News

Top of the Props: America surprise second choice for buyers

Ivan Radford — 02/11/2011 12:36:00

America is now the second most popular overseas property destination in the world, according to the latest Top of the Props report from TheMoveChannel.com.

After a long-running battle between France and Spain at the top of the chart, the US has unexpectedly turned the two-horse race into a three-way competition for top spot. The country rose by two places in the rankings, replacing the traditional runner-up as the surprise second favourite for buyers in October.

America has always been one of the most popular places for foreign real estate investment, alongside France, Italy, Portugal and Turkey. But while Spain remains the country of choice for buyers (receiving 3 per cent more enquiries than the month before), America saw an increase of 1.06 per cent in enquiries last month.

That number may seem like a small increase, but interest in US property has grown by 3 per cent over the past three months, indicating a consistent appetite from overseas buyers for the country's heavily discounted property market. France had 1.57 per cent fewer enquiries last month, while interest in Portugal also waned, by 2.42 per cent - perhaps a sign that the continuing Euro crisis is sapping interest in continental property markets.

America's ascension was just one of several surprises, as Cyprus and Thailand both jumped several places to enter the Top 10 most popular destinations. Cyprus has been suffering from unemployment and economic woes in the years since the housing boom, but the country is now starting to claw back buyers, as property prices dropped for the sixth quarter in a row last month. New legislation to allow buyers to officially receive property title deeds is also encouraging investment, with many foreign investors already taking advantage of the more transparent system.

The Thai property market has just been hit by major flooding, although high-rise condominium sales are expected to grow as a result. Indeed, overall property transactions in Bangkok actually increased by 1,500 during the second quarter of 2011, according to CB Richard Ellis. But while Thailand and Cyprus made October a month of surprises, the biggest shock remains the US victory over France, as real estate away from the Eurozone continues to demonstrate its pull.

Director Dan Johnson comments: "French real estate has been seen as a safe investment zone in Europe for some time, so America snatching second place is a great achievement. The US market is currently full of foreclosures and repossessed property, with the affordable prices tempting buyers away from the French ski slopes and into the States.

"It's interesting to see Cyprus and Thailand regain their status as former Top 10 property destinations. The flooding may see Thailand's popularity decrease next month, but Cyprus' low prices leave a lot of room for investment as buyers look for familiar markets amid ongoing economic uncertainty."

The full breakdown of the Top 40 is as follows:

Overall enquiries for October 2011
Rank	Country	Share	Change
1	Spain	18.01	Non-mover
2	USA	9.27	Up 2
3	France	7.93	Down 1
4	Portugal	6.86	Down 1
5	Italy	6.29	Non-mover
6	Turkey	4.07	Up 1
7	Cyprus	3.65	Up 4
8	Thailand	3.17	Up 7
9	Bulgaria	2.77	Down 3
10	Brazil	2.67	Down 2
11	Greece	2.33	Up 1
12	Malta	2.23	Up 2
13	Barbados	2.02	Up 4
14	Germany	2.02	Down 4
15	Morocco	1.84	Down 6
16	Egypt	1.66	Up 3
17	Cape Verde	1.61	Up 4
18	Poland	1.19	Up 2
19	India	1.01	Down 3
20	Switzerland	1.01	Up 7
21	Hungary	0.96	Up 2
22	Cayman Islands	0.95	Non-mover
23	UAE	0.95	Up 5
24	Croatia	0.8	Down 6
25	Canada	0.8	Down 12
26	Slovenia	0.74	Down 1
27	Mexico	0.68	Up 13
28	Australia	0.49	Down 4
29	St Lucia	0.43	Down 3
30	Jamaica	0.41	Up 1
31	Indonesia	0.38	Down 1
32	Montenegro	0.35	Down 3
33	Malaysia	0.2	Up 8
34	Austria	0.19	Up 2
35	St Vincent and Grenadines	0.19
36	Albania	0.18	Down 1
37	Singapore	0.18
38	Lithuania	0.16
39	Belize	0.15
40	Philippines	0.15	Down 1

Notes to Editors

Founded in 1999, TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with than 400,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

The website address is http://www.TheMoveChannel.com and the office address is 45 Lafone Street, Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LX.

Contact Dan Johnson on 0207 952 7650 for further information.

More retirees opt for 'adventure tourism' in Asia

Sarah Kendell — 21/03/2011 10:14:00

A trip around Europe, a cruise through the Caribbean - these luxury, aspirational destinations used to be the staple of retirement dreams for most of the middle class in the English speaking world. Now, with more money and time to spare and having often gotten these more traditional destinations out of the way earlier on in life, retirees are venturing further afield - and the tourism industries of developing Asian nations like India, Thailand and Vietnam are benefiting.

With interesting cultural offerings, good climate and cheap living costs, these destinations have always proved popular with backpackers, and as a result many adventure tour companies have sprung up to offer package deals, particularly in the early noughties as the trend of the 'gap year' took hold. But as one London-based tour operator told Relax News, it's the older generation who are now providing the base of the demand.

"I started my company to take young professionals abroad for adventurous holidays, but then realised I was getting calls from their parents", says Original Travel's Tom Barber, whose company runs expeditions in India, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. "People jokingly call them SKIers, which stands for Spending the Kids' Inheritance."

In 2009 alone, over 100,000 British citizens between 55 and 64 travelled to India, while 51,000 went to China. Whilst not usually eligible to stay at youth hostels, but often seeking a more genuine experience than a cloistered five-star hotel, the influx of retiree tourists to Asia has created a new demand for niche holiday accomodation. "Older people are very discerning about seeking out special experiences, and combining those with quality accomodation and food", said Jamshyd Sethna of tour company Lakhti Himalaya, which provides guests with luxury accomodation at isolated lodges in India's famous mountain range.

Sean Tipton of the Association of British Travel Agents agreed that the tide was turning amongst mature travellers in favour of developing Asian nations. "Most people aged 55 and over would have been looking at a coach trip around Europe 30 years ago", said Tipton. "We have seen fundamental change since then, with people who have retired but refuse to be pigeonholed."

Own overseas property in a David Lloyd luxury 5-star resort

Catherine Deshayes — 02/02/2010 10:36:00

A whole new way to select, own and manage property abroad - from as little as £7,500 - David Lloyd, former UK tennis player and founder of the successful tennis and leisure clubs, has created David Lloyd Resorts, a new property business selling shared ownerships in luxury properties on 5 star resorts around the world. Properties currently in Cyprus, Spain, Thailand, Turkey and Canada...

A personal message from David Lloyd:

"Business experience tells me that if an idea is sound, it will endure. My new property venture, David Lloyd Resorts gives me the same sense of exhilaration and groundbreaking discovery - a whole new way to select, own and manage property abroad."

Benefits of owning a David Lloyd Resort property:

• Own a beautifully designed holiday home in an outstanding location, pay only for your own usage.

• Guaranteed 2 weeks reserved occupancy plus 2 ‘freedom' weeks each year.

• An exchange facility providing an extra 2,000 resorts in over 75 countries.

• An opportunity to generate rental income from unused weeks.

• Complimentary first year property maintenance fee.

• Full resort management.

• Secure, legally certified purchase mechanism.

• Share of the property value on re-sale.

• Flexible consumer finance packages available

• Ownership may be considered through Personal Pension funding (SIPP)*

* Please consult your financial advisor for individual clarification

Explaining how the scheme operates, Nick Lawrence, Sales and Marketing Director of David Lloyd Resorts said, "Each property is divided into 13 shares, and sold at three different price levels which are based on seasonality. Shared owners hold a share in a chosen property based on the amount of equity invested, but all share equal occupancy rights. Each share entitles the owner to four weeks usage each year.

"These are two weeks reserved from a choice of price bands and two ‘freedom' weeks enabling owners to explore the flexibility of the David Lloyd Resorts exchange programme by staying in our properties in Thailand, Canada, Spain, Turkey and Cyprus," he added.

SPECIAL INCENTIVES FOR THE FIRST 50 BUYERS

For more information please call NOW on: +44(0) 203 012 9957 or visit www.investmentoverseasproperty.com/brochure.htm

www.investmentoverseasproperty.com/index.htm

Tourism trouble in Thailand

Catherine Deshayes — 02/07/2009 13:19:00

What have swine flu and the credit crunch got in common - they take no prisoners, they can affect anyone and any budget - yes, all of the above, but the gruesome twosome are also having a catastrophic effect on the all important tourism industry in places such as Mexico and Thailand, which has led to the Thais being forced to offer steep discounts on everything in order to attract visitors...

Thailand's tourism industry, on which it relies so heavily, is in big trouble. As if the global recession wasn't enough, the country has also had to contend with well publicized political upheaval and fears of the swine flu pandemic.

The tourism industry is a pillar of the economy and employs more than 2.5 million people in Thailand.

It is going to great lengths to attempt to pull in the visitor numbers its economy needs to stay afloat, with everyone from airlines to hoteliers to restaurants offering big discounts and incentives.

Foreign traveller arrivals have fallen 16 per cent so far this year, while hotel occupancy across the country has dropped to 44 per cent, down from 66 per cent last year. Luxury hotels in Bangkok have even lower occupancy rates.

Thai Airways is offering free inbound domestic flights to passengers from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America and hotels are offering free golf packages thrown in to the already discounted room rate or buy-one-get-one-free nights.

It's not just international tourists who are being wooed either - the country is also trying to promote domestic tourism, with hotels offering cheap deals to locals and banks offering low-interest loans to small tourist-based businesses.

Kongrit Hiranyakit, Head of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said, "I don't see any positive factors.

"Oil prices are increasing, influenza is spreading all over the world. Political protests are bad for the country's image."

"The tourism industry will lose about £3.5 billion - down by more than a third from about £9.6 billion last year," he added.

As one of the main reasons for going on holiday is to escape stress and relax- Thailand is understandably concerned that its image of a paradise hotspot is now marred.

Picture by wernerbrau

TheMoveChannel.com acquires Lead Galaxy

Catherine Deshayes — 05/02/2009 11:30:00

Leading UK and international property search portal TheMoveChannel.com has acquired top lead generation agency Lead Galaxy...

TheMoveChannel.com will take over the overseas property website portfolio operated by Lead Galaxy, in a deal which stands to create the world's largest and most popular international property website.

With more than 45 different ‘venture' sites dedicated to property sales in countries all over the world, the deal will see TheMoveChannel.com take an even greater share of web traffic, particularly in locations such as Cape Verde, the Caribbean, Egypt, Florida, Italy, Malaysia, Montenegro, Turkey and the UAE.

Whilst all of the property sites will now come under TheMoveChannel.com brand, the combined power of both TheMoveChannel.com and Lead Galaxy will ensure that visitors can browse the broadest spectrum of properties for sale, while allowing advertisers to maximise the number and quality of leads generated for their listed properties.

Dan Johnson, of TheMoveChannel.com said, "This deal will undoubtedly consolidate our position as the leading overseas property portal.

"With a bigger advertiser base and a far wider choice for investors, TheMoveChannel.com will be at the forefront of overseas property search and of course, the more users and more enquiries we attract, the more sales there will be for advertisers," he said.

Gerard Doyle, Director of Lead Galaxy, said, "I am very much looking forward to joining the board of directors at TheMoveChannel.com.

"This amalgamation between two extremely strong networks will allow existing Lead Galaxy advertisers to reach an even wider audience and attract more interest than ever in their properties.

"The consolidated brand and new technology platform can only help to improve visitor loyalty and maximise value for our advertisers," he added.

Going forward, the joint forces of these two industry heavyweights will provide a powerful platform for launching into new and untapped markets, with a wide range of planned projects that includes multilingual portals, web services and personal finance.

The consolidated sites will be live today, Thursday February 5^th at www.themovechannel.com

Picture by pontuse

Floods bring a golden opportunity for Thai developers

admin — 21/11/2011 09:44:00

Thai developers suddenly have a “golden opportunity” to buy up land in flooded areas at bargain prices according to Patima Jeerapaet, managing director of Colliers International Thailand.

He believes that the effect of Thailand’s worst flood in 50 years will be a change in the way all property sectors in the country are evaluated and developed, as well as a change in “home-purchasing sentiments.” People are going to be more cautious he says and it will take at least six months for the market to return to normal.

Overall, however, Jeerapaet thinks that Thai buyers will stick with familiar locations and that there probably won’t be any large migration of residents away from the flooded areas.

The opportunity will arise because “homebuyers will wait and see the situation after the floods and delay making a decision. Housing sentiment will resume towards the middle of next year at the earliest. Housing developers will delay launching new projects," he told OPP this week via a conference on the post-flood Bangkok real estate market.

Source: OPP

Video: Continued flooding wreaks havoc on Thai economy

admin — 03/11/2011 04:33:00

The Bank of Thailand (BoT) lowered its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth projection for 2011, significantly owing to the widespread flood in upper part of the country, Mass Communication of Thailand (MCOT) reported.

Assistant BoT Governor Paiboon Kittisrikangwan said that the BoT decided to lower GDP projection from 4.1 to 2.6 percent, factoring in the country’s estimated 140 billion baht (4.5 billion U.S. dollars) damage losses, owing to the widespread flood. Paiboon explained that the floods have affected manufacturing activities at six industrial estates in the central provinces of Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani.

Watch the full video report at TheMoveChannel.tv:

http://www.themovechannel.tv/2011/11/continued-flooding-wreaks-havoc-on-thai-economy/

Bangkok condos will bounce back from flood disaster

admin — 28/10/2011 07:01:00

Bangkok's condominium market will bounce back despite the Thai capital’s suburbs currently being ravaged by heavy flooding, according to an associate director of Colliers International Thailand

Tony Picon said that despite shocking scenes in the city that a strong comeback is on the cards.

The fact that condos are less prone to flooding may see demand shift towards them. “This is what happened in Myanmar after cyclone Nargis hit,” said Picon. “People moved from landed houses to condominiums which had a popular effect on the condominium market.”

“We are seeing an increase in the number of high-rise permits being lodged as developers prepare for increased demand,” he said.

Source: OPP.org.uk

Thailand real estate prices taking off

admin — 15/09/2011 07:30:00

The Thai price index for single-detached houses rose by 12.16% in the year to end-Q2 2011, according to the Bank of Thailand (BOT). When adjusted for inflation, the index actually rose by 7.75% over the same period. This was in sharp contrast with the 16% average y-o-y price falls (17% in real terms) seen from Q3 2009 to Q1 2010. During the year to end-Q2 2011:

the price index for townhouses rose 6.6%
the residential land price index increased 13.4%
the index for single-detached houses was up by 12.2%, from annual increases of 3.7% in Q1 2011 and 10.6% in Q4 2020

In the second quarter of 2011, there were about 11,000 new launches country-wide; a 9.6% increase from the previous quarter, according to Colliers International Thailand. The launches are mainly in the low to medium end market, with reduced unit sizes, compensating for the increasing land prices throughout the country.

More than 36,000 condominium units are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011, the highest since the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. In Bangkok, the total stock of condominium units has already reached nearly 304,000 units.

Source: NUWireInvestor.com

More positive outlook for Bangkok office market

admin — 14/09/2011 09:18:00

The commercial office property market in Bangkok is beginning to see a move forward and growth in demand and rent, following a period where the market has been held back due to the combination of the global crisis and Thailand’s political uncertainty.

The latest analysis from property consultant CB Richard Ellis shows that while office demand has been slow, the market as of the second quarter of 2011 was more active with clearer signs of expansion from existing tenants and a marginal increase in occupancy rates from the previous quarter to 86.5%.

CBRE’s office enquiries were up 34.2% quarter on quarter, an upswing indicating the market is heading towards the right direction. Also 59% of enquiries involved an expansion, indicating that the key demand driver is from the expansion of existing businesses and space requirements from existing tenants rather than demand from entry of new multinational companies (MNC’s).

Key growth industries in the past several years have been in the service and consultancy sectors. The trend of expanding businesses and space requirements is expected to continue and with limited new supply coming to the market, rents will increase.

Source: PropertyWire.com

Foreigners in Bangkok 'looking to lower and mid-priced properties'

admin — 09/09/2011 07:13:00

An increasing number of foreigners living in the Thai capital are turning their attention to properties at the lower and middle end of the market, it has been noted.

The Bangkok Post reported that a shift is taking place among expats in the nation, who are looking for homes in Thailand away from the expensive and crowded city centre.

Speaking to the publication, Patima Jeerapaet, managing director of Colliers International Thailand, said that buyers are focusing on areas along the skytrain's extension lines.

He explained that the district of Thon Buri is popular because there are not many high-rise buildings, while Bang Na is favoured due to the number of international schools located there.

Source: PropertyShowrooms.com

Thailand's luxury property market 'remains static'

admin — 06/09/2011 07:31:00

The luxury property market in Bangkok was broadly static during the second quarter of the year, new figures show.

Research published by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) showed that this sector of the Thai real estate industry has seen a slight fall in capital values in this period, in part due to a reduction in the number of buy-to-let investors entering the sector.

CBRE has predicted that this weakening in demand among investors is likely to "exert further downward pressure on prices in the third quarter".

However, the firm noted that average rents rose marginally, due to tenant demand for higher-quality accommodation.

Source: PropertyShowrooms.com

Foreign investors 'returning to Thai property market'

admin — 26/08/2011 06:11:00

There has been an increase in foreign buyers on the Thai real estate market since the country held peaceful elections earlier this month, it has been noted.

Chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle Thailand Longlom Bunnag told attendees at an event sponsored by Property Report South East Asia that investors viewed the successful elections as "a good sign for the country".

Meanwhile, managing director of Colliers International Thailand Patima Jeerapaet stated that buyers were coming from all over the world, including Singapore, China, Australia, the Middle East, Britain and Japan.

He added that Russian investors appear to be particularly interested in property in Pattaya and Phuket.

Source: PropertyShowrooms.com

Pattaya property market gets a boost

admin — 09/08/2011 07:13:00

The property market in the Thai resort of Pattaya is bouncing back again to become a hot spot for condominium buyers, attracting foreign and Thai investors, according to consultants.

Pattaya’s strategic location will continue to be a key driver for growth in tourism and its property market, says international real estate consultants CB Richard Ellis.

It is the closest beachside town to Bangkok, just over an hour’s drive from the capital, and it has all the amenities including shopping, good food, quality five star hotels and properties, golf courses, and beaches. These factors combined makes Pattaya well positioned for further growth, CBRE adds.

A number of celebrities are also buying in the resort. The latest is former snooker world champion Jimmy White who has bought an apartment in the recently launched luxury beachfront project The Palm Wongamat Beach.

Source: PropertyWire.com

Bangkok property boom rises above bubble fears

admin — 01/08/2011 12:47:00

A 77-storey skyscraper is set to become the latest, and tallest, addition to Bangkok's ever-changing skyline, already transformed by a construction boom that has raised fears of a property bubble.

Variously described on Internet forums as looking "like it has been eaten by giant termites" and reflecting "the chaos of Bangkok", the MahaNakorn -- Great Metropolis -- will tower over the Thai capital when it is finished in 2014.

At 314 metres (1,036 feet) it will be the city's tallest building, but size was not what mattered, said Sorapoj Techakraisri, head of PACE Development, which began building the skyscraper in June.

"I just wanted something unique, something interesting," he told AFP.

Source: AFP

Phuket tourist beaches warned of landslide threat

admin — 22/07/2011 07:17:00

The west coast of Phuket province, known as a tourist paradise, is at risk from landslides due to land-use change and forestry, the Mineral Resources Department revealed yesterday. Kata, Karon, Patong, Kamala and Sai Khao beaches are on alert for landslides during the rainy season.

Lerdsin Raksasakulwong, director of the Mineral Resources Department's Geology Office, said the increasing presence of tourist accommodation in forest areas was the major cause of the landslide threat.

"A lot of mountainsides in Phuket province were damaged to build hotels and resorts," he said.

"These areas have experienced many landslides during the past few years but no one has talked about them as it could affect the tourism industry."

Source: Relax.com.sg

Experts forecast fall in Thai property market

admin — 01/06/2011 07:31:00

At the recent Property Market Outlook in 2011 seminar, analysts indicated that buyers should be able to take advantage of a fall in values, Property Report states.

According to the experts, high interest rates, rising inflation and increased construction costs are all contributing to the decline.

However, it is hoped that new government measures will go some way to improving market conditions.

The new interest-free loan programme is hoped to push those who had been considering purchasing to go ahead and buy while they are still able to take advantage of it.

Source: PropertyShowrooms.com

Asia's tourism industry buoyed by online bookings

admin — 14/04/2011 09:36:00

Asia's continued growth as a tourism destination and as a tourism source were among the main talking points at the region's largest travel industry gathering which wrapped up Tuesday in Beijing.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association's four-day 60th Anniversary and Conference attracted more than 1,000 industry leaders for a series of seminars and celebrations, and the news they heard was good.

PATA released a survey into the global online travel market - seen by the industry as the way of the future for bookings - and it found that while Asian consumers might have constituted only 26 percent of the market last year (compared to 36 percent from Europe and 27 percent from North America), more than 50 percent of that number were aged under 34.

With the Asia Pacific region accounting now for 41 percent of total global internet users, PATA claimed this indicated that the Asian consumers would soon dominate the online market.

Source: Relaxnews/The Independent

Thai restrictions having 'no negative effect' on property market

admin — 08/04/2011 04:39:00

Limitations on foreign ownership in Thailand are preventing overseas buyers from entering the market, it has been claimed.

Bangkok, in particular, did not witness any notable deals and income through real estate during the fourth quarter of 2010, a new report from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) has claimed.

"Although there have been concerns regarding the influx of foreign capital into Thailand, the various restrictions on foreign investment ensured the real estate investment market remained largely dominated by domestic players," the consultancy confirmed.

Indeed, CBRE explained that the market was completely dominated by local buyers following a decision to raise the policy interest rate three times in the second half of 2010.

Source: PropertyShowrooms.com

Flooding strands tourists in Thailand

admin — 30/03/2011 10:39:00

Severe flooding in Thailand has killed at least 11 people and forced the closure of airports in some of the nation's most popular resort areas.

The floods hit the islands of Koh Samui, Krabi, Koh Phangan and Koh Thao, closing Koh Samui airport and stranding 2,000 tourists due to cancellation of flights. A further 800 are stuck in Bangkok and unable to continue on to the islands for their planned holidays.

British tourist Lucy Pennington tweeted earlier today from the island of Krabi, where landslides have led to the disappearance of 20 people so far. "Escaped Railay [Beach] today, everywhere flooding and I don't know how to get to Bangkok", she said. The Thai navy is reportedly sending in its only aircraft carrier to rescue stranded holidaymakers.

Southeast Asia considers EU-style single visa

admin — 18/03/2011 12:29:00

Travellers could soon be able surf in Bali, shop in Singapore and eat spicy street food in Thailand before crossing into Cambodia and cruising the Mekong in Vietnam - all on a single tourist visa.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is working on a plan that would open the region to foreign tourists in the same way Europe's unified visa system has streamlined travel. "You would just have to apply for one visa and you could then visit all the countries using that visa," said Eddy Krisneidi, an official at the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat, which recently released its Tourism Strategic Plan for the next five years.

With attractions ranging from jungle-covered temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia to five-star beach resorts in Bali, Southeast Asia is a region that tempts travellers from all walks of life. ASEAN countries recorded more than 65 million foreign visitor arrivals in 2009. Malaysia led the field, followed by Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei.

Analysts say visitor numbers could be boosted by slashing the time-consuming and confusing visa requirements for each of ASEAN's 10 countries, which range from vibrant developing democracies to isolated, military-dominated Myanmar.

Source: The Independent

New Thailand rail route offers luxury to tourists

admin — 07/03/2011 12:19:00

The Eastern & Oriental is already a regular visitor to Hualamphong on its bread-and-butter journey between two capitals, Bangkok and Singapore. But like its luxurious European relative, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, it is diversifying with a selection of new, more exploratory itineraries that get closer to the fabric of South-east Asia, but without losing the E&O style. Today, it was embarking for its pioneering six-night "Epic Thailand" itinerary.

Thailand makes ideal subject matter for closer examination. Of all the South-east Asian countries, it is easily the most exotic: in food, in religion, in music, in language, and it is a place where the fascination is in the detailing, in the sweep of a temple roof, the delicacy of the carved fruit, the offerings on every street-corner shrine. The train reflects that attention to detail, both in its sumptuous interior – intricate rosewood marquetry on the walls, orchids in the cabin, frangipani flowers in the bathroom, an immaculate cabin attendant who polishes your shoes without you asking – and in the way it plans its itineraries.

For example, on our first full day out of Hualamphong, we'd set off into lesser known eastern Thailand (Isaan) to descend on a village called Maichanmuak, a tiny community which had rarely seen Western tourists before. That's not to say the ground hadn't been thoroughly prepared: half the village was waiting in the temple to take us through the bai sii ceremony, during which threads were tied around our wrists by the village elders to ensure that we would have protection from evil spirits on our journey. And so that we could express our gratitude for being allowed to participate in something so intimate to them, the E&O had prepared gifts for us to give the elders in return, an exchange that made our presence on their territory feel less like an intrusion.

Back in our own travelling throne, the train, it was clear that the flat, dry and infertile Isaan is not obvious tourist territory. Yet its present status as a Thai region papers over its past as part of the territory ruled by the Khmer dynasty, the builders of Angkor Wat. So Isaan has its own network of Khmer temples, too, which were once part of the Angkor masterplan.

The first one we visited was introduced to us after lunch on the train by a rather dry lecture on Khmer Hindu culture and temple design. A couple of hours later, dutifully disembarking for Prasat Sikhoraphum and prepared to be enthusiastic about shiva carvings and decaying brickwork, we found we'd been the patsies in a gentle deception: in fact this was an exotic surprise party, and awaiting us were Thai dancers, musicians, chefs and a couple of elephants who'd turned up dressed in the colours of E&O.

As we rumbled back southwards, with Bangkok's Hualamphong and the realities of life on the horizon once more, I went for a consultation with the palm reader who had just joined the train. I would live until I was 90, she said. I may have had bad knees and a bad back, but I was blessed with two children and a good wife. My life was good, she continued. Given my surroundings it was hard to disagree. One thing, though, she added: I needed to try harder to relax. Good point. So I went back to my cabin and asked Mr Thanasit, my gentlemanly cabin steward, if he wouldn't mind bringing me some afternoon tea.

Source: The Independent

InterContinental launches new Thai resort

admin — 01/03/2011 12:02:00

International hotel chain InterContinental has chosen Phuket, Thailand to launch as the first resort destination for its Hotel Indigo chain, becoming the latest brand to announce it's eyeing the island.

Hotel Indigo, a 'boutique' style brand which aims for individuality with its properties, operates 38 hotels around the world, with the majority in big cities. The February 24 announcement of its entry into Phuket, one of Thailand's most popular destinations for foreign tourists, is a clear sign that it believes it can appeal to all vacationers, not just those on a city break.

The Hotel Indigo Phuket Naithon Beach Resort is slated to open in 2014, offering 120 rooms and 15 villas and classic resort facilities such as an all-day restaurant and bar and swimming pool.

Naithon beach, situated in the eastern shore of Phuket, is known among backpackers as one of the quietest and most unspoiled beaches on the island and an excellent area for diving. It has already caught the attention of hotel developers, with Accor planning a 2011 opening for the 260-room Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach, which will offer multiple restaurants and bars as well as a spa and two pools.

Source: The Independent

UN secretary predicts strong growth for Thailand

Sarah Kendell — 14/01/2011 11:15:00

The Thai economy is expected to grow at least three per cent year-on-year in 2011, based on positive signs from foreign investors, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) secretary-general Supachai Panitchpakdi said on Friday.

"The country's economic foundation is very strong while the government's economic policy will help stimulate domestic demand," Mr Supachai said.

The government should prevent political problems from slowing down the country's economic growth, he said.

The Unctad chief said one of the worrying factors for this year's economy was the volatile baht, which resulted from the economic problems in Europe.

Thai real estate market set to grow

Sarah Kendell — 10/01/2011 15:35:00

The Thai real estate sector is hopeful the domestic market will be on the upswing in the first half
of this year, but is concerned that the price of construction materials will increase, Thai Real Estate
Information Centre director-general Samma Kitsin said on Monday.

Mr Samma said the confidence index of business operators towards the overall economy and the real estate market for the first six months of 2011 rose to 68.7 per cent. The index previously stood at 65.6 per cent.

The confidence index of real estate firms listed in the stock market stood at 74.7 per cent, higher than other unlisted companies at 62.7 per cent.

"Most businesses don't expect any major political events or violence like last year, but they are worried about the likely increase in the price of construction materials because the wholesale price index in this area in 2010 rose two per cent year-on-year," he said.

The price of steel, wood, electrical and plumbing equipment and other construction items had gone up last year. Samma said the retail price of cement dropped eight per cent in 2010, but would likely increase later this year.

Thailand enjoys tourism boom despite troubles

Catherine Deshayes — 23/12/2010 16:50:00

Red Shirts and violent uprisings may have dominated the news from Thailand in the first half of 2010, but it seems it will take more than two months of bloody protests to put tourists off visiting...

The southeast Asian nation is celebrating after announcing a 12.6 per cent rise in visitor numbers for the year so far, despite political turmoil and a shaky world economy.

Nearly 14 million people visited Thailand in the first 11 months of this year, a figure that is expected to rise to 15.8 million by the end of this month.

But while British visitor numbers remain strong, it is actually Indian and Middle Eastern tourists that are the country's fastest-growing markets.

Visitors from other south Asian countries also remained the most loyal, still visiting in large numbers even in the height of the country's violence.

Protests in Bangkok during April and May killed 92 people and even saw the international airport closed at one point, causing unease among potential visitors.

But, despite the bloody images beamed around the world, Thailand still managed to generate £12.3bn through tourism in 2010 - no mean feat in a year when many chose to holiday close to home to keep costs down.

However, the holiday hotspot could well become a victim of its own success in 2011.

The Thai baht currency is becoming stronger, making the country more expensive for foreign visitors.

Thailand's affordability has always been a big selling point for tourists looking for cheap but exotic package holidays.

However, to combat a possible dip in numbers, the country is planning on targeting emerging markets such as China and Indonesia as well as Brazil and Argentina.

So it could be a very international set populating the beaches of Phuket in the future.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

HK, Singapore buyers swarming to Bangkok

Catherine Deshayes — 02/11/2010 20:20:00

The Bangkok condominium market has drawn strong interest lately from overseas investors especially from Asia, says a recent report from Bangkok-based real estate agency Plus Property...

According to the company's assistant managing director Anukul Rathpitaksanti, enquiries from foreign buyers, mainly from Hong Kong and Singapore, have risen more than 15 per cent in the past two months and could account for 20 per cent of new condo sales this quarter.

"Sales of new and second-hand condominiums through our company have topped THB50 million (US$1.67 million) so far. Most of the Hong Kong and Singapore buyers, who are targeting Bangkok, believe that their home markets are overheated. They're also worried about the moves their respective governments take to curb rising property prices," Anukul said.

Last year, property prices in Hong Kong increased 30 per cent. Its government recently decided to restrict personal mortgages by demanding higher deposited ratios for second and third property investments.

Meanwhile the Singapore government has made it compulsory for developers to charge progress payments for any condominium units being sold during the construction process or new launch projects selling off plan.

Anukul added that Hong Kong and Singapore buyers prefer buying in Bangkok as, with the same amount of money, they are restricted to the very bottom end of their home markets while they can get into top end condos in the most sort after locations in Bangkok.

"The average price of a condo unit in Hong Kong is THB400,000 (US$13,342) psm and a unit in Singapore is not far behind that figure while in Bangkok, buyers can buy a unit from quality developer at THB80,000 (US$2,668) psm".

In terms of overall prospects of the regional market, Anukul opined that the issue of low interest rates is just part of what is fueling regional market.

"Currently, the Asian region is awash with cash by comparison to the rest of the world. Bangkok condominiums are also seen as a low risk cash generating option, particularly when they can be bought for as little of one third of Hong Kong prices. Although there are predictions of rising interest rates, the issue is not a big concern for Hong Kong and Singapore buyers as they tend to pay in cash and those who do borrow seem to be well aware of a 50 per cent hike in interest rates over the next two years," Anukul concluded.

Source: www.property-report.com

Rising demand for luxury Thai property

Catherine Deshayes — 13/10/2010 06:53:00

Demand for luxury real estate in popular far east tourist destinations such as Phuket and Koh Samui is increasing and experts are upbeat on the medium and long term outlook for the region...

Property firms are reporting a recovery of purchasing power affecting the luxury residential markets in Bangkok as well as resort destinations and projects that were on hold are now moving forward.

For example, the Met at Sathon, which suspended sales two years ago, has seen a resurgence of demand for luxury residences and has opened sales once again for the final 40 units in the 370 unit development.

Pace Development, which has two luxury condominiums, Saladaeng Residence and the Maha Nakhon project, said it has seen rising demand for both projects over the past two months, resulting in sales worth Bt600 million.

Foreign real estate investors from Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore and India are driving the new enthusiasm and according to David Simister, chairman of property consultants CR Richard Ellis (Thailand), the medium and long term demand for residential projects in Phuket and Koh Samui has recovered significantly.

He said that for two years, residential projects in Phuket and Koh Samui had been affected by a combination of local politics and the global financial crisis. The purchasing power of foreign buyers has been reduced by the strength of the baht against depreciating European currencies and the continuing economic crisis.

Looking forward, there is potential for improvement in Thailand's resort markets in the medium term. But Simister expects the number of foreign buyers to increase as the economies in which they live and work improve and the local political outlook also improves.

Thailand's resort market is well positioned for growth because it has a lot to offer in terms of lifestyle, quality beaches and value for money and it enjoys a high percentage of repeat visits.

CB Richard Ellis's Phuket office has seen an increasing number of inquiries and interest in residential properties, while the company expects property viewings and sales to increase during the high season, Simister added.

However, demand is still expected to be well below pre-crisis levels as European markets have not fully recovered because of the weakness of European currencies. Instead, the company is seeing concentrated demand for Phuket properties from within the region. It is also seeing more interest and inquires from the Indian market.

Buyers are focusing on re Sale properties and completed projects as most are unwilling to take risks. The island's west coast remains the primary area of interest on the development side, with a limited number of project launches in the upper end of the market. Most new launches are condo minium projects.

Simister said he also saw a trend towards more action among Thai developers who already have strategic land holdings in Phuket. Some are already active in the Phuket market, but are looking to expand, while others who acquired prime sites many years ago and are now looking to develop. There are several projects in the pipeline, mainly in the planning and design phase.

Although Koh Samui has a smaller volume market than that in Phuket, Simister said he believed there were individual bargains to be had in both land and properties and certain sites could be purchased at prices lower than those of two to three years ago. However, continued growth is seen in the medium to long term. ‘People still enjoy Thailand and there are repeat visitors who are ready to become purchasers,' he said.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Protests have 'not impacted on Thai property market'

Catherine Deshayes — 26/08/2010 07:40:00

The protests which took place in Bangkok earlier this year have had little effect on the Thai real estate market, property investors will be interested to hear...   

According to CB Richard Ellis, there has been little change in the property sector in recent months, and real estate developers are again marketing new projects, reports Property Community. 

"There are limited investment choices in Thailand, the stock market is seen as being volatile, the fixed income market is very small and so money is being driven to the property market," said the firm's executive director James Pitchon.

"Interest rates are going to have to rise substantially before people decide that keeping money in the bank on deposit is better idea than investing in property."  

Last month, Property Abroad suggested that Thailand's property market could benefit from the political turmoil, with the issues within the nation creating a low-cost environment which will appeal to savvy buyers and is likely to lead to some good yields. 

Source: www.propertyshowrooms.com

Thailand slashing prices to woo tourists

Catherine Deshayes — 26/07/2010 07:25:00

Tourism operators are offering cut-price travel deals to Thailand in a bid to draw visitors back to the country following the latest bout of political violence...

With government travel warnings downgraded, a growing number of Thai and Australian operators and online retailers are offering steep discounts - up to 50 per cent - on package trips and hotel stays in Bangkok, Ko Samui and Phuket.

"Price-wise it's a great time to visit Thailand and there are some incredible deals on offer,'' the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) chief executive officer, Greg Duffell, says. "These discounts range from straight percentage reductions in prices to packaged offers such as two-for-one deals and added-value packages that provide additional services as part of the offering.''

This includes hotel and tour deals expanded to include complimentary airport transfers, room upgrades, food and beverage deals, spa treatments, internet access, day tours, kids' clubs (day care) and access to water sports equipment.

The Thai government and tourism authorities are scrambling to rebuild the country's tourism brand, which has been damaged by years of sporadic political unrest. The anti-government protests and military crackdown in April and May resulted in more than 80 people killed, nearly 2000 wounded and scores of buildings damaged or destroyed.

In the immediate aftermath of the latest outbreak of violence, industry groups such as the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and PATA cautioned against widespread discounting as potentially damaging to the long-term health of the country's tourism industry.

But operators have come under increasing pressure to slash their rates in the face of a growing list of major hotels, tour companies and wholesalers that have already discounted. More special offers are expected to appear as tourism authorities and operators begin aggressive advertising campaigns designed to restore consumer confidence and boost visitor numbers from July to September.

TAT is about to use an injection of government funds to launch a "Bangkok is Back" campaign to encourage visitors to the city.

Intrepid Travel and Qantas Holidays are also planning to launch campaigns. "We'll definitely be active in promoting the destination, it's one of our biggest markets," the general manager of Qantas Holidays, Chris Rankin, says.

Travel.com.au reports that at least one airline has lowered its return airfare from Melbourne and Sydney to Bangkok to $883 from $1149 in February. "We're predicting other airlines that do fly to Thailand and Bangkok are going to lower their fares as well," a Travel.com.au spokeswoman says.

There are predictions that the discounting and special offers won't last for long.

"These sorts of things tend to last at least for a couple of months but the deepest discounting occurs closest to the event,'' the retail manager for Expedia Australia and New Zealand, Chris Hann, says. ''In the next two to three weeks, we're going to see these very deep discounts and then they will slowly dry up,"

Anecdotal reports from travel retailers suggest the Australian market in Thailand has rebounded since the government's travel warnings were downgraded. Many report visitor and booking numbers remained strong for Phuket throughout the recent crisis as travellers were able to use its international airport to bypass Bangkok.

Source: www.theage.com.au

Thai developers look overseas

Catherine Deshayes — 20/07/2010 13:28:00

Thai property developers are starting to look at overseas markets for new opportunities because of the intense competition in the Thai market, according to international property consultants CB Richard Ellis...

They are looking, in the first instance at nearby markets in Vietnam and Cambodia because of their proximity, level of development and the fact that local competition is not as well developed as the more mature markets such as Malaysia, the consultants say.

‘There are a wide range of opportunities in the Vietnamese and Cambodian markets from city centre office, retail, residential and hotel developments through to the growing resort markets in these countries as well as industrial estate opportunities,' said James Pitchon, head of research and consulting at CBRE Thailand.

He reckons it will prove a challenge for the developers as rules and regulations governing property development and ownership are different in other countries and the dynamics of each of the property sectors in these countries is also different to Thailand.

Accurate information on regulations, supply, demand, pricing, competitors and prospects for each property sector is essential for a Thai developer to succeed in a new market,' he explained.

CBRE established offices in Vietnam in 2003 and now has over 200 real estate professionals operating out of offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang. Its research, consulting and marketing teams have already worked with a large number of overseas developers who have successfully built projects in both the main cities and resort areas.

CBRE established and office in Phnom Penh in 2009 and have been advising clients on the Cambodian market for many years before the office opened. David Simister, chairman of CBRE Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam advised the Australian Government on the acquisition of a new site for their Phnom Penh Embassy in 2005.

‘There is very little publicly available information on the Vietnamese or Cambodian markets. CBRE sells and leases properties in these countries everyday which is why we have the best market data on actual transactions and future supply. This enables us to provide our clients with the best market data giving them the best knowledge to enable them to succeed,' said Pitchon.

He believes that there are opportunities for Thai developers to acquire or build properties in both Cambodia and Vietnam but accurate market research will be critical in order to succeed.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Bangkok tourists banned from elephant feeding

Catherine Deshayes — 19/07/2010 07:16:00

You can still feed elephants in Thailand's bustling capital - but it could cost you...

Bangkok authorities said on Monday anyone caught handing bunches of bananas or sugar cane to the hulking beasts - proffered by their handlers in a ruse to make money - faces a 10,000 baht ($A364.63) fine.

Thailand has about 2400 domestic elephants. There is little demand these days for the animals' traditional skills in logging and other labour, so owners sometimes loan them out for begging from tourists and locals in major cities.

"The ordinance is issued to prevent untidiness or danger toward properties and lives of Bangkok residents," said Manit Techa-apichoke, deputy director of the City Law Enforcement Department, adding there had been cases of elephants hurting people and falling into drains.

Friends of the Asian Elephant, a Thai non-government group which cares for injured or mistreated elephants, called the fines a good start.

"I've been asking for them to do this for 15 years," said its founder, Soraida Salwalla, adding that she hoped other Thai cities would follow suit. "It's not the total solution, but it's a help."

Previously, mahouts - as elephant handlers are known - and their accomplices were fined for bringing an elephant into Bangkok, but those feeding the animal escaped punishment. Typically a tourist would pay 20 baht ($A.71) for the privilege of handing a bunch of fruit or vegetables into the elephant's trunk.

Manit said those caught feeding the animals would be fined, though they may get warned first.

He said authorities had caught 30 elephants in Bangkok in the past four months, but none since the new ordinance came into effect on July 1, although handlers were finding ways to circumvent the crackdown.

"Mahouts have adopted a new tactic of using baby elephants and taking them from place to place on a pickup truck," he said. "They now work in the suburbs, instead of camping right in the heart of the city as they used to."

Source: AP

Airline food at home? Thai it

Catherine Deshayes — 23/06/2010 12:49:00

Fans of Thai Airways food can soon enjoy the airline's curries on the ground...

Thai Airways will start selling seven ready-made curry sauces later this month at its Puff & Pie Bakery shops in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, marketing director Kasem Sriprapakara said.

It's aiming for the business traveller who had a good in-flight culinary experience but has no time to whip up tasty Thai food at home, said Kasem.

It's also a way to help the airline recover from losses due to recent political unrest in Bangkok.

The airline is also trying to standardise its Thai curries after passengers on inbound flights from Europe complained the food lacked the Thai touch for balancing sweet, spicy and salty.

The new line includes favourites like Massaman, Penang and green curry sauces which - like airline food - are designed to last.

"It has a one-year shelf life," Kasem said, thanks to an innovative pouch that eliminates the need for preservatives and enables the curry to taste almost as fresh as in a restaurant.

"It definitely tastes almost the same. I'm sure you cannot recognise the difference."

Source: AP

Thai cleanup gets underway

Catherine Deshayes — 25/05/2010 07:24:00

Australia reopened its embassy in Bangkok yesterday, as Thailand cleans up after the military crackdown on anti-government protests last week...

A DFAT spokeswoman said the mission was open to the public a week after it closed, but that Australians were still advised not to travel to Bangkok "due to the ongoing risk of sporadic violence".

Visitors were also advised to avoid the "unsafe" Rachaprasong area in central Bangkok, and keep in touch with advice from local media and authorities.

Schools, streets and government agencies have also reopened in the Thai capital after they were shut during clashes between security forces and "Red Shirts" protesters.

'Everything is calm'

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said "everything is calm and returning to normalcy" in his regular Sunday television address, appearing relaxed and confident as two months of crisis that has left 86 dead and 1900 injured abated.

However, authorities extended a curfew until Tuesday in Bangkok and 23 other provinces "for security reasons".

On the streets of Bangkok yesterday, a clean-up was under way to remove tonnes of debris and garbage after Wednesday's offensive on a protest encampment that had paralysed the shopping district for six weeks.

Hordes of workers and volunteers, including foreigners, scraped away political graffiti and posters, wielded power hoses and poured foaming detergent to scrub the streets clean.

Many wore T-shirts printed with a slogan that read "Together We Can" and a heart drawn in the colours of the Thai flag.

"Last week was terrible in Bangkok and we feel very sorry for everybody. So we would like to help clean up the city. I think it's part of the healing process," said a Dutch teacher living in the capital.

Tourism industry impacted

Thailand's tourism industry has been hurt by the bloody clashes, with travellers avoiding the capital city as the conflict drew to a head last week.

"There has been a fairly dramatic impact in the city Bangkok," said John Koldowski, deputy chief executive of Pacific Asia Travel Association, on the phone from Bangkok.

"The numbers won't be out for another week or so simply because a lot of those offices were shut. But visibly, it's certainly well down."

Mr Koldowski said Thailand's travel woes were restricted to certainly parts of Bangkok, and the industry was expected to bounce back as the violence lessened.

"Thailand certainly is not used to something on this scale, but they are handling it in their own way.

"Once that's over, tourism bounces back fairly quickly."

Haydn Long, a Flight Centre spokesman, said Australian tourists have been staying away from Bangkok but still travelling to beach destinations like Koh Samui and Phuket.

"Thailand is one of the most popular destinations with Australian travellers and it has been affected a bit over the past month," he said.

"The growth has slowed over the last month or so just year-on-year.

"With people who are making a booking last month, probably some of those people are going 'there's a bit of unrest in Thailand, we might not go there for this holiday, we might go to Fiji or Bali instead'."

Source: smh.com.au

Biometric hiccup in Bali

Catherine Deshayes — 24/05/2010 10:40:00

Biometric security measures introduced at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport have been scrapped...

According to local media, it was taking up to four hours to fingerprint and photograph tourists wanting a short-stay visa. Such was the chaos that it took only one week for authorities, worried about the impact on tourism, to revert to the old screening system for international visitors.

It is believed the system will be reinstated after the glitches are fixed.

Source: www.theage.com.au

Thai resorts: safe?

Catherine Deshayes — 19/05/2010 12:10:00

Thailand's tourism industry is feeling the effects of the increasingly violent protests in Bangkok in spite of the fact that few resorts outside of Bangkok are affected by the strife...

Parts of Bangkok have been rendered a 'no-man's land' with the protests now claiming 66 lives and injuring more than 1,600 since they began in March. In recent days the situation in the capital has deteriorated - 37 of the deaths have taken place since Thursday - with the violence showing no sign of abating.

Calls for United Nations mediation talks have been rebuffed by the government, which called on the protest leaders to surrender.

In the latest updates to FCO advice, the Foreign Office is advising travellers against all but essential travel - the second highest level of advice - to Bangkok calling the situation 'unpredictable' and warning against visiting areas including 'Ratchaprarop, Din Daeng, Lumpini Park, Sala Daeng, Silom, Sathorn and Bon Kai'.

The Foreign Office also warned of 'a continued risk that acts of violence could take place outside these areas without warning, including department stores' after Red Shirts protesters threatened to set off explosions in popular shopping areas in the city.

Away from Bangkok however, holiday resorts are welcoming guests as normal. Frances Tuke from ABTA, The Travel Association, told TravelMail that holidaymakers heading to destinations across Thailand should be able to continue with their plans as normal: 'Resorts such as Koh Samui, Phuket and Krabi are absolutely fine - the problem does seem to be contained to Bangkok.'

'And for those transiting via Bangkok, the FCO is advising that the airport is currently unaffected by the problems.

'Obviously, travellers who were due to spend part of their holiday in the city will need to speak to their operator about changing that part of their itinerary.'

A mass exodus of British tourists has already left Bangkok in the wake of the bloody anti-government demonstrations.

The British Embassy in Bangkok has been caught up in the street clashes and was closed over much of the weekend.

One British couple trapped in the Bangkok 'live fire zone' claim they were happily unaware of the violence outside because their hotel hid the news sections of the newspapers and turned off the internet.

Gary Wilson, 29, and Urszula Wojciechowski, 39, arrived at their Bangkok hotel at 6pm last Thursday, just as the first shots and bombs went off.

They heard loud bangs, but nobody said anything, so they assumed it was just a monsoon storm and went out for a drink.

A tuk-tuk driver took them to a nearby club called 'Boss', and they said they were curious as to why the club was empty.

'The following morning we went to read the Bangkok newspapers but the hotel staff had removed all the news sections,' said Miss Wojciechowski.

'In our room we had seen nothing on television because there was only Fox TV. But Fox seemed more interested in Paris Hilton than the situation in Bangkok.'

Around 30 people have been killed and hundreds injured over the past three days in Bangkok after police and soldiers moved in an attempt to clear protesters.

Officials last night defended the military crackdown as the death toll rose during increasingly violent clashes with anti-government protesters.

The couple from Loughborough had booked into the Baiyoke Boutique hotel in Rajaprarop, slap bang in the centre of a 'live fire zone' between the army lines and protesters.

A wrong turn outside the hotel could have meant the difference between life and death.

'As we did not have newspapers and did not understand any Thai we didn't understand just how bad it was around her,' said Mr Wilson.

'We wanted to eat authentic Thai food and so stupidly we got a taxi to take us to any Thai restaurant. We sat there on our own all night.

'On the way home we saw soldiers again. They were shouting at the driver to stop and pointing their guns. We were very scared.

'We started wandering around some alleyways when we found a German sitting in a little cafe [who] explained that we had to cross the 'kill zone' to get back to our hotel.'

Miss Wojciechowski added: 'I've never been so scared. We walked with our hands in the air praying we wouldn't be shot. My heart was pounding.'

The couple are flying home tomorrow.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Britons: avoid travel to Thailand?

Catherine Deshayes — 30/04/2010 09:47:00

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has criticised the Foreign Office for advising against travelling to the south-east Asian country...

Yesterday, the Foreign Office's advice that Britons should avoid all but essential travel to Bangkok was extended to the whole of the country, where at least 26 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 have been hurt in anti-government clashes.

The decision leaves hundreds of holidaymakers with little choice but to cancel or postpone their trips, even if they are not travelling to Bangkok, where the vast majority of protests have occurred.

The TAT and the Royal Thai Embassy have requested a meeting with the Foreign Office tomorrow morning to discuss removing the blanket warning.

"We accept the advice against travelling to Bangkok," said a spokeswoman for TAT. "Although the protests are not aimed at tourists, there is major disruption. But we do believe it is excessive to advise against travel to the rest of the country."

She added that a number of independent travellers were continuing to arrive in the country, despite the Foreign Office's warning. However, Abta, the travel association, today warned that travel insurance policies would not cover those who had gone to Thailand aware of the Foreign Office's advice.

Andrew Marshall, a journalist based in Bangkok, described the Foreign Office's decision as "absurd".

"The number of protestors is diminishing, and they are always found in just one part of the city," said Mr Marshall. "Incidents outside Bangkok have been going on for weeks, so I can't understand why the Foreign Office have now changed their advice.

"It's sad for the Thai people, who rely heavily on tourism, and would never wish to hurt holidaymakers," he added. "I would happily send my mother out here and just tell her to keep an eye on the news reports."

Package holidaymakers scheduled to travel to Thailand are advised to contact their tour operator. Kuoni, the luxury holiday specialist, has said it will not allow any of its customers to press ahead with their travel plans. It is permitting holidaymakers to rebook their trips on alternative dates or cancel their holiday without charge.

A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook said that all customers with package holiday bookings would have to rearrange their trips, or cancel them free of charge. Those passengers with flight-only bookings would be able to travel, she said, although they will be advised not to.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Ongoing unrest to hurt Bangkok?

Catherine Deshayes — 28/04/2010 11:01:00

The Bangkok property market has proved quite resilient in recent years but the ongoing political unrest will hurt foreign sentiment, while local buyers are likely to take events in their stride, according to real estate experts...

‘A lot of buying in Bangkok is for end users, owner occupiers, and people still need a roof over their head and this situation doesn't have any impact on that,' said Robert Collins, managing director of Savills (Thailand).

While foreign property buyers may have been spooked in the short term, Collins expects them to return once the situation normalises.

‘So the long term outlook remains very positive, the fundamentals are very strong. It's obviously too early to tell the immediate impact other than the sentiment of foreign buyers will be hit, but I think it will be a very short term situation,' he explained.

He added that the clashes were very localised incidents and while very serious, they were not as bad as the foreign media portrayed them to be.

So far Savills has not experienced any negative concern from its foreign owners of property in Thailand, mainly because the lead up to the political crisis has been so long. ‘If it was fresh, yes, then we would expect property to be quite severely affected,' he said.

However Savills' management business, which handles a large number of buildings in central Bangkok, is feeling an immediate impact. ‘That is an area where we have had contact from our clients asking us to increase security and making the building as secure as possible in the eventuality that protesters spread into the areas where they haven't moved to yet,' explained Collins.

‘But again it comes back to the fact that apart from the very localised areas where the protests are being held the problem is very contained,' he added.

However, the violent turn of the drawn out political crisis is likely to have a far greater effect on resort markets. ‘For Pattaya, Koh Samui and Phuket the impact will be felt immediately, not only in terms of less new demand for buying resort properties, but also the hotel occupancy will be down and the businesses that service the tourism sector will continue to suffer. So that is the area where it's quite a different story,' he explained.

But it is harder for the real estate market to take strides forward. ‘We should expect the market to continue to remain lacklustre aside from the domestic homeowner housing sector which is performing exceedingly well,' he added.

Where rentals are concerned, Collins pointed out that there are certainly fewer expatriates with large rental budgets moving into Thailand at the moment, mainly because economic growth elsewhere in the region is better. Vietnam and Cambodia are seeing strong economic expansion, while there has been an extraordinary recovery in both Hong Kong and Singapore since late 2008.

‘A lot of senior expatriates in the region are gravitating toward markets where the business is a lot more robust and that has led to a decline in the number of active parties seeking accommodation in Bangkok,' he said.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Unrest continues in Thailand

Catherine Deshayes — 22/04/2010 10:47:00

Thailand's political crisis has been an increasing source of concern for visiting tourists for weeks...

But the often violent protests in Bangkok have taken a new turn with some of the capital's finest hotels now turning guests away for fear of violence on their doorsteps.

The Grand Hyatt and InterContinental hotels in Bangkok have told guests they will have to leave, while The Four Seasons remains open but has closed all four of its restaurants and its cavernous lobby is empty.

Advice on the FCO website states: 'The political situation in Thailand remains volatile. British Nationals should exercise extreme caution throughout the country, and avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, some of which have turned violent'.

And tensions escalated today, a day after the hotels closed their doors, amid an ongoing standoff between armed soldiers and anti-government protesters who have vowed to remain in the centre of Bangkok until a new election is called.

The Red Shirt protesters have occupied the capital's luxury hotel and shopping district for 19 days in their six-week bid to overthrow the government.

Upmarket malls closed almost immediately, as protesters transformed the area into a noisy and litter-strewn tent camp with outdoor showers and portable toilets for the thousands of supporters sleeping on the pavement.

The five-star hotels most affected by the protests are in the middle of the Red Shirt camp, which stretches for several blocks.

Protesters have barricaded access to the area by blocking major boulevards with a wall of tyres topped with sharpened bamboo spears and backed up by trucks parked sideways.

The army says it is prepared to use greater force in any confrontations because of the danger posed by the weapons.

'The situation is very tense. We are relocating guests to other hotels for their safety,' said Patty Lerdwittayaskul, a spokeswoman at the 380-room Grand Hyatt Erawan, which announced yesterday that it would close until at least Saturday.

The nearby Holiday Inn and InterContinental also found safer accommodation for their guests and said new reservations would not be accepted until Monday.

The protesters, formally known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, were initially camped in a historic district of Bangkok.

But a failed attempt on April 10 by security forces to flush protesters from the area erupted into the worst political violence Thailand has seen in two decades.

It left 25 dead and more than 800 wounded. It also prompted the protesters to consolidate in the shopping zone, which has become their strategic stronghold.

Tensions mounted again at the beginning of this week when the government deployed soldiers in combat gear near the shopping area, known as Rajprasong, to block a planned march to the nearby Silom Road business district.

The march has been called off but a standoff remains that threatens greater damage to Thailand's vital tourism sector, which accounts for six per cent of the economy.

'No more "Land of Smiles" - the image has been destroyed,' said Apichart Sankary, from the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations, referring to Thailand's tourist-friendly nickname.

'Tourists are frightened to see military personnel carrying guns. They can't believe this is Thailand.'

Hotel occupancy - which is normally at 60 or 70 per cent at this time of year has slipped to an average of 30 per cent, Apichart said.

But hotels in the protest zone were far below the average. Retailers and hotels in the area say they have lost tens of millions of dollars.

'You cannot stay here,' a member of staff in the InterContinental's lobby told a group of Egyptian guests who were due to check-out the following morning but were being transferred to a Marriott away from the protest zone.

One of them, Walid Moustafa, a Cairo gem dealer, said he wasn't bothered by the protesters but found the relocation an inconvenience.

'It's been a little bit noisy. But the Red Shirts were very nice,' he said. 'They allowed our taxis to come through. I think it's safe - just don't stay in this hotel.'

Four Seasons general manager Rainer Stampfer said occupancy was 'absolutely minimal' and the hotel was not accepting any bookings until Monday.

'We have prepared hotel limousines to escort existing guests who wish to stay at a different hotel. We recommend that they stay elsewhere.'

Like all hotels in the area, the Four Seasons has put up metal barricades to block protesters from spilling in. But it has not been able to escape the stench of about 30 portable toilets trucked in for the protesters.

They are demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva call early elections.

The protesters consist mainly of poor rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-democracy activists who opposed the military coup that ousted him in 2006.

They believe Abhisit's government is illegitimate because it came to power through a parliamentary vote after disputed court rulings ousted two elected, pro-Thaksin administrations.

They have hung a giant banner between two shuttered shopping malls that apologises in English to Bangkok's foreign visitors: 'Welcome to Thailand. We Just Want Democracy.'

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Bangkok: violence won't dampen festival

Catherine Deshayes — 15/04/2010 10:27:00

As revellers splashed each other with water and daubed their faces with clay, it was hard to believe three days earlier Bangkok's most famous tourist street had been the scene of deadly clashes...

Thai protesters and foreign visitors alike ran around Khaosan Road this week brandishing water guns, close to a memorial for the victims of the weekend's violence that left 21 people dead and more than 800 hurt.

They came to celebrate the New Year water festival, a three-day annual event held as Thailand's tropical summer gets underway.

But this year's "Songkran" was nearly abandoned after the country's bloodiest civil unrest in 18 years erupted on Saturday as security forces attempted to end a month of rallies by anti-government "Red Shirts".

"Today I'm coming to play Songkran, I'm going to the (political) rally, and to pay respect to the dead," said 45-year-old protester Noy Moonchapirom, from Nong Khai province in the rural northeast.

Budget travellers staying at guesthouses in the historic quarter said their spirits had not been dampened by the political violence.

"I heard about it a few days ago but then decided to book a ticket to Thailand anyway just because I really wanted to be here for Songkran," said 18-year-old Tom Marsh as he took a soaking from a nearby water bucket.

"I think lots of people have been put off coming to Bangkok... because they think it's going to maybe put a downer on Songkran," said the Briton.

"But I don't think it's of any direct risk to people who aren't protesting."

Khaosan Road was a riot of colour as drenched party-goers filled the street wearing a full spectrum of shades, including bright red -- symbol of the populist political movement campaigning for immediate elections.

The crowd thronged the backpacker street lined with cafes and guesthouses, with young and old Thais mingling with travellers from overseas in one big water fight.

The New Year festival is also celebrated in neighbouring Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, but is best-known in Thailand, where most revellers in the capital head to Silom's business district or Khaosan Road.

But some said the political turmoil had taken its toll on the festivities.

"In the past it was more fun. I'm quite disappointed," said 30-year-old Meehai Naksaya, from central Supanburi province, who was attending the capital's celebrations for the first time.

Thailand's political problems also interrupted last year's New Year celebrations when Red Shirt riots again turned violent, leading to the 2009 festival being coined "Bloody Songkran".

But water-gun seller Saranya Torcharoenwat, 39, said the effect of politics on her trade this year was far worse.

"Compared to this time last year it's not good. Sales have dropped dramatically," she said.

Source: AFP

Upward trend for Bangkok

Catherine Deshayes — 14/04/2010 10:36:00

Land prices in central Bangkok have increased by 88% since 2007 and the upward trend is expected to continue despite the worst political unrest in almost 20 years which has left 21 dead and over 800 injured...

Research from real estate company Binswanger Brooker (Thailand) shows that prices for prime plots in the central Ploenchit area of the city have exceeded the heady levels of 2008 as listed developers such as Sansiri, Raimon Land and the Central Group invest heavily to secure prime plots for future development and major local investors look to diversify from their core businesses.

In March this year there has been an unprecedented amount of activity with two high value transactions taking place, belying the current political climate which has seen the violence on the streets escalate as opposition ‘red shirt' protestors demand that parliament is dissolved and new elections called.

The company points out that the purchase by Sansiri of a 3,200 square meter plot adjacent to the American ambassador's residence on Wireless Road for $36 million set a new record for land prices in Thailand, confirming that CBD sites are rapidly growing in value due to their scarcity.

Chief executive Nigel Cornick said that a limited supply of freehold land combined with high demand for central locations was driving prices up, even during the current political impasse. ‘There is very strong demand for compact but high-end residential condominiums in downtown locations from the domestic market which is boosting land values as suitable plots are increasingly few and far between for developers to purchase,' he explained.

‘Some of the developers also plan to construct hotels on the prime plots, which further demonstrates that this is an asset class that local investors still have confidence in,' he said.

Cornick added that prices would continue to rise sharply and one of the reasons for the flurry of activity in recent months was due to the withdrawal of the transfer fee, stamp duty and business tax exemption on the newly revised date of May 31.

‘The resale value of this category is also high as this aspect of the market matures, which is another factor drawing local investors to this product. We expect this positive outlook for these areas to very much continue in the future as values rise. It is also good news for Thailand generally as this research indicates the property market remains healthy despite the exposure Bangkok has to current political activities,' he said.

Cornick added that with land values for freehold plots increasing, there was a likely knock-on effect for leasehold sites that would also increase in value, with major benefits going to the Crown Property Bureau who have significant leasehold land holdings in prime central areas of Bangkok.

Although the Thai stock market has seen steep falls because of the political unrest there seem few concerns that it will affect the real estate market.

Source: www.propertywire.com

New guidelines for Thai market

Catherine Deshayes — 24/02/2010 11:14:00

Thai lenders and the investment community will find it easier to set internationally recognised values on investment property under construction after a new guidance note was issued by the International Valuation Standards Council...

It is a necessary step in bringing transparency to the Thai real estate market and all emerging sectors, according to Simon Landy, executive chairman of Colliers International Thailand.

‘Partially completed buildings have always been something of a grey area when it comes to establishing their true value, not only in Thailand but in many markets around the world. With the anticipated level of merger and acquisition activity in international markets over the next few years, more certainty is required in the way these values are established,' he explained.

This new guideline will provide an internationally recognised benchmark which will assist in bringing transparency and clarity to valuations of incomplete property assets, especially in listed companies,' he added.

Meanwhile others in the industry are concerned that a strong currency could have a negative impact on Thailand's real estate market. The rapid increase in the US dollar/Thai baht is said to be due to the weakness of the US dollar around the globe and more by continued inflow of foreign capital to Thailand, particularly via the stock market.

‘Whilst certain economists encourage the government to reduce interest rates further in effort to curb the baht strength, low interest rates would help property developers burdened with borrowings. They would also benefit the residential sectors as mortgage for home purchases will be less costly for buyers,' he said but added; ‘However, we expect the impact of the strong Baht to be more negative than positive on the real estate sector'.

A stronger Thai baht has diminished the attractiveness of residential and resort real estate in Thailand. Many of these properties are targeted at foreigners either residing in Thailand as a second or retirement residence, or for vacation purposes. These foreign buyers have been getting less for their dollar as the domestic currency has strengthened, he explained.

The same trend applies to real estate from a broader investment perspective. Though Thai properties still appear inexpensive relative to comparable product in many other markets around the Asian Pacific region, the prices have risen significantly when quoted in US dollars.

‘If overseas investors decide to acquire real estate assets in Thailand now they may have to pay approximately 8% more, compared to the beginning of the year,' Suphin pointed out.

There is also concern about oversupply in the Bangkok residential market. According to Sopon Pornchokchia, president of Thailand's Agency for Real Estate Affairs, said that 2009 was the first year since 2003 to witness a situation where the number of units being launched was smaller than the number of units completed.

But the impact of the global economic crisis has had only a slight effect on real estate sales, he revealed. Some 15% fewer units were launched last year than in 2008. But detached houses worth between THB1 million and THB3 million were still popular as were lower priced townhouses and condominium units.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Thai developer ‘expanding aggressively'

Catherine Deshayes — 04/01/2010 10:55:00

A leading Thai developer is to expand aggressively in 2010 and looking to invest in China, Indonesia and the Maldives...

In a sign that developers are looking towards markets in Asia as holding the best prospects for the coming year, Preuksa Real Estate, revealed it is in negotiations to build its portfolio outside Thailand and to diversify into new markets.

Chief Operating Officer Prasert Taedullayasatit said the company is in negotiations to set up a joint venture with the Maldives government to construct a low-rise residential project next year.

It is exploring investment opportunities in China and Indonesia as both countries have large populations and demand for residential real estate is strong.

It already owns two residential projects in India and is working on an 85% owned project in Vietnam.

Taedullayasatit said the company will realize around one billion baht next year from the projects in India and Vietnam.

Revenue from overseas investments is expected to contribute 40% of the company's total revenue target of 100 billion baht in 2017, he added.

While developers in the Middle East struggle with challenging finances, the Thai company has set an industry record in 2009, chalking up presales of 23 billion baht, beating the 22 billion baht achieved in 2005 by Land & Houses, Thailand's largest property developer by revenue.

Preuksa's presales in the fourth quarter of the year are poised to hit eight billion baht, beating its previous quarterly high of 5.99 billion baht in the third quarter.

Taedullayasatit confirmed that the company's revenue this year will exceed its target, while net profit will rise from last year's 2.73 billion baht.

‘The key to success is our cost competitive edge and speed of construction.

Our building cycle for townhouses and single, detached houses takes around 60 days only, but our suppliers give us 75 days in credit.

It means we have money from customers' reservation before we pay to the suppliers,' he said.

Townhouses and single, detached houses account for 75% of the company's revenue, while condominiums make up the rest.

Preuksa is expected to enjoy around 25 to 30% growth in both presales and revenue next year, well above the industry's growth of 5% to 10%.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Thailand, Outer Hebrides

Catherine Deshayes — 18/12/2009 10:49:00

The white sands and gently lapping turquoise sea make Thailand's Kai Bae Beach look like heaven on earth - there is just one problem. The picture is actually of a beach on beautiful but chilly Berneray island in Scotland's Outer Hebrides...

The give-away is the picturesque range of the Harris Hills in the background of the promotional picture.

The gaff was first spotted by British writer, Ian McNamara, who runs a small guest house on Koh Chang island where Kai Bae Beach is located and mentioned it on his tourist guide blog www.iamkohchang.com.

He spotted the Scottish photo on a signboard displayed in the tourist centre at Koh Chang Marine National Park and realised he couldn't see the distant mountains which were shown in the shot.

He said: "Pedantic nit-pickers may point out that there aren't actually any mountain ranges visible offshore from Kai Bae beach.

"But it is still a nice photo. And so what if the beach in the photo is really located on the isle of Berneray in Scotland?

He continued: "Turns out there is an obvious explanation. Rather than send someone with a camera down to Kai Bae, the National Park decided to promote a beach on Koh Chang using a photo taken from the internet. In this case a picture of the Harris Hills as seen from a beach on the Isle of Berneray in Scotland."

The Thai authorities, who are keen to promote the area as a top tourist destination, seemingly 'borrowed' the picture from the website www.isleofberneray.com.

It was originally taken by John Kirriemuir four years ago and he was astounded to learn it had travelled to the other side of the world.

He said: "True, there are some similarities - great sand, unpolluted sea. But also some differences. If you swam off both beaches, you would very quickly realise what one of them is."

His laid-back reaction to the use of his photo to promote Thailand is echoed by the Scottish Tourist Board.

A VisitScotland spokesperson said: "They do say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, so although the use of the photo of a beach on the Isle of Berneray to represent a Thai beach is somewhat misleading, I'm sure it is a compliment in disguise."

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Thailand removes ‘demon statues'

Catherine Deshayes — 11/11/2009 11:15:00

Thailand's main airport is to relocate 12 giant "demon statues" to boost the morale of staff who thought the figures brought bad luck, local media and officials said on Tuesday - the statues at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport will move from the arrivals area to the check-in zone at a cost of around 1.7 million baht ($A54,785), said Airports of Thailand (AOT) president Serirat Prasutanond...

"AOT has decided to move the statues to the check-in concourse to give passengers and other people a chance to appreciate the statues' beauty," he said in a statement.

But according to the English-language Bangkok Post newspaper, airport director Niran Thiranartsin admitted the decision had partly resulted from complaints from airport staff.

"The shopkeepers are blaming the 'demon statues' for the problems they have faced at the airport, which was seized late last year by demonstrators and supporters of the People's Alliance of Democracy" (PAD), the paper said.

"The guardian spirit statues will be shifted from the inner zone of the passenger terminal to the check-in area to 'improve morale' of people working at the airport," the report added.

The anti-government PAD seized two of the Thai capital's airports in a crippling eight-day blockade late in 2008, which badly dented the kingdom's tourist-friendly image.

Serirat presided over a religious ceremony at the airport on Monday ahead of the relocation of the figures, which are modelled on 12 statues at Bangkok's Grand Palace. He said the move should be finished within 90 days.

Source: AFP

Hitler highway ‘horrible'

Catherine Deshayes — 21/10/2009 10:41:00

A highway billboard using a saluting Adolf Hitler to advertise a Thai wax museum has been covered up after complaints from the Israeli and German ambassadors, the museum's manager has confirmed...

"The idea came from a creative (advertising) agency, and we did not mean to cause any offence," said Somporn Naksuetrong, the manager of the Louis Tussaud's Waxworks in the seaside resort town of Pattaya.

The billboard, which carried Thai writing which translated as: 'Hitler is not dead,' had been up for several weeks on the main road from the capital Bangkok to Pattaya and was meant to promote the museum's planned opening next month.

"We weren't showing his image to celebrate him," Somporn said in a telephone interview. "We think he is an important historical figure, but in a horrible way. We apologize for causing any offense which was not at all intended. We did not realize it would make people so angry."

The use of Nazi imagery does not stir the same emotional reaction in Asia as in the West, and Thailand has had previous instances where icons of the genocidal German regime have been used for advertising and entertainment.

The Bangkok Post newspaper quoted German Ambassador Hanns Schumacher as saying he told officials in Pattaya, "this kind of utterly tasteless advertisement would hurt the feelings of many people" and asked that the billboard be taken down.

Israeli Ambassador Itzhak Shoham also was quoted saying he requested the same.

"It is totally unacceptable to have such a monster like Adolf Hitler on public display," he told the Post. "How this could happen is beyond my understanding and comprehension."

Two years ago, a Thai school apologized to an international Jewish human rights organization for its sponsorship of a celebration that involved a Nazi-themed parade for sports day. Photos from the event showed students with swastikas on their baseball caps behind a large sign with "NAZI" in shoulder-high letters.

In 1998, a commercial for potato chips depicted Hitler giving a Nazi salute and then showed a woman who cast a spell on him as he ate the chips, hoping to change his evil ways. A Nazi swastika morphed into the product logo as the transformation was complete.

The ad campaign by the Thai office of the U.S.-based Leo Burnett agency was ended shortly after it began.

A "Nazi Bar" opened in downtown Bangkok in the late 1980s, featuring photos of Nazi storm troopers and waiters wearing swastika armbands. The bar's manager said the theme had a "powerful, catchy and emotive appeal."

The bar changed its name to "No Name Bar" after bad publicity in Thailand and abroad.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Asia goes fractional

Catherine Deshayes — 08/10/2009 10:10:00

Asia's first shared ownership conference provides an abundance of fractional knowledge and understanding, from revenue expanding solutions for hotels and resorts in the Asia Pacific regions to top class speakers and networking opportunities with key fractional players...

The one and a half day event will be attended by international industry experts including the team from Banyan Tree Private Collection, Registry Collections and Absolute Group of Companies.

The Alternative Ownership Conference Hotels and Resorts - Asia Pacific is being held on the 12-13 October 2009 at the Millennium Resort, Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand.

Log onto www.AOCAP.org to find out more and to book tickets at a discounted early-bird price.

Source: www.newskys.co.uk

Babies join the club

Catherine Deshayes — 05/10/2009 10:56:00

Club Med Phuket's latest addition might have new parents dashing to the nearest departure gate with baby on board...

The Thailand resort will open Baby Club on December 15, welcoming little ones from four months to two years. The club will have two games rooms, rest room, meals area, kitchen and paddling pool and is in addition to care already provided for children aged two and older.

Club Med says staff are required to have a diploma in child care services from their home country and three years' minimum experience for the centre, which will be open seven days from 9am-5.30 pm.

And for the mums and dads who can't bear to be apart from their little darlings, there will be parent-baby massage and gym sessions.

It costs €48 a day. There are 13 other baby clubs worldwide but this is the first for the South-East Asia and Pacific region.

See clubmed.com.au.

Far East: best for winter sun

Catherine Deshayes — 28/09/2009 09:38:00

Britons in search of winter sun on distant shores will find excellent value in the Far East, according to new research...

Out of 16 countries featured in an annual study of long-haul holiday spending, Thailand, Bali and Malaysia were at the top of the list of destinations providing significantly better value than the Caribbean, the traditional winter sun favourite.

Egypt, Kenya and South Africa also fared well, while Australia, Antigua and New Zealand were revealed to be the least cost-effective destinations.

The Post Office's Holiday Costs Barometer compares the average cost in various countries of nine essential holiday purchases, including a cup of coffee, suncream, a postcard and stamp, and a three-course evening meal.

The cost of the nine items in Thailand totalled just £38.13 - less than a third of the cost in Australia, where the same purchases were priced at £104.95.

In Bali, the items totalled £46.89, while the cost in the Malaysian state of Penang was £50.25.

With autumn and winter packages to Thailand up to 25pc cheaper than last year, according to the long-haul specialist Hayes and Jarvis, the Far East appears to be a particularly attractive option to Britons in search of a good-value break this winter.

Such destinations appear cost-effective despite an imminent rise in air passenger duty, which will result in the cost of a long-haul flight from Britain increasing by up to £15 in economy class and up to £30 in other classes from Nov 1.

"When it comes to both cost and value for money, Thailand, Bali and Malaysia are the top three hotspots this winter," said Sarah Munro, the Post Office's head of travel services. "Not only are they the cheapest in our survey of living costs but great deals on package holidays are on offer, too."

The renewed strength of sterling against the dollar is encouraging Britons to book trips to the United States, too. A recent YouGov survey of 2,255 people found that 32pc of those planning a long-haul holiday this winter would be heading across the Atlantic.

Although the US was only eighth in the Post Office's survey of holiday costs (£70.84 for the nine items), sterling is worth 21pc more against the dollar than it was six months ago. Air fares are very reasonable, too, with return flights to New York available for less than £250.

"Sterling's recent recovery, together with price-cutting by holiday operators and American retailers, means that a trip there will still be good value - especially for shopping," said Ms Munro.

Of three Caribbean destinations featured in the survey, Jamaica proved the most cost-effective. Here, the Post Office's nine holiday essentials cost an average of £78.08, compared with £92.87 in St Lucia and £99.45 in Antigua. The pound has also improved substantially against the Jamaican dollar, rising by about 12pc since last summer.

In addition, a holiday to Mexico - hit hard by this year's swine flu epidemic - could also prove excellent value, as sterling has strength

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Thai it, you might like it

Catherine Deshayes — 29/06/2009 10:27:00

Problems such as tsunamis and anti-Government protests over the last five years have done little to discourage foreign investors from entering the Thai property market...

According to a Mail Online article, the upmarket resorts on the island of Phuket on the west coast of Thailand - along with other resorts in the vicinity - remain particularly popular among British buyers.

As it is one of the best known holiday spots in South-East Asia, it is little wonder that more than 2,700 British visitors sought visa extensions during the year 2008.

According to British entrepreneur and investor Chris Gordon, Thailand is "one of the most secure Asian investment destinations, with a good infrastructure, friendly people and a glorious coastline".

Mr Gordon developed 550 yards of property on Coconut Island, not far from Phuket. His property consists of 112 villas and 30 apartments, all of which have access to the beach.

Some of the other developments include Kata Gardens on a headland, with a view of two beaches. This project is managed by Raimon Land, and mostly functions as an estate of holiday properties.

According to the article, foreigners should investigate the laws of ownership in the country to prevent complications when investing in property. Most foreigners prefer to opt for joint ownership with national companies, as non-Thai passport holders are not allowed to own a freehold land title in the country.

Investors should also keep in mind that yields are dependent upon rental income. Since most of the Thai island resorts are regarded as holiday property rather than residential homes, it is essential to have a reliable renting system in place. According to Mr Gordon, the establishment of such a system could mean annual rental returns reaching up to 12.6 per cent.

Source: www.hotproperty.co.uk

Out and about in Bangkok

Catherine Deshayes — 09/06/2009 10:14:00

Passengers who find themselves cooling their heels at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport while waiting for a connecting flight, can now escape the airport for a few hours...

Starting this month, passengers on stopovers of less than 12 hours can sign up for a four-hour city tour.

Options include seeing the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha, boating along the crazy canals (known as klongs), watching a cultural production at the Siam Niramit theatre or being pampered with a massage and spa.

Other tours include shopping, golf and seeing animal life (crocodile farm and aquarium). It's hoped the tours will not only encourage transit passengers to come back another time for a longer visit but inject much-needed funds into the city's tourism industry.

The Chairman of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Weerasak Kowsurat, says: "Certainly, the money they spend during this whirlwind transfer will go some way towards helping some of our travel and tourism enterprises, especially small- and medium-size companies, and keeping Thai people in jobs."

Tours, which can be booked at the Suvarnabhumi transfer hall, cost from £43.

Source: www.theage.com.au

Thai-ing to woo investors

Catherine Deshayes — 20/05/2009 08:43:00

Developers and real estate companies in Thailand are increasingly turning to direct marketing strategies and promotional incentives in a bid to woo property investors back into the fold...

Some potential foreign property investors have been put off by recent civil unrest in the country and the recent closure of airports did not help.

But a new drive is underway although companies admit they are not able to splash out on expensive campaigns. Slogans such as ‘Try Before You Buy' and ‘Two Beds for the Price of One' are being splashed across advertising boards.

'After the public unrest we need to remind potential buyers what is available. It's all about minimising cost and maximising exposure,' said Apisit Limlongwonse, Managing Director of Nexus property consultants.

'There has been an increase in offers in the past two months because buyers still don't feel motivated to buy and it's panic time for the developers,' Apisit added.

Companies such as Asian Property Development, Preuksa Real Estate and MK Real Estate Development are switching to direct campaigns such as event marketing and mail-outs, according to a recent survey.

Many developers are now offering properties fully furnished at no additional cost. 'Normally, properties come just partly fitted but certain developers are offering fully furnished deals, right down to kitchen appliances,' said Apisit.

Another popular incentive is trying before buying. Under the deal buyers can stay in them for a few months to determine whether or not they like the place, and, if they do, they start paying. 'It's three months living for free and there is no obligation to buy,' added Apisit.

Companies like Nexus and Knight Frank has launched a series of events to be held at various shopping centres and other busy spots around the capital city Bangkok.

'We're bringing the options directly to the buyers. The idea is that throughout this year there will be potential buyers who won't be able to go into to sales offices because of time constraints. This way people can connect with what's happening in the market, make good comparisons quickly and find the overall process less time consuming,' a spokesman said.

Source: www.propertywire.com

More protection needed in Thailand

Catherine Deshayes — 09/04/2009 09:23:00

Complaints about real estate companies are increasing in Thailand where delays in construction, misleading advertising and low quality workmanship are the most common source of conflict...

According to the Office of the Consumer Protection Board 396 complaints against property firms were filed in the fourth quarter of last year, accounting for 39 per cent of the total 1,004 complaints.

These complaints have risen steadily since the onset of the downturn in the property sector in the second half of last year, said General Secretary Niroth Charoenprakob.

Niroth said his office tried to help property buyers whose contracts had not been observed by trying to negotiate a compromise between parties, but as a last resort it filed cases with the Civil Court. However, more than half of the complaints were settled out of court.

But the current law is on the side of developers. 'Our law doesn't give us authority to force the firms to do anything quickly. We have to help the parties reach a settlement, and if they cannot conclude a deal, we will file the case with the Civil Court to enforce the law,' he explained.

Thailand's Government recently approved draft legislation to set up a new independent organisation to protect consumers' rights. According to the draft, currently being considered by the Council of State, the new organisation would have the authority to investigate businesses and protect the rights of consumers, including home buyers. It would also have the authority to file cases against businesses on behalf of individual consumers.

'We hope that the new law will come into effect in the next year and it will help to protect customers' rights,' said Niroth.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Thailand in ‘sharp decline'

Jaimie Kanwar — 24/02/2009 10:52:00

Thailand's economy shrank at a record pace in the last three months of 2008 amid plummeting exports and tourism...

The economy shrank 6.1% in the October to December period from the previous quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) said.

This was the largest contraction since records began in 1993. The NESDB said the economy might contract 1% in 2009. The export-oriented Asian economy has been hit by the global downturn and political unrest at the end of 2008.

Anti-government protesters shut down Bangkok's airports, hitting tourism, one of the key sectors of the economy.

'Surprise to everyone'

Compared with the same period a year earlier, the economy contracted by 4.3% in the fourth quarter. Exports, which account for more than 60% of Thailand's gross domestic product, dropped 9.4%.

The NESDB also forecast that exports would fall 13.1% in 2009 after growing by 16.8% in 2008. Carl Rajoo, an economist at Forecast, said: "The numbers are bad, and well below market and government expectations.

"While we have been consistently expecting weakness in economic growth, the extremely sharp drop in manufacturing and trade data towards the year-end came as a surprise to everyone, indicating the clear susceptibility of the nation to external demand pressures."

The Bank of Thailand has reduced its key lending rate by a combined 1.75 percentage point to 2% since December in an attempt to save the economy from sliding into its first recession in over a decade.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Thailand's tourism sector in crisis?

Jaimie Kanwar — 23/02/2009 14:29:00

November was not a good month for Thailand. Legions of protesters took over two commercial airports in the capital Bangkok for eight days practically shutting them down and the ongoing impact on tourism has been catastrophic...

The world was treated to images of trapped tourists venting their frustration while protesters steadfastly tried to get their message across to anyone who would listen.

Ultimately, the protesters got what they wanted: The Thai Constitutional Court broke up the ruling party and prohibited the then Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, from participating in politics.

The protesters went their way pleased with the results only to wake up to the long-term economic damage the blockade has brought.

Winter is supposed to be the high tourist season in Thailand when visitors from all over, but especially from the colder parts of the world, descend on the country in search of sunshine and warmth.

However, the blockade chaos resulted in a huge number of tourists canceling already scheduled trips and many who may have otherwise gone to Thailand choosing different destinations. The country has been depressingly empty and the hospitality industry is beginning to panic.

Tourism officials expect the numbers to be worse than after the tsunami in 2004, according to the Associated Press.

Airlines and hotels are advertising deep discounts to attract visitors. Government economic predictions are grim, with a one per cent contraction in the first quarter and zero growth in the second.

There are fears that the severe slowdown in tourism, which makes up about 6.5 per cent of Thailand's GDP, coupled with the global economic slowdown may push the country into recession.

The number of tourists is expected to decrease by some 2.5 million over the next six months, costing Thailand's economy about £2 billion.

In an effort to mitigate these losses, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is planning a series of actions to restore the tarnished image of the country.

It has collected email addresses of visitors that were stuck in the country during the airport blockade to send out an apology, according to the Associated Press.

It has also asked airlines to reduce fares and is coming out with a revamped advertisement campaign: "Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value."

While tourism is undoubtedly one of the hardest hit sectors, but any industries that are highly dependant on functioning airports to do business are also suffering.

The country's electronics, car, flower and fruit industries all registered severe losses because of the blockade, according to the Washington Post. Standard and Poor's and Fitch have already lowered Thailand's economic outlook in response to the political turmoil.

Thai Real estate

The real estate sector hasn't escaped the effects of the country's political instability either. Hotels that generally have solid occupancy rates during the high season are now faced with bleak numbers.

Recently released statistics from HotelsCombined.com, a hotel comparison search engine, showed that hotel reservation requests through its website dropped by more than 50 per cent initially and leveled off at about 30 per cent below the volume before the airport protests.

"It is clear that the political instability in Thailand is negatively influencing travelers' decision making with prospective travelers seeking substitute travel plans," said the company in a statement released on its website. The result is a huge loss of hotel revenue in a high tourist season. "This coupled with the global financial turmoil which may well put the Thailand travel industry into crisis mode."

Looking ahead

"The current political uncertainties will not help attract investment into Thailand's real estate. Growth in Thailand real estate market will depend on continued strength of the tourism industry, along with Government initiatives to encourage investment," according to Asia Property Consultants.

However, most analysts choose to remain optimistic. After all, Thailand has managed to bounce back from the tsunami and earlier political crises. Others, on the opposite side, warn not to take the country's good fortunes thus far for granted.

By Yemisrach Kifle for www.nuwireinvestor.com

Picture by kymai100

Asia's‘Eastern promise'

Jaimie Kanwar — 20/02/2009 11:56:00

The global property world is turning its attention to Asia, it has been claimed...

According to Cityscape Asia, the organisers of the world's biggest international real estate investment event, investors are hoping 2009 will be the year to begin picking up potentially ‘undervalued' assets ahead of regional economies emerging from the global financial crisis,

Graham Wood, Group Exhibition Director for Cityscape Asia, the organisers of the world's biggest international real estate investment event, explained: "Though not hobbled by the toxic debts that have paralysed many of their western counterparts, Asia's main economies are not immune to the global downturn.

"Some economists believe, however, that government stimulus packages and interest rate cuts will turn the tide with signs of recovery possibly emerging as early as Q4 2009."

Cityscape Asia has been organised with the assistance of an advisory board, which consists of industry professionals such as; Nathan Lloyd, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, MGM Mirage International; Lawrence D. Sperling, Head of Asia Private Equity, Mercury Partners and Chief Executive Officer, Peak Asia Management; and Nicholas Loup, Managing Director, Grosvenor.

Optimistic

n a joint statement, the board commented, "The past few months have been challenging for all of us working in the real estate industry. But out of the doom and gloom we are optimistic - trying to anticipate where the next opportunities will come from and how we can capitalise on them."

"Established firms, family enterprises and individuals with cash reserves, limited debt and an appetite for risk are expected to be among the first to begin searching the Asian market for bargains in coming months," stated Wood.

"Competition for prime real estate is easing and for investors with money, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Predictions of a rebound in Asian property markets are based on continuing regional urbanisation which has, for example, seen an average eight million Chinese people move to cities annually over the last decade," he added.

Source: www.cityscapeasia.com

Thai confidence picking up

Jaimie Kanwar — 16/02/2009 11:00:00

The Thailand Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) rose for the second consecutive month in January...

November 2008 saw the Index at its lowest (74.2) since January 2002, but since then it rose to 74.8 (December) and 75.2 (January).

The survey was undertaken by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC). The results are believed to show an increase in hope amongst the Thai public partly due to economic stimulus measures introduced by the government, and also due to the current low fuel prices.

Part of the government´s package includes a range of stimuli for the domestic property industry.

As reported in the Bangkok Post: UTCC economist Thanavath Phonvichai warned that the rebound may not be sustained as it is based solely on hope. "The country´s political conditions, the world and US economic prospects, the relatively high cost of living and unemployment are still the key factors that influence consumers´ confidence," he said.

"The government should thus accelerate implementing its economic stimulus measures to restore confidence in consumers and to spur consumption and private investment in the second half of the year."

Source: www.property-report.com

Investment Property Watch - January 2009

Jaimie Kanwar — 11/02/2009 11:17:00

Thailand surprised everyone by nabbing the top spot on TheMoveChannel.com's December's Investment Property watch chart, but it couldn't hold onto the gold in January - Egypt elbowed its way past to take first place on the list, which charts the level of interest in certain properties and countries from visitors to the site...

Egypt reigns supreme

Egypt is fast becoming the latest investment hotspot for property buyers who are looking for an exciting investment which gives impressive rental yields, high capital growth and low property prices.

Following recent reforms, the property purchasing process in Egypt is now far more straightforward and transparent than it once was and the economy has performed strongly over the last few years.

Cultural reasons to consider Egypt include miles of sandy white beaches, reliable climate, excellent diving and water sports and a real sense of history.

Access to the country from Europe is also very easy and cheap, enticing millions of tourists each year and holiday home buyers and investors will love the low cost of living that Egypt still offers in comparison to other equivalent countries.

Thailand still looking good

December's winner still fared well in January, taking second place. The country's incredibly beautiful coastal regions - including the best known Phuket and Ko Samui, have long been luring second home buyers in with stunning surroundings and relatively low prices.

From hippie trail hangout to luxury international property market in a decade, Thailand has fast become Asia's top tourist destination.

The popularity remains despite the country being dealt a few savage blows - such as the 2004 tsunami and recent political upheaval, both of which threatened to dent the tourist sector which the country relies so heavily on.

Offering a world class tourist industry at affordable prices, Thailand is a magnet for holidaymakers and property investors alike and is also the largest growth market in Asia and one of Asia's economic leaders.

Dan Johnson, Director of TheMoveChannel.com said, "Price is the common factor across all the top deals from the last month, with all three of the most popular projects coming in at under £30,000.

"It's also interesting that these are cash deals - with finance increasingly hard to come by, smart investors are buying in projects where there are no mortgages available and where the viability of the project is not going to be affected by the withdrawal of any finance facility," he added.

A taste of Turkey

Turkey climbed one place to take third in January's investment property watch chart. Thanks to the Turkish Government's efforts and expenditure in the tourism sector, the country has been experiencing an unprecedented level of international exposure of late.

Property prices are shooting up, especially for beach properties and the rental potential looks strong thanks to the ever increasing numbers of tourists.

The area around Dalaman is particularly popular with international investors as the infrastructure has been improved in order to make this area one of Turkey's top tourist attractions.

The Dalaman airport expansion, easy access from Europe, excellent climate and tried and tested holiday nature of Turkey all combine to make it a popular investment spot with a lot of potential.

The low cost of living, long summers and relaxed lifestyle also make Turkey a favourite retirement spot for Europeans.

Affordable paradise - the Dominican Republic

A particular favourite with American tourists and investors thanks to its easy access from many American cities, the Dominican Republic has long been a popular honeymoon and holiday spot.

The largest of the Caribbean islands, the Dominican Republic offers lower property prices than many of the other islands and a lower cost of living.

Under the 2008 to 2012 Tourism Plan, five million annual visitors are targeted for 2012, meaning renewed demand for tourist accommodation.

Foreign investment in this bounty bar-esque island has been on the up of late, increasing from £816.6 million in 2005 to well over £1.3 billion last year.

Numerous well known brands have flocked to the island including hotel giants Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton and there is also major construction underway to produce luxury beachside resort complexes.

Other movers and shakers

Sri Lanka appeared in the top ten at number five, followed by the ever popular United Arab Emirates - in a far lower place than usual, at number six, suggesting the spate of bad publicity Dubai has endured of late has had a knock on effect with investor interest.

The USA took seventh place whilst Brazil trailed in late, grabbing eighth and ninth places.

Table showing January's top investment properties

	Property	Country	Company
1	Arabia Boutique 4 star hotel	Egypt	Key Universal
2	Jomtien Resort-new homes	Thailand	Park Lane Jomtien Resort
3	Paradise Bay Resort	Turkey	Sky Blue Experiences
4	Samana Bay Apartments	Dom Republic	Worldwide Investments
5	One bed apartment in Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	Exclusive Management Consultants
6	Designer apartments with lake views	UAE	Nomorehotels Ltd
7	4 bed house in Rochester	USA	Colossal Property Investments
8	Pre launch in Recife	Brazil	Dream Resorts
9	Royal Pearl Resort	Brazil	New Frontiers
10	Apart Hotel Sousa Playa	Dom Republic	Global A&M

To keep track of TheMoveChannel.com's hottest property investments throughout the month, please visit the Investment Property Portal on our website.

Check out our new commercial properties for sale at our brand new commercial site Commerical.themovechannel.com.

Picture by tinou bao

Financial aid for Thailand

Catherine Deshayes — 27/01/2009 09:31:00

The Government in Thailand has unveiled a new financial aid package that could benefit helping homeowners and property investors in the country...

In a bid to buoy the nation through the global financial crisis, £0.8 billion will be injected into the economy via tax relief measures, Reuters reports.

The tax allowance of £2,073 a year for mortgage interest payments is to be extended under the new measures, it was revealed.

And the Government added that purchasers of new property in 2009 will now be entitled to a tax allowance of up to £6,219 a year.

According to Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, the measures will help the country record growth of two per cent in 2009 - the lowest level since 2.1 per cent was achieved in 2001.

The implications of new tax laws were recently outlined to British investors seeking a property investment opportunity in Europe.

Director of Personal Tax at accountancy firm PFK Matt Coward stated that investors need to aware of the financial consequences of selling a home in euro zone in the current climate.

Source: www.propertyshowrooms.com

Thai it: the tax relief package

Catherine Deshayes — 23/01/2009 09:33:00

The new Government in Thailand has announced a £792 million tax relief package aimed at boosting the economy and the property sectors in particular...

The Government, in power for just a month, approved a new tax allowance of up to £6,188 for people who buy a new home this year, the extension of a tax allowance of up to £2,062 a year for mortgage interest payments and property tax breaks for companies.

The news was welcomed by developers. Developer Supalai SPAL.BK forecast a rise of at least 20 per cent in 2009 revenue, above analysts' forecasts. President Prateep Tangmatitham said that the company planned to spend £41.2 million on purchasing land this year and would build and sell 10 to 13 residential projects, including condominiums, worth £309 million to £412 million in sales.

The Finance Ministry said in a statement that the tax breaks in the property sector would cost the Government about £753 million in lost revenue.

It has also approved a £2.3 billion supplementary budget to boost spending to help the economy, expected to grow at the lowest rate in a decade this year, with consumer confidence hovering near a seven-year low.

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said the stimulus measures would help boost economic growth to two per cent this year, the lowest since 2001, when the economy grew 2.1 per cent, and down from an estimated four per cent in 2008.

The Bank of Thailand has cut its policy rate aggressively by a combined 175 basis points to two per cent in the past two months to help the economy amid a global slowdown. It has said its monetary policy will remain accommodative.

Central bank Chief Economist Amara Sriphayak is predicting that unemployment could rise to a million this year, or 2.8 per cent of the workforce, if the economy did not grow at all.

Source: www.propertywire.com

December Top of the Props

Catherine Deshayes — 09/01/2009 09:13:00

Egypt made it to the top of the Pyramid in our December Top of the Props chart, followed by surprise entry Thailand, proving that visitors to TheMoveChannel.com are willing to look outside the box when it comes to property investing...

Our Top of the Props chart provides a monthly pop chart snapshot of the most popular countries on the site and last month, Egypt reigned supreme.

Pyramid scheme

Egypt nabbed the top spot in December, generating the most interest from visitors to the site.

The country is fast becoming a much sought after investment opportunity thanks to the efforts made to improve infrastructure and to developments in the country's tourism sector.

The sense of history is one of Egypt's major drawcards and the world famous Pyramids attract millions of tourists from around the globe each year.

The Red Sea and its fantastic diving is another major attraction and the strength of the tourist market means that a solid investment property should provide a strong rental return.

Dan Johnson, Director of TheMoveChannel.com, said, "In order to deter flies from landing on him, Pepi II of Egypt always kept several naked slaves nearby whose bodies were smeared with honey.

"The first recorded use of the flute, clarinet, oboe, and trumpet was in ancient Egypt. Some ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made out of stone.

"These are just three of the many amazing and interesting facts that fill the minds of visitors to this wonderful land.

"With an ancient culture that has stood the test of time, modern Egypt is a thriving 21^st century country, with a property market that looks like being a relatively strong performer in 2009," added Mr Johnson.

Foreigners buying in Egypt now have a much easier time of it - the property purchasing process is now far more straightforward and transparent than it once was.

Thai it for the first time

New to the top ten was surprise entry Thailand.

The country has been topping the charts as one of Asia's top tourist destinations for some time now and offers very strong rental potential if you were to purchase an investment property.

So much of the Thai economy is tied up with the tourist industry and recent political protests - which hit the global headlines - were extremely damaging to Thai tourism.

But the beautiful unspoilt beaches, stunning natural scenery, tropical climate and low cost of living will continue to appeal to millions of holidaymakers each year.

If you are considering more than just a holiday and want to invest in Thai property, the country is a promising bet - it is the largest growth market in Asia and has become one of the Asian economic leaders, with strong business links with China.

Property prices also remain lower than in more established markets.

Vive la France!

France is a well established investment property location and, thanks to its enduring popularity as a holiday destination, rental potential should be strong too. The country took third place on December's chart.

Those not looking to take risks with their property investing could consider France as it is a solid market and easily and cheaply accessible from many European countries, with numerous budget airlines offering flights to many French cities.

France also has a vast array of natural and cultural attractions and a well established infrastructure and transport set up. The cosmopolitan capital of Paris is a major drawcard, offering great shopping, sightseeing and dining opportunities.

Popular leaseback schemes offer tax incentives to purchasers, with minimum risk and guaranteed rental income. Capital gains tax on housing has also been halved to 16 per cent and mortgage facilities are strong as the market is so established.

Surprise, surprise

December's Top of the Props chart revealed that the United Arab Emirates had dropped four places, sliding from top of the props down to fifth place. Whilst the Dubai market has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons of late, this is still a big slide from the top.

Portugal seems to be on a downer at present, dropping from second place in October to seventh in November and to eighth in December.

Whilst Cyprus made its first appearance in the top ten in November, scraping in at number ten, in December's lineup, the country was ousted by Germany and didn't feature in the top ten atall.

Other movers and shakers

Turkey climbed two places to take fourth place, whilst Brazil fell two places to take sixth place and old favourite Spain scraped onto the list in ninth place.

Picture by Darcy McCarty

Overall Enquiry Volume for December 2008

Rank	Country	Change	Comment
1	Egypt	Up 14	1 month in top spot And New to top 10!
2	Thailand	Up 10	New to top 10!
3	France	Up 2
4	Turkey	Up 2
5	UAE	Down 4
6	Brazil	Down 2
7	USA	Down 5
8	Portugal	Down 1
9	Spain	Down 6
10	Germany	Down 2
11	India	Up 14
12	Costa Rica	Up 8
13	Italy	Down 4
14	Cyprus	Down 4
15	Canada	Down 4
16	Czech Republic	Up 1
17	Panama	Up 2
18	Bulgaria	Down 4
19	Argentina	Up 10
20	Sweden	Up 3
21	Morocco	Up 9
22	Romania	Non-mover
23	New Zealand	Down 5
24	Mexico	Up 17	Highest climber
25	Trinidad & Tobago		Highest New Entry
26	Switzerland		New Entry
27	Montenegro	Up 8
28	Uruguay		New Entry
29	Australia	Up 17	Highest climber
30	Greece	Down 3
31	Israel	Up 12
32	Malaysia	Down 8
33	Cape Verde		New Entry
34	Anguilla	Down 21	Biggest faller
35	Botswana		New Entry
36	Chile		New Entry
37	Croatia	Up 11
38	Indonesia		New Entry
39	Gibraltar	Down 6
40	Netherlands		New Entry

December Investment Property Watch

Catherine Deshayes — 08/01/2009 09:17:00

A major upset in December, as surprise entry Thailand knocked the United Arab Emirates off the top spot in TheMoveChannel.com's investment property watch list, which charts the level of interest in certain properties and countries from visitors to the site...

Thai it, you might like it

Exotic Thailand is Asia's top tourist destination and offers a world class tourist industry at affordable prices, making it a magnet for holidaymakers and property investors alike.

Recent events in Thailand have not helped its cause as a flourishing tourist market - hoards of tourist were trapped in the country for weeks as political protestors took over the airports.

As the Thai economy relies so heavily on the revenue generated from tourism, any negative events that could potentially damage this lucrative sector could prove lethal.

Despite recent upheavals, Thailand has managed an impressive transformation from exotic long haul destination to sophisticated tourist and investor destination with a universal appeal.

Beautiful unspoilt beaches, stunning natural scenery, tropical climate and low cost of living entice millions of holidaymakers each year to the country.

Thailand has already attracted significant foreign investment due to its solid as business links and good education and healthcare system.

The relatively undiscovered nature of Thailand means that property prices here remain far below those in the more established European markets, though they have witnessed relatively strong growth of late.

Dan Johnson, Director of TheMoveChannel.com, said, "The absence of UK, Spain and Bulgaria in December's top 10 properties shows the changing tastes and profiles of our investor base.

"Although it was a quiet month by normal standards, seeing Thailand at the top of the pile is a first for TheMoveChannel.com - rightly or wrongly, in the context of a major global upheaval, the domestic problems in Thailand perhaps don't seem like such an investment threat to many prospective purchasers.

"2009 will be a year when many investors struggle to come to terms with risk assessment, as the old rule book appears to have gone out the window," added Mr Johnson.

Egypt

Egypt is becoming a sought after investment opportunity thanks to the efforts made to improve infrastructure and to developments in the country's tourism sector.

A popular tourist destination, Egypt can provide you with a strong rental return on your investment property and, following recent reforms, the property purchasing process is now far more straightforward and transparent than it once was.

Other reasons to invest include property prices that remain affordable, warm desert climate, excellent diving and outdoor activities, stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, rich culture and easy, quick access from many international airports. Egypt also offers a low cost of living compared to other equivalent countries and has experienced a good economic growth over the last few years.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica made an appearance on our property investment chart in December. The country is fast becoming one of the next property hot spots with international property investors eagerly anticipating a big boom in the country.

With the slow down in the US economy due to the collapse of the sub prime mortgage lending industry, many US investors who would ordinarily make their money at home are looking abroad for safer markets with bigger potential profits. Thus, Costa Rica has grown in popularity.

The climate and beautiful scenery which includes everything from rainforests to volcanoes to beaches ensures that tourism in Costa Rica looks set to remain a prosperous industry for the foreseeable future which drives up demand for property.

Costa Rica is considered by many to be the strongest democracy in Central America with an independent judiciary ensuring the rights of investors. Unlike many other countries Costa Rica also allows 100 per cent foreign ownership making it easy for US citizens buying investment property in Costa Rica.

Patrick Visser, Sales Director at Silva Tree, which specializes in green and ethical investments and is the developer behind the Costa Rica investment opportunity featured on our chart, said, "In the current market, more and more people are looking for alternative investments.

"With such high returns and low prices, buying rainforest in Costa Rica is a highly profitable way to help the environment," added Mr Visser.

Other movers and shakers

Old favourite France only managed to grab fifth place in December's list, followed by Turkey in fourth place, a fall of two places - proving people had had enough Turkey by the time December rolled around. The country also made another appearance at number nine.

The UAE nabbed fifth and sixth places and, whilst Portugal took the top spot two months ago, in November it had to make do with eighth place.

Bringing up the rear in tenth place was India.

Table showing December's top investment properties

Rank	Property	Country	Company
1	Green investment-land	Thailand	Private vendor
2	Arabia Boutique 4 star apart hotel	Egypt	Key Universal
3	Residence Cassiopee	France	Property Maestros/Key Universal
4	Paradise Bay Resort	Turkey	Sky Blue Experiences
5	Apartments in Ajman	UAE	Dream Resorts Ltd
6	One bed property syndicate	UAE	The Armarium Group
7	Green investment-land producing CO2	Costa Rica	Silva Tree SA
8	New homes in Lisboa	Portugal	Girasol Homes and Property
9	Apartments in Istanbul	Turkey	Girasol Homes and Property
10	Development land in Goa	India	Global A&M

To keep track of TheMoveChannel.com's hottest property investments throughout the month, please visit the Investment Property Portal on our website. Check out our new commercial properties for sale at our brand new commercial site Commerical.themovechannel.com.

Picture by maxx2520

Shared ownership: Thai it

Catherine Deshayes — 05/01/2009 10:08:00

Shared ownership of properties in Thailand is the latest example of how developers are diversifying so that they can cope with the difficult global conditions in the real estate sector...

Thailand has started to feel the effects of the current economic downturn and in light of this, developers are having to look for new ways of tackling property investment.

Some innovative companies have found success by dealing with a relatively new market, one that caters to the specific needs of European retirees.

Developer Paul Derstroff is finding that, although a large amount of building is still going on in Thailand, developments aimed at servicing a specific market seem to be better at withstanding the difficult times.

'An increasing number of projects have made the market more competitive. However, our developments don't compete with these projects,' said Derstroff. 'We are concentrating on a target group in a niche market made up of buyers who want to move to Thailand.'

He believes that much of the attractiveness of these types of developments lies in the flexibility of the terms offered.

Developers not only offer leasehold houses and condominiums but some developers also sell condominiums on a shared ownership basis. 'Some people don't live here all year round so two people can purchase a property jointly and share ownership,' he explained.

Thailand is attractive to many European retirees not only because of its climate and exotic lifestyle, but also because Thai living costs are a fraction of those in Europe, a major consideration for people on fixed pensions or incomes.

However, interest in Thailand as a retirement option is not only coming from Europeans. There are also enquiries from people in Japan and the Middle East, and some companies have started marketing developments in Hong Kong and Singapore.

'Retirees are looking for the best value for money and developers are looking at guaranteeing the success of their ventures.

Providing products specifically aimed at the rapidly growing retiree market makes smart business in any economic environment and not only during a downturn,' said James Gonzalez, Market Analyst at Obelisk International.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Malaysia prices to remain stable?

Catherine Deshayes — 22/12/2008 09:55:00

Malaysia's property prices will reportedly not fall as drastically as in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand next year...

James Wong - President of the Association of Valuers and Property Consultants in Private Practice Malaysia (PEPS) - substantiated this evidence at the Malaysia property Summit 2009.

He stated that during the boom period, property prices in the latter three countries' had risen tremendously over a short period while Malaysia's only had a gradual appreciation.

He added, "Hong Kong and Singapore's exposure to the US economy also contributed to a more drastic price downfall during these difficult times."

Wong attributed the softening property market to lower consumer confidence level, with many buyers adopting a wait-and-see strategy in view of uncertain economy.

The low and medium-cost properties would be affected more than the high-end ones.

"In the retail sector there could be an oversupply as there will be additional shopping centres to be completed next year.

"If the economy continues to deteriorate, the hotel sector will also be affected from fewer foreign travellers," he said, adding that the domestic property prices would further moderate next year and were likely to recover in three years.

Sime Darby Property Bhd Managing Director Datuk Tunku Putra Badlishah concurred with Wong that domestic prices were not likely to drop drastically as profit margins of developers were already low and Malaysia had only experienced a gradual appreciation previously.

He also urged developers to produce innovative and quality products in this softer property market.

Source: www.homesoverseas.co.uk/news

Thai it, you might like it

Catherine Deshayes — 14/11/2008 09:22:00

Banks in Thailand are being urged to loosen their home-loan approval conditions including income and employment requirements in order to help the property industry...

A number of organisations including the Thai Condominium Association and developers are warning that tightened screening of mortgage applicants for fear of non-performing loans is hurting the property market.

'Home loans are vital as people still need to buy homes for living. With the banks being too careful letting out loans, the economic cycle would be halted,' said Atip Bijanonda, President of the Thai Condominium Association.

He said tighter restrictions should be applied instead on credit cards as many homebuyers with credit-card debt were rejected by the banks. He also called for interest rates to be cut by at least 50 basis points this year to stimulate the property market.

Developers are concerned about next year. They fear that reduced purchasing power as people became more insecure about their financial status will result in a severe downturn.

However, Atip said he believes that the condominium market will weather the global property crisis as prices vary and the sector can support buyers at all income levels.

'Prices of condos next year should be stable due in part to lower construction costs. But there could be some price adjustment depending on the project locations,' he predicted.

Manop Bongsadadt, a Lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture, said the Bank of Thailand should loosen the non-performing loan reserve standard to ease the credit crunch.

He said banks should separate borrowers into three groups based on their credit quality as low, medium and high-risk.

Developers should help guarantee loans of customers with medium credit risk while borrowers with poor credit history or those with NPLs should be tenants instead of buyers, he added.

Source: www.propertywire.com

Global phenomenon

Catherine Deshayes — 11/11/2008 10:45:00

Worsening economic conditions have now taken a toll on almost every commercial property market in the world, according to a global survey of real estate surveyors...

The past few months have seen a sharp deterioration in performance and demand for real estate in many regions that had previously appeared resilient to the credit crisis, in particular parts of Asia and Eastern Europe.

The slump in commercial property is well established in mature markets such as the UK and US, but a report today from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors shows that there are few property markets in the world that remain unscathed by the economic crisis.

The net balance of movements in global rents turned negative for the first time in the survey's history, led by weakness in the US, Japan, Spain, Ireland and India, while property values also worsened markedly in the third quarter.

The report, which measured sentiment among surveyors about the value and tenant demand for property, singles out the Indian market as being particularly hard hit. The region has attracted many overseas investors hoping to tap into the property needs of a previously booming economy.

Rising interest rates, higher inflation and a lack of liquidity is affecting confidence in the country, says the report, and 45 per cent more surveyors reported a fall in occupier demand compared with six per cent in the last quarter. The balance of surveyors reporting investor purchases plummeted from zero to minus 73.

The biggest slump in capital values has been in Eastern Europe, a marked turnaround considering expectations of growth only three months ago.

Source: The Financial Times

Thai-US relations

Catherine Deshayes — 11/11/2008 10:44:00

United States Ambassador to Thailand Eric G. John has said that he assured Commerce Minister Chaiya Sasomsab that good Thai-US relations would continue after president-elect Barack Obama takes office...

The US envoy said there will be no discrimination of Thai trade and labour and that the US would continue to support Thai efforts against intellectual property infringement.

The US Ambassador noted that problems in the world economy might result in reduced importation of pharmaceutical, medical, electrical appliances and computer goods into the US, but said he was ready to support Thailand's commerce officials in holding product roadshows in the US.

Thailand had a trade surplus of £4.5 billion with the United States in 2007, a decline of 1.5 per cent from the previous year.

Thai exports to the US include computers, clothing, canned and processed seafood, gems and jewellery. Major imports from the US include electrical circuits, machinery, computers, chemicals and various agricultural products.

Source: Bangkok Post

7 Locations Bond Might Buy In

Jude Buttle — 31/10/2008 13:44:00

James Bond is back... and with his secret service salary added to his winnings at the blackjack table, Bond can aim high when it comes to property investments. We look at some of the weird and wonderful places he's been assigned to.

License to Invest

With his 007 status, James Bond travels around the world working for the British secret service, seducing beautiful women, dinning in fancy restaurants and staying in some of the most luxurious locations.

Of all the places where Bond has been, we've selected seven that we believe he would have secretly invested in, behind M's back.

1. Paradise Island

The name speaks for itself, Island, Paradise Island... which is a stunning tropical island just off the shore of the city of Nassau in the Bahamas.

Formerly known as Hog Island (not quite the same ring to it), Paradise Island possesses stunning, sparkling white-sand beaches and breathtaking, warm turquoise blue waters.

The economy of the Bahamas is driven by tourism, international banking and real estate developments but there's no income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax and no sales tax with the exception of the Stamp Duty paid on the conveyance of properties.

Bond films, Thunderball (starring Sean Connery) and Casino Royale (Daniel Craig) both had scenes on this amazing island, but with five bedroom - five bathroom houses, selling in the region of seven million pounds, only those with gold-fingers can afford to invest here.

2. Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital, as well as the commercial, cultural, political and population centre of Thailand.

The city is a major economic and financial centre of Southeast Asia and has one of the fastest quotients in the world for the construction of high rise buildings.

Distinctly modern and Westernised, Bangkok still has a sense of a sleepy Thai village at conflict with its louder, seedier side at night.

The Man with the Golden Gun (Roger Moore) and Tomorrow Never Dies (Pierce Brosnan) were both filmed in Bangkok and the property prices range from one beds going for a modest £80,000 (affordable, even on Miss Moneypenny's salary) to a three bed, duplex penthouse in a prime, downtown location, selling for a cool million.

3. Sardinia

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, situated to the west of mainland Italy.

A popular tourist destination, especially for those looking to escape from the common touch, Sardinia is renowned for its soft sandy beaches, exquisite cuisine and splendid wines.

The northern part of Sardinia has the best infrastructure and some of the highest real estate prices on the island. The southern part of the island is not as developed as the north, and subsequently the properties there tend to be more affordable.

The Spy Who Loved Me (Moore) was shot in Porto Cervo in Sardinia and property prices on the island range from £35,000 for an old restoration townhouse in the south; to setting you back five million for a seven bedroom beach-front villa in the north.

4. Rio de Janeiro

Although Rio is the second major city in Brazil, after Sao Paulo, it is by far the most popular, with tourist flocking there to sample its lively nightlife, famous beaches (Copacabana & Ipanema), statue of Jesus and the Rio Carnival.

The currency exchange rate between Pounds Sterling and Brazilian Reais is exceptionally favourable at the moment making it cheap for foreigners to invest in property.

There is an emerging property market in Brazil and beachfront properties in Rio are by far the most popular investments with overseas buyers who are looking for the best rental returns.

Moonraker (Moore) was filmed in Rio and as it's still a developing market, bargains can be easily found with two bed houses in the region of £40,000.

5. Istanbul

Istanbul is the cultural and financial centre of Turkey and Europe's most populous city.

The former capital of three empires - Byzantine, Ottoman and Roman, and the only metropolis in the world that's situated on two continents - Europe and Asia, its different cultural history is evident in the extensive array of museums, churches, palaces, mosques and markets.

There are an estimated 700,000 new residents arriving in the city each year creating an immense demand for housing which has triggered an unprecedented building boom.

The World is Not Enough (Brosnan), was filmed in Istanbul and a mere £30,000 will secure you a studio apartment close to the centre of town.

6. St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is Russia's second largest and Europe's fourth largest city after Moscow, London and Paris.

The majestic appearance of St. Petersburg is achieved through a variety of architectural details including long, straight boulevards, spacious gardens and parks, monuments, sculptures and decorative wrought-iron fences. The Neva River, plus its many canals and bridges, gives the city a unique and striking ambience.

The recent increase in demand for real estate has been fuelled in part by the increased availability of mortgage finance in Russia and it means that more buyers than ever are entering the property market.

Golden Eye (Brosnan) had a tank chase scene in St. Petersburg, where the annual house price growth is running staggeringly at above 90 per cent, and the average cost of property is around £1,700 per square metre. (Source: Global Property Guide)

7. Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic centre of the Czech state for over 1,100 years.

Known as a popular weekend destination, Prague receives over three million visitors per year and offers the contrasts of the past with its bridges, cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and church domes, and that of a modern metropolis full of energy, music, and art.

Mortgage financing is freely available to both Czech nationals and foreign investors, and up to 85 per cent loan to value is possible. Mortgage interest rates, following a decline previously, rose through 2007 and into 2008, in line with the general rate increases in other EU countries.

Casino Royale (Craig) had scenes filmed in Prague where it's possible to obtain a one bed apartment for about £50,000.

Shaken not Stirred

So a wonderful selection of locations that any undercover agent would be proud to invest in while sipping on a Martini, cleaning his Walther PPK gun and waiting for the next intriguing mission.

Search for International property

Browse for property in the Bahamas, Thailand, Italy, Brazil, Turkey, Russia and the Czech Republic.

Photos by Ligadier Truffaut, Nick Slide, MsAnthea, markbarky & knottyboy

No Derivative Works. You may not alter, transform, or build upon the photo images.

New property sites launched

Catherine Deshayes — 10/10/2008 09:49:00

TheMoveChannel.com, the leading international property portal, announces the launch of over 80 country specific property sites...

Each country site features in depth property listings that can be filtered by a multi criteria search engine. The investment opportunities listed include both residential and commercial properties, land and more unique property types.

Developers, estate agents and private owners who advertise with TheMovechannel.com will double their exposure by appearing on both the main TheMovechannel.com international property portal and the relevant country portal that their properties are located in. Advertisers however will not be charged any fee for this additional coverage.

Buyers can gain a valuable insight into countries through the dedicated country news, features, email newsletters plus online buying and selling guides.

Dan Johnson, Managing Director, comments, "We've recognised in the toughening real estate market, investors are adopting a more sophisticated and informed buying process.

"The new portals not only provide detailed information on the property stock available in a particular country but also fill in the gaps in investors' knowledge of a market through reference materials and frequent news updates," added Mr Johnson.

Source: www.themovechannel.com

Forget Me Not: 5 Reasons To Remember Bangkok

Jude Buttle — 29/09/2008 18:45:00

Don't let Bangkok's slightly seedy reputation put you off - the city has far more to offer than go-go bars and ladyboys.

One of the guardians of the Wat Phra Kaew

1. Chatuchak Weekend Market

The weekend market is one of the biggest and most famous in the world. Starting at 8am, it has around 15,000 stalls and more than 200,000 visitors pass through every Saturday and Sunday.

The market sells practically everything, including grand antiques, fashionable clothes, religious artefacts, foods and a wide selection of live animals.

The market is a great place to bag a bargain, and although it is custom to haggle, the stall holders have a reputation of being savvy and difficult to persuade. Since the beginning of June, the market authorities have introduced a ban on smoking for the entire market and anyone that violates the ban will be fined.

2. Wat Phra Kaew

The Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand.

The temple is located within the grounds of the Grand Palace, in the historic centre of Bangkok.

Dating back to the late 18^th Century when Bangkok was founded, the temple contains more than 100 brightly coloured buildings, golden spires and glittering mosaics.

Despite its national significance and, in contrast to other Thai temples, it does not contain living quarters for monks; just the ornately decorated holy buildings, statues and pagodas.

The main building houses the Emerald Buddha and there are three main doors used to enter the temple, although only the King and Queen are allowed to enter through the centre door.

3. BTS Skytrain

The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) is an elevated metro system commonly known as the Skytrain, which is one of the quickest and easiest ways of travelling around the city while seeing the sights at the same time.

Opened in December 1999, the BTS has two lines and 23 stations, which interchange at the busy Siam station (the shopping centre of Bangkok) and have a combined route distance of 23 km.

The system was given the ‘Skytrain' tag by the press, and was initially attracting less commuters than had been expected. But since half a million people used it in 2005 in a single day, the Skytrain has been consistently popular.

4. Baiyoke Tower II

The Baiyoke Tower II is one of the main sights in the Bangkok skyline, which is unsurprising as it stands proud at 304 metres (99 foot), the tallest in Thailand (until it is surpassed by the Ocean One tower in Pattaya, which is expected to be completed in 2009).

The building houses the 4-star Baiyoke Sky Hotel, the tallest hotel in Southeast Asia, which has 673 rooms.

Located in downtown Bangkok, the tower has 85 floors, with a public observatory on the 77^th floor and on the 84^th floor a revolving Roof Deck.

5. Food

A popular greeting in Bangkok is "Kin khao rue yang?" (Have you eaten?), the equivalent of "How are you?" Food is an integral part of Thai culture and the streets are brimming with food carts, stalls and restaurants.

There are noodle stands, curry shops, Pad Thai stalls, road-side barbecues and even carts selling fried insects.

Popular local dishes include Tom Yam Kung (hot and sour shrimp soup), Phat Thai (Thai fried noodles) and Panang curry with beef.

There is also a diverse selection of foreign cuisine available in Bangkok, and foreign restaurants are rife in the city, especially around Khaosan Road and in downtown Bangkok.

Conclusion

A city alive with atmosphere and activity, Bangkok is the most popular destination in Southeast Asia - full of flavour and spice.

Search for Beach property in Thailand

If you are looking for property for sale in Thailand, such as villas, apartments or other types of real estate, why not check out TheMoveChannel.comThailand, which has a large number of listings from Thai estate agents and developers selling properties in the area: http://thailand.themovechannel.com/

Photo by René Ehrhardt

No Derivative Works. You may not alter, transform, or build upon the photo image.

Best Beaches in the World: Khao Lak - Thailand

Jude Buttle — 10/09/2008 15:39:00

Known for its stunning coastline and national parks, Khao Lak has made a remarkable recovery from the devastation of the tsunami and is now more beautiful than ever.

Beach Location

The beach of Khao Lak is just an hour's drive north of Phuket International Airport in Takua Pa district in the Phang Nga province of Thailand.

Set on the gorgeous Andaman seaboard, Khao Lak is one of Thailand's most peaceful resort destinations. This lovely stretch of coastline is surrounded by sweeping hills and complemented by three nearby national parks.

Following the tragedy of the 2004 tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the area of Khao Lak has made a remarkable recovery with newly refurbished hotels providing better quality accommodation and improved facilities.

Postcard Pictures

Photos by WiggyToo

Hot Temptations

The Khao Lak beach is spotless and has medium-fine yellow sand, which is caressed by clear blue waters.

The beach still remains relatively unknown and has not yet been invaded by coach tours, so the area is very popular with those looking for a beautiful remote spot to relax.

There are some charming bungalows scattered under the palms and fir trees right beside the beach, which narrows towards a small cluster of bars and restaurants.

At the start of the season in December and January, the waves can be a little choppy and problematic for small children, but when it settles the waters are calm and inviting.

It takes three hours for tourists to travel to the Similan (popular for scuba-diving) and Surin Islands by chartered boats that leave from Thap Lamu Pier in Thai Muang District, which is 30 minutes from Khao Lak beach.

Inland, the forested slopes beckon with nature tours and activities like rafting, elephant trekking and hiking to temple caves. Giant tropical trees and sparkling waterfalls provide a home to many species of wildlife and exotic birds in this surprisingly tranquil place.

Beach Property

A stylish, modern studio flat in Hua Hin, which offers stunning sea views as it is located on a beautiful, pristine beach. The property comes with the foreign freehold condominium title and is completely refurbished. The condo is located 5 km out of Hua Hin centre, close to the popular Aleenta resort. Price £46,780.

Located in the Evason Resort of Phuket, this spacious three bedroom apartment on the third floor is less than 30 ft away from two swimming pools and has spectacular ocean views. Decorated in a beach style, the unit boasts a large living room with stunning views of the sea, beach and a line of palm trees. Price £317,180.

The Malaiwana development in Naithong, Phuket, will be done in two phases. The first phase will consists of 19 five-bedroom estate villas combining the convenience of modern living with traditional Thai property architecture, which advocates separate private and social areas. Malaiwana is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty on one of the last undeveloped stretches of Phuket's north-west coast. Serene and beautiful, the nearby Naithon Beach boasts fine white sand and turquoise waters. Price £1,411,450.

Search for Beach property in Thailand

If you are looking for beach property for sale in Thailand, such as villas, apartments or other types of real estate, why not check out TheMoveChannel.comThailand, which has a large number of listings from Thai estate agents and developers selling properties in the area: http://thailand.themovechannel.com/

No Derivative Works. You may not alter, transform, or build upon the photo images.

Investors eye 'awe-inspiring' Thailand

Jaimie Kanwar — 07/07/2008 10:00:00

Overseas investors are increasingly considering opportunities in Thailand.

That is according to Homes Overseas magazine, which claims that the Asian country is appealing to both holidaymakers and foreign investors.

Rupert Bates, property expert at Homes Overseas commented: "Thailand is a beautiful and thrilling location for overseas property investors, and houses are currently available all over the country.

"Since it has become a highly popular tourist destination, many new properties are being built in its main hotspots of activity. Thailand also offers attractions such as a good climate and awe-inspiring beauty.

Mr Bates added: “Property values are generally affordable while the build quality of houses is up to European standards. Long-haul destinations are becoming more and more popular with property investors, and South-east Asia is proving to be one of the main non-European hotspots for Euro investors".

Thailand: The future Is bright

Jaimie Kanwar — 28/05/2008 00:00:00

Thailand is well on course for excellent economic growth in 2008…

After two years of political turmoil culminating in a coup last year, it seems the new government is finally settling in, and has made economic growth its top priority. This is illustrated by strong first quarter growth in 2008 - up six percent on the same period last year, and up 5.7% on the last quarter of 2007.

The Finance Ministry predicted six percent growth in the 1st quarter of 2008 and its predictions were absolutely right, but for those who need a little more convincing, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) also predicted growth in Thailand this year, as growing exports to non-U.S. countries off-set falling demand from the States.

The two reports are good news for investors who are looking at investing in Asia, as it is seen as having the best chance of weathering the global storm, a sentiment again backed up by the IIF, which recently commented that the leading emerging markets in Asia ‘are well-positioned to weather uncertain and less favourable global conditions’.

Spiraling tourism

Liam Bailey, head of international research at David Stanley Redfern Ltd commented: "Continued growth in Asia is excellent news for property investment in Thailand, especially in the emerging markets of Thailand's islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, where growth is primarily fuelled by spiralling regional tourism.

”Property prices in Koh Samui, an island with more five and six star resorts than any other in the world, grew by 50% per year, in 2006 and 2007. Continuing growth in Asia will see tourism growth continue and capital appreciation stay at similar figures.

”Koh Phangan is the new kid on the block, and luxury resort property there is just as hot for investment, growth figures are unclear as it is a really new market, but with Phuket and Samui as comparisons growth will not be any less than 25% per year, and could hit 50% in 2010."

Top of the Props – April 2008

Jaimie Kanwar — 09/05/2008 00:00:00

Interest in the United Arab Emirates from visitors to TheMoveChannel.com has soared over the last month, with the progressive Federation breaking into the top ten of our ‘Top of the Props’ chart for the first time…

Never content to rest on its laurels, the UAE’s defining characteristic seems to be its unshakeable quest for continuous improvement – something that has underpinned the success of States like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. And with major infrastructure investment occurring across the Emirates, it’s an exciting time for prospective investors.

Elsewhere, the titanic struggle at the top of chart between Europe’s heavyweights continued, with Italy, France and Spain shuffling places once again, and a new number 1 taking over. Far flung destinations continued their march up the chart, with two exciting emerging markets consolidating their positions in the top 10.

To view the complete chart, along with analysis and expert comment, please visit: http://www.themovechannel.com/articles/viewpoints/108-5-1.asp

You can also view the very latest global investment opportunities on our Property Investment Portal

Asian property markets warning

Jaimie Kanwar — 21/04/2008 00:00:00

The Global Property Guide has warned of imminent turmoil in Asian property markets…

Prince Christian Cruz, senior economist at the Global Property Guide, warned: “Asian property markets, though still relatively unaffected by the credit crunch, will soon be affected by inflation and higher interest rates, because of rising food, fuel and other commodity prices.

“Higher food, fuel and other commodity prices affect the housing market negatively in several ways: At the micro level, households may postpone their decision to purchase a new house or spend on renovation if they anticipate higher prices. At the macro level, higher food and fuel prices push inflation up. Monetary authorities typically raise key interest rates to stem inflationary pressure”.

Many Asian economies which have recently experienced residential real estate price surges such as China, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong and India (all of which registered double-digit house price increases in 2007) are under significant inflationary pressure:

Annual House Price Change (%) end-2007
China (Shanghai)	35.43%
Singapore	31.18%
Hong Kong	24.95%
Philippines	15.15%
Japan (6 major cities)	8.40%
South Korea	3.08%
Source: Various sources

Higher inflation and interest rates

Monetary authorities typically raise interest rates to combat inflation. They can also increase the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of banks or sell bonds or other financial instruments to reduce money supply.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the cash reserve ratio by 50 basis points in two stages to mop excess liquidity and contain inflationary pressures. The CRR will be 7.75% effective April 26 and 8% by May 10, 2008.

The RBI, similar to other central banks in Asia, left key interest rates unchanged during the first half of April. However, most analysts indicate the key rates might be hiked in May if inflation continues to be above the official targets

Fears of interest rate hikes cropped up in several Asian countries, particularly in Indonesia and China.

High interest rates affect housing markets in two ways:

By discouraging investment and consumption and causing the economy to slow, higher interest rates reduce people’s willingness to spend on housing.
Higher interest rates discourage borrowing for housing loans.

“The situation is unfortunate because most Asian housing markets have not yet fully recovered from the effects of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis,” Cruz notes.

“Even with strong house price gains in 2007, property prices in Asia are still below their pre-Asian Crisis peak levels. Despite 31% nominal rise in the over-all residential property price index, Singapore’s prices are still about 10% to 20% below their pre-Asian crisis peak level in real terms,” adds Cruz.

“In the Philippines, even with the 15% increase in condominium prices in 2007, it is still about 47% below its peak level in real terms,” he continues.

The housing markets most likely to be affected by monetary tightening seem to be China, India, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand, which have experienced the largest increases in inflation.

Will Asia tango together?

“With global financial markets interconnected, the world’s economies tend to move together. The synchronicity was observed with the global housing boom - never before in recorded history did so many countries experience so much house price growth all at the same time,” Cruz notes.

“The housing market slowdown may also be synchronized,” he adds. “Inflationary pressures are likely to cause Asia’s central banks to raise interest rates, and slow their housing markets,” he says.

However convergence will not be universal. Where currencies are pegged to the US, housing markets are likely to diverge somewhat from the global adjustment.

Countries such as Hong Kong and the Gulf must follow US interest rates. Unless those countries re-peg their currencies, their central banks cannot raise interest rates. This may lead to higher inflation including in the housing market.

Thailand’s ‘high end’ rental boom

Jaimie Kanwar — 17/04/2008 00:00:00

Investors are profiting from Thailand’s booming Condo market, claims Forbes…

In Forbes’ recent list of the world’s top 10 emerging locations, Thailand came in at number 6.

The magazine revealed: “The two most significant markets in Thailand are the Bangkok condominium market and the Phuket villa market. Bangkok also features a prominent rental market, into which many investors have jumped in recent years.

“Production in Bangkok has extended beyond the luxury market and into the moderately priced sector (for research purposes, Knight Frank classifies the country's housing as "moderate," "high-end" and "luxury"), as broad-based demand has driven construction.

In 2007, Phuket experienced similar results, and most of the growth there came in the high-end market--with prices surging 25%--while in the luxury market, prices jumped 2%.

Thai Islands ‘proving their worth’

Jaimie Kanwar — 14/03/2008 00:00:00

Thailand is currently one of the best countries in the world to make a property investment profit…

According to David Stanley Redfern, people who bought in Bangkok a few years ago have watched prices of their property double, even triple and quadruple in some cases. But now the biggest gains to be made are on resort properties as tourism to Thailand grows 20% year on year.

Especially profitable are resort properties on Thailand's islands like Koh Samui, and Koh Phangan and even the mature market of Phuket still has fight left in it. In fact people who bought a property on Samui and Phuket two years ago have sold recently for a 100% profit.

Phuket was popular before Koh Samui and as a result you won't get a resort villa there for very much under £500,000. With its world class white sandy beaches, tropical climate and in-land jungle, Phuket has become the place where the rich and famous buy their holiday homes.

Koh Samui – the safest investment?

Koh Samui is very similar to Phuket, and has all the same qualities to offer, great beaches and lush forest landscapes, and of course the same tropical climate. As Phuket grew out of most people's price range, Koh Samui became an affordable alternative. There are now more five star holiday resorts and hotels on Koh Samui than any other South East Asian island, and you can still buy a resort villa for £100,000 upwards.

Koh Samui is perhaps the safest of the Thai islands on which to make a property investment, because it has proven its worth with consistently strong capital growth since it began emerging; the aforementioned 25% average yearly capital appreciation in the last two years, but it also has the success of Phuket as a guide to how property prices will continue to grow in the coming years.

As does Koh Phangan: Koh Phangan is the least mature of the emerging Thai islands, so it doesn't have the proven track record of Koh Samui, but like I said it can still be compared to Phuket in that it has all the same qualities in the beaches and climate, is similarly attractive to tourists and increasingly attractive to overseas property investors.

For those willing to take that little risk of not having a proven track record, Koh Phangan offers the chance of making the biggest profit from your Thailand property investment.

Thailand ‘direct flights’ boost

Jaimie Kanwar — 12/03/2008 00:00:00

Cheap, direct flights are encouraging a whole array of people to invest in Thai property, according to one industry expert...

Jason Killingback, sales advisor for property specialists David Stanley Redfern Ltd, said: “Those seeking a pure investment, those looking for a holiday home and those wanting a business-owned property are all showing interest in the Thai property market.

”However, as with Malaysia, the majority of British investors are looking for a holiday home, with idyllic locations such as Koh Samui and Phuket becoming increasingly popular. It is a lot easier for people to access a lot of these countries now as they can fly direct or it's one stop, so it is a lot better now for people to invest."

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, between January and December 2006, 850,685 UK tourists visited Thailand.

Top of the Props: Brazil 'on top of the world'

Jaimie Kanwar — 07/03/2008 00:00:00

Interest in Brazil from visitors to TheMoveChannel.com has soared over the last month, with the world’s biggest emerging market powering its way into the top 5 of our ‘Top of the Props’ chart for the first time…

It’s an exciting time for Brazil and its property investment market. With two recent oil and gas discoveries and an apparent immunity to the worldwide credit crunch, Brazil’s economy is prospering, and property prices are certain to receive a major boost.

There was another change at the top of the chart, as Europe’s heavyweights slugged it out for supremacy. The same three countries have waged war for top spot over the last six months and, surprising, the investment destination widely perceived to be the most popular may well be losing the battle.

Elsewhere, far flung destinations once again figured heavily in the chart, with two exciting emerging markets breaking their way into the top 10 for the first time in months.

To view the full article and the complete TOTP chart, which ranks the top 40 countries, please visit: http://www.themovechannel.com/articles/viewpoints/108-3-1.asp

Thailand set for ‘boom year’

Jaimie Kanwar — 26/02/2008 00:00:00

It’s all change for Thailand this year and property investors are well placed to benefit, reports the OPP...

Thailand’s property market is set to take off this year as developers make the most of the country’s attractiveness to tourists and international investors, particularly after the recent election brought the coalition PPP government to power, promising reforms of property ownership and investment freedoms.

Thailand is rapidly growing in stature as one of Asia’s top tourist attractions. Long-haul holiday operator Travel 2 Travel 4 recently put Thailand at the top of its list for y-o-y growth so far in 2008. It revealed that Thailand has experienced at least a 20% rise in passenger numbers in the first month of this year and outranked the popular holiday destinations of Australia, Malaysia, the US and New Zealand.

As tourist numbers continue to rise, and confidence in the forward policies of the PPP government attracting more FDI to the nation is felt, developers are rapidly building villas, condominiums and city apartments to take advantage of the favourable conditions.

According to the Agency for Real Estate Affairs (AREA), a total of 117 new residential projects worth over Bt70billion will be launched into Bangkok and the suburban markets alone this year at an average price of Bt2.8million per unit.

AREA said the top 10 locations for developers in 2008 will be the towns, regions and districts of:

Sukhumvit Rama IV
Phahonyothin road
Klong San
Bang Na-Trad KM 1030
Pattanakan
Yanawa-Silom
Rama VBang Krouy
RachadaLad Prao
Pracha Uthid
Rachayothin.

AREA’s president Dr Sopon Pornchokchai added: “The figures show that the residential property sector plays an important part in Thailand’s property market while other sectors still need more attention from investors especially from overseas.”

Thailand ‘hotting up’

Jaimie Kanwar — 21/02/2008 00:00:00

Thailand is on the verge of becoming a property hotspot, claims Investors Provident…

Hetal Shah, director of the company commented: “The country is popular with investors buying for pleasure because it represents a nice holiday destination. By contrast, property in places such as Kuala Lumpur are viewed more from a business angle.

He added: "For us, Thailand is more of a holiday thing, so not so much Bangkok but more in places like Phuket, for example. There are a number of villas and apartments on the beach and it's just a getaway place really."

”While Thailand's property market is up and down, the fact that a new government is going to be put in place could prove to be beneficial. If the government policies are in line with what the market wants then it is going to be one of the hot places to put your money."

Investors seek 'far flung profits'

Jaimie Kanwar — 14/02/2008 00:00:00

Investors should look outside Europe to make profits in 2008, claims David Stanley Redfern Ltd…

Overseas property investment specialists David Stanley Redfern Ltd have compiled an overall review from the flurry of assessments, expectations and promises held for 2008, which reveals that the Americas and emerging European and Asian markets are amongst the most opportune focal points.

The 5 most talked about investment hot-spots on the marketplace today are Albania, Panama, Canada, Thailand and India. So, just why are assertive investors focusing their sights on these locations? David Stanley Redfern relayed some key points for consideration regarding each location.

Albania: “When you combine the benefits of no capital gains tax, transfer tax or VAT with escalating tourism and rental yields that are sure to become more far more attractive when Albania joins NATO this year, and soon the EU too, it’s clear why Albania’s causing quite a commotion amongst investors”.

Panama: “Panama holds similar appeal to that of Albania. Its strong and stable economy is noteworthy, but perhaps more eye-catching is the escalating property pricing that’s come along with the expansion of the Panama Canal. Now is certainly the right time to buy into the Panama property market in order to reap its full rewards, before they diminish and become somewhat defunct as investment increases”.

Canada: “Like property in Canada, the typical Canadian lifestyle is not only attractive but affordable too. Last year, Canada saw foreign investment rocket and in light of the continuing interest in the region, it’s set to go from strength to strength. Our current portfolio offers some prime, fast selling Canadian property in Rouge River”.

Thailand:” The thing I like about Thailand is the sheer class and ever escalating value of the property on offer there. There’s little taxation on property purchases too and it’s pleasing to hear from our clients who buy into Thailand and thank us for all we’ve done. But its there for the taking for anybody, so we’re thankful for those people who commit and go on to reap their own rewards”.

India: “India saw high property value appreciation a couple of years ago, something like 30% I believe, and it still proves itself in today’s market where its rising retail and IT profile are helping to attract investors from all around the world”

Koh Samui: Thailand’s ‘rising star’

Jaimie Kanwar — 01/02/2008 00:00:00

The island of Koh Samui is the shining light in Thailand’s tourism industry, according to David Stanley Redfern…

Thailand is one of the best countries in Asia for a foreign property investment: there is no inheritance or gift tax, capital gains are treated as income tax charged at the standard rate, and foreigners can buy condominiums freehold.

Foreigners can invest in property other ways, but purchasing a condominium is the easiest by far. Even with the political turmoil; rental yields still hit the 8% mark in Bangkok.

The gorgeous Island of Koh Samui has barely been affected by the political turmoil on the mainland - if at all, and potential investors would be wise to investigate the burgeoning resort property market.

As tourism grows on the island, and it begins to attract the higher end of the tourism market, as oppose to mainly back-packers, the villa resort properties can attain rental yields of 10-12% relatively easily, and a conservative estimate on capital appreciation is 15%-20%.

Round trip transaction costs are a reasonable 10% - 12.3% in Thailand, but both parties must have their own solicitor, and there is slight confusion over the calculation of buying costs; specific business tax and stamp duty are paid on whatever is higher between the assessed and declared value.

Cash-crazy Brits 'blazing a trail'

Jaimie Kanwar — 18/01/2008 00:00:00

British holidaymakers spend £34.4 billion on annual trips abroad*, with £23.3 billion spent while overseas, according to findings by Alliance & Leicester Personal Loans....

Visiting distant destinations like Australia costs a family of four an average of £8,120, for a six-week holiday of a lifetime. But although long-haul holidays may be where we spend the most per visit, trips closer to home may make less economic sense for some savvy-travellers, with Iceland topping the poll of countries where we spend the most per day.

Out of the 10 destinations where we spend the most per day, six are in Europe, suggesting that taking short Continental breaks may actually be more costly than they appear.

Countries where we spend the most per visit:

Country	Spend per person	Spend per family of 4	Average length of stay
Australia	£2,030	£8,120	45 days
New Zealand	£2,004	£8,016	41 days
Central & South America	£1,193	£4,772	28 days
Thailand	£1,177	£4,708	22 days
Asia	£1,167	£4,667	20 days
South Africa	£1,107	£4,428	21 days
China	£1,105	£4,420	20 days
Canada	£1,046	£4,184	15 days
Pakistan	£948	£3,792	32 days
USA	£945	£3,780	14 days

Countries where we spend the most per person per day:

Country	Spend per day	Average length of stay
Iceland	£118	6 days
Estonia	£102	5 days
United Arab Emirates	£95	9 days
Latvia	£92	3 days
Finland	£91	5 days
Hungary	£76	6 days
Belgium	£74	3 days
Barbados	£71	13 days
USA	£70	14 days
Canada	£69	15 days

The findings also reveal the average cost of a holiday abroad was £514 per person – or £2,056 for a family of four. Over a lifetime** this amounts to a whopping £41,634 for an individual. Clearly the cost of funding a dream holiday abroad could be daunting, but a low-rate loan gives cash-savvy travellers cost-effective options of paying for it in manageable monthly sums – without piling on high levels of interest.

Richard Al-Dabbagh, Alliance & Leicester Personal Loans Manager, said: “Holidays are meant to be a time of enjoyment but often the cost of going abroad, especially for a family, can be quite substantial. Rather than worry about how to finance a holiday or shelving plans for a well earned break, British holidaymakers can opt for a personal loan that allows them the convenience of paying in manageable monthly repayments. This can easily be budgeted for over a time period to suit and there’s the comfort of knowing that whatever happens to interest rates, the payments won’t change.”

Overseas investors ‘full of confidence’

Jaimie Kanwar — 07/01/2008 00:00:00

International property investors remain confident despite tough times in 2007…

It seems that for UK buyers, our love for overseas property remains strong, according to experts at the NAEA International incorporating FOPDAC. While the outlook varies as one drills down into the established and emerging markets, it seems that the diversity of the UK buyer is one factor helping to keep overseas property demand strong in 2008.

Robin Haynes of Foreign Currency Direct is particularly optimistic following a pick up in enquiries at the end of last year. “We’re experiencing a good level of interest at the moment. Overall we saw an 8.2% increase in the number of overseas property transactions in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared with 2006.”

Buyer diversity keeps established markets strong

The world’s established property markets have maintained a consistent level of interest over the last 12 months and, despite speculation to the contrary, many are expected to continue being popular. Countries such as France, Portugal, Italy and Cyprus will do particularly well in 2008 according to Vanessa Bird, of financial services company Baydonhill:

“There has been considerable nervousness over the economy recently, but we believe that the majority of the established markets will remain robust over the next 12 months.

The key is the diverse selection of buyers who look to purchase in these destinations, from second home owners to those relocating for retirement. The huge variety present here –in terms of age, financial circumstances and motivation for buying – is the driver behind the constant supply of purchasers.”

Spain and Florida still hold appeal

While Spain and Florida are reported to have experienced overheating recently, they still hold great appeal for traditional overseas buyers according to Robin Haynes: “With all its bad press we know that Spanish property is taking longer to sell than normal, but British buyers are still in love with the idea of a place on the Costas. Spain remains the number one destination according to enquiries through our portal PropertyLine.co.uk. Indeed, we sent more payments to Spain in 2007 than in 2006.

“Meanwhile, with property prices having fallen in the USA and the Dollar at its lowest level against the Pound since the 1980s interest is escalating again in the Florida market.”

Falling broadly into two groups, the emerging property markets revolve around the up coming areas of Central and Eastern Europe and more exotic locations such as Brazil, Venezuela and Thailand. With investment being a key focus for the latter group, Vanessa Bird believes that now is a telling time for the future success of the markets in Central and Eastern Europe. “The challenge for these markets is to go beyond the 2-3 year popularity span which so many are experiencing.

Bulgarian confidence

“Bulgaria is a good example of this. It has got to the stage where many of the properties are now being completed and investors are finding out whether they will actually see the rental returns that were promised at the beginning. If returns are achieved then this will bolster confidence in other emerging European markets.

“There are certain destinations across Central and Eastern Europe where the markets are still in their infancy and are likely to serve investors well over the coming year. Romania and Latvia are just two examples of these.”

Meanwhile, more exotic locations are expected to grow in popularity as buyers become even more adventurous.

Linda Travella, committee member at the NAEA International incorporating FOPDAC, comments: “Wherever you are looking to buy, the important thing is to seek the advice of a reputable and knowledgeable agent. There can be many complicated buying, tax and legal issues to contend with, particularly in less established destinations. Meanwhile, some of the horror stories you hear in the press are the result of property purchases that have not been monitored by an experienced professional, so visit naea.co.uk to find out more about choosing the right professional.”

'Rip-off costs' hit Asian housing market

Jaimie Kanwar — 19/12/2007 00:00:00

Huge transaction costs are creating havoc in the South-East Asian property markets...

Exceptionally high tax, transaction and other costs discourage the provision of housing in Asia, according to a report by the Global Property Guide. These are seen to lead to urban slums and unaffordable housing units.

There are about 250 million slum dwellers in South and South East Asia, 178 million in China alone. Countries with serious slum problems include Indonesia (with 21 million slum dwellers), Philippines (20 million) and South Korea (14 million). These are the same countries that have serious housing affordability conditions.

“The market cannot efficiently provide housing, if it is saddled with unnecessary costs,” says Prince Cruz, senior economist at the Global Property Guide. “Total transaction costs in Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia the Philippines and South Korea are above 10%. In the Philippines, the round-trip transaction costs of buying and selling a property can easily reach 35% of the property value because of the 12% VAT. This is on top of the 6% capital gains tax and 5% agent’s fee. For these countries, the bulk of the costs are real estate agents’ fees, and sales and transfer taxes.”

On the other hand, round-trip transaction costs on property purchase-and-sales are generally below six per cent in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.

High transaction costs linked to unaffordable housing

In a study involving a detailed comparison of housing purchase costs in Asia, the Global Property Guide finds a clear correlation between high transaction costs, and unaffordable housing (measured by house-price-to-income ratios). House-price-to-income ratios are generally regarded as the best measure of housing affordability.

Condominium prices are high compared to average incomes in Shanghai, Jakarta, Manila and Seoul. Countries with the least affordable housing are the same countries that have high ratios of urban slums.

“These high housing prices can be traced to high transaction costs and several policies that discourage property owners from participating in the real estate market. Reducing transaction taxes can lead to more efficiency and transparency in the market,” says Cruz.

Aside from high transaction costs, corruption is also a major factor in most countries in Asia. In China, bribes to government officials and bureaucrats for property transactions are considered standard business practice. These corruption costs are transferred directly to homebuyers, leading to higher house prices.

Other highlights of the study:

Countries with high transaction costs tend to have expensive houses - and large slum populations.
Countries with less transparent markets and more registration procedures have higher real estate agent fees (particularly the Philippines and Indonesia).
Developing countries in Asia do not provide sufficient protection of property rights. Poor governance and weak control of corruption are also observed in China, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Foreigners face several ownership restrictions in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. On the other hand, the real estate markets of Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea are general open to foreigners.
Tenant eviction is a serious problem in some Asian countries, generally because of cumbersome and inefficient court systems.

For more information: http://www.globalpropertyguide.com

Thai property is no ‘white elephant’

Jaimie Kanwar — 18/12/2007 00:00:00

The Thai property sector has suffered a chaotic recent history but it has ultimately triumphed over adversity…

The devastating Tsunami in December 2004 and military coup in September 2006 certainly gained the ‘land of smiles’ global attention however the Thai government and its people have worked hard to utilise this interest positively. Far from being a white elephant (which are incidentally sacred and a sign of prosperity in their native SE Asia), there is continued interest in Thailand as an investment opportunity.

Thailand has progressively recovered its former economic vigour, strengthened by increased government spending, moderate export growth, real GDP growth of 4.5% (in 2005) and substantial inflows (US €7.9 billion in 2006) of foreign direct investment. Recent economic growth in Thailand registered a healthy 4.3% increase in the fourth quarter of 2006 with projections of a solid 5% growth in 2007.

A key economic growth sector has been tourism which accounted for an impressive 9% of Thai GDP in 2005 according to the Bank of Thailand. The number of tourists visiting Thailand has almost doubled over the last decade with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicting continued growth of 7% for 2007, to an estimated total of 14.8 million tourists, generating Baht 547 billion in the process.

Excellent and varied opportunities

A solid economy coupled with a renowned reputation as an attractive tourist destination is having a positive affect on the Thai property market, providing some excellent and varied opportunities for the overseas property investor.

Resort developments such as those in Pattaya, are proving particularly popular not only with foreign buyers but also Thai residents, the thriving ex-pat community and the emerging Asian middle classes especially the Chinese for whom Thailand is the 4^th most popular destination for foreign travel.

As a consequence of shifts in worldwide tourism trends, Thailand’s tourism market is experiencing a dramatic increase in demand for longer-term rentals in villa and condominium accommodation as opposed to traditional hotels.

“This is where the Thai property market is prospering”, comments Kevin Prior, Sales Director of Obelisk International. “Property costs a third of other tourist hot spots and when combined with impressive capital growth shown to have been maintained over several years and a year round rental season with consistently high returns there is significant attraction for investors.”

Growing demand from overseas investors

To fulfil the growing demand from foreign second home owners, retirees and expats, coastal resorts such as Pattaya Heights are being developed. Pattaya is Thailand’s most developed and popular tourist destination dubbed the “Thai Riviera” attracting over 5.8 million visitors annually (2006, TAT).

Simply once a small fishing village, Pattaya was discovered as a Bangkok beach resort in the 1960’s and then went on to be a place of R&R (Rest and Recuperation) for the nearby US military. Today tourists from Western Europe, Scandinavia, Russia and the USA to name a few come to enjoy the superb beaches, modern shopping malls, high end leisure activities such as golf or sailing, Thai culture and the renowned nightlife.

And being only now 1 ½ hours from the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok (capable of receiving 45 million passengers annually) as well as having its own regional airport means that Pattaya is more accessible than ever before.

The real estate market in Pattaya is booming with Thai nationals buying first ‘western style’ homes here as well as foreign nationals purchasing second or retirement properties. Many experts believe the city to be experiencing a second cycle of growth as increasingly higher end luxury developments such as the 91 floor Ocean 1 Tower and other residential communities spring up in Pattaya.

Excellent investment opportunity

As an investment, real estate in Pattaya presents an excellent opportunity. The Pattaya Heights project from Obelisk International for example offers 114 superbly appointed studio and 1 bedroom apartments at 24% below average market value.

Located in a secure and tranquil area of the city next to the beautiful Royal Park, Pattaya Heights offers spectacular views over the Bay of Pattaya.

It is the first condominium development in Pattaya to have two ‘infinity edge’ roof top swimming pools as well as 2 mini golf roof top courses, sun deck, bar, gym, coffee shop, 24 hour security, underground parking, recreational gardens and a Jacuzzi bath as standard in all apartments.

Investment in a 1 bedroom apartment averages at £61,970 and capital growth is expected at 15% per annum for 5 years. Kevin Prior comments, “Pattaya Heights is an attractive investment opportunity for both the short term investor looking to buy off-plan and sell on completion due to the strong resale market as well as the investor looking at generating both capital gain and rental income from a longer term investment.”

Future of prosperity and success

The Chornburi province in which Pattaya is located has 7900 registered expats (Labour Ministry, Sept 2006) and this community has been growing by 20% per year since 2004. The majority (60%) of Pattaya Heights’ profiled buyers currently reside in Thailand providing a strong resale market locally.

With regards to rental incomes, western style condominium properties are among the most sought after in Thailand. Average rental yields are expected between 6 and 7% per annum with a conservative monthly rental income of £489 for a 1 bedroom apartment. Tourist arrivals to the province have increased at an annual rate of 10% since 2001 so there is no shortage of demand for rental accommodation.

“The Thai property market is very much on the up,” comments Kevin, “investing in real estate in regions such as Pattaya is by no means a liability or white elephant. On the contrary we at Obelisk International believe Thailand has a future of prosperity and success ahead of it. This is just the beginning.”