Thailand offers very different living environments. Before comparing properties, start by connecting each destination to your daily life. Phuket, Bangkok, Koh Samui and Pattaya do not offer the same pace, nor the same services. Here are some pointers to help you make a clear choice.
Start from how you will use it, not from the map
The first question is not "which city is the most beautiful", but "how do you intend to live there". An urban pied-à-terre, a residence near the sea and a villa with outdoor space correspond to distinct uses. Clarify how much time you expect to spend there, with whom and at what time of year. These elements change everything. A regular, short stay works better in a property that is easy to lock up and to have watched over. A long-term move calls for examining access to healthcare, shops and schools if you are travelling as a family. If the property is to be occupied only part of the year, factor in your own dates: they determine the periods when the home remains available for other purposes. Access to services, daily travel and the possibility of having the property managed then become criteria as concrete as floor area. A destination that is appealing on paper may fit poorly with your actual pace. It is this mismatch that needs to be spotted early, even before comparing specific addresses.
Bangkok: the city for a connected daily life
Bangkok is the capital. It offers a well-developed transport network, varied districts and considerable access to services. For a buyer who wants city life, frequent air links and a wide range of medical care, the city meets specific needs. Here, the dominant format is the apartment within a residence. Find out about the common areas, the services offered, the rules of use and their cost. Ask what is included in the price, what falls under a separate contract and whether you can change provider. Districts differ in their atmosphere, their level of quiet and their proximity to transport lines. Comparing two addresses in Bangkok is above all a matter of comparing journeys. The same type of apartment does not have the same practical value depending on the distance to a station, a hospital or your place of work. Take the time to mentally run through an ordinary day from each address under consideration. This often reveals more than a quick visit.
Phuket: looking beyond the sea view
Phuket is an island in southern Thailand, on the Andaman Sea. Its beaches and districts present very different atmospheres, from a lively, touristy side to a quieter, more residential one. A fine view does not tell you everything about how a place to live actually works. To compare two addresses, look at access, surrounding services and the journeys required day to day. An isolated property may be pleasant for a stay, but restrictive for shopping, healthcare or a late return. Conversely, a very busy area offers services but variable peace and quiet depending on the season. The island is home to both apartments within residences and villas. For a villa, identify the maintenance needs of the building and the outdoor areas, which require regular organisation. For a residence, examine the services and their cost. In every case, have it set out in writing what is included and what falls under a separate contract. The nature of the right on offer must be read carefully, always distinguishing a firm term from a renewal that is merely envisaged.
Koh Samui and Pattaya: two atmospheres, two logics
Koh Samui is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, with a more relaxed pace than some very busy areas. Access is often by air, which weighs on the organisation of a regular stay. Villas and residences do exist there, but the island's logistics deserve an honest examination: supplies, remote maintenance and seasons all influence daily life. Pattaya is located on the east coast, close to the capital. Its road access makes it a practical destination for frequent trips to and from Bangkok. The supply of apartments there is considerable and atmospheres vary greatly from one area to another. As elsewhere, two homes comparable on paper may correspond to opposite living environments. For both these destinations, the approach remains the same. Connect the city to your actual use, then compare expenditure on the same basis. Ask for the available information on charges, insurance, equipment and management. Distinguish recurring costs from one-off expenses, and keep every answer in writing. This discipline makes comparisons reliable, whatever the city.
The right on offer changes everything, whatever the city
Before deciding between two destinations, first identify the right you are buying. A unit in a condominium, a villa on a land lease and an operating contract are not equivalent. The format varies by city and by development. For a condominium, an eligible foreigner may acquire a unit in a registered building, within a legal limit set out by Thai law, expressed as a share of the floor area of units held by foreigners. Check the availability of this limit at the time of transfer, the title of the unit and the documents required. A hotel room or an apartment being marketed does not in itself prove the existence of this right. For a villa, the ordinary-law property lease has an initial term set by law. A listing referring to several successive renewals does not constitute an acquired right for the entire cumulative duration. Have the registration, the rights over the construction, subletting, assignment and death examined. Our cautious reading consists of calculating the firm term separately from the renewals envisaged. Direct land ownership by a foreigner is in principle restricted, with regulated exceptions. A purchase in the name of a Thai spouse does not thereby make the foreign spouse an owner. These points must be validated by an independent local lawyer.
Give a clear shape to your search
Once you have defined how you will use the property and understood the right, structure your approach. Prepare a short list of essential criteria and another of preferences. Add your timetable, your envisaged budget and the documents already received. This basis makes it possible to compare the options consistently and to identify the questions still open. If financing is involved, treat loan assumptions separately from offers actually received. A lender's agreement and the legal validations must precede any commitment that depends on them. Likewise, commercial income announced in an operating contract must not be treated as guaranteed rent. Ask who operates it, what you own, the authorisations, the costs and the limits on personal use. Finally, bear in mind that the rules evolve and vary from one case to another. Tax residence, the nature of the income and the method of ownership drive the analysis. The France–Thailand convention allocates taxing rights, but does not mean a general absence of reporting in France. Have the local and French consequences quantified before committing. During an initial exchange with Jonathan Lombi, these elements make it possible to compare cities and developments without haste, and to entrust the remaining checks to your local professionals.
Before choosing a city
- Clarify how much time you will spend there, with whom and at what time of year
- Connect the destination to your travel and to the services you will need
- Identify the right on offer: condominium, land lease or operating contract
- Compare charges, insurance and management on the same written basis
- Distinguish the firm term of the right from renewals merely envisaged
- Have the title and conditions validated by an independent local lawyer