Thailand, Where Real Estate Properties Hold the Promise of Profit and Pleasure

        There's a saying, “Getting a house in Thailand is so enviable." Thailand is one of the best places for living and real estate investments in the world. The country attracts international expats, travelers, teleworkers, and retirees because of various unique advantages. An example is Phuket, a tourist island in Southern Thailand, known as ‘the pearl of Andaman’.

Phuket is cozily spacious and very close to the mainland. The distance from Phuket to the mainland is only 1.5 km. long, just a 3-minute drive on a sea-crossing wide road bridge. The island consists of 3 districts. The population size of Phuket is about 500,000, and its population density is 750 people per square kilometer. The island, roughly as large as Singapore, is surrounded by 32 smaller islands. Phuket is generally as cozy as Nice, its central zone is as vibrant as Las Vegas, and it is as enjoyable as Macau for shopping and food lovers. 

Overall, the prominence of Thailand is its natural beauty (ocean and mountains), low living cost, convenient lifestyle, and generous society. The following describes reasons why international real estate investors have shifted their focus to Thailand. 

 
1. Low Living Cost   In addition to the beneficial currency exchange rate (US$1 = 34-35 Thai Baht), people love Thailand because its cost of living is low (around $550 – $3,500 per month), depending on your budget. With this rate of expenses per person, you gain all your basic needs. You can enjoy a comfortable life with low energy prices—the electricity is cheap and reliable, no energy cost for winter survival. 

 
2. Plentiful Food Thailand is an agricultural country; food security is its major strength. In particular, Phuket is a part of the tropical, fertile coast, so you can fancy fresh, abundant seafood, fruits, and vegetables at reasonable prices, a lot cheaper than food in European countries. There is a traditional vegetarian festival yearly. Thailand restaurants serve various kinds of meat and seafood, the Thai Buddhist eating culture is open to various kinds of meat. Generally, the food is clean and hygienic; the food standard is legally controlled by the central and local governments. 

Besides the traditional Thai cuisines, you can easily find international restaurants, encompassing  Japanese food, Chinese food, Western food, Indian food, and American fast food. Thai convenience stores, such as Seven Eleven Minimart, offer cheap croissants, pastries, and bread daily. Choices of foods and restaurants in Thailand diversify in both quality and quantity. Each basic meal costs 100 baht or only US$3. All in all, Thailand has very strong food culture, you can find street food and coffee shops everywhere. 

3. Relaxing and Beautiful Atmosphere If you want to escape from crowded commercial cities or cold winter, Thailand is a good choice. Southern Thailand has beautiful beaches, crystal sea water, abundant tropical plants, and undersea coral gardens. Nice sea breeze and spectacular oceanic views give special relaxation to visitors on vacations and people who work anytime, anywhere. Also, for health purposes, like retirees and patients, the natural environment and the climate of the tropical country can give them fresh energy and new strength. 

4. A Variety of Fun Activities Apart from exploring stunning beach scenery, there are many things to do for fun during a long stay. Sea tours in Phuket, for example, include traveling to islands or provinces nearby by private jet or private yacht, diving, yacht parties, speed boat driving, jet-skiing riding, paragliding, cycling along the beaches, playing golf, and so on. 

Phuket’s city center is modern and commercial, you can find both world-class department stores and outdoor local markets which offer goods ranging from luxury brand-name products to local exquisite handmade products. As for the nightlife, sleepless people may go to pubs, bars, night markets, and theaters with a wide range of art and cultural shows. The charm of Thailand is the variety and diversity which can fit diverse lifestyles and various kinds of tourism. 

5. International Environment and Warm Social Life Though Buddhism is the main religion of Thailand, non-Buddhists are not subject to discrimination. Well-established Christian churches and magnificent mosques can be found throughout the country. Thai society is open for other religions, and Thai Buddhism is not very strict. Religious practice relies on personal faith. International residents in Thailand usually organize events and activities to harmonize their groups. You can meet foreigners everywhere in Phuket and the Thai middle class can speak English. Though Thais’ English is not fast and fluent, Thais tend to have a service mind and empathetic kindness. So, in such a social environment, international people no way feel solitude.

6. Convenient Transportation In Phuket, tourists normally get around by car, motorbike, tricycle(tuk tuk), and van. There are many rental booths and shops offering new cars and secondhand cars. Phuket has an international airport with direct flights to major cities in Thailand and other countries. It takes just an hour by air to Bangkok. In addition, a boat trip is another choice to enjoy a sea tour. Marine transportation is also popular, such as ferries, yachts, long-tailed boats, and speed boats. Also, there are a lot of pickup and airport transfer services as well as private tour guides which can be booked online. Thailand is a transportation center of the region, so it is easy for tourists and residents to connect to other major cities in Southeast Asia and East Asia. 

7. Decent Accommodation Real estate developers in Thailand take advantage of low construction costs, especially labor and logistic costs,                                                    while Thai architects can present their modern works of art with a balance of comfortable elements and beautiful essence. Thailand has a wide range of real estate choices, prices depend on location, construction materials, and design. Many villas and residences in Thailand won                                                                    world-class awards  in design.

Thai architects and interior designers have an international worldview, their constructions generally meet the expectations of foreigners, while they follow the rules of laws to prevent the cost of deconstruction and damage. Construction companies strive for a better standard to take  a further step than many of their competitors. 

Most accommodation achieves a standard level of cleanliness and safety guaranteed by SHR certification. Accordingly, you can find clean and tasteful residences with impressive service management in Thailand. Of course, the prices vary, depending on the level of standard you specify. 

 
In Southern Thailand, the quality of life includes low pollution. Phuket has no industrial factories and no power plants on the island. Although the sunlight outdoors is quite strong, the air conditioners keep the building inside cool, and it’s windy all day and all night. 

 
8. Flow of International Tourists The constant increase in foreign tourists is an indicator of the opportunity for real estate rental business. In 2023, 28 million foreigners arrived in Thailand and 8 million of them visited Phuket. The Thai government aims to welcome more than 100 million tourists per year by 2032. 

Phuket News [Phuketnews.com] revealed since 2019, “Phuket has the highest number of visitors per square mile per day than any other tourist destination in the world, according to a new report by specialist travel insurance intermediary Columbus Direct.” This survey is supported by the news article, “Phuket: Most visited tourist destination of 2023,” presented by News Indian Express. It confirms the statistical record, “Thai island of Phuket has been found to be the most overcrowded tourist destination this year(2023), beating Venice and Miami among other famous places!... Phuket had 118.5 travellers per resident, while Pattaya and Krabi had 98.7 and 72.2 travellers per resident, respectively.” Based on these data, most residences in Phuket tend to have quests all year round. 

  The Thai government continues the infrastructure construction projects to serve the flow of tourists. Because of various elements for becoming a pleasant and convenient place for living and its capacity to serve international tourists all over the world, real estate speculators can expect an upside in prices and value of real estate properties in the next few years. 

9. Privacy and Social Security According to the statistical report about the crime index by country in 2022 by Numbeo.com, Thailand is ranked 95th among 142 countries. This number is also statistically supported by a survey by Statista which shows that the crime rate in Thailand has steadily decreased since 2017. Also, during wartime in other world regions, Asia is considered  a safe zone. Among major cities in the world, Thailand’s safety is rated at a medium level (travelsafe-abroad.com). The risks comprise rainy thunders, nightclub drunken confrontations, and road accidents. Overall, the Thai communities are quite safe and satisfactory.

It is an overestimation to say, “there is zero crime”; however, the Thai police are reachable and the majority of Thais are harmonized and unaggressive. Despite the flow of tourists, Thailand is still spacious and cozy. Moreover, Thai culture recognizes self and other spaces, that is, the personal territories are well protected by laws and traditional customs. To clarify, Thais are helpful when they see that you are in trouble, and they know when to step away for your privacy. 

10. Modern Education All major cities of Thailand, including Phuket, have standard kindergartens, international schools, and universities with international programs. If education for your children is your concern, you will be happy with this fact. When your family moves to Phuket, your children will have a lot of educational choices in the international community. Some of the world-standard institutions also established                                                                            their branches in Thailand. 

11. Supportive and Friendly Community  According to the cultural study by Hofstede, Thailand has a feminine culture. Thais are service-minded by nature and they are trained about generosity, (“nam jai” in Thai means water from the mind. This concept explains the softness of the heart which can share or understand other people’s trouble) Happiness from making other people happy is the key social value that sustains the Thai interdependent society. When you ask them, “Where is this shop?”, they probably say, “Get in my car, I can take you there free of charge.” Thais see that to give is happiness and to help other people can give Thais a sense of fulfillment.

 
In Thailand, you may hear a popular word that influences Thai mindset, “Jai Dee” (kind / good heart). You will often see Thai faces with big smiles, as the national slogan, “Thailand, the land of smiles.” This is why retirees prefer to live in this supportive social environment.

12. Hub of Health Services Thailand has gained international recognition in the health industry and management. According to the survey of the health care index by country in 2024 [Numbeo.com], Thailand is ranked ninth among 94 countries. And the US magazine, CEO World, placed Thailand sixth on the 2019 country list with the best healthcare systems. 

 
Thailand’s medical science and nursing education as well as hospital services have been remarkably developed across the country since the reign of King Rama IX (1927-2016) whose parents were a doctor and a nurse. Many of health-related projects were launched, along with supporting higher education in public health and medical science domestically and internationally. Currently, one of the present Thai government’s focal policies is health service; therefore, the development in medical service continues. 

Many modern treatments in Thailand cost about 20 % less than their prices in the United States or Europe. Foreigners reveal that Thai health service management and medical advancement are internationally competitive—the same level of medical technology, better services, lower prices. The government also realizes this strength and continues advancing its medical tourism, targeting the travelers who visit the country for health purposes, such as organ replacement, operations, cosmetic surgery, and wellness healing.

 
Both private and state hospitals in Thailand offer services to foreigners. The accessibility to doctors and health services in Thailand is flexibly easier than in other countries. Also, in general cases, clinics and pharmacies in all sub-districts are easily accessible. 

 
By supporting factors as explained, there is a tendency that Thai real estate will be in high demand. The country is the top destination for tourists, the nice home for retirees, and the ideal workplace for business people, organizational staff, and freelancers. Regarding real estate investment, it would be a good life if you enjoy your stay on the one hand and enjoy profit speculation on the other. Our job is all active movement for your real estate goals.