Bangkok Bank plans to increase its focus on the foreign property market in Phuket, a market worth 20 billion baht per year and expected to grow by 20% to 30% annually over the next three to four years.

Piya Sosothikul, a BBL executive vice-president, noted that about 250 condominium, detached home and vacation villa projects were under way in Phuket, with a market size of around 85 billion baht.

”Of this, around 80% are villas or vacation homes that typically are sold under 30-year leases. The remainder are condominiums that are usually sold on a free-hold basis,” he said.

Foreign buyers are estimated to outstrip Thai investors in Phuket by four to one, Mr Piya said, with unit sales priced from 20 million to 200 million baht.

Sales this year are estimated at around 20 billion baht, or nearly triple the turnover recorded just three years ago.

”The Phuket property market has exploded over the past five years. Previously, sales were mostly to expatriates working in Hong Kong or Singapore. Now over 70% of sales are to European customers, particularly those from England, Germany, Italy and Scandanavia,” Mr Piya said.

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Strong baht, legal hurdles hurt market.

The political situation, stronger baht and changes to the foreign ownership law have slowed down property sales to foreign buyers, according to the Phuket-based property broker and consultant Andrew Park Co Ltd. Graeme Laird, the company’s president and chief executive, said property agents in Pattaya, Samui and Phuket discussed the situation and agreed that business had been bad since last year.

”The baht has been stronger by 15% in the past 18 months and the new enforcement of the nominee laws hurt nominee buyers. The worst is the political situation that was uncertain since mid-last year,” he said.

Currently, the company is managing sales for The Crest Phuket, a luxury freehold condominium project worth 630 million baht that is scheduled to be launched on June 28 in Phuket.

Owned and developed by a Thai tourism entrepreneur, the project is located on a six-rai site between Kathu and Patong beaches, about 1.5 km from Patong Beach. About five rai of the plot were formerly a non-performing loan asset that the owner acquired in 2005.

With a total investment of 400 million baht including the plot and construction, The Crest will have 22 two-bedroom duplex units sized at 127 square metres and priced between 22 million and 26 million baht; and eight two-bedroom poolside condominiums sized at 248 sq m and priced from 10-13 million baht a unit, or about 80,000 to 95,000 baht per sq m.

Mr Laird said the owner had demolished the old villas and would build eight semi-detached villas instead. Construction started in May 2007 and will finish in October 2008. Sales are expected to close within the completion period, said Mr Laird.

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