Published on June 27, 2005

Developer Thanapat builds detached units on 15-rai land plot near Patong Beach

Aroonpat, offering 40 homes on a 15-rai estate, is one of the few housing estates in Phuket that is not exclusively targeting foreign buyers.

Located near Patong Beach, the project has attracted several local buyers since its launch earlier this year.

“We do see a sizeable local market in Phuket,” said Maetha Preedawiphat, deputy managing director of the developing firm, Thanapat Property.

“Many islanders today live in shophouses. Now is probably the right time for many of them to want to shift into proper residential accommodation.”

The Aroonpat homes are built on subdivisions of 55 square wah and offer built-up areas of between 145 and 160 square metres.

There are two main designs: the Aroonpatra, which is the larger type with 160 square metres of built-up area, and the Aroonara, which covers 145 square metres of usable space.

The homes have some terrace space and larger land plots allow space for private swimming pools.

The starting price for the units is about Bt7.5 million.

Demand by end-users will continue to grow over time, said Maetha, who is not perturbed by the downturn in tourist arrivals since the tsunami disaster late last year.

He sees the slump as temporary and considers it a blip in the overall outlook for the island.

Phuket is not only the premier beach resort in Thailand, but for all of the Asia-Pacific, he added.

It has good infrastructure and quality hospitality outlets, unlike cheaper resort towns such as Pattaya, which cannot compete for the high-end market.

Moreover, travelling to Phuket is still considered an exotic vacation experience – unlike the stressful journey to Pattaya, when one is flanked by trucks and factories.

In short, Phuket has the ambience visitors expect of a tropical paradise.

Aroonpat will provide buyers with three air-conditioning units in its current promotion package. Its maintenance fees are about Bt25 a square wah.

Thanapat is also providing amenities such as a private spa and recreational areas for sunbathing to satisfy holidaymakers.

Most of Thanapat’s projects, however, are located in Bangkok, primarily near Rama III Road, where its head office is situated.

It has several townhouse projects there and an eight-floor condominium on Sukhumvit 24.

Itthi C Tan

The Nation

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