Phuket residents shift toward Thalang

PHUKET: Thalang is geographically the biggest of the three districts in Phuket – dominating 252 square kilometers of the island’s entire 576sq km land mass.

Thalang begins at the bridges joining the mainland – the gateway to Phuket – and stretches to just past Heroines’ Monument in the Tah Reua subdistrict. This includes both the northwest and northeast sections of the island, from Surin Beach to Ao Por subdistricts.

What does Thalang have to offer its residents? Well, in the past two years, quite a bit has been happening in the area, with many new businesses deciding to call it home.

It is also the district currently undergoing the most changes to its landscape.

Tesco Thalang was established on Thepkrasattri Road in the area about two years ago, and came as a relief to the residents of Thalang and northern Phuket, as they finally had a place where they could shop for groceries, go to the bank and enjoy a meal without having to drive 45 minutes to the nearest supermarket in Phuket Town.

Currently under construction across the road from Tesco is a Makro hypermarket, which is expected to open its doors on December 3. Another new addition in the coming weeks will be HomePro, a home-improvement store offering everything from building and home refurbishing materials, to gardening tools and home-entertainment systems.

Another exciting shopping option – learned from a reliable source – will be a high-end community mall belonging to Central Group next to Boat Avenue in Cherng Talay. This project is expected to come to fruition within the next two years. Last, but not least, don’t forget Villa Market, which has been open for more than six months in the Boat Avenue shopping center.

Thalang also plays host to the Phuket International Academy (PIA), an excellent international school situated on the extensive Thanyapura campus. It offers everything from nursery programs to an IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma program. Thanyapura is an excellent sports complex, boasting some of the world’s top sports coaches and facilities. It was recently the training center of choice for Maria Sharapova, who came to prepare for the WTA Finals in October, to be held in Singapore.

For golfers and yachties, Thalang also touts three international gold courses and two marinas, where yachts can be berthed all year long.

Most importantly, Phuket International Airport is within easy reach in the north of Thalang district, with all sorts of international and domestic flight options.

It is no surprise that property developers are jumping on the Thalang bandwagon. In recent years, the volume of housing options has increased dramatically for local residents now living and working in the area.

We are also starting to see a rising number of local expatriates looking to move from the south and Kathu to Thalang.

The shift seems to be due to multiple factors, one of which being the island’s growing traffic congestion problems.

Even with all that is happening in Thalang, there are still many green areas to be seen while driving to or from the airport, offering unadulterated views of rubber and pineapple plantations. Sadly, this may not be the case in a couple of years, but, for the time being, it’s still there – so enjoy the view.

Amy Koh is the sales manager of Engel & Voelkers Phuket. For more information, click here.