It’s that time of the year again when organizations in various industries and countries decide on their highlights of the year. Their best employee, best achievement or department. At EasyHomes we look at our own market the Bangkok property market and look at the best condos and apartments in Bangkok for the year.

This year there have been some surprising results and some expected results. Among the highlights we will review are The Wind Asoke 23, Life@65 Ekamai, Siri@Sukhumvit in Thonglor, S and S condo and Villa Sathorn. These properties have all been stand-out performers in what is fast becoming a very competitive market with many excellent condos and apartments on the market.

Let’s start with The Wind Asoke 23 located in Asoke only 500m from both the MRT and BTS stations. A truly excellent location for an excellent building.

A fantastic modern building built in a contemporary tropical style with 1 bedroom Bangkok condos to rent in Asoke, 2 bedroom condos and 3 bedroom condos for lease as well. With a infinity swimming pool, 24hr security, car parking, sun deck and fitness room this Bangkok condominium offers all the facilities associated with luxury condos in Bangkok. However the quality in The Wind 23 Asoke is of such high caliber that it stands out as true gem. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/the-wind-23-asok-1573

The Wind 23 condo has been a slow-burner in the Bangkok condominium market, but once it was discovered by the general market the reaction has been understandably positive. The location is ideal for those wanting to commute around Bangkok with access to both the MRT and BTS only 500m away.

The second condo to look at is a previous favorite condo of ours, the forever popular Life@65 condo in Ekamai. If you are looking for a good quality, great value condo to rent on Sukhumvit then the Life@Sukhumvit 65 is ideal. With excellent views, a large roof-top swimming pool and great value condos for lease on Sukhumvit road. And only a 5 mins walk to both Ekamai BTS station and Phrakanong BTS station, Life@Sukhumvit 65 or Life@65 (as it is referred to by locals) this is an ideal condo to rent in Bangkok if you are a bachelor, bachelorette or a couple. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/life@sukhumvit-65-ekamai-2238

The next condo we will review is a total departure from Life@Sukhumvit 65, and rather than catering fort mid-range tenant looking to rent a condominium in Bangkok our next condo Siri@Sukhumvit located near Thonglor BTS station caters for the high-end market. Siri@Sukhumvit offers one bedroom condos, two bedroom condos and three bedroom condos for rent. And if you are looking to rent a condo near to Thonglor BTS station, this is hard to beat.

Siri@Sukhumvit offers a fantastic lobby and incredible facilities, with a huge gymnasium and fitness studio, and probably the best swimming pool in the Sukhumvit area. With so many great condominiums to rent in Sukhumvit then it is a compliment indeed that Siri@Sukhumvit is picked out as having the best or at least one of the best swimming pools in Bangkok.

In keeping with its high-end market, Siri@Sukhumvit has great finishings and excellent style. A large building it looks and feels impressive the moment you enter Siri@Sukhumvit. So if you are looking to rent a condo or apartment in Thonglor and you have a good budget it is hard to look beyond Siri@Sukumvit. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/siri@sukhumvit-thonglor-1458

This year 2011, was the year that the BTS received its first major extension since its inauguration in 1999. Yes we know that it added two more stops in Krungthonburi BTS station and Wong Wien Yai BTS station 2 years ago, and more about them in a while, but with the extension of the BTS from On Nut BTS station to Bearing BTS station this has been a significant increase opening up the east side of Bangkok’s city center. And with the advent of these stations has come a large amount of condo and apartment development from low-rises to high-rises the landscape on the east side of Bangkok’s city center has altered considerably.

However there has been one condo that has caught our attention more than others and one that has shown that just because it is built in a less established and fashionable part of town, it does not have to be of lower quality. In fact S and S condominium, or S&S condominium, or S & S condominium – depending on how you spell it, is of better quality and style than many condos seen in mid-Sukhumvit, Sathorn or Silom.

S & S condominium is set on a large piece of land and takes advantage of that by offering a large swimming pool and a large garden area including a children’s play ground. For those looking to rent a condo in Udomsuk or Punniwithee near the BTS stations. S & S condo houses Studios, one bedroom and two bedroom condos and the value is very high given the location of the condominium. S&S condo is located near to the shopping area featuring international restaurants and international supermarkets. If you are looking to rent a condo on the new BTS extension then renting a condo in S&S condo would be a good choice. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/s–s-condo-udomsuk-1911

Finally looking at renting a condo in Sathorn area we review Villa Sathorn which is located only 50m from Krungthonburi BTS station. Villa Sathornhouses Studios, one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom units, so caters for most of the market. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/villa-sathorn-krungthonburi-2160

With fantastic views and with river views Villa Sathorn is a great place to rent a condo in Bangkok.

A few months ago I posted a blog outlining how Ideo condominiums that had sprung up all over Bangkok were offering the Bangkok condominium market some of the best ways to rent a condominium near the BTS and MRT lines. In the article I looked at the following Ideo condominium buildings: Ideo Mix Condo Sukhumvit 103; Ideo Mix Condo Phahonyothin and Ideo Condo Ratchada – Huay Kwang. Since then there have been several new Ideo condominium buildings opened along the BTS and MRT lines. Here is an opportunity to look at some of the new stylish Ideo condos that have been launched most recently.

The Ideo Q Condo at Phayathai is conveniently located near to both the Phayathai BTS station and the Ratchaprarop Airport Link station. This makes the Ideo Q Condo Phayathai an ideal location for those who want to live both in the heart of the city, but also take advantage of a possible jet-set lifestyle or those who have to travel abroad for business. As a break away from the other Ideo condos we looked at it the previous blog, the Ideo Q Condo offers a more varied selection of condominium units, such as duplex one bedroom units.

Renting a condo in the Ideo Q Phayathai condo can start from as low as THB 15 000 for a small partitioned studio, also termed as a small one bedroom measuring approx 30sqm. However moving up to renting a one bedroom duplex will cost over THB 30 000 however in addition to a more luxurious and versatile living environment the condo measures approx twice the size at just over 60sqm. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ideo-q-phayathai-phaya-thai-1902

The Ideo Q condo Phayathai of course keeps in with the Ideo condominium concept of providing a large stylish recreational area complete with swimming pool gymnasium and saunas. Of course for those who don’t want to take advantage of the Phayathai BTS and Ratchaprarop airport link stations located near by, there is also adequate indoor secure parking.

Staying in the north of the city center of Bangkok, but moving in the ever popular Lat Prao area, we find the Ideo Condominium Lat Prao 17. Located in Lad Prao the Ideo Condo Lad Phrao 17 takes advantage of the MRT Lat Prao station just a few minutes walk away. This stylish modern condo unlike many other Ideo condos is a low-rise and so has a more homely feel. With the main low-rise buildings centered around an attractive large swimming pool and sun deck.

Ideo Lat Prao 17 condos for rent start at approx THB 16 000 for a small one bedroom unit which will feature a small bedroom, small living area and bathroom. And the Ideo condos are sensibly designed to allow a separate kitchen area. It is amazing how well an Ideo condominium can be designed to accommodate so many features in a small area. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ideo-ladprao-17-1156

Finally we travel down the south west area of the city to Thonburi and on to the relatively new BTS stations that opened 2 years ago. And we look at Ideo Sathorn-Taksin. The Ideo Sathorn-Taksin condo couldn’t be closer to the Krung Thonburi BTS station, just 10m from the station. This makes renting a condo at the Ideo Sathorn-Taksin one of the most convenient in the city. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ideo-sathorn-taksin-klong-san-1896

Again another chicly designed condominium building with modern fittings and quality finishes throughout. The building also provides a beautiful swimming pool, fitness studio, well equipped gymnasium and of course secures car parking and 24hr security associated with the quality Bangkok condominium.

So renting a condo at an Ideo building whether it is on Sukhumvit, Sathorn, Phahonyothin or Lat Prao is a excellent choice for bachelors, bachelorettes, couples and even young families. And for those expats that appreciate both the convenience of the BTS, MRT and Airport Link train systems and well designed tasteful and stylish architecture the Ideo Condominiums are hard to beat.

In recent months there have been a spate of Ideo Condos built in and around the BTS/MRT lines in central Bangkok. A number of Ideo Condo brands have been launched with derivatives such as Ideo Mix Condo, Ideo Verve condos and Ideo Blucove condos, which are situated within less than 200m from the nearest BTS or MRT station.

Ideo condos have been built in Sukhumvit such as the Ideo Verve On Nut, less than 50m from the On Nut BTS station. The Ideo Mix Sukhumvit 103 near Punnawithee BTS station. There are also two Ideo condos in Lat Prao, both close to the Lad Prao MRT station.

Further down the BTS line toward Ratchathewi there is the Ideo Verve Rachaprarop Condo and towards Ari and Saphan Kwai there is the Ideo Mix Phaholyothin. Again all these Ideo condos are located less than 200m from the nearet BTS or MRT station and in the case of the Ideo Verve Rajaprarop it is also located close to the Rajaprarop Airport Link Station, which is convenient for all those travelling to and from the Bangkok International Airport at Suvarnabhumi.

Then there are Ideo Condos at Huay-Kwang and Ideo condos at Ratchadaphisek, in fact if you name a convenient place to rent a condo in Bangkok then the chances are you’ll find an Ideo Condominium near by.

Ideo condos are part of the new breed of Bangkok condos springing up around Bangkok, offering residents who are mainly young upwardly mobile Thai’s and expats chic, stylish and convenient living. With most Ideo Condo buildings offering a mixture of Studios, One Bedroom and Two Bedroom condos to rent or buy. There is the occasional three bedroom condo, but mainly the latest condominium trend in Bangkok it small and convenient, rather then large and spacious. Of course one hidden advantage in renting a small and convenient Bangkok condo is that the bills are kept lower and therefore costs. Air conditioning units have to do far less work and therefore use far less power cooling a smaller unit. And if you are environmentally conscious, then of course you are doing our planet a favour as well.

So let’s take a look at some of these individual Ideo Condo buildings. First we will look at the Ideo Mix Condos in Phaholyothin and Sukhumvit 103. With the Ideo Phaholyothin located within 200m of the Saphan Kwai BTS station, this condo is stylishly designed and like all Ideo condos has an a excellent large pool, a proper sundeck and a fully equipped fitness room and gymnasium.

For those who drive in Bangkok there is a multi-storey car park and of course 24 hours security. The Ideo Mix Phahonyothin houses Studio, one bedroom and 2 bedroom condos, starting from as low as THB 12 000/month, this really is excellent value for money living. Renting a condo in the Ideo Mix Condo Phaholyothin-Saphan Kwai makes sense for those wanting to live or have access to the Northern part of Bangkok.

Located in the North part of the central Bangkok, Saphan Kwai offers easy access to Vipahividee Road, Lat Prao and of course Phaholyothin Roads. This enables residents of the Ideo Mix Condo Phahonyothin-Saphan Kwai to enjoy inexpensive but quality living, with convenient outlets such as Big C, Chatuchak Market, Villa Market and Ari all within 5 mins of your condo. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ideo-mix-condo-phaholyothin-1742

The second Ideo Mix condominium we will look at is the Ideo Mix Condo Sukhumvit 103, located near the newly built Punnawithee BTS station. Again beautifully and chicly designed this condo consists of 2 buildings, linked by a roof-top bridge. The roof contains many of the facilities including a large swimming pool, fitness area and sundeck.

Located within 2-3 minutes walk of the BTS on the Sukhumvit Line, the Ideo Mix Sukhumvit 103, is of course located on Sukhumvit road, and is a great option for those who want to rent a condo on Sukhhmit road, but do not want to pay the higher prices more centrally located Sukhumvit command.

Again the Ideo Mix Condo on Sukhumvit 103 offers potential residents Studios, One Bedrooms and Two Bedroom units. And with of course easy access to the East of Bangkok, this is an excellent condo to rent if you want to have access to both Sukhumvit Road and Bang Na or even the expressway to Suvarnabhumi Airport or Pattaya. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ideo-mix-condo-sukhumvit-103-1743

Of course there are so many Ideo condos in Bangkok to rent, that we couldn’t possibly explore each one in just one article. However we will end by look at the Ideo Condo in Huay-Kwang, located in Ratchadaphisek road.

If you want to rent a condo on Ratchada, there are few better options available. Located within 50m of the Huay Kwang MRT station with a cascading roof top pool, a fitness studio with a fantastic views of Huay-Kang and Ratchadaphisek this really is a fantastic option. And renting in the Ideo condo Huay Kwang is extremely reasobable with Studios starting as low as THB 11 000/month. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ideo-ratchada-huay-kwang-1500

I future articles we will look at the benefits and highlights of the Ideo Condos located in Lad Prao, Krungthonburi and On Nut.

In the last 10 months since the start of 2010, there have been 35 new major condominium projects opened in the Bangkok city center with a total of 8 898 units, so that is a massive amount of brand new Bangkok condos opened in 2010. Of course in addition to these major Bangkok condominium projects there have of course been a number of lesser projects. These are mainly done by smaller independent Bangkok property developers and although some these Bangkok condominium buildings end up being of good quality, most do not, so for the purpose of this blog we have overlooked these smaller Bangkok condominium buildings.

On the whole the best Bangkok condominiums in terms of quality, location, amenities, facilities, design, fittings and maintenance are developed by many of the Bangkok property developers listed on the SET (Stock Exchange of Thailand). In this article we will concentrate on the best new condominiums developed in the Sathorn area and Bangkok.

Starting over the river, there has been a wave of brand new condos for rent in Krungthonburi and Wong Wian Yai areas of Bangkok next to the 2 new BTS stations opened in May 2009. Examples of these have been The Hive Taksin, Q House Krungthonburi and Villa Sathorn. As well as smaller condos like The Citrine Wong Wian Yai, My Condo Wong Wian Yai and The Ideo Krungthonburi.

However hear we will concentrate on Villa Sathorn, which is a high-rise Bangkok condominium with over 40 storey’s, housing over 600 units with breathtaking views of the Bangkok city center, the Chaophraya river and the surrounding areas. In fact with very few high-rise buildings located close to the Villa Sathorn condo, it seems that almost all the units have access to spectacular far reaching views.

Villa Sathorn has a swimming pool, gymnasium and large raised garden area and jogging track and of course houses the usual secure car parking facilities associated with modern Bangkok condominiums. With Studios, 1 bedrooms and 2 bedrooms, Villa Sathorn covers a large part of the Bangkok property market. Perhaps though the best part of Villa Sathorn in the location, only 50m from the Krungthonburi BTS station. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/villa-sathorn-krungthonburi-1557

Moving over the Chaoprhraya river into the Sathorn area of town, we find 2 new equally matched Bangkok condominiums, offering a great choice of mid-range mid-market condos to rent in Sathorn. If you are looking to rent a modern attractive condo in Sathorn, then The Ivy Sathorn and Life@Sathorn should be on your list of choices.

Both modern and well designed high-rise Bangkok condominium buildings they are located only 250m from Sathorn’s most popular BTS station. The Chong Nonsi BTS station which links with the Bangkok BRT line is a convenient stop for many of Bangkok’s large office buildings housing RBS, Standard Chartered, PWC, Bank of China and many other multi-national firms.

The Ivy Sathorn and the Life@Sathorn, both offer similar properties to rent in Sathorn, with small 1 bedroom units starting off at 35sqm, larger 1 bedroom units at 41sqm and 2 bedroom condos at 65sqm. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/life@sathorn-chong-nonsi-1525

The Ivy Sathorn and Life@Sathorn both have a large swimming pool, raised sun deck, fitness room, car parking and full 24hr security. Along with spacious lobbies, stylish fixtures, gardens and communal areas for all to enjoy. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/ivy-sathorn-chong-nonsi-1507

These 3 brand new Bangkok condominium buildings, Villa Sathorn, The Ivy Sathorn and Life@Sathorn all offer a good range of condos starting as low as THB 15 000 a month to rent in Sathorn.

In the next article we will look at the best of the brand new Bangkok condominium buildings opened in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok.

Suvarnabhumi airport is Bangkok’s new state of the art international airport, providing a regional hub for up to 45 million airline passengers a year. Bangkok’s international airport is the busiest in the SE Asian region. Suvarnabhumi international airport deals with even more passengers annually than even Singapore’s Changi airport.

Later this year the Suvarnabhumi airport rail link will open, providing passengers visiting Bangkok easy access to Bangkok’s city center, with the service predicted to take under 20mins. The Suvarnabhumi airport link will be a regular express service providing air conditioned comfort directly to the Suvarnabhumi Airport Terminal 1.

If you live and work with the airline industry, or you are a frequent traveler and many Bangkok based expats then it would be advantageous to live in a Bangkok condo or apartment close to the Suvarnabhumi rail link. Frequent flyers travelling on business trips around SE Asia, cabin crew or even just regular travelers will be able to benefit from the new Suvarnabhumi rail link. So what are the available Bangkok condos or apartments that will allow Bangkok residents to take advantage of the Suvarnabhumi airport link?

Starting at the low end of the budget, Sitara Place offers great quality studios for a low price. Starting at just THB 10 500/ month, this Bangkok apartment block offers parking, a lift, a fitness room and 24hr security. And within a 10mins walk of Rama 9 MRT station it is highly convenient for cabin crew and airport staff looking for a base in Bangkok. Rama 9 MRT station is one stop away from Petchburi MRT station and the Makassan airport link which makes the trip from door to door an estimated 30mins travel, pretty convenient for those who regularly use Suvarnabhumi Airport. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/sitara-place-142

Also in the area close to Rama 9 MRT station and Makassan is A-Space Asoke, and these low-priced units offer not only the convenience of a an MRT station close by and the comfort of brand new unit, but also the access to a large swimming pool.

	One bedroom start at just THB 11 500/ month and feature air-conditioning, bedroom sets, kitchenettes and modern shower rooms. This Bangkok condominium also offers http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/a-space-asoke-1334
	Further down the Suvarnabhumi airport link line towards Ekamai, is Le Chateau condominium. A well maintained Bangkok condominium Le Chateau is well placed to take advantage of the new Bangkok airport link, with good sized units, 1 bedroom condos are approx 55 – 60sqm and well built. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/le-chateau-1093

The Le Chateau condo building also boasts 24hr security, a roof-top swimming pool, roof top fitness room and games area. And once again door to door travel to and from Bangkok’s international airport would take approximately 30mins.

The new Suvanarbhumi intersects the existing metro system in 2 places. As we have seen the Makassan Airport link station meets with the Petchburi MRT station near Asok. And the other intersection is further north at Phayathai BTS station, where the new Ratchaprarop airport link station links up.

Villa Ratchatewi condo is a brand new Bangkok condominium within walking distance of both the Phayathai BTS station and of course the new Ratchaprarop station. Once again offering quick and convenient access to Bangkok’s international airport via Suvarnabhumi’s airport link.

	Villa Ratchatewi is a large and well constructed high-rise condominium offering great views of Bangkok city center, and Villa Ratchatewi boasts a large swimming pool, large fitness area and gardens. Along with the usual car parks, security and other amenities standard within many modern Bangkok condominium units. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/villa-rachatewi-1440
	Finally another great condominium that is located within walking distance of Phayathai BTS station is The New York condominium near Ratchatewi. Again another superbly built Bangkok condominium offering great amenities for residents, such as a roof-top swimming pool, roof-top fitness area, squash courts and a beautiful spacious lobby area. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/the-new-york-326

So if you are looking to be a regular user of the Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi international airport, and you want to live conveniently in Bangkok’s city center, then using the new Suvarnabhumi airport link will be for you. And to add to your convenience and comfort checking out any of the above Bangkok condominiums or apartments to rent or to buy may be helpful.