somchai said 250 more immigration officials will be on duty at Suvarnabhumi airport to accelerate visa inspections, and reduce the process from 50 minutes per passenger to 20 minutes.

Passengers will find it more convenient with the visa checking areas three times larger while baggage claims must be finished within 30 minutes after a flight lands, with the first baggage delivered to a carousel in 20 minutes, Mr Somchai said, adding that a 15-30 minute free wi-fi service will also be available.

Suvarnabhumi airport served 48.32 million passengers between Oct 2011 and August this year, a 9.65 per cent increase year-on-year. It is estimated that the total number will be 52.6 million passengers, or 301,477 flight, at the end of this fiscal year on Sunday Sept 30.  It predicted an 8-9 per cent growth next year with a major increase in passengers from China, Malaysia and India.

Airports of Thailand (AoT) has planned a second-phase development project of Suvarnabhumi with an investment of Bt65 billion to cope with 60 million passengers by 2017. (MCOT online news)

Pattaya and Jomtien are serious about cracking down on jet ski scams!

Pattaya's government may actually mean business when it comes to cleaning up the beaches in Pattaya and jomtien. It has long been a problem with jet ski operators acamming and even strong arming tourists into paying money for damages they did not cause.

This can greatly affect Pattaya and Jomtiens tourist trade, souring the future for tourism in the areas. Random weekly inspections as well as yearly check to make sure operators have and can continue to re-new their licenses are already being implemented. Have a look below atthe article from Pattaya One News!

On Thursday afternoon the first of a series of random weekly checks on Jet Ski’s and their operators on Pattaya and Jomtien Beaches took place in an effort to stop the well publicized Jet Ski scams which have a huge negative impact on tourism in the area.

A team of officials including Police Colonel Tamanoon, the Pattaya Police Chief, Khun Pongtasit, Chief Bailiff of Banglamung District along with Khun Adisorn, local adviser to the Ministry of Labor and officers from the Marine Department, conducted an inspection of the Jet Ski’s and operators located along Pattaya Beach.

Apart from the vehicles themselves the Jet Ski operators were given details of newly enforced regulations which must be adhered to from now on which includes yearly checks for each Jet Ski before licenses to operate can be re-issued.

For those that fail to comply with these regulations, strong penalties will be issued and they will not be permitted to run their business from the beach.

Pattaya to become a safer place for tourists and ex-pats

Looks like the boys in brown and the local government are finally recognising the growing crime rate in Pattaya and deciding to take action. This will include safety nets, more tourist police in more areas as well as cctv cameras through out the city. Check out this article from Thai Visa

Pattaya sets up safety zones to reduce crime rates

PATTAYA, 27 September 2012 (NNT) - In the wake of increased crime rates in Pattaya district of Chonburi province, local police are pushing ahead with their plan to set up a safety zone project in the beach area and the Walking Street.
The Chonburi Governor and the Pattaya Mayor will together preside over the project opening ceremony at the Walking Street tomorrow, during which the safety zone project will be officially unveiled.

According to Superintendent of Pattaya police station Pol Col Thammanoon Mankong, the scheme is to provide tourists from around the globe who visit Pattaya each year with a greater sense of safety. He elaborated that a police patrol unit will be assigned to the safety zone on a 24-hour basis.

In a bid to reduce crime, the district police will set up police checkpoints, widen participation from tourist police units and other related agencies, enlist further cooperation of local communities and business operators, as well as monitor footage captured by CCTV cameras installed throughout Pattaya.

Pol Col Thammanoon said that by giving priority to tourist safety, the number of tourist arrivals will eventually be boosted, generating more tourism revenue for local businesses and for Thailand as a whole.

Brand new townhouse for sale in Central Pattaya

Brand new 3 story Townhouse in Central Pattaya soi Boonkhot is for sale. The townhouse sits on 26 TW of land and is perfect for a home, home based business with living quarters upstairs, or converting the upstairs into rooms for rent. See More... or contact Khun Sa +66(0) 85 213 9457

Tourists and ExPats continue to struggle under heavy rains in Pattaya

Anyone that has spent any amount of time in Pattaya knows when it rains...it floods. Pattaya despite all its new high end housing and condos along with upscale restaurants and night clubs still has very poor drainage sysytems.

Short term and long term residents of the Soi Buahkhao area especially around the Soi Diana section of the soi is vulnerable to meter deep waters with in an hour of a torrential downpour.

Thailand as a whole has recently been battered by heavy rains and unfortunately the outlook does not seem much better in the coming days. Check out this article from PattayaOne.Net:


Monday Night saw further spells of torrential rain which caused flash floods around the City and according to weather reports the rainstorms are expected to become more severe over the coming days.

Already some Embassies have issued flood warnings to its citizens and according to the latest weather updates from the Thai Meteorological Department there is a high pressure system from China and a strong south-western monsoon prevailing over most of Kingdom including the Gulf of Thailand, the Eastern provinces are expected to see the worst of the storms.

The Pattaya authorities are doing their best to clear blocked storm drains and are working around the clock, but we noticed on Monday Night large amounts of debris within the flood waters which will only re-block drains that may have been earlier cleared.

Prime land for sale in Jomtien Beach

Prime piece of land has just come up for sale on Soi Chaiyapreuk 1. Has electric and water already and sits roadside with 230 TW of land ready for development. See More

Pool House for sale in Jomtien Beach!

Very nice home in Jomtien Beach now for sale. Single story 3 bedroom 4 bath with private swimming pool just 700 M to the beach. Great price at 6.5 MB. See More...

Jimmy Page joins Jesters in Pattaya

Jimmy Page joined the Jesters last night for their Care for Kids fund raiser. Jimmy donated an acoustic guitar ad was joined by other musicians to the likes of Len Tuckey, Tony Stevens, and Barry Upton.

Always nice to see people getting together for a worthy cause and make some kind of a difference. Jesters have been doing it for years and helps boost Pattaya's reputation to something more than just a sex-pat society. The full article from Pattaya 103 FM is below. Happy reading!

Pattaya: The Jesters celebratory fund-raiser, takes place on saturday  at the Amari Orchid Pattaya.

Giving his time to a worthy cause, Jimmy Page, of the legendary band Led Zeppelin,   is personally donating an acoustic guitar for auction on what promises to be a Gala Party night including  a sit-down international buffet dinner with complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks and live entertainment. and,once again, its a  sold out event!

Little surprise as the entertainers for the evening have a musical pedigree that would qualify them for the”crufts of the music world” with such musicians as Len Tuckey, who in addition to managing Slade was also the lead guitarist, and ex husband of Suzie Quatro, ( and co write of some of her best songs), Tony Stevens, whose hits with Foghat are legendary and Bob Lamb who, as the drummer with Steve Gibbons, also went on to discover UB40 and Duran Duran.

Their impromptu band, BBLT,  incorporates the vocal skills of US Artist Brian Thomas to create one of the best music sounds ever heard in the city.

Bary Upton will also be appearing, alongside the Band of Smiles whose showcase is outstanding and well respected amongst Pattaya Music lover and all in all it promises to be an amazing evening for the ticket only event

To make sure that everything is 100%, the bands arrived at Leo’s blues bar in Naklua on Friday to put the finishing touches to their presentations and to get to know each other better.

Leo, the husband of the bar owner, Nang, extended the welcome from his hospital bed, where he has been driving nursing staff mad for several weeks,  to all and offered them as much time as they needed to ensure that the fund raising night is a success.

Pattaya 103 FM will be covering the event and hopes to bring you updates afterwards including the results of the mammoth auctions and lucky draws, all of which raise money alongside the numerous other events, for Jesters care for kids, One of Pattaya’s finest causes

Updates on Luxury Pool Villas...The Vineyard 3!!

Phase 3 of the award winning Luxury Pool Villas Project...The Vineyard is selling very well. There are still a few units left starting from 12.5 Million Baht. They have released a new video which you can view below. Also here is a link to a virtual tour on this wonderful estate! Please contact Khun Sa at +66(0) 85 213 9457 or email at info@pattayarealestatemarket.com. For more information you can also view our ad for this property here.

Is Pattaya cleaning up its act????

It appears that the higher ups in Pattaya are finally realising their dream of turning the booming beach resort into a five star city is being jeopardised by rogue operators along the beach. It has long been a problem with jet ski vendors and all the scams they pull, leaving tourists with a bad taste about Pattaya and are not interested in returning....furthermore recommending to their family and friends not to holiday there.
There was a meeting in Chonburi to promote and protect tourism in the city. On the agenda was the growing problem of crooked jet ski operators and other beach vendors. Check out this article from Pattaya 103.

Pattaya: Provincial Governor and City Mayor look to protect Pattaya Tourists

Monday saw a large meeting of all concerned in local tourism as the Governor of Chonburi Province, alongside our own City mayor and representatives of the Tourist Authority of Thailand, headed  a meeting to promote and protect tourism in the city.

Pattaya’s Mayor has sworn to create a city that people want to return to  and a tourist destination second to none, and nothing is going to stand between him and that goal. Especially not a few itinerant  jetski rogue renters and tourist scammers. Pattaya City hall is determined to stamp out any corruption that affects visitors and create a resort that people look forward to returning to.

In addition to the Jetski problem, the agenda included ways to approach and solve the problems of  safety, security and confidence for visitors and improve the city facilities.

It was made clear that the rogue jetski operators were now a problem at national level, after international TV coverage and complaints from various foreign embassies in the capital.    Without a serious effort to introduce control and management  all  Beach vendors,  the damage to tourism is incalculable.

Specific jet ski locations were suggested along with the already planned idea of central ticket offices along the beach which would become the liaison between tourist and operator, ensuring that all rentals include insurance and that rogue operators be closed down.    

Boat and other rentals also came into the discussion and many disagreed with the rigorous bylaws that have been proposed.

Even those who disagree will have left with no doubt that the City, Province and Tourist Authority mean business and  will have the matter resolved quickly, as tourism is not only the life blood of the city, but also the future.

Big plans for Pattaya's little neighbor...Koh Larn

 Is Koh Larn getting ready to expand? Are there are any real plans laying out tourism, infrastructure, and future? How about a 10 Billion Baht plan from Hermaraj Land and Development PLC.

The new development is slated to have a new full marina with boat docking and hotels. Also on tap is an aquarium, safari park and a range of 3,4,and 5 star hotels. Small electric and cable cars will be the only available forms of transportation on the tiny island. Below is the entire article from "The Nation"

THE NATION September 17, 2012 1:00 am

Koh Larn chosen because it is ‘not too large and also has proximity to Pattaya

Sawasdi Horrungruang, founder of Hemaraj Land and Development Plc and now chairman of the advisory board, is geared the listed real estate firm towards the upcoming launch of a Bt10-billion entertainment complex on Koh Larn near Pattaya, to serve an expected increase in the number of both domestic and international tourists.

The project, undertaken by Million Island Co Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hemaraj, was aimed as a new link to destinations in Hua Hin. Getting to Hua Hin from Koh Larn off Pattaya by boat takes an hour, compared with four hours by road.

"This will be a choice for touristswho travel to Pattaya, Koh Larn and then towards Hua Hin," said Sawasdi. He said reasons for choosing Koh Larn is that it's not too large an island, offering serenity and proximity to the shore of Pattaya.

In addition, he foresaw tourist arrivals on the island of nearly 10,000 people a day on weekends and 6,000 a day on average. This could rise to 12,000 a day if there were more facilities.

Million Island Co Ltd bought 228 rai, half of Koh Larn's total area, for Bt2 billion from hotel developer Wicha Baopimpa in Pattaya seven months ago, Sawasdi said. There will be four phases, with construction expected to start next year.

The first phase will include a marina, hotels and boat docking. A ll four phases

are scheduled to be completed in thenext five years. Now, he said the company was selecting a foreign consulting firm to design the landscape. Roughly, he said the project would be in a vertical shape, comprising an aquarium, 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels, condominiums for sale,

restaurants, a walking street, pavilions, high-end shopping areas and a safari park.

On the island,small electric and cable cars would be the only transport options.

"All the projects I've done started from a dream and then transformed onto paper before

being materialised," he said. Since coming out of insolvency in February, Sawasdi, 71, has dreamed up another project and has been thinking of a way for it to happen. He aims to differentiate the huge investment complex on Koh Larn not only from rivals but from his former projects that left mounting debts of almost Bt100 billion on his shoulders.

The financial crisis of 1997 brought the collapse of Sawasdi's steel businesses - NTS Steel Group and Nakornthai Strip Mill (NSM) - which were flooded with debts once the baht went from Bt25 to Bt50 against the US dollar. NTS Steel Group eventually for med a joint venture with a subsidiary of SCG and changed its name to Millennium Steel before being sold to India-based Tata Steel. NSM has been merged into G Steel, owned by Somsak Leeswadtrakul. Sawasdi and his family members retain a combined 14-per-cent stake, or 1.35 billion shares (as of August

27), in Hemaraj, which is one of the businesses he founded. For the Koh Larn complex,

Sawasdi said Hemaraj would initially be a majority shareholder, but th is may be diluted in the future to such others as Wicha, who has offered to hold a 20-per-cent stake in Million

Island, and other potential strategic partners.

In the first stage, Million Island will use bank loans to finance the complex, which will be guaranteed by Hemaraj, while some funding would come from Hemaraj's cash

flow, Sawasdi said. "We do not fear creating new debts, as we have learnt a lesson from

the past. The property business is not like heavy industry, which must wait for the last baht before the operation can start. For the property business, we can gradually invest in

a project phase by phase, as well as generating income in parallel in a bid to finance the other phases." He proposed a new way of raising funds to finance projects: setting up a tri-party group consisting of the company, creditor and debtor's customers to reassure debts are repaid.

Once the company has an income on a monthly basis, this will first be deducted to pay off the principal sums and interest to banks, who are the creditors. The balance should be

given to the company.

Pattaya is one lucky city!!!

 If you have been paying attention to any of the local Thai news, you would know that rainy season is definitely upon us here in the "Land of Smiles"... and it aint all smiles.

Certainly for folks in the central plains like, Sukkothai, Petchabun, and Phitchit where flood waters have been measured as deep as two + meters.
 
Bangkok had a real disaster last year and even Yingluk herself has overseen flood tests of dykes and levys in Bangkok to try and ensure residents, corporate owners, investors, and tourists there is nothing to fear.

However, folks in other provinces are being over-run, businesses are suffering, and tourisits continue to lament. Check out what is going on in Koh Chang at the moment from this article today in the "Bangkok Post"

Heavy rains combined with mountain water run-off on Sunday triggered flash floods at four popular tourist destinations on Koh Chang off Trat province, including Hat Sai Khao (White Sands Beach), reports said.

The rainfall that drenched the tourist island from the early morning hours left areas in Hat Sai Khao, Ban Kai Bae, Ban Khlong Phrao and Ban Khlong Phlu under 30 to 120cm of water.

About 500 metres of the main road along Hai Sai Khao beach was under 30-50 cm of floodwater, causing difficulty in commuting.
Authorities said they and volunteer workers cleared debris off flooded roads and ensured that the water drainage system was not blocked.

The Ban Kai Bae area was worst hit with water rising to 120 cm on Ramayana Avenue after an overflow from a local canal. The community’s main road, many houses and resorts were flooded by 80-100 cm of water, according to reports.

Wanroong Kanornkul, a kamnan at Koh Chang, said backhoes and other heavy machinery had been sent to affected areas to dredge canals to accelerate the water flow into the sea.

He said the flood problem on Koh Chang island was temporary and would last only a few hours and that there was no danger. The situation was expected to return to normal by the evening.

However, six waterfalls needed to be closed to tourists due to strong currents.

Photo by Post Today

Photo by Post Today

Shophouse Soi Gor Pai sold!

Bad news is this single unit 4 story shophouse on soi Gor Pai has been sold, good news is we have another one, 3 units down that has just been put up for sale. This one will priced about the same at around 3.2 MB. Pics and info to follow!!

Nice house with garden for sale soi Chaiyapreuk 2

Very nice 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house with mature garden is now for sale. East Jomtien just off of soi Chaiyapreuk 2. Outside terrace had nice garden and sala. Thai kitchen and maids quarters. See More...

Luxury Beach Villa for sale in Bang Saray!!

Just 50 meters from Bang Saray Beach!! Luxury 2 story, 3 bedroom, 4 bathroom Thai Bali style house. Electric door garage, private swimming pool, all rooms air con and full hot water through out the house. , 24 hour security. See more...

Tourists and ex-pats will have 4 new reasons to smile on Pattaya

There are four new projects in the works for the Pattaya area which will be beneficial to ex-pats as well. 

•    Firstly expats will be able to enjoy these venues and use them to entertain family and friends when they come to visit. 
•    Secondly these venues will help increase the value of their property. 
•    And finally these venues will help reduce Pattaya's image as only a sex tourist destination 

The four projects are worth a total of 2.23 Billion Baht worth of investment and are poised to open next year and include 

1. Kidzania 
2. Ramayan Water park
3. Amazon Falls Water Park
4. Siam World Art Company

Check out this article from the Bangkok Post:

     PATTAYA : Four projects in the tourism sector worth 2.23 billion baht that received Board of Investment (BoI) privileges are poised to open this year and next.

   The first is a Hong Kong investment of 550 million baht by the Kidzania Group, the world's fastest-growing edutainment brand, to set up Kidzania this December at Siam Paragon.

Kidzania is a role-playing activity where children aged 4-12 can try out different adult occupations.

The second project is a 900-million-baht Thai-Russian joint venture to set up Ramayana water park in Chon Buri's Sattahip district slated for next year.

The third is a 620-million-baht project by Pacific Shore Development to set up Amazon Falls Water Park. This joint venture between Hong Kong and Malaysia will be in Pattaya and is slated to open next year.

The last is a 162-million-baht project by Siam World Art Co to set up a cultural centre with investment from South Korea. The centre will be located in Pattaya exhibiting sculpture, paintings and Thai-Korean culture.

BoI secretary-general Atchaka Sibunruang said the board expects higher investment in the tourism sector, especially theme parks that will enable Thailand to compete with Hong Kong's Disneyland, Singapore's water park and Malaysia's theme parks. Amazon Falls will be the first water park in the world to use cartoon presenters.

The Ramayana is billed as the largest water park in Asia Pacific. Once these two open, they should attract investment in other areas, she added.

From 2007-12, a total of 23 projects applied for investment promotion in the tourism sector, totalling 3.48 billion baht.

Three projects totalling 1.47 billion baht were theme parks, four projects totalling 707 million baht were cultural centres, 12 projects worth 417 million baht were hiring boats for tourism, and three projects totalling 215 baht were tourist boat parking areas.

Dr Atchaka said the BoI is revising its promotion policies. The tourism sector will still be given a prominent place, but some adjustments might be made in terms of providing incentives for projects the government prioritises, such as theme parks and water parks.

To this point no global-scale theme park producers such as Disney or Universal have shown interest in investing in Thailand, said Dr Atchaka. Malaysia and Singapore provide many incentives to attract tourism projects, such as racing arenas, she said.

In the past the BoI provided incentives for a variety of tourism businesses, such as racing arenas, open zoos and electric hoists, but have not received any interest from business operators, said Dr Atchaka.

5 Unit shophouse for sale soi 17

Shophouse for sale, 5 units, 3 story. Upstairs has been used as single living quarters but can easily be converted into guesthouse or factory. Must see to appreciate. See More                                         

Contact: info@pattayarealestatemarket.com
                             Khun Sa 085 213 9457

31 Rai of land at Mabprachan Lake for sale!

Located near both Siam Country Clubs ( New and Old courses)
on a hill with stunning mountain views, only two minutes to
Lake Mabprachan. Great piece of land for housing development or resort. See More

What are the top 15 property firms in Thailand

With all the speculation going on about if Pattaya is getting over saturated with condo projects or even in Thailand i think this puts things in perspective. revenue is up 56% from the first half of the year and half of these property firms will be delivering their projects ready for transfer by the end of this year. Here's is Sept 3 article from "The Nation"

Fifteen listed property firms will show revenue from their condominium projects totalling at least Bt100 billion in the second half of this year, up 56 per cent from the first half thanks to transfers of completed condos to customers, according to research by Asia Plus Securities.

The research said 85 main condominium projects worth Bt179 billion developed by the top 15 listed property firms would be ready for transfer in the current half. These companies also have low-rise residences ready for sale, with transfers to customers in the second half worth Bt37.3 billion. Total backlog is worth Bt216.3 billion.

The top 15 property firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand are Pruksa Real Estate, Land & Houses, Sansiri, Quality Houses, Asian Property Development, SC Asset Corporation, Supalai, Noble Development, Lalin Property, Property Perfect, LPN Development, Major Development, Sena Development, Raimon Land, and MK Real Estate Development.

"We target total revenue from their condominium backlog of at least Bt100 billion, or half of their condominium projects worth Bt217 billion, that will be completed and ready to transfer this year," the research said.

This will drive the net-profit margin of these companies to 15 per cent in the second half, better than the average 13.01 per cent in the second quarter of this year.

The top 15 reported total revenue of Bt63.9 billion in the first half, comprising Bt29.4 billion in the first quarter and Bt34.5 billion in the second.

They also showed net profit of Bt8.06 billion in the first half, Bt3.57 billion recorded in the first quarter and Bt4.49 billion in the second.

The total presales of the 15 companies covered by the research were

worth Bt54.3 billion in the second quarter compared with Bt50.5 billion in the first quarter, so overall in the first half they booked presales of Bt105 billion.

LPN Development managing director Opas Sripayak said it would book revenue of at least Bt10 billion in the current half of the year after transfer of its condominium projects to customers in the third and fourth quarters. They include Lumpini Park Rama 3-Riverside, Lumpini Ville Pattanakarn, Lumpini Ville Piboonsongkram-Riverview, Lumpini CondoTown North Pattaya-Sukhumvit, and Lumpini Ville Chaengwattana-Pakkret.

Property Perfect chief executive officer Chainid Ngowsirimanee said the company would have Bt3 billion worth of condominium projects ready to transfer to customers in the current half. This will drive its revenue to Bt12 billion by the end of the year.

Sansiri president Srettha Thavisin said it would have Bt15.8 billion worth of residential projects ready to transfer in the second half after the company delivered 3,185 units worth Bt10.16 billion in the first six months.

Asian Property Development has four condominium projects ready to transfer. They total 1,564 units worth Bt8.69 billion at The Address Sathorn, The Address Asoke, The Address Sukhumvit 61, and Aspire Srinakarin.

Most of the condo projects ready to transfer in the current half have been launched since 2010, the year.