Property & Investment

There are three factors to consider when you are thinking to invest in property:
1. Investment objectives, long-term income or quick profit and gain
Purpose: Who are the target tenant  or buyers? Tourists, business people etc? Thailand offers for tourists looking for  sunny and warm climate best location as well as for  business with the profound industrial real eate such as the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estates.
2. Time Frame
Short-term: 1 ½ to 2 years  Flip Strategy
Medium-term: 3 to 5 years   Buy and Hold – Sell Strategy
Long-term: > 5years  Buy and Hold – Sell Strategy
3. Risks: Market, economical, and political
Experienced investors are used to to look at portfolio investments possibly disbursed across different regions and/or countries in order to diversify the investment risk and achieve a balanced return.
Investment Project Essentials which should be consider
t Type of Project:  Residential / Commercial ?
t Competitive Market Analysis – Are there competitive projects/properties in the region?
t Similar Projects Under Construction: Number of new similar projects which are currently under construction and its impact
t Current trends of the region?  Are prices trending upward or downward?
Economy
The economic condition such as export and tourism of the country should be taken into account. A country like Thailand and specifically Pattaya that relies more heavily on tourism will be prepared to invest more into the infrastructure of the area to promote construction and tourism.  And the demand will be increasing steadily.  The Thai stock market in progressively rising which indicates a healthy economy.
Political
A consistent and stable political environment will lead to continual support of economic policies and investment, perhaps even encouraging foreign investment through tax advantages. This is hoped that   Thai politician now realizing this important factor for the development of the country.
Facilities & Infrastructure
To be attractive the area must offer the needed facilities and infrastructure, easy to access, roads airports, public transportation, high quality health services, shopping schools etc!
In summary Thailand offers very good investment opportunities for residential or commercial and short term as well as medium or long-term investment strategies.

Born in 1959, Jean-Marc Louis travelled a lot and he absorbed light, which will illuminate all of his artwork.
His long stay in Africa has immersed him into ochre and brown and these colours constitute the background of his paintings.
Ancient canvas, cartons or sometimes the wood, will be the framework of material and as much heterogeneous as obsolete maps, media coverage removed from, old newspapers (we fancy to Read them) or plenty of tousled thread.
Collages of diverse and varied materials are treated with lots of care, revealing to us timeless colours with patina, a little like  Braque’s way.
Compositions are always structured to a spatial burst, never random; we are in an organized mess, in Miro’s manner. Event frames themselves take part in the party with the cycle “Thung na” which intensifies some points or red spots.
The aerial and special character can also be found in the sculpted artwork with the cycles of “Formes”, “birds” or “Sankasii” where oxidized metal offers us softened pigmentation with singular nuances.
Jean-Marc-Louis remains an original artist, outside any current fashion. In fact, Jean-Marc Louis restores this warm atmosphere that we do know from Braque or Miro.  According to this view, his work constitutes an absolute contribution to the history of contemporary art.

How can you motivate yourself to stick with our goals and keep following what you want, when life feels like it is working against you? Nothing is ever easy – you come across blockages and challenges all of the time that seem to make achieving these things in life difficult! You need to be able to motivate yourself, no matter what circumstances come your way.
There are five simple steps:
1. Keep Focused – know what you want and dedicate an allocated amount of time to work out the steps to achieve what you want. The target can be a simple goal or it can be a longer term one; whichever it is, it still needs planning.
2. Keep Visualizing  – imagine how it will feel to achieve your goal, how it feels to be a winner and have everything that you want. Make your subconscious mind understand how it feels to win and you will start to do things subconsciously to get there.
3. Keep Monitoring – assign some time each week to write down what steps you have been making to achieve your goal. Keep note of progress made and see what methods bring you closer to your target and what does not. This way you can allocate your time really efficiently.
4. Reward yourself – give yourself little treats when you reach each target. It could be some time off, a bag of crisps or a glass of your favourite tipple.
5. Talk about your plans – once you tell someone you trust about what you want to achieve, you know that this person will bring it up again at a later date so you will want to keep striving for your goal.

Our homes are our havens. These places are where we come to rest, recharge, and dream in safety and comfort to allow us to better face the challenges of the world outside our doors.
When sharing a living space with others, an awareness of the thoughts and feelings of everyone involved is essential in creating the peace we all desire. Regardless of where we lived before, each time we cohabitate with others it is important that we make the effort to share the space in a way that supports everyone.
We need to remember that in a shared space, everything we sense can also be sensed by other people. Peace is not likely to be the result when the senses are filled with the sight of unwashed plates, disturbing sounds, unpleasant smells, the feel of a foreign substances beneath bare feet, or the taste of food tainted by an uncovered onion in the fridge. But, if we communicate and listen with respect to those with whom we share a space, we may find that one person enjoys washing dishes at the end of the day, while another can take out the garbage during their evening walk. Working with another’s schedule, you can still meditate or exercise to your favorite music while the other is out, and save reading for the times when they are trying to sleep. Being thoughtful of the energy that is required for something to be cleaned up may make everyone aware of being neater, whether that means taking off your shoes at the entrance or wiping up juice spilled on the kitchen floor.
In the same way, pent up resentment toward your living partners is just as easily felt. Keeping the energy clear requires the effort of communication, awareness of other people’s feelings, and courtesy towards the space you share. While that sometimes requires changing your schedule or habits, there are many more times when having a caring someone nearby is worth all the effort. Living with others can help us learn to unite our energies at home as well as at work and in the world at large in a way that benefits us and everyone around us.

Apple’s launch of the iPhone 4 has seen the greatest excitement for a new phone ever – and with HD video recording, a super high-res screen and ridiculously slim dimensions, it’s not hard to see why.
Jobs’ chats on stage to unveil the new iPhone might have got a little repetitive (best this, magical that, etc) but this is the first time since the first iPhone way back in January 2007 that we’ve seen a variation on the standard iPhone design.
Gone is the traditional curved back and plastic exterior with slightly chunky dimensions; in is a chassis that’s only 9.3mm thin at its thickest point and a new stainless steel and glass industrial design.
If you’re an iPhone fan, there’s a good chance you won’t like the look of the iPhone the first time you pick it up – it’s the same weight as the iPhone 3GS at 137g, but it’s a lot smaller, with dimensions of 115.2  x 58.6  x 9.3mm, so it feels like a much weightier and compact model.
The right-hand side of the chassis is still blank – no camera button sadly, which would have been nice given the extra effort Apple has clearly put into overhauling the photography system.
The bottom of the phone has the familiar Apple connector for charging and connecting and docking etc, and is flanked by another more microphone-y looking microphone slot and the speaker.
Overall, the design might not impress some people the first time they pick up the phone – a number of people saw the phone the first time frowned a little bit when first time they handled it.

This is perhaps the best time to buy a property that could ever present itself, there are plenty of projects to choose from. Developers and sellers are eager to sell and to please potential buyers. Since the beginning of 2010 Real Estate and Property Markets have had a positive impact on consumer confidence in property investment in Thailand. The market is driven mainly by local demand but also foreign investors are coming back as the global economy continues to recover. For the foreseeable future, Thailand will remain one of the best value investments, when compared with the average price for luxury residential units in Asia, as research from CBRE showed.
For most people there is a chance to realize their dreams of having a residence in Thailand, this could become true more easily at the current time, as it’s is a buyer’s market and in the future it will be difficult to keep up with the increasing property prices.
Prices of most properties have dropped more than ever before. Bearing in mind that the prices of most of the properties on offer have already reached rock bottom, the only way forward after having reached the bottom is to go up.  Additionally Thailand’s real estate transparency score has improved to ***** (is a number missing?)**** in 2010. If you are thinking of buying a property in Thailand and specifically in Pattaya then it is probably the best time for you to make the move. In short there is a time for selling and there is a time for buying and this is definitely a time for buying.

The three main reasons to buy now:
1. Affordability is better than ever
2. There is a large inventory to choose from
3. Developers are offering big discounts

Modus Wong a Mat: Beachfront hotel and condominium development from one of Thailand’s top futuristic architects.
The Relax team was recently lucky enough to meet one of Thailand’s most successful young architects; Tossaporn Namthep, or Ajarn Joop. We were invited to meet him on the site of his latest development at Wong Amat Beach, Naklua. Modus Beachfront Condominium and Al Fresco Resort Hotel combine a five star hotel with 120 condominium units. Located right on the beach, all the condos have sea views looking out to the Sanctuary of Truth and further to Laem Chabang.
Following success in the Pattaya area (he received several awards for these developments) with Chateau Dale, Thai Dharawadee, the Regent’s Project, The Sanctuary and Diamond Suites, Ajarn Joop is now president of the Modus Group, and has plans for more developments in Pattaya, Koh Lain and further afield.
Ajarn Joop explained to us how he is designing the buildings, the landscaping, the furnishings, etc. in fact all the different aspects of the development. He is also taking great care over the quality control, to ensure that the units represent good value. Construction is planned to start at the end of 2010, with completion at the end of 2012. The necessary permits and licences are all in place, and in the first three months of this year, 20% of the condo units have been sold.
After studying at Chulalongkorn University, Khun Tossaporn worked with A49 Co. Ltd., one of the most prestigious architectural practices in Thailand. He became ‘Ajarn’ Joop when he lectured at Kasetsart and Rajamangala Universities.
Adjacent to the sales office are two show condos; both have one bedroom, bathroom, living room and balcony. All the units have 3m high ceilings giving a spacious feeling; also the design includes full height glass walls between rooms, giving the appearance of more space. The units are 46 square metres (3.9m baht) and 56 square metres (5.6m baht). The average price of 100,000 baht per square metre includes all fixed furniture, including the bathroom and kitchen fittings. Ajarn Joop is rightly proud of making the best use of the available space to create light and comfortable holiday retreats, with hotel facilities on the same site.

Check out the website www.moduspattaya.com/ or visit the site for yourself. Telephone +66(0)38 225 999 for more information.

For Your Financial Transactions …

Foreigners trying to open a bank account in Thailand can find the process easy or difficult depending on the bank and branch you approach, and the type of account you need.
Banks and their branches have different rules and regulations for opening savings accounts.
In general what you need:
• Passport with a valid visa.
This is often sufficient to open a savings account.
• Some banks or branches will demand an address in Thailand, a valid work permit or a certificate of residence (which you can obtain from the immigration office).
• If a bank rejects you, just go to the next bank around the corner and apply there, you will definitely find a bank which will take care of your money!
• It also helps to be accompanied by a friend who is already a customer of the bank you approach.
Types of bank account in Thailand:
• Savings Account in Thai Baht, with it you can:
o Deposit money (in Thai Baht)
o Get a bank card to withdraw money from an ATM and make payments for your shopping.
o Transfer money to other accounts at an ATM
o Carry out online banking
• Current Account in Thai Baht, is normally a business account. With it you can
o Carry out all financial transactions including issuing checks.
For this type of account you may need company registrations and other legal documents. Ask the branch for details. Some banks may need someone to recommend you to the bank.
• Foreign currency account. This type of account allows you to keep your money coming from abroad in one of the major foreign currencies without having to exchange it into Baht.
RELAX Tip: A bank savings account from a friendly bank branch is normally sufficient for your daily financial transactions. If you experience difficulties with one bank, you should try the next friendly bank branch around the corner.
Be aware that some banks will charge you a monthly fee if your account has less than a specified balance and has been inactive for one year!

by Lothar W. Brenne-Wegener

A walk through the largest shopping mall in the world, the “Dubai Mall”

Everything you’re looking for – is the catchy slogan of the largest shopping mall in the world, the “Dubai Mall” at the foot of the recently opened tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. And that’s not an exaggeration. On the contrary, on the more than 350,000 square meters with its 1,200 retail outlets you will also find things you were never looking for. More than that: the Dubai Mall is also a dining, leisure and entertainment center like no other, including an Underwater Zoo, the Dubai Aquarium, the Dubai Ice Rink, and not to forget an extensive cinema complex. The Mall’s Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink for instance can host up to 2000 guests and has a multimedia system which includes a 20 x 10 m LED screen. All this gives the Dubai Mall a new quality of shopping pleasure, which also offers a real lifestyle experience.
Characteristic of the mall, however, are the many elegant shops, whose names read like a “who’s who” of the most famous fashion designers and of the
international luxury-goods industry. To pick out only one name would be unfair to those who are not mentioned.
The mall was opened on 4 November 2008. In the first year of operation, it attracted an amazing 30 million visitors. Since January 2010, the Dubai Mall can also be reached by the Metro; a shuttle service from the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall – Station carries you the 800 meters distance to the Mall.
What makes it additionally attractive to stroll through the numerous flagship stores, is the close vicinity of the world’s largest fountain, located between the Burj Khalifa, The Address Downtown Dubai Hotel and the mall. At dusk this fountain lets its waters dance with a variety of Western and Arabic music.

The PhuTara Villas

This could be your home if you are looking for an extraordinary residence with all the qualities of an exclusive lifestyle. The panel of professionals who created PHUTARA has over 30 years of expertise in construction and housing projects. The design team included a skilled team of outstanding architects coupled with a prestigious Interior designer (who graduated in the UK), and they successfully created this unique concept of the Contemporary Modern Style. “The PHUTARA”, is a palace in a villa. It is the only one of its kind in Thailand, and is available here in Pattaya.

When we visited the PHUTARA, we were welcomed by Khun Supaporn. Mr. Tommy gave us an extensive tour through the development and villas. When you see the site, you can feel and understand the exceptional concept of modernity, tradition combined with the luxurious orient.
“The PHUTARA” offers 52 villas in tropical surroundings complemented by serene harmonious landscaping. You can choose from three different styles of villas; Phu Wara, Phu Pimarn and Phu Badee offering you land plots from 1,000 to 2,000 m2 and a generous living space from almost 400 m2 to over 800 m2 with various selections of spacious rooms. The villas have luxurious guest suites, private pools, tropical landscaping and roof gardens, gazebos, maid’s rooms and private car parking. Each type of villa offers individual character to match your needs of elegance, luxury and space. Prices vary from 17 to 40 MB depending the size and design you choose.
The skilled designers and architects have combined all the facilities to guarantee making your dream home a reality; with a luxury club house offering all the amenities and services to make living in Pattaya – Thailand a very special experience. The PHUTARA’s expert developers have selected the best location within easy access of all the facilities associated with a quality lifestyle, including shops, hospitals, clinics, schools, restaurants, sports, entertainment and security.
To make it possible for your guests to stay close to you, in this splendid environment, you can invite them to the PHUTARA Resort, which will be ready by end of 2010, and will contain 29 luxurious villas each one with its own private pool.
A villa at The PHUTARA is also a great investment because of its unparalleled quality in construction, design and location. It is less than 90 minutes by car from the new airport or Bangkok.
We can write a lot, but the best way to experience the excellence of The PHUTARA is to see it for yourself. Call today, 085 9999 373 and make an appointment to visit this tropical paradise or contact the sales office for free pickup.