• 
• 

Published on January 14, 2008

The Home Builders Association expects contracts for house construction totalling Bt500 million to be signed during the three days of Home Builder Expo 08.

The event runs from March 7 to 9 at the Bangkok Convention Hall in the Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok hotel.

Association director Pramote Thirakul said last week that demand for houses from landowners had continued to grow, but most developers have held off on construction because of the political uncertainty of the last two years.

Now many in the association believe that the country's politics will stabilise by the second quarter. Pramote says he expects landowners and developers to be keenly interested in seeing the new models on display at the expo.

The total value of new housing on the market this year is expected to reach Bt9 billion, up 12.5 per cent from the Bt8 billion achieved in the year just ended.

He said many of the houses on display at this year's expo would be in modern, contemporary styles.

All of the builders are expected to emphasise that their houses are not only environmentally friendly but also incorporate energy-saving features to help reduce electricity bills.

Pramote, who is also the managing director of Four Pattana, said his company expected to sign contracts worth Bt30 million at the event. Its target for the year is Bt500 million, up 9 per cent from sales of Bt458 million last year.

 "We believe that developers and other landowners have been saving their money, waiting for a stable political situation. Then, they will be ready to build houses," he said.

Somluck Srimalee

The Nation