Thailand apartment nuttiness…

Been out snapping things for P6 and came across this banner for a new apartment building. Earlier in the day I had actually been by the apartment building. My guess is that the place has about 25-30 apartments but this is just a guess based on walking around the outside. Given the size of the place I thought this banner advertising the project was interesting.

Before I get to that though - anyone read the papers today? See this excerpt?

“She isn’t married yet, this one,” Shammari said. “She’s still a virgin. Look at the black eyes, the soft fur. The fur is trimmed so it’s short and clean, just like a girl going to a party.”

It would kill you if you knew what he was talking about.

Okay. Back to the apartment sign.

apt_sign.jpgI am not quite sure I understand this line:

Only the best 10 units available.

What exactly does that mean? The other units are bad so we are not selling those? We only have 10 units left and they are the best ones? Not quite sure I get this marketing angle really.

I am amazed how many apartment buildings there are and how many new ones are getting announced. Who is buying all these? Are the Thais really doing that well?

I once had a conversation with a switched on friend who explained once a trick the local developers like to use. Basically developers who are friends with each other will immediately reserve 10-20 units in each other’s respective projects. Obviously a developer cannot reserve his own unties but it is pretty simple to swap some with another project. This creates the immediate illusion that the condos are selling and getting good pre-bookings. It helps to push the price up a bite for the remaining units. Then the developers can sell the units later for more than the original pre-booking price.

Nice trick.

So I figure those 10 best units available are the original 10 now coming on the market.

However, I could be all wrong since I focus more of more efforts on politics versus Thailand property trends.

Also - has anyone seen a local apartment ad without the words luxury, luxurious or prestigious?

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10 Responses to “Thailand apartment nuttiness…”


  1. 1 wenthworth Mar 18th, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    ah prestigious. Someone should look prestige up in the dictionary. It certainly applies to Thai luxury apartment.
    View all comments by wenthworth

  2. 2 But Different Mar 18th, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    My guess is they are lacking an exclamation point. “Only the best! 10 units available.”
    View all comments by But Different

  3. 3 Old Asia Hand Mar 19th, 2008 at 10:42 am

    My personal favorite is the delightfully named ‘Trendy Condo.’

    If the [fill in the ethnicity here] developers hadn’t been too cheap to hire an actual ad agency to name the place (rather than asking the chairman’s nephew who had spent one semester at Norther California Community College before being kicked out for never going to class), they might have found out what the sense of the word trendy actually is in English.

    Superficial, without substance, not long lasting.

    Great name for a Bangkok condo.
    View all comments by Old Asia Hand

  4. 4 smitty Mar 19th, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    oah - so true. When u think about it the worst name for a building. With trendy it gets worse though.

    I first went there about 7 months ago to look into some space. I was not super keen on it unless they were offering some good space and a good long term deal. They immediately said no to anything bar or pub like. Although they would take a restaurant. Then people rented the spaces only to offer them to others. I told the building why would I rent from a middle man when I could have rented from the building?

    Now if you go to trendy the spots I wanted are still empty and the middle man is desperate. The building is desperate as well to have tenants but they don’t control the space now.

    In other spots they have crappy beer bars now. Worse in my mind than a pub or nice bar.

    trendy management - clueless but trendy.
    View all comments by smitty

  5. 5 Young Royal Mar 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    No but i’ve seen ones with Pristegious
    View all comments by Young Royal

  6. 6 smitty Mar 19th, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    someone lost by all this chatter about the word…

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prestigious
    View all comments by smitty

  7. 7 R9 Mar 19th, 2008 at 7:25 pm

    Ok I give… what’s that quote in reference to?
    View all comments by R9

  8. 8 smitty Mar 19th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
  9. 9 bk22 Mar 19th, 2008 at 7:36 pm

    I can’t believe you are shocked at this considering Thailand is home to the #1 fitness center in the world, the #1 Italian restaurant in the world, the #1 Argentine tango dancer in the world, among others.
    View all comments by bk22

  10. 10 Fish Sep 2nd, 2008 at 6:33 pm

    I was thinking the same thing the other day Who is buying all these places ?? i am in Hue Hin now everywhere you look adverts, building sites all over the place, for who ?? can t be all Farang buying them. Will there be loads empty in a few years with no buyers. ? I am looking for somewhere but to much choice if they are doing so well why so many advert boards ?and i am thinking wait until they finish and maybe half are empty and will go cheaper .. All the words they use its the same everywhere my home town is the armpit of the UK and every fucking shit over priced flat/house is a “luxury” luxury to me is a fucking palace with staff not a flat with a shower..twats..
    View all comments by Fish

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