Country Guides Country Guide: Thailand

Date Published:

24/06/2008

Thailand may be best known as a backpacker's paradise but the land of a thousand temples, beautiful white sand beaches and warm sea water is becoming increasingly popular with British second homeowners.

The Market

Thailand bewitches most who visit its shores. For some it's the stunning beaches, "bath-warm" sea water and verdant countryside that appeal, for others it's the exquisite food and friendliness of the people. Increasingly for many foreigners- farangs in Thai, the allure is the possibility to enjoy all of the above at a fraction of the price of what a similar property would cost in Europe or other exotic destinations worldwide.

On the large island of Phuket, the main tourist destination that lies off the bottom of mainland Thailand, property prices are said to have doubled in value over recent years, yet they remain good value for money. "It's possible to pick up an apartment for around £50,000 on Phuket," says Jay Walker for the developers at The Village Coconut Island, "but there's also property for sale priced several million pounds on the island."

Lying somewhere between those two extremes, prices start from 16.95m baht (£265,000) at The Village for a two-bedroom seaview villa. Under development on the small island of Kho Maphrao (Coconut Island in Thai), the resort lies a three-minute boat ride off the east coast of Phuket - the coast that was unaffected by the 2004 Tsunami. The complex is scheduled for completion by 2010.

Developed under eco-aware principles that include: a ban on all cars on the small island (golf buggies and bicycles are allowed); and rainwater showers (electric ones exist too), concrete for the block structures is made on site and a team of local carpenters is employed. In total, 132 two to five bedroom luxury pool villas are being constructed for sale, on plots ranging from 380 to 1600 square metres and all with water-frontage or direct beach access.

The man behind the development, Chris Gordon, was the founder and managing director of Sunsail, an upmarket watersports holiday travel company. Naturally given the founder's background and the resort's location, The Village is primarily being developed as a watersports resort around a central village with a restaurant, beach bar, spa and fitness centre. Watersports activities available will include sailing, canoeing, and waterskiing.

"We may buy in a few motor boats that the owners will be permitted to take out on the water on their own,” says Walker. "The idea has worked well on other resorts I have worked at around the world. You can imagine here where the water is so perfect for sailing and there are so many islands to sail around in Phang Nga Bay and visit it would work very well."