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Michael Ayling takes the reins at B1.3bn Blue Tree waterpark

PHUKET: Blue Tree Phuket has announced the appointment of Michael Ayling, a veteran of Phuket’s hospitality scene, as its General Manager.

Having worked in a consulting capacity for the past 24 months, Mr Ayling now takes the reins to lead the development, beginning with its opening to the public in early 2019.

The B1.33 billion project is located on 140 rai in Cherng Talay, and will have a giant waterpark as its centrepiece.

Facilities within the 70.8-rai first phase, which opens to the public in the first quarter of 2019, include a Water and Entertainment park, a four-storey vertical Beach Club, Fitness Zone, Kid’s Club and multiple retail spaces.

The project also includes plans for a retail mall with a major supermarket as the commercial anchor as well as office spaces, nightly entertainment in an amphitheatre, a four-storey beach club, a Kid’s Club, a fitness zone and at least 17 restaurants and food outlets. and parking spaces for 500 cars.

The commercial amenities will be centred around the complex’s star attraction: Blue Tree Lagoon.

The 17,000-square-metre man-made lagoon will be flanked by artificial beaches and offers the ultimate aquatic playground for family-friendly and adrenaline-driven activities such as Slip N Fly water slides, splash zone and even cliff jumping.

Aside from utilising state-of-the-art technology to maintain water clarity, The Blue Tree Lagoon also boasts eco-friendly credentials. Powered by global innovator Crystal Lagoons’ sustainable technology, the lagoon uses up to 100 times fewer chemicals and 50 times less energy than conventional swimming pool systems.

Mr Ayling, a UK-born leisure industry professional, brings a wealth of experience to the role including 12 years at Laguna Phuket, one of the island’s best-known and most expansive resort and leisure complexes.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsConstruction, News

Central Phuket opens for business

PHUKET: Central Pattana Plc (CPN), Thailand’s largest retail property developer, today (Sept 10) celebrated the grand opening of Central Phuket, its B20-billion luxury flagship mall.

CPN Deputy CEO Wallaya Chirathivat said, “Visiting Central Phuket will fulfil all types of lifestyles: eat, shop and have fun throughout the day.

“This project highlights our excellence on a global scale in three aspects: a ‘World-Class Project’ – it is a world-class mega project and Central Pattana’s luxury flagship store, a fulfilling shopping experience making Phuket the perfect ‘Beach Lifestyle Destination’; ‘World-Class Experience’ – creating a world-class experience to meet the ‘Luxury & Leisure Lifestyle’ travel trend of people from around the world, with a selection of global brands and launching international events throughout the year under the concept of ‘The World Comes to Play’; and ‘World-Class Attractions’ – the new destination for tourists from all over the world with the ‘World’s First Ever’ attractions,” she added.

“Central Phuket helps to emphasise us as a global player and it is in line with the provincial development policy to elevate Phuket to be one of the most complete travel destinations in the world,” Ms Wallaya noted.

The positioning of Central Phuket is set to be ‘The Magnitude of ‘Luxury & Leisure’ Resort Shopping Destination’, a seamless combination of Luxury and Leisure lifestyle in one place, a release issued today explained.

The entire project comprises the newly opened today ‘Floresta’ building, which focuses on tourists and customers “who prefer a luxurious lifestyle, enjoy shopping for leading brands and like to visit world-class attractions”.

Meanwhile, the already long well-known ‘Festival’ building aims to attract “family-group customers who regularly visit the shopping centre to shop, enjoy good food and watch movies”, the release added.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsNews

The luxury senior housing industry is dawning on the kingdom as more and more Thais retire in independence

Thailand is greying fast. The kingdom holds the highest share of elderly people of any developing nation in East Asia and Pacific, the World Bank reported. As it stands, 11 percent of the Thai populace, representing 7.5 million people, are aged at least 65 years. The figure in 1995 was 5 percent; by 2040, it will have increased to as much a fourth of the populace or 17 million people.

In any other market, the vintage of a populace would be a bonanza to property developers. But this is Thailand, land of multigenerational households; to capitalise on the astronomical growth of its geriatric demographic, one has to fight against a tide of ingrained mores.

As with many Asian countries, the notion of children booking their parents in retirement communities and nursing care homes was once unthinkable in the kingdom. If anything, empty nesters are loathe to leave their homes, many bequethed to them across multiple generations. Upwardly mobile children will simply hire private nurses and nursing aides as their caretaking proxies.

“Some people are getting around this by living in a condominium where they own units side by side,” said Kipsan Beck, managing director of the supertall MahaNakhon mixed-use project in Bangkok, at the first PropertyGuru Thailand Real Estate Summit. “But imagine that elderly people have some special needs. They need medical services on-call; they need slightly different furnishings from those for a 20- or 30-year old.”

Granted, the luxury senior housing market in the country remains “relatively small,” Jones Lang LaSalle reported in July. Slowly but surely, however, wealthy baby boomers are growing comfortable with the idea of active ageing, independent of family members.

“Senior living in Thailand is a key growth sector that we will see over the next 10 years,” said Andrew Gulbrandson, head of research and consulting at Jones Lang LaSalle Thailand.

Several consortia and joint ventures have made a headstart on such a captive market. In Chon Buri, the Sunplay Bangsaray project invites active retirees to live out their golden years in highly amenitised pool villas and condominiums alongside a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse. Along the beaches of Kamala in Phuket will rise MontAzure, a 454-rai mixed-use development whose central components include Kamala Senior Living, an upscale retirement community, as well as Thailand’s first Café del Mar.

Kamala Senior Living is geared toward leisure-oriented, high-net-worth property seekers of a certain age. “These are active retirees who would like to enjoy their lives,” said Jonathan Umali, director of project and asset management at Hong Kong’s ARCH Capital Management, a lead investor in MontAzure. “There are activities organised for residents, so that they have something to do every day. It’s like being in a cruise ship.”

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsNews

Will buyers ever tire of the Land of Smiles?

For Australians, the phrase ‘the lucky country’ has strong resonance. The nickname, coined by author Donald Horne in his novel of the same name, has been used to describe the Antipodean nation’s weather, lifestyle and is often invoked to describe its good fortune from gold rushes to economic booms.

Despite its roots Down Under, the description could just as easily be applied to Thailand: a nation whose spectacular natural attributes, incredible cuisine and long-established cache as one of the world’s most appealing places to live has enabled its property market to ride out storms and setbacks that might have floored those in other countries.

“Thailand’s infrastructure, accessibility, and general reputation for being a laid-back leisure destination are still vastly superior to other neighbouring countries,” says Andrew Gulbrandson, research head at JLL Thailand. “While certain destinations within Thailand may become less popular, it’s difficult to envision a scenario where Thailand’s desirability as a place to invest substantially decreases.”

Indeed, the country’s reputation for being Teflon-coated when it comes to deflecting troublesome news, events and economic tidings is as resonant as ever. In August 2016, bombs exploded in the tourist hubs of Hua Hin and Phuket while last October saw the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the nation’s much revered monarch.

This year has, by Thai standards at least, been relatively light on potentially seismic events. However, the military-run government, in power since a coup in 2014, preside over an economy that continues to be lacklustre. The economy will expand 3.3 percent a year on average from 2017 to 2019, according to the World Bank, the weakest among eight developing Southeast Asian nations.

Given all this you could be forgiven for thinking that the country’s once-thriving real estate sector might be showing signs of lethargy, if not out and out fatigue. Not so, say analysts, experts and developers, pointing to booming demand for luxury property in the capital Bangkok and healthy interest from investors, both foreign and Thai, in popular secondary markets such as the paradise islands of Phuket and Koh Samui and the well-located beach resort of Hua Hin.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsNews

Non-beach-related activities hold their own in the popular Thai resort hub amid improving air linkages

Phuket is transforming into a more well-rounded destination as a preponderance of visitors takes advantage of the Thai resort island’s expanding air transport infrastructure.

Tourists as well as property seekers are finding new purpose in the renowned island in the Andaman Sea: spending time and money on activities not necessarily related to the beach.

Almost 200,000 square meters’ worth of premium-grade leasable retail spaces are in the pipeline for Phuket, offering travellers and new residents options beyond the sand and surf, a new report by hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks showed.

Developers are also adding more serviced apartment units to mixed-use projects in a bid to attract real estate buyers, underscoring Phuket’s changing consumer landscape. Ten upcoming mixed-use properties are set to have a hotel-residence component, comprising 28 percent of total incoming supply.

“Phuket is gradually transforming to a more urbanised holiday destination rather than a pure beach getaway,” said C9 Hotelworks managing director Bill Barnett in a statement.

Four retail complexes are under development in the island — extensions to Boat Avenue and Central Festival Phuket among them — as demand for “non-beach centric activities” rise, C9 Hotelworks noted in the report.

“With the strong purchasing power of tourists, especially Chinese, Russians and Australians, more retail and tourism attractions are developing on the island.”

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsNews

All eyes on the Andaman as the nation’s second-highest office issues directive on the ‘Riviera’

The coast of mainland Thailand facing the Andaman Sea has got the shorter end of the tourism stick, compared with its eastern counterpart.

Addressing this imbalance, the Tourism and Sports Ministry will be proposing the Riviera Thailand project during a Cabinet retreat in Phetchaburi on Tuesday. The announcement was made at the request of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, revealed Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat on Sunday.

The Riviera, a coastal stretch that includes such towns as Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong, has long been overlooked for tourist spots along the Gulf of Thailand, the deputy prime minister reasoned.

“The Andaman has been ignored by Thais because it doesn’t have the legacy of Hua Hin nor road access, and the hotels are about beaches, while most Thais prefer more urban-type destinations,” said Bill Barnett, managing director of hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsNews, Real Estate

Hillside and cliffside developments in the Thai island require careful planning

Developers who want to build on vantage points, promontories, and other plots of significant terrain in Phuket will need to contend with the government’s new environmental regulations for the touristy Thai island, a leading hospitality consultant said.

Under rules issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, structures are forbidden from being built on land with a gradient or slope of 35 percent and above, significantly down from the previous threshold of 50 percent.

Additionally, if the area is elevated more than 40 metres, a building must not be six metres high. A building sited in an area elevated below 40 metres must not be 40 metres high.

“Who are the winners and losers for development? Hillside condominium projects certainly will become more difficult as will cliff hugging hotels,” reported Bill Barnett, managing director of the hotel consultancy C9 Hotelworks.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsConstruction, News

Revenue strategies for boutique hotels

It’s no surprise that millennials now make up the largest share of traveler demographics and are the biggest factor in why independent hoteliers will work to perform better than in previous years. Having a full grasp where and who your business comes from is the first step in building proper revenue management.

Millennials, in general, have remained neutral with their opinions on branded hotels, and prefer seeking out a unique experience to staying loyal to one particular chain. Factors that attract a millennial traveler include urban renewals and adaptive reuse for that one-of-a-kind stay.

Remember that technology also plays an important role in their day-to-day lives, so ensure your Wi-Fi systems have enough bandwidth to meet their demands. This technology is not only required in each guestroom, but also in any large social gathering area that promotes a work/play environment.

Here are some other factors to consider in revenue managing for boutique hotels.

Distribution of rooms
With an established buyer persona, we can now look at your ideal revenue mix.

Direct bookings are by far the most cost-effective business for boutique hotels so it is always the goal to drive business to our own booking channels. Identifying what percent of business you need from group sales, global distribution systems and online travel agencies is important to a successful revenue strategy. Understanding the cost of all of your booking channels allows for you to properly layer in business by evaluating the effective average daily rate and adjusting your available rates accordingly.

Set occupancy thresholds for your hotel as key indicators of when to increase your rates. The further out a guest books a stay, the better deal they should obtain—in most cases. The worst thing you can do is to train your guests to book last minute by reducing rates or making last-minute deals available.

Without the power of a brand sales team and the tools that they provide, your independent hotel’s sales efforts need to ensure that they are utilizing the right channels to be effective.

Identify your hotel’s ideal rooms-to-space ratio to maximize profits on any piece of group business and to ensure your revenue manager and sales team are on the same page.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsBusiness, News

Asia Center Foundation (ACF) is a christian charity registered as a Non Government Organization (NGO) on Phuket, Thailand in operation since 2002. Our mission is to help disadvantaged children and children-at-risk by providing care, training and education so that they will fulfill their God-given potential.

The ACF’s vision is to restore children to God, transform and develop them into leaders influencing their world.

ACF employs local Thai staff and also makes use of the help of local and international volunteers to engage and work with underprivileged, impoverished children and children-at-risk on Phuket.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsNews

The acquisition of land or a condominium unit in Thailand by a foreign government for official use, such as for use as an embassy or consulate, is not covered by any specific legislation. Therefore, assuming that a foreign government intended to acquire land or other immovable property in Thailand for official use, such an acquisition must be done by reciprocal agreement between nations, although not falling under the terms of Section 86 of the Land Code (as stated in Land Department Announcement No. 0610.4/893 issued on 2 August 1994). Furthermore, the Thai Cabinet has issued a number of resolutions on this matter which can be summarized as follows:

19 February 1958: According to this resolution where a foreign government wishes to purchase land for official use or for the use as a residence for their officials in an area not exceeding 15 rai, regardless of whether it is one plot or several, then the Land Department may proceed to allow the acquisition. If the amount to be purchased is more than the amount specified, then permission may sought from the Cabinet on a case by case basis.
1 April 1997: This resolution addressed the acquisition of land by social countires. Since the acquisition of land in Thailand by foreign governments had to follow the principle of reciprocity and since socialist governments do not allow foreign governments to acquire land in their countries, then accordingly Thailand could not allow socialist countries to purchase land in Thailand, but could only allow them to lease the land. However, due to the interest of maintaining stable relations with foreign countries, the Thai government would have to purchase the land from the private owner first and then enter into the lease agreement with the foreign socialist government.
An interesting issue arose when the Taiwan Economic and Trade Office in Thailand wished to purchase a land and building for official purposes. The Land Department considered the matter and concluded that the acquisition of land in Thailand by foreign government had to be done on the basis of reciprocity. However, since the Thai government had not recognized the sovereignty of Taiwan, the Thai government could not enter into any such reciprocal agreement with the Taiwanese government. Therefore, on 5 February 2000, the Cabinet allowed the Thai Economic and Trade Office to enter into an agreement with the Taiwan Economic and Trade Office regarding reciprocity in the purchase and acquisition of land for both parties.

The acquisition of land by foreigners is a complex legal subject in Thailand. Foreigners seeking to acquire land in Thailand are advised to consult with competent Thai legal counsel before proceeding.

February 16, 2019ZONEZI No commentsNews, Real Estate