Boat Pattana chases middle-class segment

PHUKET: Boat Pattana Co Ltd has announced a new 400-million-baht residential development in Chalong that aims to target middle-class families.

“We don’t think any other properties are really targeting this segment with a project concept like ours; they seem to have forgotten the importance of family space,” said Panupong Kritchanarat, chief executive officer (CEO) of Boat Pattana.

The daring move to start selling units at The Hideaway Valley Chalong comes as many property sectors outside of the luxury market in Phuket are struggling.

“Though the economy is quite slow right now, we believe that our customers will understand our sincerity in helping them create a home. We are confident that middle-class people working on the island will take advantage of this opportunity and choose us,” said Mr Panupong.

The 60 stand-alone housing units on 20 rai of land in Chalong will be located a few hundred meters from Chao Fa West on Yodsanee 2, providing both seclusion for the neighborhood and easy access to greater Phuket. Additionally, The Hideaway Valley Chalong will have a public park, clubhouse, fitness center and swimming pool.

The classic European housing will feature designs swinging between retro and vintage, in order to bring a little of ‘home’ to expats working in the tropics. House sizes will range from 200 square meters to more than 400sqm, with prices starting at 4.99 million baht and topping out at about 15mn baht.

“We want to present our customers with a new idea, a development that brings them back to the happy days when people gathered together as a family and spent precious time together,” said Niyom Boonmee, chief operating officer of Boat Pattana. “We want to create a place that draws on the idyllic memories of mum’s garden, dad’s garage and grandmother’s kitchen.”

The project is expected to take about 15 months to finish, which puts its completion at about the same time that construction for the Chalong Circle Underpass will be finished.