A stunning new resort in Phang Nga is offering an exceptional investment opportunity with Dual Key Condo’s built to maximize the owners returns. The resort is a managed apartment and villa resort that offers individuals an opportunity to own a lifestyle investment property benefiting from professional management and marketing.
Located on Natai Beach, Greater Phuket, just twenty five minutes from Phuket International Airport, the resort will consist of a mixture of two bedroom dual key apartments, three bedroom penthouse apartments with private pool and three bedroom pool villas. The property will also include a beach club, poolside restaurant, bar, gym, spa, meeting room, business lounge, library, and large resort pool. This Development exemplifies the new wave of tropical modern architecture, to be built to exacting international standards whilst also taking account of social and environmental considerations.
The Investment property recognizes the trend for affordable luxury without compromise. Offering a level of design, attention to detail, and service normally associated with 5 star luxury resorts at a more affordable price point.
Having a mix of unit types and a wide range of facilities combined with professional management makes this a perfect resort for wholesale and retail travel agents to represent worldwide, whilst allowing investors to achieve an efficient cost structure and economies of scale.
This is an investment property that capitalizes on a previously unfulfilled market opportunity bringing with it the added bonus of owning a professionally managed and comprehensively designed island getaway.
The design of property captures a contemporary resort experience, following traditional rules in terms of scale, proportion and planning whilst introducing a contemporary ambiance and sense of style.
A great deal of thought and planning has gone into creating a design that not only looks and feels great but also works from a guest experience and maintenance perspective. Materials have therefore been selected both for aesthetic as well as more practical qualities.
The use of space and ergonomic design has been carefully planned to create spaces which offer a high degree of privacy whilst also giving a sense of openness.
Ownership Structure
Both apartments and villas are offered on a secure long term 90 year lease comprising three back to back 30 year leases.
This form of ownership is very common in Thailand and offers foreign buyers a straight forward registered and secure form of title allowing them to use, enjoy and profit from their property.
All agreements have been drafted by one of Thailand’s leading international law firms.
Pricing and Investment Process
Investment pricing starts at only ThB 5.72 Million payable on a staged basis in line with construction progress.
Financial Projections and Return on Investment
The financial projections for all unit types are conservatively based on current occupancy and average room rates being achieved in existing properties in Phuket and Phang Nga.
Management and maintenance contributions by owners have also been calculated based on our experience of actual operating, administration and marketing expenses of existing properties in Phuket.
Revenue and occupancy projections factor in offering an attractive introductory rate in year one with a steady build up in business over five years giving owners a realistic scenario of return on investment (ROI).
Note: Room rate projections are based on the net revenue after tax, service charges, travel agent commissions, inclusive meals and other services included in published rates.
Calculation Of Owners Income
Owners will enjoy flexibility in choosing when and for how long they wish to stay without any black-out periods.
Rental revenue will be pooled according to unit type so all owner’s in a pool receive an equal share of net income minus any owner occupied nights making it as equitable as possible.
Payment of Owners Income
Owners will receive a monthly income statement detailing the total net income.
Payment of owner’s income will be made on a bi-annual (twice a year) basis after deduction of the management and maintenance fees due from individual owners.
Maintenance fees are fixed and are payable in year one on a bi-annual basis. In subsequent years owners will have the option of offsetting maintenance fees from their annual income. This is designed to cover essential operating costs of your villa including:
Staff Costs
Housekeeping
Pool Maintenance & Gardening
Routine & Minor Maintenance & Servicing
Charges for Satellite Television, Broadband Internet & Telecommunications (PABX, Telephone line)
Power & Utilities
From year two, a minimum of US$1,000 of the maintenance fee from each owner will be paid into a replacement and reserve account to be utilized as required for more major maintenance or replacement in the future.
Management and marketing fees are calculated at 30% of the net villa rental income and will be shown in owners’ monthly income statements and deducted on a monthly basis.
Legalities
The legal structure for ownership of will be governed by the following agreements which will be provided upon request.
Reservation Form Please email to sales@12property.com to get info with your details.
Sales & Purchase Agreement - For the sale and construction of your villa by the developer to the agreed plans and detailed specifications given by the architect. Please email to sales@12property.com to get info with your details.
Management Agreement - between individual owners and ALFA Resorts & Management for the management, marketing and maintenance of individual villas. Please email to sales@12property.com to get info with your details.
The Management Company shall be responsible for the following services.
Financial Control and preparation of monthly owners’ income statements.
Marketing, including room rate setting, policies and negotiation, approval of contract room rates, travel agent and other commissions, direct marketing, promotional and discount rates.
Recruitment, training, and governance of staff.
Operation and maintenance of common area facilities.
Insurance policies for villas and common area facilities.
Negotiation and approval of contracts with third party service providers including, satellite television, broad band internet, telephone, security, safety equipment, waste & pest control, laundry, pool cleaning, air-conditioning and pool servicing among others.
Routine and minor maintenance of villas and common areas.
Payment of applicable local taxes, license fees, and local community contributions.
brought to you by www.12phuket.com Phuket Specialists
Real estate development is booming in Phuket as foreign investors are acquiring vast areas of land for housing projects. A number of foreign developers are to set up companies with Thai business partners to build housing estates and residential projects on the resort island, which has entered what officials call the ”golden age of real estate development.”
Homestay, a type of lodging offering facilities and lifestyles close to those typical of Thai families, has emerged as a popular choice. Swedish businessmen are the latest group to express strong interest in this kind of project.
”Foreigners highly admire the scenery and weather here,” said Phuket governor Niran Kalayanamitr after talks with the Swedish firms.
He said the investors saw an opportunity for homestay development to serve Swedish travellers.
A number of new homestay facilities have sprung up in Ban Layan and Ban Naitorn in Thalang district as well as other areas around the island.
Other investors have also asked the province for approval for different real estate projects.
A group of Norwegian businessmen suggested a Phuket bay development project, with technology friendly to the marine environment. Investors from the Middle East have expressed interest in developing logistics for a free trade zone near the deep-sea port.
The increasing demand has boosted land prices in the resort provinces. Phuket land official Tanet Niyom said certain seaside areas, especially those near famous Patong beach, sell for up to 50 million baht a rai.
Prices are cheaper in Muang district, but they are still around eight million baht a rai.
The value of land trading between 2006 and 2007 stood at 1.5 billion baht, according to the Phuket land office, but officials expect the value to go up to nearly five billion baht this year.
The rapid expansion of real estate development indicates that more foreigners want to stay for a longer period.
Officials are currently surveying the exact number of foreign residents, including those who do not properly report to the immigration office.
Foreign residents can be categorised into three groups _ those who want to live here permanently, those who are working here, and those who want to live here for longer periods than their visas specify, according to Sompot Nipakanon, assistant director of the Bangkok Phuket hospital.
He said foreigners also appreciated medical services in the island resort. Bangkok Phuket hospital currently serves up to 200,000 people a year, 30% of which are foreigners.
Mr Niran said it was time to turn Phuket into a special economic zone so that local officials would have more budget to further develop all infrastructures, which currently do not match the increasing demand.
He also noted the limit of the governor’s power in budget disbursement, as Phuket is not yet a special administrative entity.
Mr. Edwardo Iswandi has joined the Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket as Director of Sales & Marketing.
Edwardo has an extensive sales and marketing background that started in 1994 at the Grand Hyatt Bali. Prior to joining Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, he held several prominent positions in sales and marketing at many five-star properties including the Hyatt Group in Indonesia as well as Thailand, and the Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort, Indonesia.
Edwardo’s most recent position was the Director of Sales & Marketing of the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, Thailand.
Born in Indonesia, Edwardo obtained a degree in Tourism Planning & Marketing from BPLP BANDUNG, formerly known as National Hotel Institute, Indonesia.
One-2-Property is offering a managed apartment & villa resort that offers individuals an opportunity to
own a lifestyle investment property benefitting from professional management and marketing.
Located on Natai beach just minutes from Phuket International Airport the property will
consist of a mixture of two bedroom dual key apartments, three bedroom penthouse apartments
with private pool and three bedroom pool villas. The property will also include a beach club,
poolside restaurant, bar, gym, spa, meeting room, business lounge, library, and large resort pool. This offering from One-2-Property exemplifies the new wave of tropical modern architecture, to be built to exacting international standards whilst also taking account of social and environmental considerations.
This well planned development recognizes the trend for affordable luxury without compromise. Offering a level of design, attention to detail, and service normally associated with 5 star luxury resorts at a more affordable price point.
Having a mix of unit types and a wide range of facilities combined with professional management makes this a perfect resort for wholesale and retail travel agents to represent worldwide, whilst allowing owners to achieve an efficient cost structure and economies of scale.
This is an investment property that capitalizes on a previously unfulfilled market opportunity bringing with it the added bonus of owning a professionally managed and comprehensively designed island getaway
The design captures a contemporary resort experience, following traditional rules in terms of scale, proportion and planning whilst introducing a contemporary ambiance and sense of style.
A great deal of thought and planning has gone into creating a design that not only looks and feels great but also works from a guest experience and maintenance perspective. Materials have therefore been selected both for aesthetic as well as more practical qualities.
The use of space and ergonomic design has been carefully planned to create spaces which offer a high degree of privacy whilst also giving a sense of openness.
Ownership Structure
Both apartments and villas are offered on a secure long term 90 year lease comprising three back to back 30 year leases.
This form of ownership is very common in Thailand and offers foreign buyers a straight forward registered and secure form of title allowing them to use, enjoy and profit from their property.
All agreements have been drafted by one of Thailand’s leading international law firms.
Pricing & Investment Process
One-2-Property pricing starts at only THB 13 Million payable on a staged basis in line with construction progress.
Financial Projections and Return on Investment
The financial projections for all unit types are conservatively based on current occupancy and average room rates being achieved in existing properties in Phuket and Phang Nga.
Management and maintenance contributions by owners have also been calculated based on our experience of actual operating, administration and marketing expenses of existing properties in Phuket.
Revenue and occupancy projections factor in offering an attractive introductory rate in year one with a steady build up in business over five years giving owners a realistic scenario of return on investment (ROI).
With recent months seeing relative instability and poor returns from overseas property investment, the past twelve months have seen property investors going through a period of reflection, as they look to see which international markets will offer them the long term returns of investment they are looking for. Issues such as increasingly fragile economies and oversupply in traditional markets, have seen investors starting to look at markets such as Phuket with a view to them offering higher yields over the next few years.
Larger than Singapore, and located approximately 860 kilometres south of Bangkok, Phuket is one of South East Asia’s premier tourist destinations. Friendly locals, good infrastructure, exceptional cuisine and a tropical climate have resulted in large numbers of international property investors moving into Phuket. As such, the island is rapidly becoming a regional hub of international property investment, offering relative stability in uncertain times.
Recently Phuket has seen some exciting, and genuinely innovative property development projects being launched on the island. Projects such as the Ao Po Marina and the Laguna Village are well conceived developments, which prove attractive to overseas investors. These projects offer a genuine lifestyle choice for people, offering waterside living in a beautiful and friendly environment.
As well as the favourable local conditions for investors, the second factor affecting this growth in demand for property in Phuket is the increasing acceptance of overseas property investment in Thailand by the local authorities. At present, Thai law states that a foreigner may not own the freehold to the land, however they are able to purchase a freehold title for the building which sits on the land. In effect, the resulting purchase agreement will see the purchaser buying the freehold title for the property, and a separate 30 year lease on the land itself. In this instance, it is common for the contract to provide an option to extend the lease a further two times, each for thirty years, effectively giving a 90 year lease.
Property legislation in Thailand is slightly different for investors wishing to purchase a condominium, where a developer is likely to offer the purchaser both a leasehold and freehold option. Under Thailand property law, foreign ownership of a condominium must be under the allow limit of 49%, and in this instance ownership on a freehold basis can be offered. However if the block is currently over the 49% foreign ownership quota, then the property will be offered on a leasehold basis with the option to extend twice for periods of 30 years.
Whilst this method of property legislation may seem time consuming and complex, it is commonly practiced throughout Thailand, and it is believed that the authorities are currently looking at streamlining this process. As with all property purchases overseas, the requirement for a solid understanding of local legislation makes the choice of a good, multi-lingual solicitor a key factor to a smooth transaction.
These more favourable conditions, coupled with the stable political and economic climate currently being experienced in Thailand, investors are seeing long term returns from a market which currently represents good value in the property market.
The market for property in Phuket is gaining popularity, but still has a long way to go before reaching maturity. With a range of property on offer in the region, Phuket has something to cater for every budget and taste.
Having lived and learned from the 1997 crisis, Southeast Asia’s property markets have so far proved resilient to the US subprime crisis
and knock-on financial meltdown but they are far from immune to the global mess.
“No one can get off scot free from what’s happening because global liquidity has been reduced and also the feel-good factor has gone,” said David Simister, chairman of real estate company CB Richard Ellis Thailand.
“It will certainly create a slowdown and a market where for the next 18 months it’s a bad time to be selling something but I don’t see a situation where there will be a big slide in prices here,” he added.
Ironically, several negative factors have well-positioned Southeast Asian property markets for the current downturn.
Firstly, the 1997 Asian crisis forced regional banks to tighten up their lending practices to the property sector.
Secondly, with the exception of Vietnam, most Southeast Asian countries have not experienced the same real estate booms witnessed in Asia’s rising giants China and India.
These two factors mean Southeast Asian banks, which were reeling with non-performing loans to the property sector after 1997, are in relatively good shape.
“I think Southeast Asian banks are even less exposed to property that Northeast Asian banks,” said Peter Tebutt, senior director of financial institutions at Fitch Ratings in Hong Kong.
And thirdly, many Southeast Asian countries are still offering competitive prices and even possible returns on investments.
Not everyone is suffering.
“We just launched a new project this month and it was one of the most successful launches in our history,” said Dan Simmons, director of sales and marketing for Laguna Phuket, a luxury hotels and residential complex on Thailand’s Phuket Island.
In the wake of the US financial meltdown earlier this month, Laguna Phuket put 25 luxury homes with an average price of $412,000 on the market and sold 15 in a snap with full reservation deposits, Summers claimed.
“A lot of people are seeing it as a safe haven,” he said. Laguna Phuket, with six hotels and 700 residential units, guarantees a 6 percent per annum return on all properties, that the listed company rents out to tourists when the owner is away.
Of course, Laguna is catering to the high-end market which is more recession-proof than most.
Not all resorts or market segments will be so lucky.
Property developers in Vietnam, which has been enjoying its first real property booms since shedding some socialist constraints in the late 1980s, are heading into a period of tight liquidity for projects and buyers.
“Even if a buyer can get a loan, you’re looking at 80 percent interest, so you’re talking about cash buyers,” said David Blackhall of VinaCapital, a property manager in Vietnam.
Although pessimistic about residential properties, Blackhall is still upbeat about Vietnam’s office sector.
“There’s a lot of Middle Eastern money that wants to spread into new emerging markets,” Blackhall said. “Vietnam is seen as less difficult than China, and less complex and frustrating than India.”
Unlike Vietnam, the Philippines’ residential property sector is expected to continue growing despite the financial turmoil hitting developed countries.
Real estate developers are focusing on affordable housing and condominium projects to address the demand for the country’s most active buyers, the millions of overseas Filipino workers, said Mike Mabutol, a director for CB Richard Ellis Philippines.
Mabutol is also optimistic about retirement villages, aiming at the US and European markets.
Thailand too has targeted the retirement and second-home market for foreigners, but there are worries that many of these potential investors have seen their buying power reduced with declining property values at home.
“The sector of the market that is dependent on mortgaging the family residence and using the difference to buy a property in a resort is going to be affected,” said Simon Landy, managing director of Primo Company, a property agent in Thailand.
But even within this market there are exceptions, such as Scandinavians, who have proven major investors in Thai retirement homes.
“They are not so affected because they get government support to take off and die somewhere else,” noted Landy.
In Indonesia, where the government is actively supporting the property sector, developers have joined with local banks to offer interest rate subsidies to buyers.
“With credit interest rates subsidy to consumers, it’s expected to help improve buyer power and property market can be maintained,” said Teguh Satria, chairman of the Indonesian Real Estate Association.
But property developers everywhere have been facing rising construction costs, which has provided yet another constraint on overbuilding.
“The real situation is that there won’t be new projects in the near future for people to speculate on or to purchase, so what will happen is a contraction in the market and that is part of the correction process,” said Simister.
With rice areas close to a historic high, “it would be prudent to assume that world rice area will remain or even fall below this range in the next 10-15 years.”
The institute repeated its call for increased investment in agriculture to boost rice yield growth, which has dropped to less than one percent, compared with 2-3 per cent during the technological breakthroughs of the Green Revolution between 1967 and 1990.
It said the world would need an extra 59 mn tonnes of milled rice by 2020 above the 2007 consumption of 422 mn tonnes.
It’s vital that you do your homework before making an investment in Phuket.
If you already have exposure in your local investment property market, you may want to consider diversifying your portfolio by purchasing an investment property in Phuket.
While diversification is a highly desirable part of any property investment strategy, you need to understand that buying in Phuket carries a degree of risk if you do not study your purchase. It’s important to address several key issues before jumping into the market.
Local market knowledge
Firstly, it’s vital to research the market in type of property you’re considering investing in. The property market in different sectors may operate quite differently from others. Villas, Condominiums, managed or self manged all have distinct markets.
You must gain an understanding of the long-term economic, demographic and (especially now) political factors that drive property values in Phuket. This will determine which property prices are relatively stable and which are subject to extreme volatility.
Within this context, you need to understand the nature of the market of the relevant suburb, although only 1 island the market varies dramatically for place to place. A price that represents good value to someone looking through foreign eyes may appear inflated to someone who lives locally. This means you must either visit Phuket to research the market yourself, or engage someone local like One-2-Property www.12property.com to do it for you.
By engaging One-2-Property, you can tap into the local knowledge people who live and do business there.
Remember that in overseas countries, just as at home, it’s wise to be wary of taking advice from someone if the size of their fee depends on the value of the property. They have a vested interest in getting you to spend as much as possible, so if you do engage a professional, try to find someone who’s prepared to work for a flat fee or incentive like One-2-Property.
If that’s not possible in the you, make sure you’re aware of exactly how their commission system works. In the US, for example, the vendor and purchaser are each represented by their own agent. However, each agent is paid by commission, so the more you spend, the more they make.
Also ensure you’ve researched the local rental market thoroughly. Is the property in a location that’s in strong demand from tenants? What is the likely rental income? Who will select tenants and manage the property on your behalf? How much will they charge in management fees?
The laws of the land
Next, it’s important to know the legal and regulatory requirements that govern buying residential property in Phuket. There are strict regulations on foreign ownership of residential property. Overseas nationals can only buy certain type’s of properties and not land unless a proper corporate structure is in place.
Remember, too, that the type of property title varies greatly in Phuket. While most residential property in other countries is purchased on a freehold title (that is, the purchaser actually owns the land) it is a different story overseas. In some countries, you don’t buy a freehold title; you merely buy a leasehold entitling you to long-term use of the land.
Overseas tax liability
It’s vital to find out about the tax treatment of residential investment property in the relevant country. What level of tax will apply to the rental income, and will you have to pay capital gains tax when you sell? Remember too that if there’s no tax treaty between that country and yours, you may be liable to pay tax at home.
In summary, buying direct property in overseas markets requires a substantial amount of time and due diligence. If this sounds like too hard a task, it may be better to consider a managed overseas property fund instead.
Sunny SuwunnavidOne-2-Property
123/29 M.5 T. Cherngtalay
A. Talang Phuket Thailand 83110
Tel. +6676 326 318
Fax +6676 326 319
Hotline +6680 700 7900
Mobile +6687 26 777 06
www.phuketpropertygroup.com
Qi Shuyo and others wait the gates of the Beijing Film Studio, hoping to be called for an audition.
Thousands of would-be extras arrive at the gates of Beijing Film Studio each year, hoping to become stars or just to generate a little excitement in a tough life.
Los Angeles Times By Mark Magnier
October 30, 2008
Reporting from Beijing — When you have a movie calling for 700 eunuchs, it’s good to live in a country with a potential pool of more than 1 billion extras. And this is the place to find them: at the gates of a nondescript compound on the north Third Ring Road called the Beijing Film Studio.
It’s just after 6 on a recent morning, but a sizable crowd is already swarming the entrance to the studio, which has become a mecca for wannabe actors across China yearning for their big break. Most aren’t particularly ready for their close-up — migrant workers with dusty clothes and dirt-etched fingernails — but they’re hungering for a bit of celluloid to counteract a tough, often dull, existence.
By some estimates, 100,000 people land in front of these gates each year looking for infinitesimal roles as policemen, soldiers, pedestrians. The odds don’t favor wallflowers, which prompts many to toot their own horns, sometimes literally.
“My skill as a master of oral instruments sets me apart,” says Han Shixi, a 43-year-old farmer, emitting a sound somewhere between a trumpet and a Bronx cheer from his pursed lips.
Others sport court jester hats, sequined blouses and cowboy hats in a bid to stand out when casting crews show up looking for bodies to populate the country’s steady diet of action films and period dramas — sometimes as eunuchs, as in the case of director Zhang Yimou’s “Curse of the Golden Flower.” That movie reportedly required more than 4,000 extras, including 700 “specialists,” presumably castrated only in the filmmaker’s imagination.
Han won’t win any beauty contests. But his weathered face has become an asset in landing minor gangster parts in crime dramas, a genre in heavily censored China that always ends with the bad guy in cuffs and the caring policeman bestowing tender justice to the relief and joy of all.
“The first time a director saw me, he said, ‘I want you to play a thief, flirt with the woman, then sexually assault her,’ ” Han says, before launching into a few of his old lines. “This time we go to a cargo station, see? We don’t make any mistakes, see?”
Others say their emotional depth helps them land their tiny roles, even if most amount to little more than breathing, or not even that: Some play corpses. “I believe I’m talented,” says Yang Hui, a 30-year-old from Hebei province with a dreamy smile and red shoes, citing a role she had recently as a scared bus passenger. She also watches lots of movies for inspiration. “I liked ‘Forrest Gump,’ ” she says.
Shop assistant Lin Chengguo got his 15 seconds of fame playing a young Afghan when China stood in for Afghanistan in the film “A Boy Running After a Kite.” Say what? “Or maybe it was called ‘The Kite Runner,’ ” he says.
After a couple of hours, casting agent Meng Ying arrives, choosing four people apparently at random from the crowd while negotiating with a street vendor for lunch. “We’re looking for foreigners for commercials,” he says after noticing an overseas reporter in his midst. “You free?”
Although some extras supplement their meager pay working as security guards or day laborers, most of the wannabes have little but time on their hands as they wait up to 14 hours a day — time spent kibitzing, trading acting tips or offering a view on why they should be the next Bruce Lee or Gong Li.
“I’m stylish, good-looking and the girls love me,” says Huo Wenjie, 21, also from Hebei, which surrounds Beijing. He has his hair pulled back in a ponytail under a large cowboy hat. “I’m also an excellent singer,” he adds, belting out a few lyrics from a dated pop hit: “There’s you and me in the crowd. . . .”
The commotion attracts Wang Wenhua, 28, and his creative partner, Wang Guoliang, 31, not related, who pull a script from a backpack, its stained cover vaguely reminiscent of a Rorschach test. How much for a script?
“Oh, around $1.2 million,” says Wang One.
What’s it about?
“It’s sort of an interior dialogue of a depressed person,” Wang Two says. “Audiences might not be that interested, but the world needs more serious art.”
Several extras say they fantasize about visiting Hollywood, where they hear the pay is high, the working conditions great, the red carpets omnipresent and the unions eager to protect you. “I’d probably have to ride there on a rocket though,” Han says. “There are so many visa restrictions now.”
Production companies pay $7 to $12 a day for extras, but less than half of that generally reaches the actors, given the giant sucking sound of middlemen. Many are poorly treated during production of the 400 movies and thousands of television programs made here each year. This is a country, after all, where lax labor laws can make it cheaper to use humans than computer automation.
Complaints of agent rip-offs abound. Some of the victims who stream in from the provinces with stars in their eyes and a few hard-earned dollars in their pocket find themselves locked in houses where they’re charged for food, rent, costumes and agent fees until they’re broke, says Zhang Gang, co-founder of the Self-Support Center for Small-Time Actors, a group that fights exploitation.
“As we say in China, ‘As long as there’s a pit, people will fall into it,’ ” says Zhang Bao, 24, an extra who lost $15 to an unscrupulous “talent scout.”
Many of the migrants live in basement rooms for as little as $42 a month, or share a bed with people who work different hours for half that amount. Then there are those like Huang Fuli, 21, who pays nothing to stay in “starlight hotels.” “I sleep over there,” he says, pointing to a park. “It’s very difficult and I’m often cold and hungry, but many of us have no place else to go.”
Chen Haoran, 21, offers a tour of his living quarters: a pile of rug liners, some old clothes and a plastic Mickey Mouse shopping bag in a pedestrian underpass he shares with 20 men 300 yards from the gate. You get used to the steady stream of people staring at you, he says, but those who cover their noses in disgust as they pass, not so much.
The lights on the roof of the tunnel burn all night, he says, and the underpass floods when it rains. When it gets really bad, he sleeps in a chair in an Internet cafe for $2 a night.
The police sometimes chase them out of the underpass, but most residents drift back. “Our dreams are here,” he says.
Chen, who made $10 in a recent month as an extra, wears a “Last Emperor”-style cap adorned with a garish Davy Crockett-style raccoon tail. “You can’t be shy in this business,” he says. “You must remain upbeat. Even if I shed tears, I wipe them and move on.”
Chen says his family members would look down on him if they saw his life, so he tells them he has a job selling cars. Keeping this life secret is a common theme among the extras, many of whom tell their relatives they’re real estate agents, office workers or owners of some imaginary thriving business to avoid the stigma of their line of work and keep loved ones from worrying.
“No one really appreciates extras,” says Xiao Fan, 20. “Even on the set, you work hard and they swear at you all the time.”
But the highs can make it all worthwhile, some say. “It’s such a joy to act,” says Ding Liang, 57, who became an extra after being a soldier, farmer, miner and laborer. “Once you do it well, you feel such a sense of achievement. It’s better than anything else I’ve done in my life.”
Another source of inspiration is the likes of Wang Baoqiang, a Hebei village boy who haunted these same gates as recently as 2004 before catapulting to fame. In late August, Wang was voted the most popular TV actor in China, arguably making him one of the biggest stars on the planet.
Across town at his studio, Wang, 24, now surrounded by publicists, producers and hangers-on, reflects on his meteoric rise and the dream he embodies for many extras. “I know many see their hope in me,” he says. “As an extra, I lived in a shabby room and earned a few dollars a day. Now, I’m supporting my parents. I feel like I’m living the dream.”
But Wang and others say extras also need to be realistic. “It doesn’t happen very often that you pick somebody,” says director Feng Xiaogang, who discovered Wang. “I don’t want to waste my time teaching them.”
Wang says his new life won’t make him snooty, but some are skeptical. “Do any of them remember us little extras?” Chen says. “They go up to the sky and dare not return to Earth.”
As the light fades on another day at the gate, some extras even dream about becoming directors or producers someday. “I think I’d make a movie about all the extras waiting at the gate,” says Ding, the former soldier, farmer, miner and laborer. “With all the hardship in China right now, they come here to live a dream. It’s something positive we should encourage at a time of so much stress.”
Hollywood USA opportunites for Producers, directors, writers, actors, singers and crafts persons at: info@archeremc.com and www.archeremc.com
Designed by the visionary behind some of Asia’s most imaginative resorts, Bensley Design Studios has created an experience as rare as an indigo pearl.
Indigo Pearl - where contemporary style and modern distinction meet. Historic detail fuses with chic design elegance to create an inspired setting for a beach resort getaway or ultimate corporate event.
Come see, touch and feel the Indigo Pearl resort experience. Encounter Phuket’s collective imagination in the inspired rooms, spa and dining venues. Imaginative design gives way to intriguing details to create a first class luxury Thailand resort with everything you need for the perfect vacation or business meeting.
Inspired by Phuket’s tin mining past, Indigo Pearl’s architecture and décor evokes a Thai factory of a century ago. The landscaping overflows with surprises: the postmodern transformation of a mature plantation spiced with modern sculpture and found industrial art. Simply awe-inspiring, creating a unique setting for a special event or a fantastic holiday.
The Rooms
Exquisite rooms, villas, pool pavilions and suites all embody the Indigo Pearl tropical resort experience. Surreal design is underscored by deluxe comfort. Each accommodation choice at Indigo Pearl harbours its own welcome surprises.
The Dining Venues Tapas. Thai. Grill. Cocktails. Café. Fine dining. Like mother-of-pearl shifting in the light, every corner of the hotel offers a shimmering encounter with culinary adventure. Romance, celebrate or talk business in one of Thailand’s unparalleled design settings.
The Facilities
Land or Sea. Relaxation or Adrenaline. Spa. Sports. Scuba Diving. Cooking. Creating. Exploring. Swimming. Shopping. Beachcombing. Golfing. Child’s play. Indigo Pearl resort is where the imaginative, playful atmosphere extends from the dramatic architecture itself to the leisure facilities located within, allowing you to sculpt your own shining holiday or business event to personal inclination. Indigo Pearl specializes in helping with corporate event planning staffs to create the best convention or business meeting experience.
Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, was named one the “BEST 40” at the recent American Society for Training & Development award ceremony held in Washington, D.C., USA. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is not just the only Asia-based hotel group winner this year but the only Asia-based hotel group winner in the BEST Awards history.
The BEST Awards was launched in 2003 to recognise organisations worldwide – small and large; private, public and not-for-profit — which demonstrate success as a result of employee learning and development. Award winners have proven that they are the best in Building talent, Enterprise-wide, Supported by organisation leaders, fostering a Thorough learning culture.
“Great hotels are made by great employees, not by crystal chandeliers or expensive carpets. This strongly held belief at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts translates to a firm commitment to employee training and development,” said Tan Eng Leong, group director of human resources.
Shangri-La’s workforce is anticipated to grow from 30,000 to 50,000 over the next two years. To support the expanding workforce, the group opened the Shangri-La Academy, China in 2004 — a centralised employee training centre offering a number of programmes open to both existing Shangri-La employees and the public.
Shangri-La’s recruitment process begins with careful selection — staff are “hired for attitude, trained for skills” — providing a fertile foundation for the Shangri-La philosophies to be embraced. Shangri-La then invests heavily in training — with up to four per cent of payroll spent on employee training and development — with intensive, ongoing coaching for all staff at the group’s 56 hotels and resorts.
Every new staff member undergoes the four-module “Shangri-La Care” training programme within six months of joining the group. The programme is designed to develop a consistent Shangri-La style of service to deliver a superior guest experience and build brand loyalty.
The group recently revamped the first module of “Shangri-La Care” –“Hospitality from Caring People” — to ensure cross cultural compatibility of customers and employees. New training material and updated mode of delivery makes the learning experience more relevant to younger and culturally diversified “generation Y” employees.
In preparation for the group’s Western expansion, Shangri-La launched the Tigers Programme in February 2006 — an innovative human resource initiative. Talented young hospitality professionals from around the world were placed in Shangri-La properties throughout Asia. They were to observe, absorb the service culture and be part of the service delivery within their host hotels, and ultimately bring that expertise back to Shangri-La’s North American and European properties currently under development in Vancouver, Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Miami, Paris, Vienna and Toronto.
Shangri-La retains its high calibre staff by providing a path whereby employees may achieve their personal and career goals through different leadership development platforms. There is an 18-month Talent Development Programme; a 10-week full-time residential advanced hospitality programme at the Shangri-La Academy; and self-paced online professional and executive development certificate courses in hospitality management from Cornell University. Compared to the industry in Asia Pacific, Shangri-La has one of the lowest staff turnover ratios and 65 per cent of vacancies in management positions are filled by internal transfers and promotions.
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, currently owns and/or manages 56 hotels under the deluxe Shangri-La and mid-market Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of over 28,000. The group has over 50 projects under development in Austria, Canada, mainland China, France, India, Japan, Macau, Maldives, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional
