Thailand: Owner’s Manual 2007 – International Living

Thailand: Owner’s Manual 2007

Opportunity knocks! Your Invitation to a New Life in Exotic, Tropical Thailand

Format: Ebook (PDF)

International Living gets so many inquiries about Thailand, we knew that it was inexcusable to put it off any longer…so we set out to research and write Thailand: the Owner’s Manual.

This is not an updated Manual or Country Report, it’s brand-new.

By the way, my name is Steenie Harvey…and Thailand is one of my favorite countries to spend time in. If you want to know what it’s like to overnight in a hill-tribe village, where to locate the country’s best import-export bargains, or even what you’ll discover in Bangkok’s “Heart of Darkness,” I’m your woman.

And I’m most definitely the right woman to accompany you around the property market.

You see, on my scouting trips for International Living, I’ve made many knowledgeable contacts there – and some have turned out to be great friends. People who steered me away from the tourist places…who introduced me to some of the best of Thailand’s delectable cuisine…who took time out of their own lives to show me around.

And so when I heard the news about Thailand: the Owner’s Manual, I begged for the opportunity to pull it all together.

Other IL correspondents have been out and about in Thailand on your behalf too. Identifying the best locations. Making the right contacts. Unearthing some of the most tempting purchase and rental opportunities. Explaining about the expat lifestyle.

It might sound terribly boastful, but I have no hesitation whatsoever in saying this. If you’re considering Thailand for either permanent residency, a location to purchase a second home, or even a place to spend some time adventuring, Thailand: The Owner’s Manual will prove absolutely invaluable.

Smile at These Prices

Jomtien (Gulf of Thailand) – Studio condo (345 square feet) on the 2nd floor. One bedroom, one bathroom, fully furnished and decorated, large balcony, communal swimming pool, 24hr security. Price: $15,100.

Udon Thani (Isaan) – Newly built, two-story house, in a quiet area approximately a half mile from Udon Thani. The 1,400 square foot house contains four bedrooms, two bathrooms, one large kitchen and a large living room. The garden is fenced and easy to maintain. Price: $28,600.

Chiang Mai – Ninth floor, two-bedroom condo (904 square feet) in the heart of the city and just a five minute walk to the Night Market, riverside, etc. Fully renovated, well furnished, air-conditioned, high-speed cable internet. Price: $52,100

Koh Samui – Two-bedroom, one bathroom house (1,615 square feet) in a quiet residential area of Chaweng. There is also a large living room and kitchen. Outside, the garden is big enough to take a sizeable pool. It’s within walking distance of the Tesco supermarket and a short drive to Chaweng town center, the beach, and the airport. Price: $83,333

Hua Hin (where the Thai Royal family spend their holidays) – A fully-furnished, golf-course condo (1,860 square feet) with great sea- and golf-course views from the balconies. Other communal facilities include a fitness center, swimming pool, restaurant, spa/Jacuzzi, sports complex, squash and tennis courts, bike paths, boating, playground/park, 24-hour security, and car parking. Price: $109,375

Central Bangkok – One-bedroom, furnished condo (970 square feet) within walking distance of a Skytrain stop. Communal facilities include a fitness center, swimming pool, spa/jacuzzi, playground/park, 24-hour security. Price: $110,000

Turn Your Dreams into Reality

Especially prepared for International Living readers, Thailand: The Owner’s Manual is crammed full of all the information we know you’ll need to make an informed decision. Whether your dreams are of starting over…trying the country out for size by renting…finding the ideal vacation home…buying a retirement property… Whatever, we’re here to help you make those dreams become reality.

For most expats, Thailand is a lifestyle choice – and their lifestyles are often more about hedonistic pleasures than paying the water bills. And yes, we provide plenty of ideas for adventures and explorations. But we’re also very aware that IL readers demand hard and fast information.

Naturally you want to know about electricity costs, grocery shopping, property taxes, etc. So along with a breakdown of costs for utilities and all those other things that go to make up “cost of living,” you’ll also find realistic sample budgets for living in both popular expat areas and also the lesser-known parts of Thailand.

The manual is also packed with full coverage about residency rules and the process of buying, leasing, and renting property. Coverage of visas…banking…the investment climate. Where to find daycare and international-standard schooling for your kids, and also how much it costs for tuition fees. Employment…starting a business…bringing your pets…sample costs for eating out…and supermarket buys. Doctors, dentists, and other medical matters.

For example, if you’re considering surgery (cosmetic or otherwise), check out the “Sun, Sea, and Surgery” section. You’ll learn the costs – and they’re very affordable – for a whole range of “medical tourism” procedures in highly-rated private hospitals.

As with all of International Living’s Owners Manuals, you’ll find extensively detailed descriptions of various locations in Thailand where you might want to consider living or purchasing a vacation property. Places where you’ll find a good support system of other expats and locals who speak English.

Every Place You’ll Want to Know About is Here

• Bangkok – Known to local people as Krung Thep (the City of Angels), Bangkok is a huge sprawl of over 10 million inhabitants. With one foot in the past and the other firmly in the present, it’s a place you’ll either love or hate – but you certainly won’t find it boring.

• Chiang Mai – Thailand’s second-largest city, Chiang Mai is dubbed “the Rose of the North,” and it’s one of the country’s most culturally rewarding regions. All golden wats (temples), teakwood houses, dragon sculptures, and intriguing alleyways…this is traditional Thailand. It was founded in 1296, but there’s a modern city outside the historic core offering plenty of opportunities to buy a condo home.

• Chiang Rai – With its own distinct heritage known as Lanna Thai, Chiang Rai is both the name of Thailand’s northernmost province and that province’s capital. This is the country’s most ethnically diverse area and a growing tourist destination. Although small, Chiang Rai City has many of the amenities you’d usually find only in larger cities.

• Pattaya and the Gulf of Thailand – Pattaya is a seaside city on the Chonburi coast – the Gulf of Thailand’s mainland. Thailand’s busiest resort, it gets five million visitors annually. High-end condo developments and business centers are going up everywhere. Prices have risen 20% in the last year and the trend is likely to continue in the coming years. You’ll discover why in Thailand: the Owner’s Manual.

• Jomtien – Although it’s now practically a suburb of Pattaya City – only 15 minute’s drive distant – some expats prefer Jomtien. On a sandy bay, the resort has more of a family feel than Pattaya – and you can rent a studio here for as little as $260 per month.

• Hua Hin – For much of its history, the royal beach resort of Hua Hin traditionally focused on domestic tourism rather than the international trade. But that’s changing fast. Proximity to Bangkok, new international-standard hotels, and restaurants built on stilts in the sea that now cater to foreign as well as Thai tastes, Hua Hin is becoming a lot more high profile.

• Koh Samui. Around one million tourists are drawn to this magical island of white sands and coconut palms every year. Hard to imagine now, but in the 1970s Koh Samui was little more than a backpacker’s hangout. Think wooden huts, hammocks, and bucket-drop showers. Since then, its development into a fully-fledged tourist destination with luxury hotels, spas, and boutiques has been rapid. And real estate prices are catching up fast.
• Isaan. Farangs (foreigners) living in Thailand describe Isaan, the country’s northeast, as “up-country.” Probably because there are no beaches, only 2% of foreign visitors ever get out here. But that’s how the 12,000 expats living in Isaan like it.
• Phuket. Read on…

DPHuket – At the Start of a Long Term Growth Curve

I won’t pretend Phuket is the cheapest place to purchase property in Thailand – it’s not. But once you see the island, you’ll understand its allure.

Phuket is circled by 32 small islands rich in caves, cliffs, lagoons, and seabirds. The seascapes are surreal. Rising from waters that gleam jade, emerald, and deep turquoise are countless limestone pillars and bizarre outcrops smothered in jungle vegetation. Half-million-dollar villas, yes, but you’ll also find small apartments for $35,000. And the price for new condominium projects is still mostly between $136 and $176 per square foot.

Not just a sophisticated vacation paradise, Phuket is also a favorite with expats – around 8,000 live here permanently. Its hospitals have an excellent reputation and it also has international schools. Post-tsunami, the island’s property market is enjoying a boom driven by an ever-increasing expat demand. Investors from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Europe are snapping up properties.

International real estate agents CB Richard Ellis are very bullish about prospects. In June 2006, they said: “Phuket is in the early stages of a long-term growth curve. The market has only one way to go, which is up, in terms of volume of sales, and range and sophistication of properties and facilities offered.”

As an indicator of the island’s complete recovery from the tsunami – and a sign of things to come – international passenger arrivals at Phuket International Airport reached 1.3 million in the first three months of this year. That’s back to the pre-tsunami levels of 2004.

Incidentally, my own favorite part of Phuket is in the south – Nai Harn. It has a white-sand beach, small bars and seafood restaurants, and a lagoon where locals go night-fishing and the cicada chorus erupts in full song. Sunsets are incredible. Fiery trails burnish the sky and the red lantern of the sun dips slowly into a shot-silk sea. Rent for a classy, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo here? $650 per month.

A rising Tide – Don’t Miss the Boat

But it’s not just Phuket that’s attracting international interest. Pramerica Real Estate Investors, the real-estate investment arm of U.S.-based Prudential Financial Inc. has joined local Ananda Development in a $106 million joint venture to develop housing worth a combined $636 million near Suvarnabhumi Airport over the next six years. (Located between Bangkok and Pattaya, Suvarnabhumi is Bangkok’s new International Airport.)

Pramerica will allocate about 10% of its portfolio to investments in Thailand, said the chief executive of Ananda Development. “The commercial operation of the new airport, (expected by the end of 2006), will increase potential in the surrounding areas.”

Few places that expats are drawn to aren’t hot at this moment. For example, Pattaya’s prestigious Northshore Condos. During the development period, prices increased by 20% to 50% depending on views, layout, and size. So far 40 units have been resold during the 20-month construction period. A sea-view condo bought in July 2005 at $188 per square foot resold in February this year for $290 per square foot.

Again, there’s much international interest. Britons accounted for 33% of sales with Americans buying almost 20%.

And in the central area of Bangkok, buyers are now paying an average of $198 per square foot to acquire a Grade A condo. Twelve months ago, the figure was $176…a rise of just over 12%.

So if you don’t want to miss the property boat, I’d encourage you to visit Thailand sooner rather than later. Remember, it’s not only North Americans who are in the hunt for affordable tropical destinations that offer relaxation, culture, and stunningly beautiful surroundings.

As I’m talking about “boats” and missing them, let me leave you with this jotting from my journals.

“Simple wooden houses on stilts…the bright tile rooftops of gilded wats (temples)…a huge golden Buddha glinting and sparkling in the sunshine…a boy washing his hair in coffee-colored river water…a sign indicating a neat little riverbank house to rent.

“Palm trees and old colonial-style mansions…spirit houses standing on marooned pillars…jumping fish…a statue of a Chinese Dragon Lady. A miniature market of floating shops selling bunches of bananas and Heineken beer. A passing postman waves – here mail gets delivered by motor-boat.”

A remote corner of Thailand? No, this is a scene not very far from the heart of buzzy Bangkok – from a traditional long-tail boat on the city’s Chao Phraya river.

Yours Sincerely,

Steenie Harvey

Digital Download International Living – Thailand: Owner’s Manual 2007 at Offimc.click Now!

Sales page:
Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20071021070111/http://ilbookstore.com/product.php?productid=16185&cat=103&page=1