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CBRE the big winners at 2011 Thailand Property Awards
CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) won
five awards at the Thanachart Bank Thailand Property Awards 2011 gala dinner
ceremony, held at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok last month. For
more details and a full list of all the winners on the night, turn to page
13.
The prestigious 2011 Thailand Property Awards were held
at a lavish gala dinner and ceremony staged at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel
in Bangkok on Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Two big success stories on the night were property agents
CB Richard Ellis (Thailand), winners of five awards, and the Soneva Kiri by
Six Senses Resorts and Spas on Koh Kood, which garnered three awards for the
developers, plus two additional ones for the architects of the project.
This highly publicized event was attended by over 600
CEOs, managing directors, developers and other senior management figures
from the national and regional property sector in what was essentially a
who’s who of the nation’s real estate business; many of who were vying for
one of the 31 awards on offer during the evening.
The guest of honor at the event was Deputy Finance
Minister Viroon Techapaiboon, who as well as congratulating all the nominees
and winners, also touched on the subject of the recent flooding that had
affected much of central Thailand and how vital the property industry was in
rebuilding after this catastrophe.
Also on board this year for the first time was Thanachart
Bank as the title sponsor of the event and who offered special interest
rates and various offers to award winners on the night.
“We are confident that working together with one of
Thailand’s leading and most dynamic banks now and in the months ahead, will
have a very positive effect both on the awards and on the real estate
industry as a whole,” said Terry Blackburn, CEO of Ensign Media, the
organisers of the event. “The Thanachart Bank Thailand Property Awards will
become the gold standard of quality for the industry,” he added.
CBRE (Thailand) almost had a clean sweep in the agents
sector, taking awards for Best Resort Residential Agent, Best Bangkok
Residential Agent, Best Commercial Agent, Best Property Consultancy, and
Best Website. The only awards the company didn’t pick up were Best Property
Management Company - Jones Lang LaSalle (Thailand) Ltd; Best Overseas
Property Agent -Savills (Thailand) Ltd; and Best Agency Deal - Colliers
International Thailand.
The luxurious Soneva Kiri by Six Senses Resorts and Spas
meanwhile picked up awards for Best Green Development and Best Villa
Development in both the Eastern Seaboard and Thailand categories. Architect
of the project Habita shared in the success of the development by capturing
two awards of their own.
The format of the Property Awards had changed this year
to incorporate all the resort locations, Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui and
Chiang Mai, under one umbrella meaning that all four were essentially
competing for many of the same awards. This resulted in Pattaya falling
short of its successes from previous years, with the only winner from the
city this year being the Tropical Dream condominium development on Pratumnak
Hill.
Elsewhere Minor International, which owns the JW Marriott
Resort, won the awards for Best Developer and the Best Condo Development
Thailand for their The Residences at The St. Regis Bangkok project.
Malaiwana followed up from their success at the Southeast
Asia Property Awards (SEA Awards) held in Singapore earlier in December by
claiming the Best Villa Development in Phuket honor.
Real Estate Personality of the Year went to Anupong
Asavabhokhin, Chief Executive Officer of Asian Property Development PLC, who
was unable to attend on the night but addressed those gathered at the gala
dinner by video link.
In closing Terry Blackburn said, “Over 1,300 nominations
were received this year, and from those over 250 entries. This is a clear
reflection of both the success of the awards and the strength of the
Kingdom’s real estate industry.”
Winners of Thanachart Bank Thailand Property Awards 2011
• Best Affordable Condo Development (Bangkok)
Rhythm Ratchada
• Best Residential Agent (Resort)
CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
• Best Residential Agent (Bangkok)
CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
• Best Commercial Agent
CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
• Best Property Management Company
Jones Lang LaSalle (Thailand) Ltd.
• Best Property Consultancy
CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
• Best Overseas Property Agent
Savills (Thailand) Ltd
• Best Agency Deal
Colliers International Thailand
• Best Property Website
www.cbre.co.th
• Best Residential Architectural Design
Habita Architects for Soneva Kiri
by Six Senses Resorts and Spas
• Best Commercial Architectural Design
Palmer & Turner (Thailand) Ltd.
for Sathorn Square
• Best Landscape Architectural Design
P LANDSCAPE for Phulay Bay
A Ritz Carlton Reserve
• Best Hotel Architectural Design
Habita Architects for Soneva Kiri
by Six Senses Resorts and Spas
• Best Residential Interior Design
Brennan Beer Gorman Architects, New York; Plan Architect Co., Ltd.
Thailand for The Residences at The St. Regis Bangkok
• Best Condo Development (Phuket)
Mandala Condominiums
• Best Condo Development (Eastern Seaboard)
The Tropical Dream Condominium
• Best Luxury Condo Development (Bangkok)
The Residences at The St. Regis Bangkok
• Best Villa Development (Phuket)
Malaiwana
• Best Villa Development (Eastern Seaboard)
Soneva Kiri by Six Senses Resorts and Spas
• Best Housing Development (Bangkok)
Setthasiri Chaiyapruk-Chaengwattana
• Best Residential Development (Samui)
Code
• Best Residential Development (Hua Hin)
Baan Ing Phu
• Best Residential Development (Chiang Mai)
Residences at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai
• Best Commercial Development Thailand
Sathorn Square, Bangkok
• Green Development Award
Soneva Kiri by Six Senses Resorts and Spas
• Best Shared Ownership Development
Beach Republic The Residences
• Real Estate Personality of the Year
Khun Anupong Asavabhokhin, Chief Executive Officer, Asian Property
Development PLC
• Best Villa Development Thailand
Soneva Kiri by Six Senses Resorts and Spas
• Best Condo Development Thailand
The Residences at The St. Regis Bangkok
• Best Boutique Developer
Kalara Developments
• Best Developer
Minor International PLC
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A study in success
For full details, please see .
Flooding in Bangkok has spurred a boom in the Pattaya real
estate market and is contributing to swift sales across the board. A recent
example of the renewed interest in Pattaya is the announcement from Raimon
Land that the North Tower of Zire Wongamat, their freehold project located
on Wongamat Beach, is now completely sold out less than one year after the
project was launched.
Strong demand in the Pattaya Market is expected to
continue well into the New Year as Thai and foreigners alike invest in
second homes within a short drive to both Suvarnabhumi Airport and downtown
Bangkok.
Whether it took a natural disaster in
the form of devastating flooding in the greater Bangkok area, or demand was
poised to heat up anyway, is debatable. What is undeniable, however, is that
the Pattaya real estate sector in the last quarter of 2011 is red hot, and
there is little sign of it slowing.
One only has to look at the success of
the Zire Wongamat project on Wongamat Beach for confirmation of the
attractiveness of North Pattaya for both Thai and foreign property buyers
looking for a second home in the Pattaya area.
Launched less than one year ago, the
project’s North Tower is completely sold out and two thirds of the total
project’s 480 units have now been purchased, With prices for the beachfront
units averaging only Baht 99,500 per square metre, it is easy to see why a
project like Zire Wongamat has been enjoying much of the spotlight in 2011.
While Pattaya is clearly Booming,
today’s buyers are more discerning than ever. No longer are they focused
merely on price, but no the entire package, the perks, and value added
amenities with an affordable price tag. Looking at how quickly Zir Wongamat
is selling, they appear to have achieved a winning formula with the public
in the form of a two-tower design spread over 5 rai of land that offers each
tenant enough personal space to live comfortably either inside or outside
their unit. Large living spaces, comfortable balconies with high
floor-to-ceiling windows (2.8 metres for single level units and 6 metres for
duplexes) and fully-equipped Western kitchens and bathrooms are just some of
the extras on offer with the project.
Further appealing to both Thai and
foreigners alike, every unit in the development provides residents with
stunning panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand so that when you leave
Bangkok for a weekend retreat, you truly feel like you are in a far-away
resort.
At the time of writing, all remaining
available units at Zire Wongamat are facing the sea and starting at just 4.5
million baht, they offer excellent value for money on a resort beach that
can’t be beaten.
While there is not a lot of baseball
played in the Land of Smiles, it is clear that Raimon Land has hit a home
run with their Zire Wongamat and has set a very high standard for others to
follow.
Please contact 02 651 9600 for more
information.
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Living and working
on the edge in Pattaya
Raine Grady, Thailand-based TV host and Capital TV producer,
takes you behind the scenes of a five star movie shoot for a five star property
Capital TV’s Raine Grady
takes us to a special movie shoot down on the Waterfront.
For more details turn to.
Our team has been making TV programs and short films for
many networks and clients over the years and a few of those have been in the
edgy resort city of Pattaya.
Pattaya is known for many things, a few of them infamous
and a quite a few of them seedy, but over recent years I’ve been back there
more and more often for productions on five star projects. Suddenly Pattaya
is home to some of Thailand’s best hotels and its now the new destination
for high end property developments with prices to match.
Raine Grady - TV host.
On this occasion I was there to make a short film for a
new project called the Waterfront. Its name suggests exactly where it is, on
the water front near Pattaya’s Bali Hai Pier.
It’s been newly taken over by the Tulip Group, the name
behind some of Pattaya’s leading projects such as Centara Grand Residence,
the Centara Avenue Residence & Suites, The Cliff, Amari Residences and
several other projects, all in prime locations.
Once it’s complete, this stunning 50-story tower will
consist of 300 residences and a 100 room hotel managed by the London-based
Park Plaza Group Europe. It will in fact be the group’s first hotel in Asia.
Why Pattaya?
Partly because the Chairman of Park Plaza Group, Eli
Papouchado fell in love with the destination and partly because his partner
in the project, Tulip Group CEO Kobi Elbaz, is a force to be reckoned with
in this town when it comes to luxury development.
From left: Redin Hadzic,
Polina Kondratikova and Tulip Group CEO Kobi Elbaz.
So why was I here?
“I want you to make a movie for me about the Waterfront
project” Kobi told me. “And hurry up because we’ve already sold 50 percent
of the units”.
OK, sounds interesting, but right now I am standing on
the site looking at a pretty nice multi-level showroom and a sizeable hole
in the ground. Construction is well underway but it will be several years
before the building is complete.
The seductive Polina beckons.
So how do I take a crew of 10 people, two top models, and
make this into a movie?
Well, just ask any top developer. It’s all about building
a dream.
We began with the concept. The Waterfront’s theme is
“living on the edge”. That was something cool to work with right from the
start.
Our model Redin Hadzic was of Bosnian origin and a
familiar face on Thai TV commercials. His role was to emulate a film noir
Phillip Marlow character and head into Pattaya like a detective on a
mission.
To capture the mood, the whole production was to be
produced in black and white with only the colour red appearing. If you’ve
seen the opening of the movie Sin City you’ll know what I mean.
Louisa makes a vital bikini
adjustment.
Our mystery girl was Zoom model Polina Kondratikova, a
Russian bombshell, who would appear throughout the video, mysteriously
surprising our lead actor and then finally meeting him at the end.
Scene one began with the car. No suave detective should
arrive in Pattaya in a pickup truck.
“Use my car”, said Kobi.
The latest Mercedes SL55? Well, OK.
I was lucky enough to collect the car myself. A few
instructions later and I was casually driving down Pattaya beach road, top
down, traveling in style.
The drama began when I stopped at an ATM for some cash.
I wandered over, smiled smugly at the dazzled tourists
and jumped back in. The only problem was, I couldn’t restart the car. You
don’t look too cool when furiously pushing a dozen buttons and all you can
do is raise the roof.
After a few false starts, the first day of the shoot was
upon us.
The hard working film crew in
action.
The next drawback was that Redin was so nervous driving
our gorgeous Mercedes that he refused to do a U turn, just in case he
scratched something. That entailed me on one end of the road and assistant
producer Billy Vaughan on the other end waiting for our model to drive
nonchalantly past on film and then screech to a halt so we could jump in to
turn the car around.
The audience of road workers standing nearby no doubt
thought we were a bunch of mad Farangs who’d gone crazy in the midday heat.
Well, they weren’t totally wrong.
Filming in the showroom was the easy part. This is a
project where just about every angle is a winner. Our photographer Alain had
to be dragged off the set. Well, really. 300 photos in one spot is more than
enough.
Then to the jacuzzi scene.
“Oh I forgot my bathing suit,” said Redin.
Oh gosh, really? There was a brief moment when I wondered
if that really mattered.
But just to be safe, Billy suggested a quick dash to the
local markets. Bearing in mind we would only see the colour red on screen he
returned promptly with a dazzling pair of red speedos. Even more amazing
than the colour was the fact that we actually got our model to wear them.
On the beach, we relied on local designer Louisa from
Regardez Moi to prepare our red bikinis and beach wear for Polina.
Louisa actually sewed them up the night before. From the
passing traffic we stopped her innovations were a big success. Well, that
and the 2 hours of footage the cameraman took before he was forced to yell
“cut”.
The next day, Polina was due to join us for a shoot on a
luxury yacht. Just offshore from the Waterfront project, at Bali Hai, our
vessel was neatly bobbing in the water. However the dingy had broken down
and while we could see where we had to go, how to get there?
Why not ask a local speedboat operator?
“5000 baht, madam, I take you there!”.
“Oh sure, you want to take me for a 200 meter ride?!”
“Yes sure!”
“Mmmm, let me think…..”
Suddenly a smiling fisherman in a battered wooden vessel
appeared at the jetty.
“Hello! I will take you to the big boat for free!”
The thing is, 10 camera crew, two models, three fishermen
and an overweight bus driver don’t sit too well in a tiny wooden dingy
that’s seen better days. Stress levels were magnified when our Japanese
cameraman Sugi admitted halfway across he couldn’t swim.
That meant a turn around to dump several of the crew and
then renew the dodgy ride in the battered coffin to our destination - a
multi-million baht gleaming white machine. So near and yet so far!
Finally, after a few prayers and some minor screaming
fits, we made it. The sky was blue and the seas were rough but I will say
the footage looked great, in between 10 minute emergency bathroom breaks for
half the team.
Looking back to the Pattaya City sign atop the hill on
shore and the site of the Waterfront just below, you can imagine what an
amazing spot this would be to live or stay on a holiday.
It’s without a doubt one of the best locations in town
for those who want to be on the edge of the city and the sea. The views
sweep across Pattaya Bay and by the time the project’s complete this will
also be home to Pattaya’s new marina. It will be a boat owner’s dream come
true.
Combine that with the management and service of one of
the best hotel chains in Europe and it was easy to see why Waterfront was
selling quickly.
It was time for us to get moving too.
Back on shore, sea legs shaking, we made our way to the
stunning Mantra restaurant for the final scenes.
This involved a surprise ending where we decided our
couple should meet up, and then ............... well, you’ll have to watch
the film to see.
After all, there’s only so much romance you can handle in
paradise.
Suffice to say it was the perfect ending to a few days in
a place where anything can happen, where living on the edge is par for the
course.
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Cape Dara Resort reaching
for the stars in north Pattaya
An artist’s render shows the
completed Cape Dara Resort.
Residents and regular visitors to Pattaya over the past
few years will have no doubt noticed the changing shape of the
Naklua/Wongamat peninsula as the area undergoes something of a relative
transformation, with a spate of luxury resorts and condominium developments
now dotting the north Pattaya skyline.
One building which has risen rather unheralded, but with
its unique design and helicopter pad on the top floor has also drawn many
admiring glances, now occupies just about the premier location in the area
and is the soon to be opened five-star Cape Dara Resort.
Built with a budget of over 1 billion baht and based on
drawings from the IQ Design Company and the owner’s personal vision, this
standout property rises 26 stories at its highest point and incorporates
three separate buildings that aim to provide guests with the ultimate in
both luxurious accommodation and services.
The hotel ballroom.
Standing on 4.8 rai of prime real estate on the scenic
promontory of Cape Dara Beach (“Dara” stands for stars) at the end of the
peaceful Soi 20, Pattaya-Naklua Road, the Cape Dara Resort promises to offer
unparalleled views of Pattaya Bay and the nearby islands to its guests from
the 264 staterooms, duplexes and VIP suites, all tastefully decorated in
earth tones and teak wood furnishings. The corner Dara Deluxe rooms even
offer outstanding vistas from the designer bathtubs in each unit.
The main entrance lobby.
A separate 5-storey building will encompass some of the
all-day dining facilities and three floors of beach rooms which provide
private terrace jacuzzis and three meter plunge pools, plus direct access to
the beach from the ground floor.
For the ultimate in luxury the three-storey Top Star
suites will offer five oversized bedrooms, private pool and deck, dining and
living rooms, and beach access.
The project comes from the Connor Co. Ltd., which is a
subsidiary of the Mekavarakul family business group, and has been four years
in the making from initial design and concept to construction, which started
a little over two years ago. The resort is expected to be ready to receive
its first guests by Spring 2012.
Cape Dara Resort will be privately managed without any
major branding affiliation as the owners and hand-picked management feel
they can offer more exclusivity and a higher standard of service to their
guests by keeping everything in-house.
Philippe Delaloye – General
Manager Cape Dara Resort.
Overseeing the administration of the resort will be
Philippe Delaloye, no stranger to the hospitality industry in Thailand, who
will bring his vast experience of running luxury resorts to bear on this
exciting new addition to the Pattaya and Thailand hotel market.
“All our major competitors are branded hotel chains so it
will be a challenge, but there are some top rated independently run hotels
in Thailand, including Pattaya, for example the Royal Cliff Group, that
shows it can be done,” said Philippe during an exclusive interview to our
Pattaya Mail reporters.
“It’s good to have the major brands here as they are
adding to the prestige of Pattaya, but we have taken into account the rates
charged by our close friends in the area and have set our prices to be
competitive with those, whilst at the same time knowing that in many cases
the rooms we offer will be superior in terms of facilities and especially
the views,” Philippe added.
The Cape Dara Resort will offer a full list of business
facilities including an executive club lounge, conference and boardrooms,
free WiFi throughout the building and a spacious ballroom that can be
utilized for large meetings and conferences.
Dining options include the 24th
floor ‘Sphere’ lounge, the ‘Mellow’ cafô and patisserie in the main lobby,
all day dining with sea views at the Radius, and ‘Ming Xing’ Chinese
restaurant.
Guests can also relax at the Twinkle or Walala pools with
swim up bar or be pampered at the ‘Luminous Spa’.
The main tower building will operate 11 elevators and a
state of the art air-conditioning system, as well as incorporating many
energy-saving and safety features. A total of 80 CCTV cameras will provide
additional security and peace of mind for guests.
With its prime location and accent on 5 star services and
accommodation, the Cape Dara Resort promises to add significant kudos to the
already growing reputation of Pattaya’s luxury hotel and resort options and
we look forward to visiting them again to provide you with an update in the
near future.
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A grand new era for Pattaya
Tulip Group raising the bar with
Centara Grand Residence
Tulip Group CEO, Kobi Elbaz: “Our
goal is to give the buyer the feel that they are living in a resort.”
It is the dawn of a new era for the
Pattaya property market with the development of Centara Grand Residence at
Na Jomtien, a high-rise oceanfront development and a unique mixed use
residential and hotel project that will be managed by Centara Hotels &
Resorts.
For the first time in Pattaya investors will have the
opportunity to own luxurious condominiums enriched with five-star hotel
facilities and services. This is expected to attract a new group of high-end
buyers who are seeking an exclusive high-rise beach front residence within
easy reach of Bangkok.
The owner of the project is the Tulip Group, the name
behind some of Pattaya’s leading projects such as the majestic Waterfront on
the edge of the resort city, Centara Grand Pattaya, the Centara Avenue
Residence & Suites, The Cliff, Amari Residences and several other projects,
all in prime locations.
The project will offer 283
luxury residential units on 20,000 square meters of landscaping and public
areas, including beach frontage with the pool, gardens, water features and
facilities.
Tulip Group CEO, Kobi Elbaz, says Pattaya is primed for
this new trend in luxury.
“Our goal is to give the buyer the feel that they are
living in a resort”, he says.
Centara Grand Jomtien will cover 20 rai which is
equivalent to 32,000 square meters of prime land with 150 meters beach
frontage.
“Only 27.5% of the land is being used for the
construction,” Kobi adds. “When you combine the beach frontage with the
pool, gardens, water features and facilities, there will be 20,000 square
meters of landscaping and public areas for the buyers to enjoy. This is
green luxury on a grand scale.”
An artist’s render shows the
luxury Centara Grand Residence project in Na Jomtien.
Due for completion within three years, the project will
feature 283 residential units ranging from a seven bedroom 500 square metre
penthouse to duplexes with private pools, along with studios, one, two and
three bedroom units. These will be spread through two towers, one of 46
floors the other of 39, each with a 20th floor sky garden, swimming pool and
chill out area.
The third tower will be the 200 room Centara Grand hotel.
All residential units and hotel rooms face both the ocean and the sunset.
There’s no doubt the Jomtien sunset is magical. It might
only bounce on the horizon for a few precious moments but it regularly casts
a golden carpet across the water to the shoreline before it disappears and
dusk descends.
Long enough to sip an ice cold drink and enjoy a cool
breeze.
Taking shape on the Na Jomtien site of the project is
proof of the developer’s commitment to high end luxury with no expense
spared. The 200 million Baht showroom is both the largest and the most
expensive ever built in Thailand.
“It was necessary to spend this amount to get investors
to embrace the lifestyle and show the stature of the company,” says Jason
Payne, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tulip Group. “Everything has
been thought out from the arrival to entering the suites. It’s a lifestyle
rather than just a building”.
The head of CB Richard Ellis agrees.
“A showroom on this scale is very important,” says
Aliwassa Pathnadabutr, Managing Director of CBRE (Thailand). “It projects
confidence to the buyer and is a statement of the developer’s commitment to
the project to make an investment on this scale.”
CBRE has sole agency for the new project and believes
it’s the most exciting high-end development ever seen in Pattaya.
“There is growing interest for high end property in
Pattaya,” says Aliwassa. “During the economic crisis developers in Pattaya
weren’t confident that they could sell large units so they played safe by
building smaller units. This is why 70% of existing property supply is
midrange. This property is breaking new ground and will attract the high end
buyer.”
According to CBRE there is a limited supply of
beach-front land in North and even Central and South Pattaya which is why
developers are looking at Jomtien to find quality beach front land.
“What attracted us to being sole agent is that this will
be the first true luxury property in Pattaya, not just in terms of price per
square meter but also in terms of product, unit size, the quality of the
construction and the services provided.”
“There are numerous features that I like about the
project,” Aliwassa said. “The most significant has to be wide beach
frontage. The high-end market demands something exclusive, privacy and a
quiet beach. I am also impressed by the outstanding architecture and design,
spacious units with a variety of options to choose from. Branding with
Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts adds value because of the hotel-style service
and management which is not available in a ‘non-branded’ property.”
“It’s exciting for us at CBRE Thailand to work with
people like Tulip,” she adds, “as they are keen to develop a high-end
property and are not prepared to compromise on quality which is something I
don’t see with other developers.”
Centara Hotels & Resorts is a well known name on the
Pattaya scene already with its immensely popular Centara Mirage Resort.
Having another Grand resort in the destination is one
step in a significant expansion plan for the region.
“If you look at Pattaya it’s been an incredibly
successful resort destination for many years and it continues to keep
re-inventing itself and being very relevant for today’s market,” says Chris
Bailey, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Centara. “Obviously
with so much development going on for our organization we are still very
enthusiastic and excited about the future for Pattaya.”
In terms of what’s planned for the new Centara Grand,
Chris Bailey believes the destination has truly come of age.
“You’ve got now a nice cross-section of products from
your value to upscale and I think before, Jomtien didn’t really have the
luxury side of the market and wasn’t really catering to that,” he says. “The
new Centara Grand will certainly be able to deliver that to the more upscale
customer looking for a beachfront experience. Tulip’s understanding of what
they need to build in that market and their faith in us as an operator is a
combination of great ingredients that seem to work very well together.”
The Pattaya landscape today is seeing a growth in the
Thai market.
CBRE believes there is a growing demand from Thais who
are looking for a second holiday home in a location close to Bangkok.
“During the recent flooding Pattaya was the popular
choice,” Aliwassa says. “It was full of Bangkokian evacuees. Another
attraction is that Pattaya can offer high rise condominiums while building
ordinances in Hua Hin prohibit any more being built, plus the recently
improved roads make access from Bangkok and the International Airport both
quicker and more convenient.”
Aliwassa says property in Pattaya is still good value for
money. 50% of the agency’s clients are Thai. Second is the Russian market
followed by Hong Kong based Expats and Australians. Since the economic
crisis she says the market profile has changed and buyers are less
speculative than before. In the past, 50% would buy and sell for a quick
gain while today’s buyers are more long-term investors and end users.
“I am expecting the price for this project will be THB
120,000 per square metre which I admit is higher than average for Pattaya
but with the current price of land and construction costs its fair,” she
says. “Of course the first 20-30% of buyers will get a better deal from the
developer just to jump start the sales.”
“For us it’s important to know what the key selling
points are and what differentiates this project from the others. There are
still skeptics who say it’s hard to sell large units, but our feedback is
that this is what our customers want. It’s a chance to open Pattaya to a new
higher spending market.”
Every market rises to its own level and it seems as if
the Pattaya scene is heading to new heights as the skyline rapidly expands.
With its vision focused on luxury developments, the Tulip Group says it has
even more to offer Pattaya on the horizon.
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Unixx launch party garners strong interest from buyers
Raimon Land Vice President Client
Management Piaras Moriarty (left) and Director & CEO Hubert Viriot pose for
a photo on launch day.
Luxury property developer Raimon Land officially launched
its exciting new Unixx project at a special open day held at the Hilton
Hotel Pattaya on December 10 - and such was the interest in this development
that people were already queuing up to find out more, well before the launch
party was scheduled to begin.
“The event here today (at the Hilton) was supposed to
start at 10 a.m. but we had our first potential customers coming along at
7.50 a.m. so I think there is a great deal of anticipation in this
development,” said Hubert Viriot, Raimon Land’s Chief Executive Officer.
“This is our second project launch in Pattaya this year
(after Zire Wongamat) and our fourth overall, which demonstrates our belief
in this market. It’s also the first under the Unixx brand, which is one we
at Raimon Land have a great hope for going forward,” he added.
Interested buyers and a
Raimon Land sales representative stand next to a scale model of the Unixx
project at an open day held at the Hilton Hotel Pattaya on Saturday, Dec.
10.
Designed by HB Design, the same architectural firm
responsible for super luxury projects such as Northpoint in Pattaya and The
River in Bangkok, Unixx South Pattaya will feature Raimon Land’s distinctive
modern design and quality finishing within a more compact, smarter envelope.
“Unixx is tapping into a different market segment, a
younger crowd, relatively more restricted budgets, but wanting the same kind
of experiences as Zire or generally speaking the Raimon Land projects. So
it’s bringing the Raimon Land experience in terms of specification,
services, facilities, to a much greater crowd,” said Hubert.
One of the great assets of the project is its location,
right on the hill of Pratamnak overlooking both Pattaya Bay and Jomtien with
wonderful views from most units, walking distance from most of the shopping
and recreational facilities in the city, and also walking distance from the
beach.
Other main assets include the onsite amenities. The
project site is 7 rai of which 4 rai will be taken up with recreational
facilities, swimming pools and gardens.
Touching on the point of the company’s previously planned
South Shore development that was earmarked for the same plot of land, Hubert
commented, “Things have changed pretty dramatically in Pattaya, and for the
better,” he emphasized. “Pattaya used to be a market driven by foreign
investors, they are still there, but if you look carefully today you will
see there are now a lot of Thai buyers interested in investing in real
estate here.
“As the market dynamics have changed, so we had to adjust
the project to meet the demands of that market,” he continued. “Unixx will
be more in tune with today’s Pattaya and tomorrow’s buyers.”
Hubert added that all those who had originally invested
South Shore had either received their deposits back in full, been offered
discounts on other Raimon Land projects, or in many cases wished to remain
on board for the new Unixx development.
With 1,200 units the company is hoping the Unixx project
will appeal to Thais from Bangkok looking to purchase their first second
home by the sea, to professionals working in the Chonburi/Rayong region, and
also to local residents here in Pattaya.
“Let’s not forget that Pattaya is a city of 800,000
people so there is obviously also a domestic market here for first home
buyers,” commented Hubert.
Unixx will offer 5 different units designs; studios, two
1-bedroom styles and two types of 2-bedrooms, ranging in size from 22sqm to
62sqm at price points starting from 880,000 baht for studios to over 5
million for the larger units on the top floors.
Interested parties can find out more information about
this project by going to www.unixxcondo.com, or by stopping by at the
temporary sales office located on Pratumnak Road, south Pattaya.
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Porchland 5 La Santir launches in Jomtien
A scale model shows the Porchland 5
La Santir, modern classic condominium.
MG Plus Co. has launched its fifth condominium project in
Jomtien Beach, Porchland 5 La Santir, aimed at middle- and upper-class
Thais.
The 900 million baht development is spread over four rai
and 29 floors on Soi Chaiyapruek 3. The 523 units are split across five
models, five sizes and five designs from 26-49 sq. meters. Prices start at
just under 1 million baht.
At its Dec. 17 grand opening, MG Plus directors
Chalermpol Khonjaem and Wornchai Phakdisaneha said about 30 percent of the
units have already been sold and that the company expects to sell out within
three months.
They said the condominium will fulfill tenants’ desires
for all types of recreation, from a galleria of on-site shops to swimming
pools for children and adults, a kids’ playground, tennis courts and a
parking lot capable of holding 200 cars.
Chalermpol said construction will begin in June and will
complete by the end of 2013. Great attention will be paid to detail in each
unit and will be influenced by customer feedback.
Wornchai said the main buyers at this price point are
middle- and higher-income Thais, including previous buyers of the company’s
other projects. He said La Santir will meet the needs of many looking for
vacation condos in Pattaya.
(By Vittaya Yoondorn/Pattaya Mail)
Chalermpol Khonjaen and Wonchai
Phakdisaneha, Managing Directors of MG Plus Co. Ltd., are surrounded by
guests and onlookers as they launch the Porchland 5 La Santir project.
Marking the launch was a special
fashion show led by famous Channel 3 celebrity Yardthip Rajpal.
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A new look for Woodlands Pattaya
The Woodlands tropical swimming pool.
Woodlands Pattaya, which operates Woodlands Suites
Serviced Residences and Woodlands Hotel & Resort, has recently undertaken
extensive renovations to their property in Naklua, north Pattaya.
A well known property among travelers, Woodlands Hotel &
Resort has been in operation for the past 24 years in the vibrant city and
has constantly upgraded and improved its facilities. Latest renovations have
seen an upgrade of all Superior rooms with a brighter ambiance, modern
furniture, HD TV as well as integrated media hub to meet today’s demand for
technology.
In addition, according to the company’s press release,
the Resort’s lobby and lobby bar have been “totally revamped offering a
stunning modern and welcoming mood reflecting Woodlands unique atmosphere.”
Woodlands started back in 1988 with 80 rooms and has
grown to 2 properties offering a total of 208 rooms catering to diverse
market needs from leisure, corporate and long stay residents.
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Patta Village hosts party
to thank buyers
Suthep Srisombun announced the
launch of a new housing project.
Developers of a Siam Country Club-area
housing development thanked buyers of its single and two-story houses and
announced the launch of another project.
Patta Village, on Siam Country Club Pornpranimit 26 held
the Dec. 22 party with company Chairman Suthep Srisombun thanking guests
before introducing the band.
Pata Village markets the project as one for fans of golf
and football, as it is near facilities close to the Mabprachan Reservoir.
Suthep said a quiet, peaceful, natural environment is what developers were
striving for.
Pattaya Village offers several floor plans, including the
“Pattaree,” a single-story three-bedroom, three-bath house with 80 sq. meter
yeard for 4.59 million baht; the “Pornpailin,” a two-story, 200 sq. meter
layout with three bedrooms and baths for 2.23 million; and the “Pinrada,”
which for 3.52 million offers four bedrooms.
Also available is the “Neeracha,” a twin house of two
stories with four bedrooms, three baths and 36 sq. meter yard for 2.51
million baht.
There are 230 homes in all, half of which have sold,
Suthep said.
The next development will be Pattaya Town, which will
launch with a menu of townhouses for sale starting from 1.5 million baht.
(By Vittaya Yoondorn/Pattaya Mail)
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