Island developers ready for Bangkok

In hopes of re-visiting the hearty welcome and strong sales enjoyed at their 2002 and 2003 exhibitions in Hong Kong, Phuket and Samui property developers will test the appetite for their products in Bangkok over the next three days. About 40 exhibitors will open their booths at Bangkok’s first “Phuket & Samui Property Exhibition” at noon tomorrow. The event takes place in the Grand Ballroom of the Montien Hotel, Suriwong, and is expected to be something of a “defining moment” in terms of the marketing plans of the booming development industry here. “We don’t know whether or not Bangkok, in its current expansionary mode, holds anything like the promise of the Hong Kong, Singapore, or European markets,” says Exhibition Director Graham Doven. “But there has definitely been a rise in industry sales to Thais this year, particularly at the high end, and we need to learn more about how deep that interest might be. We’ll know after the show.” With or without convictions about the depth of potential in Bangkok, developers are an entrepreneurial lot, willing to show their wares wherever opportunities might exist. Last month saw two major Phuket property players at an exhibition in Moscow, and other new markets, or perceived markets, appear to be opening up quickly. James Batt, Managing Director of mega-developer Laguna Hotels & Resorts, told a group of journalists in Bangkok last week, “Phuket is on a roll. We will be at the Bangkok show, and we’ll be there in force.” His company will start Laguna Village, a 1,000-rai residential project, next year, he added. The Hong Kong show in September of this year saw the ‘on-the-spot’ sale of five top-end properties, and the opening of negotiations on four others ranging in price from 12-40 million baht. The Phuket & Samui Property Exhibitions are organized by Mr Doven and Artasia Press, and sponsored by the Phuket Gazette and the Nation Multimedia Group. For further information, contact Ms Pui Thammachod at 01-822 6570 or Ms Jade Wei at 01-629 6708.