In a previous blog we examined some of the top luxury condos to rent on Sukhumvit, however this blog will examine the top 5 luxury apartments to rent on Sukhumvit road.

So what is the difference between a condo and apartment in Bangkok, Thailand? Well a quick explanation is that Bangkok condos can be purchased or leased, where as a Bangkok apartments can only be leased. And also it is important to remember that these are apartments not Bangkok Service Apartments, which again are quite different. However for a much more detailed and in-depth explanation please see the previous blog below:

http://www.easyhomes.tv/blog/the-thailand-condo-vs-the-thai-apartment-confused

So as in the previous blog, we will now explore 5 of the best apartments in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. And of course all these apartments are close to the Sukhumvit BTS line and within easy travel of the Sukhumvit MRT station.

Baan Mela (Thonglor)

One of the less known, but beautifully designed apartments in the Thonglor area of Sukhumvit. This luxury low rise apartment block is situated just off a quiet soi in the Thonglor area of Sukhumvit road.

Those that know Sukhumvit road know that Thonglor is a high-end area of Bangkok withy many fashionable and chic cafes, shops, bars and restaurants. In fact it seems that one could eat and drink in new establishments each night of the year and never go to the same place twice.

Very popular with Japanese expats, wealthy Thai’s and well paid farang expats, a luxury apartment in Thonglor has to impress, and Baan Mela does this. With excellent fittings and finishes, this luxury Bangkok apartment comes equipped with high-end appliances, and luxury facilities such as an infinity roof-top pool, and gymnasium. Also these Thonglor apartments are spacious with 2 bedrooms measuring 160sqm. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/baan-mela-56

PS Residence (Phrom Phong)

Moving a little further down the Sukhumvit BTS line towards Siam Square, we have PS Residence. This independently owned Sukhmvit apartment is again superbly finished and no expense has been spared in both style and quality. With large spacious apartments starting at 200sqm for 2 bedrooms and 220sqm for 3 bedrooms, these really offer great living spaces.

With solid wooden floors, a Jacuzzi, roof-top terrace and swimming pool, this really is an apartment boasting plenty of luxury. And is one of best apartments to rent in Sukhumvit, a really super Phrom Phong apartment for those who want not only to be pampered, but also feel like they are living in a real home. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ps-residence-phrom-phong–139

Baan Jamjuree (Phrom Phong)

Staying with apartments in Phrom Phong, the Baan Jamjuree is perhaps one the best apartment blocks to rent in the whole of Bangkok. This Bangkok apartment is ideal for families wanting a high quality of life on Sukhumvit road.

With large spacious apartments superbly fitted out, with built in attractive furniture, maids quarters, fantastic views and a full kitchen area. However the crowning achievements of this apartment are the incredible range of facilities. Built with families in mind, Baan Jamjuree apartment boasts not only a swimming pool, gymnasium, car-parking and security, but also a tennis court, basket ball area, and kid’s room complete with slides, rubber flooring and a ball-park.

Given the location, just 5 mins from Phrom Phong BTS station, the quality of these apartments to rent in Sukhumvit, and the range of facilities and its homely atmosphere, it is little surprise that the Baan Jamjuree is almost always full. Baan Jamjuree has proven in its short 3 year history to be one of the most popular apartments to rent on Sukhumvit road. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/baan-jamjuree-420

PS Place (Nana)

PS Place apartment in Nana is a high-end independent Bangkok apartment, and an apartment that is easily overlooked and forgotten, given the large number of apartments there are to rent on Sukhumvit road. However this Sukhumvit apartment deserves neither to be forgotten nor overlooked as it boasts some of the best quality apartments and best equipped apartments on Sukhumvit road.

With access to the Nana BTS only 2 minutes away, and large rooms boasting great quality fittings and furniture this is a great Nana apartment to rent.

Renting in Nana can be seen as unsuitable for families, but the location of PS Place is away from the bars and nightlife of Nana, plus the facilities cater to families with play areas equipped with slides, swings and soft play areas. Ideal for youngsters to play and learn. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ps-place-nana–135

SM Grande (Nana)

Moving away from Sukhumvit apartments suitable for families to rent, to an apartment that is ideal for couples that enjoy and appreciate luxury. SM Grande in Nana has saunas, a Jacuzzi, beautifully fitted apartments to rent and a great swimming pool and sundeck. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/sm-grand-nana–146

If you are looking for a luxury apartment in Nana to rent then SM Grand could be ideal. If you like the vibrant and exciting atmosphere of Nana and like the idea of renting in Nana, then this apartment offers both the convenience of the Nana BTS station, the luxury of a 5 star hotel and then pleasure of living in the heart of one of the most exciting sois in Sukhumvit.

As a property agent in Bangkok, I am often asked, as are many Bangkok Real Estate agents and brokers, ‘Where is the best place to live in Bangkok for an expat?’ Well there is no direct answer to that one, as everyone’s needs are different, but time and time again, Sukhumvit is seen as the most popular choice for expats in Bangkok.

I think Sukhumvit is such a popular place to rent a condo or apartment, because of its wide geography, large choice of restaurants, bars and cafes, and finally due to the fantastic choice of condos and apartments.

There are so many condos and apartments on Sukhumvit that the choice can seem endless to those who are just starting to explore the area. However this article is designed to help cut through a lot of the confusion and focus on some of the best quality condos to rent on Sukhumvit at this time. We are not going to be looking at renting a Sukhumvit apartment at this time, as we will save that for a future Bangkok property blog.

So the next question to ask then is ‘What are some of the best luxury condos to rent on Sukhumvit Road?’ Well here we will look at 5 of the best. These condos are in no particular order and as you will see cover all manner of styles, requirements and locations along Sukhumvit road.

The Lakes Condominum – Asoke

The Lakes Condominium is located near both the Sukhumvit MRT, and Asoke BTS stations. The location alone is therefore a massive selling point. As it means that residents can get around Bangkok city center on the Metro System with real ease. However The Lakes also offers so much more. With great views of the Queen Sirikit Lake, 5 star facilities and a roof top pool and gymnasium.

Also The Lakes offers highly spacious condos, with floor to ceiling windows, solid wooden floors and excellent fittings.

It is small wonder The Lakes condominium has been a favorite amongst expats for over 5 years and its popularity looks set to continue for many more years as occupancy levels are almost always at 90 – 100%. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/the-lakes-317

Bangkok Citismart Condomnium (BKK Citismart Condo)

Staying in Asoke, the Bangkok Citismart Condominium, also known as the Bkk Citismart condo, is another quality and well established Bangkok condominium in the heart of Sukhumvit. This was on of AP Properties first condos and is located within a 2-3 minute walk of Asoke BTS station and Sukhumvit MRT station.

With a New York style design and a fantastic quality finish Bangkok Citismart condo offers high-end condo living in a very convenient mid-Sukhumvit location. Within easy reach of mix use towers such as Exchange Tower, Interchange Building and Jasmine Towers, residents have a lot on their doorstep. But if you live in Bkk Citismart condo you will also have enough to keep you busy without even having to leave this Sukhumvit condominium.

With a large swimming pool, two Jacuzzis, two saunas, two steam rooms, a squash court and a gymnasium on two levels, Bangkok Citismart condo really offers one of the widest and best quality set of facilities for expats whom are renting on Sukhumvit. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/citi-smart-asoke–45

Sansiri at Sukhumvit (Sansiri@Sukhumvit)

For a long time now the name Sansiri in the world of Bangkok property and more particularly Bangkok condominiums, has been synonymous with quality, class and luxury. Sansiri have built some fantastic condos in the Sukhmvit area such as Sansiri 10, Sansiri 13, Baan Sansiri Twenty Four and of course Sansiri Residence 24. All these condos offer high-level of luxury.

However in 2007 Sansiri launched its flagship on Sukhumvit, called appropriately enough Sansiri@Sukhumvit. This Bangkok condo is located just 5 mins walk from the Thonglor BTS station and therefore gives residents access not just to a BTS station, but also to Thong Lo itself, one of the best neighborhoods in Bangkok.

Sansiri at Sukhumvit has great facilities including a large swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna and steam rooms. All designed in Sansiri’s signature luxurious contemporary design. Sansiri at Sukhumvit offers clean bright condos but with that overwhelming feeling of luxury and style.

Sansiri@Sukhumvit only opened in early 2010 and so if you are thinking of renting a condo at Sansiri@Sukhumvit, then if you are likely to be the first to occupy any of these brand new units. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/siri-at-sukhumvit-1361

Emporio Place Condominium

Another brand new condominium located on Sukhumvit Soi 24, which is the same soi as the famous and extremely popular Emporium shopping center, which has clearly influenced the name of this luxury Sukhumvit condominium project.

Located within 350m of the Phrom Phong BTS station and the Emporium shopping plaza, this condominium really is located in a top residential area of Bangkok. Consisting of 3 towers, this cleverly designed condo allows most condo units to have access to 3 different viewing angles, so that each unit can attract a lot of light in through the large windows in most rooms.

Also to add to the intelligent design the architects of the Emporio Place condominium have designed in duplex units for 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom units, as well as many single level condo units. Therefore offering anyone wanting to lease a condominium at the Emporio Place great choice of units.

Of course like the above condominiums this Sukhumvit condo comes with a great range of facilties such as a large swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gymnasium, high-end light retail shopping plaza, Children’s playground, sauna and steam rooms. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/emporio-place-phrom-phong-1200

Athenee Residence

Last but certainly not least, the Athenee Residence Condominium is also built by TCC Capitalland the developers in charge of the Emporio Place condominium project. And is located in Ploenchit within an easy walk of the Ploen Chit BTS station, therefore allowing quick access to both Chit Lom, Siam square and the rest of Sukhumvit.

When built this condo set a new bench mark in luxury and was widely acknowledged as one of the best quality condos in the whole of Bangkok. With ceiling to floor windows, extensive facilities including a large swimming pool, tennis court, garden area, gymnasium, saunas, Jacuzzi and steam rooms.

This all glass structure is almost futuristic in design, but the quality and style of the design makes sure that the futuristic image does not detract from the feeling of quality and luxury this Sukhumvit condominium exudes. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/athenee-residence-ploenchit-1277

Of course these 5 luxury Sukhumvit condos are not the only ones in Bangkok, and I am sure there will be readers of this Bangkok Real Estate Blog that disagree with some of the choices here, after all beauty and quality are difficult to quantify and are subjective. But in my opinion, although there are arguably other Bangkok condos that can be placed in this list as well, it is hard to disagree that these 5 Bangkok condominium developments are top class.

The Property market in Thailand and particularly in Real Estate in Bangkok does not react the same way as it does in Western country, such as the US & UK. Prices do not rise as fast in general and on the flip side, they also rarely collapse (exceptions to this have been the early 1990’s and of course 1997) when prices did alter considerably. However the pattern is a lot more stable than it is in the UK and US and a lot of that is due to the fact of the different fundamentals of the Bangkok Real Estate market, and the key factors are:

1. In the West we generally borrow most of the money to buy properties from the bank
2. In Thailand owners and investors in Thai property are generally cash-rich, they don’t need to borrow most of the money from the bank, and have often bought the property with 100% cash.
3. In the West we understand market movements, we understand that property prices rise and fall, and therefore the property market is full of a lot more speculators than in Thailand.
4. Thai Real Estate investors are in it for the long-term. With Thai Baht difficult to move out of Thailand and the SET in its infancy and unstable, then there are few options for Thai investors to broaden their portfolio. Bangkok Real Estate therefore becomes a very popular choice.
5. Thai property investors on Bangkok or elsewhere are in it for the long-term. They know the market will rise as land in key locations becomes scarce and therefore are happy to invest in Bangkok condos and townhouses that may just increase 5% p.a. on average over a 10 year period or more.

So in answer to the question of how the Bangkok property market is coping in this climate, then we have to look at the mentality of the Bangkok property owners and investors. They are not looking necessarily of a short-term gain, and so they are not fazed by a few problems in the near future. So when the Red-shirts encamped in the Rajaprasong area there was no knee jerk reaction. There was no mass fire-sale or drop in prices, and even the Bangkok rental market has remained pretty stable.

The owners have sat tight, knowing that the market, and the political situation will eventually right itself. The current political situation has been dragging on for a number of years, even before the political coup in September 2006, there had been murmurings of discontent from various factions. But against this back drop Thai people continued to invest in Thai property and in some years between 2006 ~ 2009, the Bangkok property market saw double digit gains.

With this memories in mind, most investors and owners I have spoken to in the last few weeks, have been speaking with relative confidence about the market. There is very little of the fear and anxiety that the Western media would like to depict in Bangkok.

For those looking to rent in Bangkok, there is some good news though, and it is not really due to the political crisis in Thailand, but more to do with the recent increase in supply of condos in Bangkok.

As anyone who has been living in Bangkok in the last 3-5 years will tell you, and anyone who has followed the Bangkok real estate market developments, there has been an increase in condos, apartments, townhouses and service apartments along side the BTS & MRT lines. This has meant that supply has recently been greater than demand. And whilst most Thai condo owners and apartment owners in Thailand have been sticking to their guns and not reducing prices too much, so of the smarter Bangkok landlords and landlady’s have been taking advice from Bangkok property agents and have reduced their prices to suit market demand.

We have seen prices for condos in Thonglor, apartments in Phrom Phong, townhouses Sukhumvit and properties in Sathorn all reacting to the change in the market fundamentals. With reductions of between 10-15% we can hardly call this a fire-sale and any sort of panic reaction, but it is better news for those looking to rent in Bangkok, and is a trend that looks like it will last a lot longer than the redshirts in Rajaprasong district.

So should you be scared about renting in Bangkok at this time? Well the simple answer is no! As a foreigner the redshirts are not interested in us, in fact they want our approval, they certainly don’t want to upset us. And this is the same of any of the other factions, they want the outside world to recognize and sympathize with them, so it is not in their interests to involve foreigners in any negative way.

What the future holds for Thailand on a broader political scale is difficult to say and I ma far from a political expert or analyst, but as for how it effects the Bangkok Real Estate will be more up to the attitude of the landlords and investors of property in Bangkok and Thailand. The Thailand real estate market, is here for the long term, it is recognized by many Thai’s as a great way to take advantage of capital growth. And as long as it remains difficult to invest outside if Thailand for the average Thai person, then the Thailand Real Estate Market and in particular the Bangkok property market, will remain attractive and therefore buoyant.

If you are a foreigner looking to invest in the Bangkok property market, this may be a good time to do it, as prices are perhaps currently relatively stagnant, but don’t expect any fire-sales or the bottom falling out of the market, as Thai property investors are not in short-supply and in the long-run they know the Bangkok Real Estate market is cheap compared to close neighbors like Hong-Kong and Singapore.

They also know political crisis are part of the make-up of Thailand and will come and go as they always have.