Advertising Property in Phuket

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.

7@12buzz.com

Street Address

Buzz Technologies, Inc.

123/29 M.5 T.Cherngtalay
A.Talang, Phuket, Thailand, 83110

Phone Number

(66) 76 326 318

24 Hour Hotline

(66) 80 700 7900

Fax Number

(66) 76 326 319

Office Hours

9.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. + 7 hours ICT

Monday through to Saturday including public holidays

brought to you by www.12phuket.com the Phuket specialist

Local and expat residents of Phuket will sell home-made Christmas goodies, candles, ornaments, gift items, calendars, jewellery etc.
Traditionally, one of the biggest Christmas trees on Phuket is to be found at the Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) Town Square where fountains and spectacular lighting add to a festive atmosphere.

This year Crystal Riedemann, General Manager of Skippers Sports bar and Lisa Sol, PR Manager of Mom Tri’s Boathouse Regatta at RPM have taken the initiative to start the first Christmas market at RPM.

Local and expat residents of Phuket are given the opportunity to sell their home-made Christmas cakes, cookies and plum puddings, hand-made Christmas baubles, candles, jewellery, greeting cards, calendars, gift items etc.

There is a small booking fee of 300 Baht per evening for a place at the market which can be paid in advance at Skippers Bar at RPM or at Mom Tri’s Boathouse on Kata Beach. Sellers can opt for a stall for one, two or all evenings as desired. Booking in advance is required.

The market is envisioned as a Christmas Phuket community event and will not include commercial businesses.

Buskers, Capella singers, Christmas choirs and artists are warmly invited to come and liven up the scene even more.

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

Woranuj Maneerungsee www.bangkokpost.com

brought to you by www.12phuket.com

NICE GUY EDDIE: Okay, everybody cough up green for the little lady. C’mon, throw in a buck.

MR PINK: Uh-uh. I don’t tip.

NICE GUY EDDIE: Whaddaya mean you don’t tip?

MR PINK: I don’t believe in it.

NICE GUY EDDIE: You don’t believe in tipping?MR WHITE: I love this kid; he’s a madman, this guy.

MR BLONDE: Do you have any idea what these ladies make? They make s***.

MR PINK: Don’t give me that. She don’t make enough money, she can quit.

NICE GUY EDDIE: I don’t even know a Jew who’d have the balls to say that. So let’s get this straight - you never ever tip?

MR PINK: I don’t tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that’s for the birds. As far as I’m concerned, they’re just doin’ their job.

I agree to some extent with Mr Pink, the character played by Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs, the 1992 breakthrough film by Quentin Tarantino. Should I tip - especially after I have just paid a 10% service charge? I assume the service charge goes to the staff working in the restaurant as some sort of “guaranteed” tip. If that’s the case, why should I give a further tip?

Tipping is relatively new to Bangkok. Our normal custom after a meal is simply to leave some loose change on the table. A 2,000 baht dinner, a pile of one baht coins for the tip - it’s nothing to be frowned upon. But these days, not just a “reasonable” tip is expected; there’s this thing called a “10% service charge”. What’s that all about? Keep in mind, I am talking about better quality restaurants, not street-side som tam.

Lek, 26, a waitress at a long-established and successful medium-priced Chinese restaurant in Thong Lor, says her total income is about 5,500 baht a month, including the fixed 1,000 baht share of the service charge. Tips from customers amount to less than 300 baht. “Basically, customers do not tip a lot since they see the service charge at the end of the bill,” said Lek, who has worked at the restaurant for three years.

It’s normal practice for Thai customers to inspect every single line of a bill - and if we see “service charge” we normally tip less or not at all.

The restaurant in question employs 15 staff and adds a 10% service charge. A customer could presume that all of the service charge goes to the staff, right? Divided among the waiting staff, the bus boys, the receptionists, the kitchen staff, etc? But if that is the case, why is Ms Lek paid a “fixed” 1,000 baht?

Are we to presume all 15 staff get 1,000 baht each, for a total of 15,000 baht in service charges per month? Does that mean a long established, successful, medium-priced Chinese restaurant in the ever-so busy and trendy hub of Thong Lor makes only 150,000 baht a month? Not likely. The staff are only getting a small slice of the service charge cake.

Lek has a year-and-a-half to finish her BA in political science at an open university. She earns 211 baht per day, just eight baht more than the minimum wage. She works 26 days a month. And the restaurant is pocketing most of the service charge, leaving her with a measly 5,500 baht a month in overall income?

Does this also mean that I, as the customer, am paying more for the food I consume than the price listed on the menu because not all the added 10% included as a service charge is going to the person directly providing the service? Lek plans to leave the restaurant and work at a bakery, which pays better, once she finishes her schooling.

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WHY TIP?

It is widely believed that tipping came to Thailand with the return the first Thai students who studied in Europe about 50 years ago. When they came home, they brought not only their acquired knowledge but the “civilised” practice of tipping as well.

According to the New York Times, quoting the book Tipping by Kerry Segrave, the habit probably dates back to Tudor England (1485-1603). At the end of this period, guests spending a night at a private residence were expected to give some money, known as “vails”, to the servants of the house. Soon after this, customers began tipping at London coffee houses and other establishments. One frequented by author Samuel Johnson had a bowl with the words “To Insure Promptitude” on it, and this is believed have been abbreviated to “tip”.

Tipping began as a practice of the rich, a sprinkle of small change for social inferiors, and it quickly spread among the upper classes of Europe. Yet even in the early days, tipping produced feelings of resentment.

In the US, the practice may have started after the Civil War, when the wealthy began to travel to Europe. Just like Thai students 100 years later, they brought back tipping from Europe as a sign of their worldliness.

But unlike Europeans, people in the US did not have a deep-rooted tradition of noblesse oblige, and so opposition to tipping grew. In 1904, the Anti-Tipping Society of America sprang up in Georgia, and its 100,000 members signed pledges not to tip anyone. Meanwhile, in Europe the British government passed a law in 1943 establishing a minimum wage for service staff that helped to do away with their reliance on tips. In 1955, France passed a law requiring restaurants to add a service charge (service compris) to bills, something that has since become the norm in many countries.

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WHY A 10% SERVICE CHANGE?

The service charge was probably introduced to Thailand by the hotel industry, according to Thai Restaurant Association president Pavornwan Koonmongkol. At first it was confined to hotels and fine dining establishments, but later spread to more medium-priced restaurants.

Srayuth Ekahitanonda, a founder of the Let’s Sea beachfront restaurant and the boutique hotel Let’s Sea Hua Hin Al Fresco Resort, believes it is necessary for service providers to charge customers for good service, as restaurant owners invest time and capital to train staff to develop a “service mind”.

“You [diners] should have to pay a service charge if it is the rule which tells you clearly that the meal is subject to service charge,” Mr Srayuth said.

“But whether the service charge is justified or not is another question. Some places provide you with a very impressive experience, so that you might think paying a 10% service charge is not an issue.”

According to Pornsiri Rojmeta, managing director of the Greyhound restaurant chain, including a service charge in the bill is a way of lifting standards at a restaurant. When she and her friends decided to run a restaurant, they determined that the service must be of international standard. Part of this includes imposing a service charge.

Ms Pornsiri also believes a service charge motivates staff to work harder and give better quality service.

Wan, an ex-office worker, remembers well which restaurants around her office included a 10% service charge on the bill, and it influenced her tipping habits. She tips less in restaurants with a service charge.

“But even so, I always tip. I feel guilty if I don’t,” she said.

Another office worker, Poo, said she doesn’t tip if a 10% service charge shows up on the bill. However, she will make an exception if the service is first class.

In the US, service charges vary from 12% to 20%, with 10% the norm in the UK.

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HOW MUCH DO THE STAFF GET?

Sarisa Narupakorn, owner of the Kampoon Isan restaurant at Central World, uses a 70:30 ratio when dividing the service charge among staff. The larger portion goes to the staff, the rest to the restaurant to pay for interior design, maintenance and cover breakages.

“This creates and improves the fine atmosphere for customers, as the restaurant considers it an important part of a good restaurant,” she said.

Greyhound’s Ms Pornsiri gives the staff 75% of the takings while the rest goes to the restaurant’s upkeep.

The waiters at these restaurants earn about 8,000 baht a month, 6,000 baht of which is salary and 2,000 baht their share of the service charge. They also earn extra from tips.

Let’s Sea’s Mr Srayuth has a different policy. He gives all of the service charge to the staff.

“It’s an incentive to staff to maintain high service quality and minimise turnover,” he said.

Mr Srayuth tells of restaurant owners who are dishonest. Some promise job applicants a guaranteed share of the service charge once the restaurant is up and running, but then withhold the payment with the excuse that business is not as profitable as they had hoped.

Ms Sarisa said some restaurants appear to price their food very competitively and include a service charge even though the quality of the restaurant and its service is not up to scratch.

Thai Restaurant Association president Ms Pavornwan said complaints about unfair service charges were getting more vociferous.

She said many restaurants should not be levying a service charge since they do not meet with the required standards.

Ms Pavornwan thinks there should be a national standard for the restaurant industry covering not just service but hygiene as well.

This is not just for the customer’s sake, but so the restaurant operators can compete with foreign-run establishments.

If consumers become more vocal in their complaints, she said, perhaps the Internal Trade Department would place standards governing service charges under the Goods and Service Act.

“No consumers have complained about service charges on the hotline number,” one Internal Trade Department official told Brunch. He said if a restaurant tells the customer there is a service charge then there should not be any reason to complain.

But service charges do remove the element of reward. Tipping good service is a form of recognition, withholding a tip a punishment. The choice rests with the customer.

brought to you by www.12phuket.com

Accor Asia Pacific announced today that 11 Novotel hotels and resorts throughout the Asia Pacific region have achieved Green Globe Sustainable Tourism Certification, as part of a pilot hotel program that commenced in early 2008.  This notable achievement marks the beginning of a program that will see the Asia Pacific network of Novotel’s, (today 84 hotels) certified before the end of 2009.

The next phase of certification will see all Novotel Resorts in the Asia Pacific certified, including hotels in Bali, Lombok and Bogor in Indonesia, Phuket, Rayong and Chumphon in Thailand, Phan Thiet in Vietnam and Cairns and Twin Waters in Australia.  The resort network will achieve certification as early as March 2009.

Globally the Novotel network of almost 400 hotels and resorts has committed to achieving Green Globe certification by 2010, to become the first hotel brand to achieve global network certification.

“The Novotel brand has been focused on sustainable development for more than 10 years, so the Green Globe certification initiative is a natural evolution” says Evan Lewis – Vice President Communications for Accor Asia Pacific.  “Our hotels and resorts within the Asia Pacific have introduced the Accor Environmental Charter, requiring the application of 65 actions, Green Globe certification takes this to a new level ensuring continuing and lasting improvement of environmental performance by our hotels”.

Green Globe is an international organisation that provides certification for Sustainable Tourism, originally established in 1992 by the World Tourism and Travel Council and based on Agenda 21 (priorities of the 21st century for the planet).

The Green Globe certification takes place in two stages; first an assessment of the environmental performance according to a benchmarking audit and then the establishment of environmental management system to improve each hotels performance with respect to sustainable development policies.  Following this each hotel is externally audited for compliance to Green Globe standards.

Jagan Lacsher – Executive Assistant Manager of the Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square (and Green Globe Program Leader at this pilot hotel) commented “The Green Globe benchmarking and management process review heightened our awareness of the hotels consumption of energy, water, paper, chemicals, pesticides and waste management as well as our efforts in social welfare actions.  The whole team has become focused on ways to improve consumption, communicate the efforts with guests and each department now contributes to a constant improvement process”.

The Novotel Bali Benoa was the lead hotel on the pilot project and subsequently Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square, Novotel Hyderabad, Novotel Melbourne Glen Waverley, Novotel Wellington Capital, Novotel Atrium Darwin, Novotel Brisbane, Novotel Canberra, Novotel Perth Langley, Novotel Melbourne St Kilda, Novotel Auckland Ellerslie have completed Green Globe certification.

Michael Issenberg – Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Accor Asia Pacific says “Travelers are increasingly seeking hotels with an environmental conscience.  With a global network of almost 400 Novotel hotels and resorts already dedicated to the fight against global warming, Green Globe certification provides the assurance that our guests call for.  Our ambition towards Green Globe certification of our entire network is bold, our commitment to improved environmental action is resolute”.

All details concerning Novotel’s commitment to Green Globe are available online at youandusforearth.com   Here you will find general information, latest press releases, interview requests and press kit on the initiative.

# # #

Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:

Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lenôtre;

Services, with 30 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and loyalty, and expense management.

The Coffee Club’s first Asian retail store is set to open on 12 December 2008 in idyllic Phuket, Thailand. The franchise company sold a 50 per cent share of the business to Thailand’s largest fast-food operator Minor International in a bid to expand overseas to cities such as Dubai, Beijing and Bangkok, where Minor already has a strong presence.

Elephant Trekking :

Trek on elephant back in the hills with panoramic views over Phuket Island. Meet some young elephants and see how they are trained. The elephant camp & trek are on top of the mountain in a superb natural setting. This is without doubt the best elephant trek in Phuket.

Phi Phi Day Trip :

Take a gentle cruise by ferry to one of Thailand’s most beautiful island getaways - the islands of Ko Phi Phi. The limestone islands of Phi Phi are a popular day trip from Phuket and cruising there by ferry provides a more gentle way to soak in the tropical beauty of this picture perfect region of Thailand. Situated down along Thailand is long leg of land stretching down towards Malaysia, just west of the ‘knee’ in the Andaman Sea, you’ll find one of the most idyllic tropical locations on earth - the islands of Ko Phi Phi, more commonly known as Phi Phi. A daytrip to the Phi Phi Islands is an easy and popular tour to take from either Phuket or Krabi.

Phuket Spa :

 

 

Simon Cabaret :

 

 

Diving and Snorkeling :

 

 

Rock Climbing in Krabi :

 

 

Upgrade to a luxury holiday experience with our concierge travel service. We are specialists at providing tailor made luxury holidays that suit your needs and your budget. Choose sophisticated, jet-set accommodation with superb travel options from Business and First Class air travel to private jet and helicopter charter. Or float away on your own private yacht – perfect for family celebrations, corporate events or weddings.

Our concierge travel service can provide tailor made luxury holidays for any holiday you desire, so don’t be afraid to let your aspirations run wild! Phuket hot-spots such as Cape Panwa, Phi Phi, Krabi, and Similans are getting all the more popular. If you like something more unique how about Cruising Burma or India’s Andaman Islands?

Booking your luxury holiday couldn’t be easier. Professional, tailor made service is absolutely key to our relationship. At our concierge travel service we want you to have the best, so once your holiday is booked we’ll then look after your restaurant reservations, book spa treatments and golf tee-off times, organise guided tours, secretarial staff – in fact anything that’s important to you.

Email

sales@12property.com

Street Address
123/29 M.5 T.Cherngtalay
A.Talang, Phuket, Thailand, 83110

Phone Number
(66) 76 326 318
24 Hour Hotline
(66) 80 700 7900

Fax Number
(66) 76 326 319

Office Hours
9.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. + 7 hours ICT
Monday through to Saturday including public holidays

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.