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.
Buzz Marketing is set to expand the current SEO, Online Ad and Search offerings across Asia with the introduction of of authorized agent program in the coming month. The program will give the
opportunity to existing Ad Agencies to onsell, tailor and manage Buzz Marketing Services to their clients. Buzz Marketing has seen far stronger interest since the introduction of the combined SEO, News, Ad and Search
package that helps those in business develop a broad spectrum web presence.
” It has never been more important for business to make the most of their advertising” said Sutida Suwunnavid Chairwoman of Buzz Inc “our product is by far the most cost effective form of advertising available. As the global economic crises continues we expect to see more people online, and more people using the web, especially in relatin to shopping online, the internet will be a key factor in how well many businesses perform during this period”
Buzz has built 9 Search Engines as well as integrated ad networks the company has also developed an automated software system to manage SEO and SEO performance. Buzz Search www.12buzz.com has perfrmed well and is now one of Asia’s most popular web search engines, licenced versions of the service also operate on www.12buzz.th.gs and www.archer.12buzz.com . The ad network operates extensively on web sites in Asia with a particular focus on Property and Travel sites, a high yeild market for Buzz. The Marketing and SEO services have been and are being used by some of the most well know resorts in Asia as well.
Buzz’s main competitor Google is telling clients that it can help them beat the recession and is urging them not to turn their backs on digital advertising as the economy slumps, according to its most senior executive outside the US.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Arora said: “We are making a very explicit pitch to clients about using the internet to speed up in a slowdown. We want to make sure people don’t sacrifice the digital imperative because of other issues in their business.”
Analysts at Citigroup last week highlighted the strength of global search engine advertising – Google’s core business – but noted that banner ads, classifieds and lead generation activities were all showing signs of weakness online.
Mr Arora admitted that advertisers’ experimentation with some newer online techniques “is going to have to take a back seat” as budgets tighten, but said many businesses had the scope to optimise and reallocate their marketing spending for greater returns.
Three trends – a growing online audience, that audience’s growing trust in the internet and the rise in e-commerce – would make the online sector more resilient, Mr Arora said, although he admitted “that’s not to say if there’s a huge cut in advertising spending it’s not going to filter through to all forms of advertising”.
Buzz is one company offering these new services in the form of managed e-commerce and SEO services, and continuing to take market share in the very competitive South East Asian region
Phuket Property advertising on the internet is extremely competitive and a serious strategy needs to be properly in place for the best positions to be reached on the Google and other search engines. The Phuket property market is tough and recently more people have developed websites in the anticipation of reaching the top placements to get all the traffic that are looking for property from all over the globe.
Advertising Phuket Property with PPC
Advertising in the property market using traditional pay per click advertising is a very risky and expensive venture. Due to the high level of competition for the business the cost per click is substantial and the sites are consuming a large advertising spend a month with no problem. The advantages are that with one sale in the property market an advertiser could pay for an entire year advertising using ppc on an ad network as the profit margins are high per property sale. The main advantage with ppc is that you are able to attain 1st page placements under your chosen key search terms and get the traffic that are searching for your services the instant you place your bid. However people seem to be increasingly aware these are in fact ads and not search results and tend to disregard them.
Property Advertising with Banners
Banners are a popular way to get branding out there and with the right graphics can influence an end user to remember your company and use your services as opposed to the competitors to purchase their property. Although branding will be good banner are not as good as text links for the end user due to our experience.
Advertising Property with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
The best way to advertise property on the website is to get your property website to the 1st page of the search engines in the natural listings with Buzz’s search engine optimisation. The reason is obvious. The best locatons on a page of natural listings are used 90% by the end user looking for the property sales as opposed to any paid sponsor listings and there are no costs attached with visitors clicking through to your website. The Phuket property market is extremely aggressive and competing against the long standing websites is difficult – but not impossible!
It is essential that you have a clear strategy in place when taking on advertising property on the internet. The first thing to do is decide which key phrases you want to target in the property market and then make sure you know which pages are going to target which phrases. You must avoid repetition in all your web pages and ensure your metas are unique page to page. Your Phuket property website must be ‘squeaky clean’ to stand any chance of reaching 1st page on Google. You must ensure page layout is correct so the search engine spiders understand what you are wanting to advertise and do not participate in any link farms on the internet. Call 0807007900 for more information or advice on advertising your property website with search engine optimisation (SEO).
Quick House Sales
Buzz Marketing For Properties offers attractive options for getting quick cash for property you are looking to sell.
brought to you by www.12phuket.com the Phuket specialists
Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket has completed its refurbishment program and is ready to welcome guests to the upgraded facilities.
The resort’s general manager, Peter Komposch, says more than 75% of guestrooms have been given a completely new look whilst maintaining the popular Sino-Portuguese architecture of the region within the main building.
“All the rooms are bright and airy and follow the Dusit style, in that they combine Thai tradition with modern style and convenience,” he says. “Our regular guests will immediately feel at home, while we are confident that new guests will quickly become fans of our style.”
Every room has a private balcony overlooking either the peaceful lagoon or the Andaman Sea. Room facilities include TV with satellite channels, built-in safe, mini-bar, coffee- and tea-making facilities, hairdryer, high-speed wireless Internet connection and a spacious bathroom.
For those who are looking for large and stylish accommodation for a family, the Dusit Thani Pool Villas became fully operational in the beginning of November.
There are 28 pool villas, each of them offering 292 sq. m. of luxury spread over three stories. Occupying the entire first floor, two bedrooms of the Laguna pool villas have direct access to private open-air garden courtyards, while the oceanfront pool villas offer direct access to the white sandy Bang Tao beach from the master bedroom.
The villas’ second floors include a functional kitchen, a dining area for six people, a spacious living area and open onto a patio. The rooftop feature is an18-sq. m. private infinity plunge pool with sun loungers offering a panoramic view of the lagoon or ocean.
“We are continually updating, upgrading and modernizing our resort, which is why after 20 years in this highly competitive environment Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket still remains at the forefront and has such a high number of returning guests every year,” Komposch adds
brought to you by www.12phuket.com the Phuket specialists
The Patong Harbor View project is excellently located at the southern inland end of the world famous Patong Beach in Phuket. The project site is located 2.5 kilometers to the heart of Patong on the road to Karon, Kata and the beaches to the south of Phuket. The total Phuket property size is approximately 3 Rai. The Patong land is flat with access to the new proposed marina project to the north with views of the harbor and the sea from upper apartment floors.
To the west and east are heavily wooded hills affording a peaceful, quiet setting with a short 1 kilometer drive to Patong’s new 3rd road putting this location in one of the last undeveloped locations in Patong Beach.
If you been thinking about investing in Phuket real estate, here is your chance to own a fine Phuket Apartment with all the luxuries of a 5 Star resort.
Patong Harbor View incorporates the best of traditional and new Thai designs into a modern condominium development. This exclusive project, will set the standard for luxury living and leisure in Patong. The project foresees a mix of one bedroom, two bedroom / one bath and two bedroom / two bath units. Units will have a forest, city, harbor or pool view. The project will be developed in three different stages with construction to begin in July 2006. All properties available from pre-sale are:
One Bedroom 98 & 105 Meters Two bedroom 98 Meters Two Bedroom 158 Meters
The master plan sets our rigorous controls and management to ensure quality development being built to the highest specifications and standards. Patong Harbor View will become the benchmark for quality living in a quiet but close to the action environment.
Up market Condominiums
The well located condominiums incorporate the best of modern Thai planning with the luxury one could expect of a condominium in the western world. An excellent life style in ensured for the residents because the development features privacy, security and an active life style as essential components of the layout scheme with built around fully landscaped public and private areas. The condominiums will use the latest technological developments and incorporate the use of intelligent building control systems to ensure the privacy, security and comfort for our residents.
Harbor View facilities
The creative joining of facilities and living Space while designing the master plan allows you to enjoy all the amenities of a five star resort.
Unwind with the feeling that investing in Phuket’s rising property values you have made an excellent investment that will reward you emotionally and financially for years to come.
Sales@12property.com
Street Address
123/29 M.5 T.Cherngtalay
A.Talang, Phuket, Thailand, 83110
Office Hours
9.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. + 7 hours ICT
Monday through to Saturday including public holidays
More facilities
Harbor view is located 2.5 Kilometers from Patong Beach with Tuk Tuk Taxi and motorcycle available to take you to the beach or town.
Harbor View has nice private areas including a tranquil waterfalls leading into our swimming pool. Our goal is to ensure a peaceful stay with us.
Harbor view has a fully equipped workout room and is maintained by our staff. It is open long hours and it’s large size means you won’t be waiting to use a machine.
Harbor view master plan allows for BBQ areas, spa and massage areas, private areas, sunbathing, swimming and more. You’ll never want to go back home after you stay here a few days.
All of the condos at Harbor View will have pool, sea, mountain and/or harbor views. Ask our staff to assist you in choosing the right condo for you!
All Harbor View rooms are built with access to hi-speed internet. All rooms have telephone connections. You’ll never feel out of touch at Harbor View!
Harbor View Rooms are connected to satellite television for the days or nights you want to kick back and watch a little TV.
Harbor View Condos all have International Telephones. You’ll never feel out of touch when staying here.
Harbor View has a mail room so your never be out of touch. We make it easy to either to send or receive packages for your business or home.
Harbor View was designed so there is plenty of parking if you have a car or motorcycle.
Harbor View has private areas and gardens for you to relax and enjoy your stay if your on holiday or living in Patong full time.
Harbor View has massage and spa in-house. You’ll never have to travel far to unwind from a hard day !
Harbor View has a store for that item you forgot or in case you get the midnight munchies.
With contemporary architecture set amid tropical gardens, Costa Lanta strikes just the right balance between modern design and a tropical escape. The rooms are set back from the coastline amid the trees and are decked out with poured-concrete and timber walls and a partially open-air bathroom.
Doubles start at 3,025 baht (£55), including breakfast.
Paradee, Koh Samet
The small island of Samet is a national park, peppered with dazzling beaches either side of a forested ridge. At its narrowest point in the quiet far south, you’ll find Paradee, opening onto the east and west coasts of Ao Kiew. The 40 villas are luxuriously furnished with teak, rattan and Thai silks and most come with private pools and Jacuzzis.
Doubles start at 17,800 baht (£322), including breakfast.
Zeavola, Koh Phi Phi
Brought to fame by Alex Garland’s novel The Beach, Phi Phi is firmly on the backpacker trail. But the beaches of the north are largely unspoilt and this is where you’ll find Zeavola, the island’s only five-star hotel. Each villa has a private garden, and the rooms are adorned with hand-printed panels and batik.
Doubles start at 11,770 baht (£214), including breakfast.
Six Senses Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood
Opening in the spring, this is set to be one of Six Senses’ most expensive resorts. It has been designed to protect the island’s unspoilt beaches, rainforest and waterfalls. But don’t expect rusticity. Rooms have private pools, and facilities include astronomy lessons, a sting-ray-shaped den for children and the option of dining in the treetops.
Street Address
123/29 M.5 T.Cherngtalay
A.Talang, Phuket, Thailand, 83110
One-2-Property www.12property.com has added 2 new Hotels for sale to an already extensive list of investment properties in Asia.
The new additions are both located in early Soi’s of Sukhumvit in the centre of the city’s tourist and business district. Sukhumvit property has continued to improve despite global financial problems. The central locations ensure a constant stream of guests.
Thailand remains an attractive investment destination for Japanese, European and Asean investors despite its political uncertainty, with 635 investment projects worth Bt221 billion received during the first nine months of 2008, compared to 604 in the same period last year.
According to the BOI, the net European investment applications during the first nine months of 2008 surged by 18.5 percent to Bt42 billion compared to Bt34.2 billion in the same period last year.
A number of Dutch investors are currently considering to invest in the shipbuilding industry in the kingdom while French investors are focusing on alternative energy and research and development, and Italian investors on machinery industry.
The Dutch also remained the number one European investors in Thailand, with the total value of net applications increasing by 89.8 percent from Bt2.5 billion between January and September 2007 to Bt24.6 billion during the same period this year.
British and French investments also increased significantly. The total value of net applications from French investors increased by 73.7 percent from Bt442 million during January to September 2007 to Bt1.7 billion this year while British investment surged by 64.36 percent from Bt1.5 billion (January-September 2007) to Bt4.33 billion in 2008.
As part of its strategy to attract more investments, Atchaka said the BOI was speeding up the opening of six new overseas offices within 2009, with the first new office opening this month in Taipei, followed by Sydney, Beijing, Seoul, Guangzhou and Stockholm.
According to the draft plan for 2009, the BOI will draw investment from Japans automotive, electronics and electrical, Europes alternative energy and biotech industries, Taiwans electronics, agro-industries and biotechnology, and Chinas automotive, electronics and electrical, food and agricultural and alternative energy industries.
Thailand is also seeking Australia’s information and communications technology (ICT) and software, automotive and green industries, and India’s food and agricultural, electrical and electronics, automotive and textile industries, Atchaka said.
“We are also looking into other investors’ demands as shown in our latest survey, including investors recommendation on additional incentives for industrial gas, hotel renovation businesses, for instance,” she said.
Email
sales@12property.com
Street Address
123/29 M.5 T.Cherngtalay
A.Talang, Phuket, Thailand, 83110
Property www.12property.com some of Phuket’s best resort developments available with finance available. Inculding Existing Beachfront Hotels with room for additional construction, a stunning private island in the heart of Phuket with over 50 acres and white sandy beaches and over 120 acres on the isand paradise of Koh Yao with it’s many 5 star developments proving a huge success this prime peice of real estate has kilometres of white sandy beaches and spectacular views.
With the current credit collapse around the world the opportunity for finance on these larger developments has become scarce, One-2-Property however can help buyer into anyone or all of the many development sites the company
currently has on offer.
Given Phuket is now one of Asia’s Hot Spot destinations One-2-Property is expecting at least 3-4 of the large development sites to sell in the coming high season, even as speculative buys the properties represent a sound investment in the current economic climate.
Developers seeking to catch some of Phuket’s booming tourist trade could benefit greatly from the financing option.
Thailand is at the very heart of Southeast Asia, occupying an area of nearly 200,000 square miles. Thailand is a diverse and beautiful country where the terrain ranges from forested mountains in the north, to rice fields of the central plains and the tropical coastline and sandy beaches of the south.
Thailand is affectionately known as the land of a thousand smiles, its tropical climate and welcoming people have been a beacon to holidaymakers and travellers alike. In recent years overseas property purchasers have been looking to buy a piece of this tropical paradise, here are ten reasons to smile when considering investing in Thailand:
Year Round Tropical Climate
Thailand is blessed with a magnificent tropical climate, with high temperatures and humidity; April and May are the hottest months of the year. Thailand is an ideal winter sun destination with November to February probably being the most pleasant time of the year when the cool breezes from the north east offer some welcome relief from the humidity of earlier months. The Thai climate is good news for investors, meaning that they have a year round holiday destination for their own use or a rental property that has potential to deliver a good rental return.
Strong Tourism Industry
With visitors from Europe, USA, Australia and Asia, Thailand remains one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, with over 14 million visitors arriving in 2007 (Thailand Tourism Authority). Such a strong tourist market means that quality accommodation is always in demand, which is great news for investors looking to rent out their property. Owners in the Oxygen Bay, Bangtao, resort in Phuket,will certainly not have any trouble renting out their property if they wish. Only a short distance to the beach front, 15 minutes to Phuket town and 25 minutes to Phuket Airport these properties stand in a fantastic location. Prices start from £178,500 / THB 11,887,771.
Money goes a little Baht Further
Thai property benefits from being located outside of the euro zone, offering investors a way to stretch their hard earned cash that little bit further. The Thai property market is still relatively undiscovered with property often cheaper than more established European markets. Some property investors have witnessed impressive returns over the past few years particularly in areas in the south such as the island of Phuket. In fact experts estimates that currently capital appreciation is around 10 to 15 per cent per annum. Thailand also has no capital gains tax for private investors and taxes in general remain low adding another incentive to purchasing.
Low Cost of Living
The cost of living in Thailand is relative, you can live on a shoestring budget or go for luxury as you desire. Generally though Thailand offers some amazing bargains and low living costs. Across the country you can find many local markets which are generally the cheapest places to food shop. Bangkok and Phuket offer excellent value for the local facilities, restaurants and amenities. Property is still available for much lower prices than other Asian Cities, such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
Resilient Economy
Thailand is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia and has seen estimated growth of 5.1% this year (Fiscal Policy Office Thailand). Blessed with an abundance of natural resources, strong manufacturing sector and excellent export growth Thailand’s economy is looking in a strong position for the future. The Thai Baht has been steadily rising against the US Dollar and the economy has shown little sign of being affected by the global credit crunch. Even Donald Trump is taking advantage of the great real estate opportunities in Thailand by investing in Bangkok.
New Double Taxation Treaty
A recently agreed deal betweenHM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Thai authorities has eliminated the need for British investors to incur the double taxation of income and capital gains arising in one country and paid to residents of another.With investment in Thailand getting more popular this should come as great news for those looking to purchase one of the spectacular properties available in this stunning country.
Island Paradise Properties
Thailand offers beautiful mountains, dense forests and stunning beaches, a tropical climate and cosmopolitan cities. Property can be located in the most astonishing of settings, take for example the Kokyang Estate II, situated close to the dazzling Nai Harn beach, one of the most beautiful in Phuket, with its clear waters and nearby jungle-covered mountains, the resort really is out of this world. Phuket really is a tropical island paradise for escaping the day to day existence of home. Whether you are looking for a first class adventure holiday or simply a place to unwind in sheer luxury, this awe inspiring island is the place for you. www.phuketpropertygroup.com has many superb properties for rent and sale.
No longer a world away
Thailand was once viewed as an exotic long-haul destination however with developments in aviation the country is now a sophisticated fully fledged tourist destination with direct flights to Bangkok and Phuket running from the UK daily. A 12 hour flight can see you arriving in Bangkok or Phuket, and once you have arrived Thailand is now even easier to explore thanks to its excellent bus and rail networks, which are cheap, easy and reliable.
There’s no place like home?
English investors looking to live in Thailand may be pleasantly surprised by how well accommodated they are. English is widely spoken and Westerners are welcomed by the friendly local people. Can’t live without those home comforts? Then you’ll be pleased to know that Phuket even has a branch of Tesco for those essentials. Sportsmen and women too will be delighted by the facilities available for football, badminton, tennis as well as the magnificent golf courses and world class dive centres.
Ideal retirement destination
Thailand is a popular destination for those considering relocating overseas in their retirement. Retirees are attracted by Thailand’s relaxed pace of life, low cost of living, excellent health care system, rich culture and low taxes. Thailand makes an effort to simplify the emigration process for retirees by offering retirement visas for foreigners over 50 years of age.
So with all the benefits of recent tax regulations and the relatively low price of property in Thailand, is now the time to invest? Steve Worboys, MD of Experience International seems to think so: ‘With Thailand still emerging as a property investment destination prices remain low. There are undoubtedly some very attractive real estate opportunities to be found in certain locations within Thailand, like Phuket for example.’
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.
brought to you by www.12phuket.com Phuket Specialists
Martin Kaye has a name for the barren beaches and empty tropical islands that line the Cambodian and western Vietnamese coast. He touts this 125-mile stretch as the Indochine Riviera and envisions a sun-drenched playground for jet-setters and holidaymakers from around the world. “Just look across the border in Thailand, at Phuket and Ko Samui,” he says. “It’s not a question of if, but when.” The Hong Kong real estate investor plans on being right in the middle of all this construction: He could be the Donald Trump of Asia’s next great resort strip.
Kaye has lots of company. Investment groups from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Russia and France have raced to stake claims in what has become a gold rush. Over the past two years nearly all of Cambodia’s five dozen islands have been leased, and much of the shoreline has been carved up for huge concessions. Property values have boomed around Kep, a seaside destination for the French through the 1960s, before the rise of the Khmer Rouge riddled the charming seaside villas with bullet holes that are still visible. Bigger gains are reported around Sihanoukville, the site of several beach resorts and the country’s main port, after a $30 million revamp of the airport two years ago. “That was the trigger to all the growth,” says Matthew Rendall, partner at the Phnom Penh law firm of Sciaroni & Associates and the country’s leading land lawyer. “After that, the entire coast really took off.”
Not that you could tell by looking around. Sihanoukville remains a grungy coastal town with a slew of casinos and only one high-end hotel. Yet billboards heralding planned villa projects run for miles up and down the coast.
The resort’s general manager, Peter Komposch, says more than 75% of guestrooms have been given a completely new look whilst maintaining the popular Sino-Portuguese architecture of the region within the main building.
The villas’ second floors include a functional kitchen, a dining area for six people, a spacious living area and open onto a patio. The rooftop feature is an18-sq. m. private infinity plunge pool with sun loungers offering a panoramic view of the lagoon or ocean.
One Bedroom 98 & 105 Meters 
