Firstly, let me on behalf of MRF and the site Sponsors, EasyHomes, take this opportunity to wish all of our visitors and members a very Happy and Prosperous 2009.

What does 2009 hold for Thailand Real Estate?

Generally speaking, when there’s a recession anywhere in the Western world, many people can’t afford to buy a property, and in other cases, those that already have property sometimes lose it due to the financial times. In a recession, as the demand for property purchase goes down the demand for rentals goes up. These troubled times often hit tenants hard because the rental market asks more from us at a time when we have less to spend.

Here in Thailand however, a lot of mid to high-end rental accommodation in the bigger cities and beach resorts have been built specifically to accommodate the ‘expatriate’ communities. During the Asian recession, which hit hard in 1997, a lot business expats, entrepreneurial types, and those in the teaching profession, went back to their home countries. Thai private landlords and project owners saw many rooms in condo blocks and apartment buildings stand empty for quite some time.

What does this all mean?

What this all meant back in the late 1990’s, was that it was not only a great time to buy property for those who still had money, but it was also a great time to get some fantastic deals on rents too. The supply in both property sectors far outweighed the demand, which in turn created a buyers and renters market.

Well, that was then and this is now, and there’s far more talk about the expected doom and gloom for 2009 and beyond, than there is actual hard felt reality. This is mainly because the downturn in the global economy is still gaining momentum, and so the worse is yet to come, according to government officials and world economists.

Looking at the Bangkok Real Estate that has been uploaded to this site recently, there are no obvious signs that bargains in either rentals or sales are approaching any time soon. After browsing through the most recently added apartments and condos for November/December, both Thai property rents and property sales on this site appear to be holding steady at the time of writing. Just what happens with Thailand Real Estate over the next couple of years, is still speculation, and like so many of these things, we’ll just have to wait and see for the real outcome.

MrRoomfinder 2009

MRF will be 4 years young come May 2009, and the site has become incredibly popular among private landlords, Thailand real estate agencies and tenants, especially in the greater Bangkok area. 2008 saw some major site updates, and we will continue to improve this free-for-all Thailand property portal indefinitely. If you would like to have your say, either leave your comments at the bottom of this page, or contact me here by email. Every email gets read and replied to promptly. Your input is valuable to us to the point that this entire project has been built around what you, our visitors and members, have requested over time.

Obviously we can’t implement every single good idea that is called for, but we do look at and discuss each and every suggestion that comes our way.

Thanks once again for patronising Mr Roomfinder dot com, and may you all have a very Happy New Year 2009, despite it all.

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Please note that descriptions are taken from the real ads and not rewritten in any way for this piece. Therefore, some of the English desriptions may not be grammatically correct and misspellings may be evident in some cases.

Greater Bangkok Properties

At the Galleria |  5,900 THB/Month  |  Studio (40 SQM)

One of the best located Bangkok serviced apartments available on Huaikhwang, Ratchadapisek Road with western style management. The Galleria is just steps away only 3 min. walk from MRT Huaikhwang station,exit 4.  Within short driving distance of major Shopping Complex, commercial centers, restaurants, night entertainments. The sports complex is only 5 min. nearby with swimming pool, tennis courts, badminton courts, and fitness center.  You can enjoy fully furnished big sizes room and balcony with hot water and bath tab.

Metro Park Sathorn | 8,000 THB/Moth |  Studio (32 SQM)

Metro-Park Sathorn. Located near the newly constructed BTS Stations Located in Thonburi. A beautifully constructed development defining the future of Bangkok properties. Only 5 minute drive from the new BTS stations.

Sandy Shelter Apartment |  5,000 THB/Month | Studio (24 SQM)

Sandy shelter apartment (pronounced “Reaunsai” in Thai language) Concept : Quiet & Privacy Convenient with easy access to Skytrain and Underground at Chatuchak station, 25 minutes by Taxi. 10 minutes to Don airport, 10 minutes to Kasetsart universits, 5 minutes to DPU university by walking 200 meters from North Park golf club, direct access to several main roads including: Vibpavadee, Ngamwongwan, Prachachung, Local road and Expressway

22 Karakada Apartment |  8,000 THB/Month |  Studio (40 SQM)

Karakada Apartment also have other room types available. Call for prices and availability.

Sathorn SaintView |   6,000 THB/Month  |  1 Bed (24 SQM)
I assume they have called a studio a 1 bed here, as is often the case with some Thai landlords

The Superior Serviced Apartments is conveniently located on Sathorn road in the heart of Bangkok’s business area with immediate access to the Airport Express way and within 10 minutes to/from BTS (Sky Train), the nearby places are: Silom road, Lumpinee Park, Chao-Phya river, Robinson Shopping Center, Hospitals, Embassies, Banks and Entertainment Areas.

Thailand Properties

Chiang Mai Sabai Apartments |   2,500 THB/Month |  Studio (22 SQM)

28 Apartments in Chang Khien, a quiet suburb 1 km. north of the University and close to town and all conveniences. Located in a quiet neighbourhood with ample parking near Chiang Mai University. It is very convenient to get to markets, shops and stores. All rooms come with basic furnishings, telephone, cable TV connections and a patio/balcony, cooking/washing area. We have a large sala for meeting friends and relaxing. We have laundry service and basic household necessities for sale.

Baan Thai (Chiang Mai) |  5,400 THB/Month  |   Studio (32 SQM)

Clean & bright new 8 story building. Good location with many local facilities and amenities in the immediate area. Great swimming pool on the 3rd floor. Restaurant provides sit in or room service offering both Thai and western cuisine. Laundry service available at 500 THB/Mo for 80 pieces. Wireless internet service to your room, various packages available.

Pajjsin Apartment khonkaen |  3,200 THB/Month  |  1 Bed (30 SQM)

Fully furnished with built-in furniture, air conditioning, electrical fan, TV, Cable TV., telephone, hi-speed internet, warm water and refrigerator, security guard, ample parking area, quiet and private parking and washing machines.

VIP CondoChain (Sathaheep) |   8,000 THB/Month  |  1 Bed (40 SQM)

15 km south from Pattaya, at Sukhumvit km 160.5 Studio room, fully furnish brand new condition on 24th floor at private apartments on a privat beach of a holiday condominium. Fitness room, swimming pool, tennis court, golf places very near and at extremly low price.

Huaykaew Residence (CM) |  3,500 THB/Month  |   Studio (24 SQM)

Thailand Apartments - High value area in the center of business and culture. Only five minutes from Chiang Mai International Airport with 24-hrs public transportation. Easy to get to from various directions and located near Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Complex, Lotus Pang Suan Kaew Hotel, Chiang Mai Orchid Hotel. We have other Room Types available. Please call for details and rates.

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So there we have it. These are just a few examples of budget priced accommodations around Thailand.  MrRoomfinder does not endorse any of these randomly taken ads but has merely published them here as a small example of the property types available for under 10,000 THB/Mo

If you have any comments, please leave them below.

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But one of the main focal attractions of the festival is when the night sky is lit up with thousands of Lanna-style hot-air lanterns known as khom fai (watch the above video). They are launched into the air where they resemble large flocks of giant fluorescent jellyfish gracefully floating by through the skies into the unknown dark of night. But there’s a lot more to this festival than just the peaceful decoration and beauty which adorns the kingdom during Thailand’s Loy Krathong festival.

Hey! What’s a Women gotta do around here to get a Bite…

When a western women arrives in Bangkok for the first time, she’s overwhelmed with a multitude of tasty sites and resources on offer. Mostly for men!

Bangkok - Just a City for the Hungry Male?
Or is it?

First up (when Googling), she’ll find Stickman’s Bangkok. A classic. And while there’s decent information on offer, from a female point of view, we be going hungry.

Bangkok Bob, another fav. But again, it’s heavy on the guy angle (as it would be).

Other well-written sites have the same tang. There’s interesting chunks for sure, but I don’t really need to know that some poor sod paid over the going price, or how to investigate a Thai bar girl, or even the ins and outs of a man’s guide to Bangkok life (but I will peek).

With a female flavour, I need to know about reasonable housing and what areas to avoid, the nearest market to suit my tastes, where to eat, the best masseurs (and why), English book stores (should I bring my own), what shops have shoes in my size (ditto), how to make new friends (male and female), and tips on important Thai customs (a biggie for women avoiding uncomfortable snafus). And all in my particular brand; a zesty, zingy, female munch.

And that’s where Amy’s handy eBook comes in:

Expat Women Living in Bangkok:

Ok, let’s take a closer look at this informative guide written by Amy.

Amongst it all you’ll find needed resources such as BNOW (Bangkok Network of Women), British Women’s Group (Bangkok), and the Bangkok Guide (online).

And that’s just the icing on the cake. Or (as they say out here), The Big Mango…

Take a DEEP breath while I do a quick skim down the index. You know, just to see if I can grab your fancy.

Right away you’ll get an indispensable dose of Thai etiquette (whatever you do, do not skip this section), possible ways to get around Bangkok and beyond (airport, taxi, buses, subway, skytrain, tuk tuks, boats, motorcycle taxis, maps, car and driver hire), everything to do with money (cost of living, taxes, tipping, paying bills, credit cards and transferring money).

Also covered are safety tips (emergency numbers and personal tips from women living in BKK), accommodation (where, what, how and how much), communications (landlines, mobiles, Internet and postal services), shopping (supermarkets, hypermarkets, malls, tech malls, markets, book stores and more).

Very little is missing from this book! Amy talks about eating out, and in, (street hawkers, restaurants to drool over and who delivers), health (hospitals, dental, insurance, pharmacies, fitness clubs and parks), entertainment (cinema, concerts and cultural centres), organisations (women’s groups, Chambers of Commerce, cultural clubs, expat clubs and those with special interest), Thai language learning (where you’ll find Women Learn Thai )… all to delight the female palette.

So what I’m saying is this. That Amy has one whopper of a resource for expat women living in Bangkok. Bar none. She updates often, so be sure to read her blog. And if you have tips of your own, don’t be shy. Amy’s not.

Time to talk about Amy…

Although western women are outnumbered here, we are not exactly scarce (even if it seems so).

Expat women in Bangkok are successful teachers, writers, designers, mothers, wives and business owners.

But not all women slide into this city as smoothly as a finely baked soufflé. Like Amy did.

Amy left her comfy position back in the US. Packed what she needed. Then changed her life forever.

Within months of being taken under the wing of a knowledgeable American, Amy started helping others coming into Bangkok fresh. And that’s really when the idea for the Expat Women’s Guide to Bangkok came about, from Amy’s desire for exploration, excitement and a taste for all things new.

Amy’s adventure on buses, boats and tuk-tuks eventually led to a greater adventure. Her dear Thai husband Golf. And (as often happens), they now have a sweet addition, Aidan.

Amy presently resides in California with her young family, hopping over to Bangkok for experiences new and old. I can’t wait to see what’s new on the menu, for sure.

Expat Women Living in Bangkok:  Check it out for yourself!

Although everyone lives according to their situation, this survey should give a good idea on the basic living costs for those wanting to move out here, and particularly those on a lean budget.  So far the questionnaire has been taken by singles and those in family situations, and at the time of writing, only one woman has taken part out of 20 participants.

It’s interesting to see how some folks manage on so little while others earning considerably more find it difficult to save.  It’s all relative I guess to how you want to live, where you chose to live, your social habits, transportation cost, and general lifestyles, ad infinitum.

I met a young British fella (mid 20’s) at the Thai Burmese border last year, and he was quite happily living on just 8,000 THB/Mo. in the north of the country.   Personally, I couldn’t, I wouldn’t, live on such a tight budget, but it just shows how cheaply someone can ’survive’ out here if their wants are few!

Anyway, here are the questions that Phil W is asking his visitors:

• How much do you earn from teaching per month?
• How much of that can you realistically save per month?
• How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?

• What do you spend a month on the following things?

a) Transportation
b) Utility bills
c) Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
d) Nightlife and drinking
e) Books, computers

• How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
• What do you consider to be a real ‘bargain’ here?
• In your opinion, how much money does a foreign teacher need to earn here in order to survive?

Click the link to Read: The Cost Of Living in Thailand

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We all know the wise old sayings, such as ‘two heads are better than one’, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ and ‘no man is an island’, which suggest that we as human beings are quite insufficient alone and we need others close to us to help us think, get over problems or just to be around so we don’t feel lonely.

However when you combine these expressions and compare them to ones such as ‘a man’s home is his castle’, ‘don’t invade my territory’ and ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ then we get quite a contrast in the personality and make-up of the average person.

So here is the conundrum, is it better to be alone in Thailand or better to share your space with a ‘Bangkok Buddy?’

Well of course this depends what context it is in, most people will eventually find a loyal and loveable partner of the opposite sex and form lasting relationship, which may not last a lifetime, but will often last long enough so that they move in with each other and perhaps get married. And of course there are others who will follow the same path with someone of the same sex.

However what happens when you are not in love, are not attracted to each other and have no intention of forming a lasting partnership, and yet however are ‘forced’ into living with each other in the same property?

This is a scenario that appears often in the Western world, where most of us farangs come from. In fact many of us have been placed in this situation at one time or another, whether at University, or our first job away from our home city, or our first apartment after leaving home, or when we leave our countries and start a new life in a big intimidating city like Bangkok. It is here when the scenario can become reality.

When you first move to a new city, it may be comforting to feel you can move in with someone you know, perhaps you

were friends back at home or have met via the internet, but you feel it will be nice to have their company when you move to Thailand and experience the cultural shock, Thai food, and unusual nigh life like Pat Pong or Nana offers. Also of course it may be a cost saver, and a way for you to have your own private guide to help you learn about the city.

But beware, as the downsides can easily outweigh the plus sides, more about that later.

Let’s Look at Economics First:

It is usual that in the West when we live in cities like London, New York, Paris, Milan, Frankfurt, Madrid etc that we have to share when we first move to the city. Most of us are not fortunate to own our own homes in big cities like this, and especially when we have just moved there, or we are foreigners with a specific finite time ahead of us for living in that city. Perhaps we are on a 2 year contract, we are not sure we want to buy in this city as we do not understand the Real Estate market.

In the West the price of property and rental prices are so high in ratio compared to our income, that we are indeed ‘forced’ to share. Couple that with the lack a decent accommodation in a city like London, then really it makes sense to share to cut costs and live somewhere decent and close to your work.

However when westerners come to South East Asia, unless they are going to live in Singapore, then there really should not be the same issue with costs and locations, as many of South East Asia’s big cities like Bangkok have great relatively low cost condos or apartment to rent right in the heart of the city. With good quality international standard apartments starting at 10 000 Baht/ month to rent (that’s under US$300/month, even by today’s rates) it makes accommodation affordable. And more importantly it makes living in the city centre of Bangkok, in districts and area such Asoke, Petchburi, Sukhumvit, Silom, Sathorn & Ratchadaphisek easily accessible to those who want live alone.

So unlike London where a typical house-sharing scenario would set back a person US$1 200/ month, just for a bedroom and use of a shared bathroom, kitchen and living room, we can see that for one quarter of that price it is possible to get a self-contained Studio Apartment within about 5 minutes walk of the BTS or MRTA lines in Bangkok.

This makes the necessity to share much lower, and therefore the reason to share then is based on social and not economic choice. However I would caution the idea to choose a house-share, apartment-share or flat-share, or whatever terminology you use, as becoming a house-mate is not always a good way to go.

I know of several young men who have come over to Thailand, to teach English after doing a TEFL course and found that sharing has not worked out the way they wanted it to.

Often they choose big old properties in quite good locations, so that enough of them can have some room and of course so they can all be close to the bars, discos and nightlife Bangkok has to offer. However just like in my old student days in Exeter University, invariably things do not go according to plan. People run out of money, renege on promises they made, or lose their jobs and have to start borrowing. And that is the very crux of why property-sharing is such a bad idea, as you are then not only reliant on your own survival skills, but those of others, if they go down they bring you with them, in the form of losing deposits and getting evicted.

All this seems totally unnecessary when like I mentioned before a good well chosen property, all be it a Studio or a small One Bedroom condo or apartment, can let you relax and enjoy the time you spend in your home rather than worry about, whether the rent will be paid, the TV will be available to watch your show or the bathroom will be available for you to have a shower.

My suggestion….’go it alone!’

Neil E. Merryweather

It’s true that central CM has as much traffic congestion, air pollution, and noise nuisance, as any other large town or city in the kingdom.  This often comes as somewhat of a surprise to those eco tourists arriving here searching for a little spiritual sanctuary with their nirvana noodles!

Also, getting around can be a bit of a sod too, especially late at night!  Unless you have your own form or transport, be that a bicycle, motorbike, or car, your days will be spent haggling with one of Chiang Mai’s alternative cab drivers. Rides here will either be tuk-tuk (three wheeled taxi), or song thaw (modified pick-up trucks). Most of the popular routes operated by song thaws will be set fares, but be prepared to pay more if you look and act like a lost pedestrian! With the price or oil skyrocketing in recent months, many taxi drivers are using this (justifiably so) to their bargaining advantage.

More on Chiang Mai Transportation Network

Local bus services are almost non-existent, and meter taxis (yes they do have them!), are not allowed to tout for opportunist business around the town.  All air conditioned cabs have to be pre-booked over the phone where a fixed price is agreed upon prior to dispatch. Kind of defeats having a meter really! As for motorcycle taxies, well, they do exist in a few out-of-the-way sub-sois, but it’s very rare to see them out and about on the city’s main roads.

Chiang Mai – Making the Move!

So if there’s more tarmac than temples, and more hassles than harmony when it comes to getting around, why then would anyone want to move to such a place? And mores to the point, why do any of Thailand’s expats who’ve made the move up here even bother to stay?

Well, many folks who come here have already read about CM and begin to see the ancient city in rose tinted glasses before they even arrive.  Their expectations on arrival are often met with some degree of disappointment for reasons obvious.  They get stuck in traffic, they’re hounded by tuk-tuk touts, and they begin gagging on pollution as they navigate their way along cracked pavements, latent potholes, and packs of passive (by day), yet aggressive (by night), street dogs.  Did I mention that CM is far from a pedestrian friendly city!

However, once the new arrival settles themselves down and start to learn about this wonderful city from other long term residents and friendly locals, they soon adapt and begin to view living here in a whole new light. With its nooks and crannies, out of the way eateries, and laid back lifestyle, it doesn’t take too long to adjust once you’ve cut through the initial crap!

One of the best things about living in this place is the fact that you can go from cityscape to landscape in a matter of minutes. With jungles and mountainous terrain practically in everyone’s back garden, offering some of the most spectacular scenery in South East Asia, it’s little wonder why so many come to call the province of Chiang Mai their second home.

Places to Live – Chiang Mai Real Estate

Chiang Mai is a fast developing city, with construction going on just about everywhere you turn.  Inevitably, there will come a time when city living becomes more expensive and more on a par with Bangkok, but for now, it really is a renters market.  There are literally 1000’s of places to rent here catering for every taste and at all budget levels.

Cheap and cheerful no-thrills studios start from as little as 2,500 THB/Mo, with newer more modern studios boasting all the usual facilities (including pools & internet connections) starting at around 5,000 THB/Mo. There are so many hidden treasures in the quiet back streets you will literally be spoilt for choice and should find your dream dwelling pretty easily.

If a little more space and luxury is more up your alley, then It’s not too hard to find a 70+ Sqm 1 bed condo with mountain views starting from around 9-10,000 THB/Mo and up.  There are of course brand new developments in luxury buildings going for a lot more. Renting town houses is also quite popular with many long term residents, and starting at around 5,000 THB/Mo for 2 and 3 bed joints, you can see why.

Private landlords and agencies have uploaded just a handful of the city’s homes on the site, but here are a few Chiang Mai Rentals to give you some idea of what’s available. (Just select Chiang Mai from the dropdown)

That’s about it for this piece.  I hope you enjoyed this brief introduction to Thailand’s ‘Rose Of The North? Please leave any comments or questions you may have below.

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