| It would not have been unexpected to see a | | | | you or I could muster. It also stands to reason |
| recent upsurge in foreign investor confidence in | | | | that they must have received very favourable |
| Thailand on the back of the recent elections and a | | | | reports back on these criteria to have boosted |
| full return to democratic government but it turns | | | | their investment in the Kingdom by over 50%! |
| out that levels of confidence had been growing | | | | Now I don't know about you but that would go a |
| quite dramatically prior to this. Reports in the | | | | long way to help put my mind at rest as to |
| press abound to support the high levels of | | | | whether Thailand was a good investment or not. |
| investor confidence in Thailand and the Thai | | | | So if it makes sense to invest in Thailand, where |
| economy in particular. | | | | should you be putting that investment? The |
| The department (Business Development | | | | Nation went on to report about the bubbling |
| Department) said registration of foreign investors | | | | optimism in the Thai real estate market. This |
| had remained steady since 1999, averaging 20-30 | | | | week sees the opening of the Home & |
| companies a month. The Board of Investment | | | | Condo Show in Bangkok's Queen Siriskit centre, |
| has also reported that foreign investment jumped | | | | at which sales of over Bt5 billion are expected. |
| by more than 50 per cent to Bt505.6 billion last | | | | Manop Keawcha-aum, director of the Housing |
| year(2007). (March 8th The Nation, Bangkok) | | | | Business Association and the Thai Condominium |
| Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co (MMTh) will invest | | | | Association, said about 600 residential projects |
| about five billion baht this year to upgrade its | | | | worth up to Bt100 billion would be showcased at |
| Laem Chabang assembly plant in Chonburi. It is | | | | the event. |
| currently the most productive of Mitsubishi | | | | "We expect 66 per cent higher sales compared |
| Motors' four plants outside of Japan, and exported | | | | with the Home & Condo Show 2007, which |
| its millionth pickup truck in October 2007. (March | | | | recorded sales of Bt3 billion. We feel encouraged |
| 13th Bangkok Post) | | | | by the government's policy of reducing the |
| The Swiss trading giant DKSH Holding will continue | | | | transfer fee from 2 per cent to 0.01 per cent and |
| to focus on the Thai operation as the biggest | | | | the reduction of special business tax from 3.3 per |
| base outside Switzerland by bringing suppliers with | | | | cent to 0.01 per cent. We expect this will |
| high potential to establish their production bases in | | | | encourage buyers to take a decision and invest in |
| Asia. Joerg Wolle, the company's president and | | | | residential projects at the earliest opportunity," |
| CEO, said it was focused on Asia, and Thailand | | | | Manop said. (March 12th The Nation, Bangkok) |
| was its most significant market as sales from the | | | | As a further sign of strong investor confidence |
| Thai operation represented one-third of its global | | | | Sabai Sabai Group recently released news of a |
| sales. (March 13th Bangkok Post) | | | | guaranteed rental package that is to be available |
| The local unit of the French oil and gas company | | | | on the launch of their new Pattaya Condo resort |
| Total expects to invest approximately US$1 billion | | | | project. Clearly aimed at encouraging first-time or |
| in the North Bongkot gas field in the Gulf of | | | | entry-level property investors into the market |
| Thailand from 2012 to 2023, according to | | | | with a 10% investment return guarantee, Sabai |
| president and general manager Michael Sangster. | | | | Sabai Pattaya will be a small forty room boutique |
| (March 13th Bangkok Post) | | | | condo development with full resort facilities. |
| Now this investment is from hard-nosed business | | | | Swimming pool, gymnasium, restaurant, bar, |
| men/women looking for somewhere to invest | | | | air-conditioned transport to beach and town |
| their companies millions. It stands to reason that | | | | centre (10 minute drive), concierge service, |
| they are looking at criteria such as security of | | | | individual styling and all from under 1.5 million per |
| investment, potential growth, economic and | | | | unit in addition to the guaranteed 10% return and |
| political stability with a lot more resources than | | | | other further incentives for multiple unit buyers. |