Twenty years ago, Koh Samui was a sleepy backwater. An island of calm, clear blue waters, crystal white beaches populated only by fishermen and a few backpackers: what Alex Garland maybe had in mind when he wrote "The Beach". The reason for Koh Samui’s allure was obvious. Situated in the middle of the Gulf of Siam, Koh Samui is blessed with year-round sunshine and pristine beaches. Like all good secrets, news spread quickly of this ‘jewel in the sea’ and it led to Koh Samui becoming one of the world’s best-know tropical destinations for foreigners in their endless quest for a mythical paradise.

By far the most popular area on Koh Samui is Chaweng on the East coast, with its large white-sand beach, luxury hotels, restaurants and nightlife. Due to the lack of available land now around Chaweng, other areas such as Lamai, Ban Taling Ngam and Bang Por are undergoing major development and are set to boom in the very near future. The North and Southwest of Koh Samui is likely to become a major ‘hotspot", with some of the biggest plots of land on the island being available and where some of the largest private houses are being built.

The real estate situation is in a lull at the moment following some recent illegal development scandals and as a result of the current political instability, but with new elections being held later this year and reputable agencies like Savills and Exotiq entering the market, the situation can only get stronger.

Currently part of the province of Suratthani, Koh Samui is soon about to become a province in its own right, meaning much more money from the central government and consequently much better investment in the island’s infrastructure, making it an even better option for foreign investors. The airport is set for major renovations, which will result in easier access to South-East Asian destinations and increased tourist numbers, the Hyatt is developing a new hotel and Big C and Club Med also have plans to build new resorts on the island. Combine this with the fact that glitterati such as David and Victoria Beckham, Dustin Hoffman and Kristen Justin-Henin have recently bought land in Koh Samui; it lends loads of confidence to the thailand island’s property real estate market. With both property and cultural developments such as these, surely it can only add to Koh Samui’s reputation as one of the World’s top island destinations.

Author: Lina Harijanto

Buying Thailand Real Estate

Thailand Business News

Buying Thailand Property

The Thailand Treasury Department has revealed government estimates which overwhelmingly suggest that land for sale in Koh Samui in the southern part of Thailand has increased overall by a substantial amount, their figures give 85.79 percent over an average nationwide increase of 26.9 percent.

The Director General of the Thailand Treasury Department, Khun Puntip Surathin, announced the Samui land valuations for tax calculations during the period 2008 to 2011. The Thailand Treasury Department reviews land valuations every 4 years and evaluates well over 5 million plots in Bangkok and more than 3 million plots country wide. The Thailand Treasury Department reaches the figures reported by collating the information recorded in its extensive surveys and takes into account the exact use the particular land for sale in Koh Samui is being put too, the local environment and current economic conditions.

In stiff contrast to the southern Samui land prime cost hikes, the average Bangkok land price increased by just under 6 per cent. Still, the values that have been placed on land for sale in Koh Samui and land for sale nationwide differed greatly across various areas, for example Bangkok observed prices ranging from Bt 260 per square wah in Nong Chok to Bt 650,000 on or near to Silom Road.

Amongst the Thai provinces, land for sale in Hat Yai, Songkhla was put at a value of Bt 400,000 per square wah. Ranot district was one of the cheapest places in the country to buy a plot of land. Prices were also on the increase in and around the large Northeastern province of Issan, which price hikes estimated at a level of 22.97 per cent. A square wah in Khon Kaen’s Muang district cost Bt 200,000. However, there were again variations within the region with land in Sakhon Nakhon’s Song Dao district and Chaiyaphum’s Phakdi Chumpol district priced at at a lot lower rate.

Land in the North of Thailand increased to an average price of 15.43 percent with the most expensive land being in the Muang district of Chiang Mai, which was priced at Bt 250,000 per square wah. However, land in Doi Tao, Mae Chaem, which is in the same province as the northern city’s Muang district, was estimated to be worth a lot less.

In the Central Eastern region of Thailand, average prices of land for sale in Koh Samui rose 11.71 percent with the highest price rise nationwide recorded in the Muang district of Samut Prakan at Bt 140,000 per sq wah. The diversity within individual regions was again evident, with land in the Sangkhla Buri district of Kanchanaburi costing only a fraction of that in Samut Prakan.  Find the best Thailand island property.

Author: Daniel Sandercock

Koh Phangan Property

Koh Samui

Asia Property Report

The Island is compact and serine and you can get whatever it is that you want from your time spent there. From the bustling nightlife and Shopping in Chaweng and Lamai to hiding from everything at a fasting retreat on a peaceful getaway. There is a perfect balance between island living and modern day needs, we all dream of living on that tropical island but inside we are still happy to see the big supermarket that can supply our comforts from home, or at least about 60% of them.

Real estate in Thailand has been in the press a lot lately, concerning and confusing willing buyers and investors alike. The truth is it is still really simple to purchase property there, through a 30 year rolling lease that totals 90 years. In some cases condominiums can be bought as a freehold, if the developer has a certain license.

With Thailand being such a beautiful country, attracting visitors from all over the world and much of the property being purchased off plan at huge discounts it is easy to see how this market will continue to grow. It is also easy to see how people who have invested in Thailand property will see generous returns on their initial outlay. With many of the real estate developers offering project management services upon completion your property could even make its money back from holiday rental income generated while you are not staying in it.

Anyone who has visited Koh Samui over the past few years will have seen a vast change in the real estate market, the prime investment spots are being snapped up while it is still at its great prices. People are now kicking themselves for not buying into the Thai real estate market a few years ago, but they will be kicking themselves again in a few years for not buying today.

Author: Nick S Thatcher

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