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Above: Sansiri’s Baan Plai Haad Pattaya high-end condominium on Wongamat Beach has posted a 70 percent sold rate.

Sansiri revealed its latest project, The Base Central Pattaya, and began transferring units to customers. The project is situated in the heart of Pattaya and is near Central Festival Pattaya Beach. The condominium is completely finished and has already sold out.

“The Base Central Pattaya project was quickly sold out on the pre-sale day in 2013 totalling 1,112 units worth over THB4 billion. We could transfer the units exactly on schedule in accordance with our strict policy to underline the sense of dependability for customers who can now take ownership,” said Uthai Uthaisangsuk, senior executive vice president – Business Development and Project Development Division (High Rise) of Sansiri. “We hope to deliver the ultimate living experience in a resort town as well as the convenience of home for our customers. This is partly due to the many amenities and shopping projects in the vicinity such as Central Festival Pattaya Beach, The Avenue and Terminal 21 Pattaya.”

Sansiri is looking to increase the number of foreign customers it has and believes Japanese buyers hoping to be close to the nearby Japanese community in particular will be interested in The Base Central Pattaya.

“We still see continuous growth of the market in Pattaya and Central Pattaya in the big picture, as it is a high-potential resort that is perennially popular among Thai and foreign tourists throughout the year. We also take into account the advent of the AEC this year that could lead to a growth in housing demand by expatriates both for investment and for own domicile,” Uthai added. “In addition, Sansiri’s Baan Plai Haad Pattaya high-end condominium on Wongamat Beach has posted a 70 percent sold rate reinforcing the belief that Sansiri projects are well recognised and respected in brand and quality by consumers in Pattaya.”

Source: DD Property

Strong growth took place in Bangkok’s residential property market during the first quarter, The Nation reported. The Thai government’s stimulus package cutting transfer and mortgage registration fees plus the recently introduced “Baan Pracha Rath” financial package for the purchase of homes priced THB1.5 million and under looked to have given the market a much needed boost.

Several developers have seen strong pre-sales numbers this quarter and have also been able to complete transfers at a brisk pace. For example, Pruska Real Estate believes it will now surpass first half estimates while other developers are also seeing better than expected growth.

“Our pre-sales in the first quarter came in at THB9.36 billion, up four percent from our earlier estimate of THB9 billion, thanks to both the cut in transfer and mortgage fees to 0.1 percent and the latest financial package for homes priced at no more than THB1.5 million per unit under the ‘Baan Pracha Rath’ campaign,” Lersuk Chuladesa, chief operating officer of Pruksa Real Estate, told The Nation. “We believe this campaign will drive our first-half sales strongly – above our earlier estimate for the period.”

During January and February of this year, Golden Land Residence brought in THB3.1 billion in pre-sales and The Nationnoted that the company will now easily surpass its pre-sales target of THB3.5 billion that it had set for the first quarter.

“We believe pre-sales will grow beyond our estimate thanks to strong residential demand among homebuyers, and especially among those speeding up their decision to purchase before the measure to cut transfer and mortgage fees to 0.1 percent expires on April 28,” Golden Land managing director Saenphin Sukhee explained.

Supalai presales are up 27 percent y-o-y worth and the developer earned a staggering THB3.13 during the first two months of 2017. The developer has revised its first quarter pre-sales estimates and is now hoping to make THB5 billion.

“Residential demand started to recover during the final quarter of last year, when the government’s measure to cut the mortgage and transfer fees came into effect. This drove increased demand to buy detached housing and townhouses in the final quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of this year,” Supalai managing director Tritecha Tangmathithum stated.

Source: DD Property.com

Thinking of buying property in Thailand? Then don’t spend a single Baht until you read our top tips that will help you secure your perfect Thai property.

Whether you’re looking at purchasing property in Thailand for the first time or you’re an old hand at moving house in the Land of Smiles, it is always a good idea to have a checklist close by so you can make sure that you have everything covered.

Purchasing property in your homeland, let alone in a foreign country, can be a daunting task, yet the process of buying a house or condo in Thailand doesn’t need to be a difficult one, providing you plan accordingly and thoroughly explore all the options that are open to you.

Make sure you know exactly what you are signing up to and are fully aware of the commitment (both financially and personally) that you are about to enter into.

Know your budget

Before you start looking at the prospect of buying property in Thailand make sure you know exactly what you can afford and what you can’t. You may have found your dream property in Phuket or Koh Samui but if you are going to struggle to pay the final installment of the deposit then your dream home could quickly turn into a nightmare.

Thoroughly investigate the market

Although national trends in popular locations within the Thai property market can occur, it is always wise to look closely at prices and trends in the specific area of Thailand where you are looking to buy. For example, just because property prices in Pattaya are rising, that doesn’t mean that the same is happening in Hua Hin, Phuket or Krabi. Additionally, where properties in Hua Hin might have good re-sale potential, this might not be the case in Chiang Mai.

If you don’t have that much knowledge of the Thai property market, speak to someone who does – which brings us nicely onto our next point…

Seek specialist, reputable advice from an expert

This is especially true if you are a newcomer to buying property in Thailand. Buying direct from a private owner can sometimes result in a great deal for all concerned; that said, if you’re unfamiliar with the Thai property market then buying through a reputable property  website or expert can provide the necessary guidance you need and help you avoid any potential pitfalls. Typically, a professional real estate agent in Thailand should be obliged to keep you informed at every stage of the purchase. They should also make an effort to ensure that the deal is completed within an appropriate amount of time and that everything is to your satisfaction.

Location, location, location

Make sure you properly research local facilities and transport links. Other facilities and amenities you may be in need of will vary depending on your own requirements. Close proximity to basic facilities such as supermarkets, restaurants and shops are also important. For families moving to Thailand, consider what the local schools are like, are there international schools in the area? What are the local healthcare facilities like?

It is also worth remembering that just because you visit Pattaya, Hua Hin or any other destination once a year on holiday, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the same place will be suitable for you to live there long term. To get a better idea of what it is like to live in a particular place, speak to the local expats, research online and keep up to date with Thai property blogs to get a better understanding of what a particular location is like all year round.

Inspection

It surely goes without saying that once you’ve found a property that you like the look of, you should arrange to go and view it in person. Not only will this enable you to make sure that the property is as described in its listing but it will also help you get a feel of the surrounding area and neighborhood, which could potentially be your new home.

Contracts

Never enter into or sign a contract that you do not understand. Always read the small print and certainly never sign a contract that is written in a foreign language! Before you sign on the dotted line, always make sure that two versions of the contract are provided e.g – English and Thai. Ask your solicitor to confirm and verify both versions and where needed, seek the help and advice of an authorized or independent professional translator.

Also make sure that you are clear on key points of the contract such as the deposit amount and payment schedule. Is the deposit refundable? Be sure that you know exactly what you are getting for your money. What is included in the price and what isn’t? Are there likely to be any extra charges? When is the completion date?

Plan for extra additions to your budget

Finally, don’t forget to budget for those unavoidable extras such as insurance, furnishings, fixtures and fittings. Make sure you set aside money for tax and legal fees too.  It could be the case that your property is already furnished but you have ideas about extending or renovating it, maybe you want to add a swimming pool. Whatever your plan, always budget accordingly.

Source：Thai Visa Property

The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year’s Day from 13 to 15 April. The word “Songkran” comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti, literally “astrological passage”, meaning transformation or change. It coincides with the rising of Aries on the astrological chart, the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia. The festive occasion is in keeping with the Buddhist/Hindu solar calendar.

The Songkran celebration is rich with symbolic traditions. The morning begins with merit-making. Visiting local temples and offering food to the Buddhist monks are commonly practiced; however, on this specific occasion, performing water pouring on Buddha statues is considered an iconic ritual for this holiday – it represents purification and the washing away all of their sins and bad luck. As a festival of unity, people who have moved away usually return homes to their loved ones and elder family members. As a way to show respect, younger people often practice water pouring over the palms of elders’ hands. On the same occasion, paying reverence to ancestors is also an important part of Songkran tradition.

The holiday is known for its iconic water festival which is mostly celebrated by young people. Major streets are closed for traffic, and are used as arenas for water fights. Celebrants, young or old, participate in this tradition by splashing water on each other. More importantly, traditional parades are held, where cars are decorated with traditional ornaments. Also, the central festival often holds a pageant contest, or “Miss Songkran,” where contestants are clothed in traditional Thai dress.

Songkran in Thailand: Central Region

People in this region always clean their houses when approaching the Songkran Festival period. Everyone dresses up in colorful clothes. After offering food to the monks, the people will offer a requiem to their ancestors. People also make other merit such as giving sand to the temple for construction or repair. Other forms of merit include releasing bird and fish. Nowadays, people also release other kinds of animals such as buffaloes and cows.

Songkran in Thailand: South

In the southern part of Thailand, Songkran festival is also a holiday and the festivities are much the same as in other regions. They have their own three rules: First, people should work as little as possible and avoid spending money. So before April 13 of every year, people in the south prepare everything in advance that will be used during the three days of Songkarn; they should not hurt other people or animals, and they should not tell lies.

Songkran in Thailand: North

In the northern region of Thailand 13 April is always celebrated with gunfire or firecrackers to repel bad luck. On the next day, people prepare food and useful things to offer to the monks at the temple. People have to go to temple to do merit and bathe Buddha’s statue and after that they pour water on the hands of revered elders and ask for their blessings.

Songkran in Thailand: East

The eastern region has activities similar to the other part of Thailand, but people in the east always make merit at the temple throughout all the days of the Songkran Festival. Some people, after making merit at the temple, prepare food to be given to the elderly members of their family.

Making a splash

The most famous aspect of the Songkran celebrations is the throwing of water. The custom originates from spring cleaning aspect of Songkran. Part of the ritual was the cleaning of images of Buddha. Using the ‘blessed’ water that cleaned the images to soak other people is seen as a way of paying respect and bring good fortune.

It also doesn’t hurt that April is the hottest part of the year in Thailand, so being soaked is a refreshing escape from the heat and humidity.

Nowadays Thais will walk the streets having ‘water fights’ using containers of water or water guns, or stand at the side of roads with a hose and soak any one who passes by.

You may also get covered in chalk, a custom originating from the chalk used by monks to mark blessings. This combination of water and powder is almost identical to the celebrations of Holi, and indeed, it maybe that the customs originated in India as certainly Songkran is celebrated more widely and longer in the Northern part of Thailand.

Even more interesting is that the custom of water fights pops up in a distant place at the same time of year. Dyngus Day is celebrated on Easter Monday in Poland, and on the Monday the custom is that boys get to soak girls with water, but on the Tuesday, the girls get to throw crockery at the boys – again the water and powder combination.

As mentioned, Songkran is a Spring Cleaning Day, both physically and spiritually. On the physical side, in addition to cleaning other customs are that anything old and useless must be thrown away or else it will bring bad luck to the owner. On the spiritual side, some people make New Year resolutions.

Water as Symbolism

Contradictory to what you may have witnessed throughout Songkran, fun-loving Thais don’t just throw water at each other for no good reason (besides having a kick out of seeing other people soaking wet). The real meaning behind the splashes is to symbolically wash off all misfortunes in the past year, thus welcoming the new year with a fresh new start.

Traditionally, Thais would politely pour a bowl of water on members of the family, their close friends and neighbours. As Songkran has taken a more festive note, a bowl becomes a bucket, garden hose and water guns, and the spirit of holiday merriment is shared amongst all town residents and tourists alike.

Making Merit

Making merit is an essential part of Songkran, and visiting nine sacred temples during Songkran considered one of the ultimate accumulators. Try temples in the Rattanokosin area like Wat Pho, Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Suthat Thepphawararam, Wat Chana Songkhram, Wat Boworn, Wat Benchamabophit, Wat Rakhang Khositaram, Wat Arun and Wat Kanlaya.

Songkran Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Do give alms and make merit (or just witness the rituals if you are not a Buddhist)
• Do use waterproof bags to protect your valuables
• Do watch your belongings
• Do use public transportation if you are heading to one of Songkran ‘hotspots’, as traffic will be paralysed
• Do try wishing the locals a happy new year in Thai – “Sawasdee Pee Mai!”
• Do smile and have fun

Don’ts

• Do not douse monks, babies or the elderly
• Do not drive when you have been drinking
• Do not throw water with ice or dirty water
• Do not throw water at motorcyclists, to prevent road accidents

Sansiri is proud to be taking home more awards during the recent 2016-2017 Asia Pacific Property Awards (Thailand) hosted at the Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur! We received Highly Commended Awards in categories of Residential, Architecture, and Interior Design!