Rem November 2015

REm

Trend 7 New Nordic’s

spa, fitness and hotel concept

thailand • pattaya edition

With special 10% rental guarantee for 10 years Issue 174 | November 2015 | www.remthai.com

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who is who • commentary

Publisher/Editor Mesiya Watson may@realestatemagazinethailand.com Sales and Marketing Pure Phanthong Tel: 087 618 6486 pure@remthai.com or purephanthong@gmail.com Wongduan Roberts Tel: 087 535 8096 duan@remthai.com or realestatemag@hotmail.com Office/Accounts Tel: 038 406519 or 08 6335 2474 dear@remthai.com Web address: www.remthai.com Publisher Pattaya Property Consultants Co Ltd 21/27 M5 Soi Nern Plub Waan Nongprue • Banglamung Chonburi 20150 Tel: 038 406519 or 08 6335 2474 Printer Royal Siam Printing Services Co Ltd 68/5 Jomtien Villa M1 • Jomtien Beach Rd Na Jomtien • Chonburi 20250 Publication Licence Number: 2/2549 Disclaimer: All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the editor.

The publishers are not responsible for any error contained within the magazine. They also accept no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the advertisers or writers. The views of correspondents are not necessarily those of the magazine.

Articles are produced containing upto-date information to the best of our knowledge. However, we accept no liability for information contained within any article.

Copyright © Real Estate MAGAZINE Thailand 2015

Developers unite?

I was chatting to a developer a few weeks back when he told me that there are times when he wished the developers of Pattaya would get together to form their own association.

While my initial reaction was to say that I doubt it would ever happen – given too many vested interests – I thought about the subject more a little later and I believe it merits some further consideration.

The developer in question (who shall remain nameless) confided in me that he usually discusses the subject with other developers when he meets them at social occasions Dave Buckley when some wine is present.

But, like many a true word being spoken in jest, I talks about am a believer in the in vino, veritas Latin saying which the possibility translates as “in wine, truth”. In other words sometimes of developers one can be more frank when drink reduces inhibitions.

How would the association work? I asked him. “Mainly co-operating as a lobbying body,” came the reply. “I really think there are times when dealing with officialdom that speaking more closely with a united voice would be in the best interests of all in the future quality developers in the city,” he added.

He went on to say they he envisaged that the fees for membership of the association would go towards paying for legal consultation and representation, public relations activity and provide support (perhaps only moral) for members of the association who were struggling to gain approvals to proceed with their projects.

If such an assocation were to really work would membership of it help weed out the few unscrupulous scammers I wondered? “Well to be a member would require a good record of completed projects or convincing financial backing,” my nameless developer replied.

Could developers pull off the conjuring trick of being true competitors and still help each other? I am of the opinion that if certain prominent projects fail – for whatever reason – then the impact on the property industry overall in the city could be unpalatable. Maybe it is worth further scrutiny. Not my call. l I was sorry to be told that after 30 years of doing business in this city NT Asia (or Northern Thai to most old Pattaya hands) was closing its doors opposite Royal Garden Plaza. At one time the company had plans for three or more offices around the city. Now they have none.

I first met NT boss John Seymour at a Lighthouse Club evening.

Remember those? We got on well and have remained good friends to this day so my sadness is genuine. But, as he says on Page 6, one can’t continue to throw money at a loss-maker.

Why did it start to lose money? Well first I want to say I don’t believe that NT is alone in finding business tough at present. But the Thai company lost something when NT decided to branch out into the Philippines – John!

I can’t go into the specifics of NT Asia’s problems. But, as an interested bystander, I think a lot of the reasons can be covered by the old adage: While the cat’s away the mice will play. And before the lawsuits start flying let me make it clear I am not referring to all NT staff. Success in the Philies, mate.

3 REM 11/2015

Managing Director Dave Buckley Tel: 087 988 0799 dave@remthai.com

Our team

Since 2001 – Thailand’s first English language property magazine

contents • leisure

cover story

off-beat

Many healthy options at Trend 7

Craig is not a gadget man

47 • craig speaks out: The new Bond film,

Spectre, starring Daniel Craig is out this month. We discover how little he and Bond have in common.

12

Trend 7 will be the number one destination for New Nordic guests looking for luxury spa and fitness facilities, they say. It will be the best place to work out and relax on Pratumnak Hill, all under one roof.

54 • ‘steak’ his reputation: This month the Food Freak visits News Steaks & Grill (formerly News Cafe) on Thappraya Road, Jomtien. To say

that

suitably

he

was

impressed

is something of an understatement.

4 REM 11/2015

06 28

East Coast open new office, their third, on the Dark Side of Pattaya.

They’ve been held up for a while but now One Tower is cracking on.

14

Sedona has been voted

38 • in praise of whisk(E)y: This bottle cost more

the

than Bt6m when bought at Singapore Airport a few

area’s

Best

Villa

project. We find out why.

years back. We look at the story of having wee dram.

advertisers • page numbers

AAAA Property

33

Arcadia Beach Continental (HH)

41

BBX Thailand

72

Biz House

50

Centara Avenue Residence & Suites (Tulip)

18-19

Centara Grand Hotel (Tulip) Inside front cover, 63 Centara Grand Residence (Tulip) City Center Residence (Matrix)

52-53 Card flap after 40

Coastal Real Estate Dusit Groups Euro Design

Back cover 61

FARANG Services

4-5

Gecko Properties

11

Gio Home Kitchen

55

Global Property

57

Golden Tulip Hotel & Residence (Tulip) Green Field Villas 5

8-9 58-59

Lake Side Court 5

43

Murphy’s Bar

42

New Nordic

Cover, 44-46

North Beach (Nova)

37

Office for Interior & Architecture

25

Orient, The (Matrix and Nova)

7

Pattaya Digital Signage

70

Pattaya Realty

17

PFS (Pattaya Foreigner Services)

62

Real Estate Broker Association

76-77

Real Estate in Pattaya

67

Real Radio Thailand

56

Riviera, The – Jomtien

27

Riviera, The – Wongamat

6 REM 11/2015

39

3

Sands Condominium

51

Sedona Villas

15

Town & Country Property

21, 23

Waterfront, The (Tulip Group)

30-31

Willows, The

70

news • property differing fortunes among the city’s real estate brokers

East Coast are expanding One of the city’s longest established real estate brokerages – East Coast Real Estate (ECRE) – have opened a new office, their third, on Soi Siam Country Club in East Pattaya, the socalled Dark Side.

At a time when other brokerages are closing (see below) the boss of ECRE David Gray has decided that the climate is right to add to the company’s offices on Second Road and in the Jomtien Complex.

David explained: “Business has been good for us recently rental-wise.

When I told people about our plans to open another office a few looked at me as if I was crazy. But we are doing well and it makes good sense to me.

“We felt that it was important for us to set up on the Dark Side for two reasons, both to do with time.

“Once the extent of the delays caused by the underpass works on Sukhumvit became clear we realised that every time our staff travelled to East Pattaya they were losing a lot of time – and time is money.”

He added: “The second reason is linked. We wanted to make it easy

for our customers to continue to do business with us. So rather than expect our Dark Side customers to negotiate the traffic problems we decided to come to them.”

While other brokerages have relied heavily on off-plan sales ECRE has preferred to deal with completed condo units and houses.

“A lot of our business is rentalbased,” said David. “Providing a good service for both owners and renters had led to a lot of good word-of-mouth recommendations for us.”

The company started trading in Pattaya 18 years ago when there was only a couple of villages on the Dark Side worthy of the name.

“At the time there was fewer than 10 other brokerages in the city. It was something of a step into the unknown,” said David.

“Many of our Thai staff have been with us for more than 10 years. Clients like that sort of continuity and so do I. Any staff member is capable of handing any situation. It has been great to see them progress as individuals as the company has developed.”

8 REM 11/2015

NT Asia and Colliers are closing NT Asia, formerly known as Northern Thai, have decided to close their Pattaya operation after xx years doing business in the city.

The brokerage was among the first, if not the first, to open here.

Over recent months the company have tried to introduce measures that would allow them to continue to trade but these have proved inconclusive so the decision has been taken to cease trading here and to concentrate on the Philippines part of the business.

Managing director John Seymour said: “This is a very sad day, but we simply couldn’t keep pumping money into a loss-maker.

“For me, personally, it was a very difficult decision to make. I wasn’t involved at the start of Northern Thai

in 1985 but I joined just a few years later and it has been my working life ever since.”

John (right) decided to expand the business in 2009 by establishing a new office in Angeles City in the Philippines. There NT Asia have successfully added other non-property interests to their core business.

“The reasons behind the decision to close are many and varied and perhaps it is not a good idea to expand too much upon them. Let’s just say that some of the reasons left me with a pretty sour taste in my mouth.”

John added: “What saddens me most is that I have a great love for Thailand in general – and Pattaya in particular. The thought of no longer trading there is a sickener.”

l Another company to have opted to close their doors in Pattaya are Colliers International, the brokerage with interests around the world.

The company have run their operations from three different locations in the city – initially in Jomtien close to Chateau Dale, then opposite Central Festival Shopping mall on Second Road and, most recently, in Welcome Town.

Of the three, the unit facing Central Festival generated the most “walk-in” traffic but Colliers rejected the terms for renewal of the lease and opted to move to the newly-created Welcome Town off Pattaya Central.

Colliers International Thailand will continue to trade in the kingdom from their base in Bangkok.

events • promotions

12 REM 11/2015

Month of familiar favourites

As high season gets under way ... and the weather is meant to improve ... there are certain events you can count on in the month of November.

Early in the month up until around Armistice Day (on the 11th of the 11th) events are held to promote the work of the British Legion.

Late in the month is the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show, the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival and, let’s not forget, the Loi Kratong water festival.

Let’s take them in order. There are at least two British Legion events.

The first takes place at the Khao Kheow Country Club golf course on Friday 6th. Appropriately called the Poppy Golf Tournament, it is run by the Royal British Legion Thailand and the Thai Veterans Hospital.

Tee off is at 10am and the format is a two-ball, better ball stapleford. The entry fee of Bt2,200 will cover green fee, caddy fee and souvenir shirt.

The presentation of prizes will be the following day (Saturday 7th) at a buffet held in the Tavern by the Sea at the Amari Hotel starting at 7pm.

The start is, we suspect, timed to allow Legion supporters to also attend the Apple Honey Community Fun Day from 2pm-6pm in Welcome Town, the new parade of shops found a little way down Pattaya Klang.

As the name suggests the sponsors of the fun day are the Apple Honey company which has been importing cider into Thailand for the past dozen or so years.

Entry is free and the afternoon promises special promotional prices on cider, a BBQ with food from The Sportsman pub, a drinking competition plus games and prizes.

Rose, who is a familiar face in the city, will be playing music and singing along to a few of the tunes. Families are very welcome.

Seek blessings This year Loi Kratong falls on November 25 and, for the uninitiated, the festival involves people gathering close to a stretch of water to launch their kratongs and to seek blessings from the water spirits. Big gatherings usually take place on Beach Road and Lake Mabprachan, Est Pattaya.

When floating a kratong with a loved one try to make sure that his/ hers stay alongside yours. If they drift apart some believe that the two of you will also drift apart!

The following day (26th) sees the start of the four-day Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show. The show will be open from 11am to 8pm each day with the exception of the Sunday when 6pm is the scheduled end of the event.

Among the activities this year will be free yacht cruises, power boat demonstrations, kayak trials, super car and bike test drives and a networking party. A live band will

 Kratongs are launched to seek blessings.  For the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show the programme of events starts at 11am on Thursday 26 November although the official opening ceremony will be between 5-6pm later in the day.

A business networking cocktail party is scheduled to take place between 5-7pm the following day.  Sir Elton John will perform in Bangkok late in the month.

Details of published events are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change without notice. Readers are advised to check with event organisers.

entertain visitors on the middle two days (Thursday and Friday).

On the 28th and 29th the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival is due to be held on Beach Road although you are advised to check nearer the time as we have also seen it advertised for the 27th and 28th.

It’s important because the second day of the event is when the competing countries put on a big full 45-minute show.

Several hotels along Beach Road offer great vantage points from which to view the fireworks. A restaurant booking should ensure a good spot.

Spectators for both Loi Kratong and the fireworks festival are advised to not try to park too close to Beach Road for either event. Driving into the centre of the city is likely to be a chore and getting away may pose an even bigger challenge. It’s a time when motorcycle taxis and baht buses to come into their own.

By the way also on the 7th the MiXX Discotech at the Bali Hai Pier end of Walking Street will be holding its 8th Anniversary Party.

Special guest DJs are being lined up, there will be giveaways and everyone will get a free welcome drink. MiXX was voted best nightclub in Thailand for three consecutive years starting 2012.

Finally, Sir Elton John is due to perform at the Impact Arena in Bangkok on Thursday 29 November as part of his “All Hits” tour. Ticket prices start from Bt2,000.

cover story • dave buckley

Trend 7 Condominium will offer many healthy options New Nordic a step closer to becoming fully integrated resort

T

14 REM 11/2015

he chief executive of the New Nordic group is a man on a mission. Kurt Svendheim wants to provide a fully integrated resort for his company’s guests and owners and the introduction of latest project – Trend 7 Condominium – will take his company another step closer to achieving the goal.

Trend 7, combined with their Atrium condominium, will mean that New Nordic projects will form a complete link between Sois 4 and 5 on Pratumnak. Atrium will add a supermarket to the NN offering; Trend 7 will see a major spa and fitness centre all under one roof.

Already there are plenty of places to get a massage with NN projects but the spa in Trend 7 will take things to a whole new level.

Start date The company are describing it as “New Nordic Spa, Fitness and Hotel Concept” and work on it is due to start next October with a planned completion in December 2017.

Investors might be interested to know that units in Trend 7 are available with a special offer of a

10 per cent rental guarantee for 10 years. There are also cashback offers in place but it’s best that you let NN staff explain these to you.

Prices start at Bt2,727,000 for a 30.30sqm studio and rise to a little less than Bt7m for a top (7th) floor two-bedroom unit measuring 58sqm.

Super suite Apartments are mainly studios with just four one-bedroom units (45sqm) and nine two-bedroom ones. There will be one super suite on the fourth floor with its own private pool. The unit will measure 131sqm and has a price of a just more than Bt17m.

Trent 7 is, as you might expect, the seventh building in the Trend Village which, when complete, will total eight blocks.

It will come under the wing of Hotel Concept Anita and, when finished, it will have an entertainment complex and shops, restaurants and bars totalling 50 outlets.

“We are keen to provide a complete resort experience for our guests,” said Kurt. “Of course we want them to experience the many special things that Pattaya and Jomtien have to offer but, if they do

Communal pools On floors five and six there will be communal 10 x 4 swimming pools and the top floor will have a large rooftop communal area.

Kurt added: “Trend 7 will be the number one destination for New Nordic guests looking for luxury spa and fitness facilities. It will be the best place to work out and relax on Pratumnak Hill, all under one roof.”

Foreign quota is available on many of the units in Trend 7 which will bring the number of NN projects in the area to well in excess of 50. |

15 REM 11/2015

not wish to travel too far, we want guests to be happy in the knowledge that everything they need is within a very short walking distance.”

Trend 7 will be set next to Trend 1 and will have a total of 46 units available. On the first floor will be a 68sqm fitness area plus parking and the building’s reception area.

One floor up is the main fitness/ gym area measuring 265sqm and the rest of the second floor will be a large spa and massage area of 458sqm.

The accommodation starts on the third floor and will cover a total of five floors.

special report • dave buckley

Providing the complete package – that’s the ‘secret’ behind Sedona’s success

16 REM 11/2015

W

hen interior designer Nancy Srikumpol-Jacobs and her husband Mitch first saw the Soi named HuayYaMook out near Lake Mabprachan back in 2000 it was one of the few roads in the area that was tarmacked though it had jungle on either side. They decided to buy six rai bordering it.

Now, 15 years on, those six rai (plus another nine added later) are home to Sedona Villas, the project voted Best Villa – Eastern Seaboard in the recently announced 2015 Thailand Property Awards.

Sedona comprises 16 plots which are all sold with completion of the final one expected at the end of the year. However, if the idea of buying from an award-winning developer appeals, there is good news – Sedona Villas II, with a maximum of eight plots, is underway just a few hundred metres back down the road.

“The land for phase II cost us quite a bit more per rai than the original price back in 2000,” said a

spokesperson for the Jacobs family.

“But I suppose to some extent we are a victim of our own success. We have played our part in making this a desirable soi to live in so we had to expect that further land purchases would be more expensive.”

For the Jacobs, once they had decided to build more villas, they felt that HuayYaMook was their only real choice.

The family has grown to love and appreciate the area and they also live in one of the houses on Sedona I. Handily placed Five minutes away is the Regents International School which means they are handily placed for Highway 7 which wasn’t there, of course, when they bought the land.

The fact that they live “on site” is seen as a bonus by the other owners and tenants.

“It meant that we were especially keen to ensure everything was just right or as right as anything can be,” said the spokesperson. “We haven’t

We haven’t encountered any major problems but anything that does crop up is responded to on the same day and resolved as quickly as possible.

encountered any major problems but anything that does crop up is responded to on the same day and resolved as quickly as possible. We have our own construction team full of specialists which helps greatly.”

But let’s rewind a little to the start of the Sedona story. Back in 2000 the Jacobs were here on holiday and looking for property that would allow them to settle in Thailand. They just had to figure out how to do it. Nancy is Thai, her husband is American.

They were living in California when they bought the land here.

“We were surprised to find a paved road far removed from other houses out in the countryside,” said the spokesperson.

They moved to Thailand in 2006.

At first they were living in Jomtien but didn’t like the actual house so they bought a new plot in Jomtien to build their own and almost sold the land that Sedona now sits on. But then they thought “let’s build out here”.

An extra nine rai had become

18 REM 11/2015

special report • dave buckley

available right next door to the six they already owned which probably help them to decide.

When the family lived in Jomtien many people told them that they would move out eventually and they were proved right.

Nancy provided many of the designs that have helped Sedona stand out from them rest but they needed help on the building side of things.

They gained valuable experience in Jomtien where they got a “break”.

They met up with a Thai working as an assistant contractor. “He wasn’t happy to be a No 2 so he started working for us and he is still with us today. He brings a lot to the team,” said the spokesperson.

The word “team” cropped up a lot in our conversation. The developers of Sedona are confident they have a good team put together and a part of the rationale behind launching phase II was the fact that they wanted to keep such a good team together.

The Jacobs place great belief

in allocating each task to the right person and making sure everyone pays attention to detail.

“The team must produce everything to our standards,” the spokesperson added. “The work we do on our houses is a constant process of improvement and our team has also improved over the years. It’s been good to watch the lives of our team improve too.”

Plenty of privacy Based on their California experiences the family believe in only producing single story homes on decent sized plots that offer plenty of privacy.

That said, they feel they have been successful in building a good community when folk can easily mingle when they want to but can be private when they close the door.

I asked why the developers thought their project had been the judges’ pick.

“We offer the complete package,” came the reply. “Each home is well laid out, there is great landscaping,

We feel it is our obligation to meet customers’ expectations.

It’s vital that the buyers get what they want and are happy as a result.

we use quality products and we pay a lot of attention to details for such things as the electricity and the plumbing, for example.

“No pipes are buried in the ground in case they need attention.

Electricity cables are ducted up the side of the houses and dropped down through the ceilings.”

As one would expect the second phase will include improvements and new developments.

Prices will start around the Bt15m mark for a three bedroom dwelling rising to around Bt30m for a four-bedroom home on a rai of land with guest houses and a separate maid’s unit.

“We feel it is our obligation to meet customers’ expectations. It’s important to deliver what we promise.

It’s not like a car you can test drive.

When you pay a decent sum for a house it’s vital that the buyers get what they want and are happy as a result,” concluded the spokesperson.

Obviously the judges of the Thailand Property Awards agreed! |

irregular columnist • bart walters

American journalist, licensed Realtor and property investor Bart Walters has lived in Thailand for more than 13 years, in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya. Bart publishes his inside views on the Thailand property market in various print and online publications including International Living and Escape From America. He can be contacted at bkkbart@gmail.com

Pardon my enthusiasm There’s a silver lining in the cloud of smoke

I

22 REM 11/2015

t can be easy to become frustrated and get into a commiserating bitch session with fellow Pattayans.

There’s the constipated traffic, endless road work and perpetual construction. There are tepid high seasons, lower low seasons and illiquid property investments.

Dressing for my first networking event in more than a year, I put on nice pants and happy face. I thought for sure I would have to endure more than one such session on the night.

I thought for sure I’d have to keep my true feelings inside. If misery loves company, it absolutely abhors optimism. It seems that I was in for a pleasant surprise.

Rising tide September’s Movers & Shakers shindig was held at Mantra, everyone’s favourite venue. The house was packed, the food spot-on and everyone who never attends was on hand. Spotting an old acquaintance who owns rental condos, I braced for a little ranting and raving. I assumed all the issues existing this time last year had festered and boiled for 12 months.

He started by gleefully telling

me how his building was surrounded 340-degrees by frenetic condo construction.

He joyously described how he awoke every day to the “Song of Pattaya”. Tile saws buzzed, cranes groaned, and hundreds of chattering workers scurried about seven days a week starting at 7am and ending never.

The dust, the noise and the limited access to his condos had rendered them virtually un-rentable and unsellable.

“You seem to be taking it well,” I muttered and braced for a nasty anti-Pattaya tirade. His goofy grin got even bigger when he explained he had gone on-line to have a look at the two mega-projects being erected around him.

Both were in full swing and would be 100 per cent complete in a year. Both were backed by renowned and reliable developers.

Both were selling at a brisk pace.

And most importantly … both were at pre-construction sales prices morwe than a third higher than his five-year-old neighbouring units had been assessed. He cheerily chirped: “A rising tide lifts all boats mate.”

Tile saws buzzed, cranes groaned, and hundreds of chattering workers scurried about seven days a week starting at 7am and ending never.

It appears his neighbourhood was on the way up. He had slashed his rental rates to account for the construction inconvenience, filled his condos with tenants and was happily riding out the dust storm.

Getting there I found myself in similar conversations all night long.

A property agent operating near Najomtien couldn’t stop talking about the Utapao Airport expansion and was now referring to it as the Pattaya-Rayong International Airport.

He said AirAsia flights were already arriving from Kuala Lumpur and Thai AirAsia is now flying to two cities in China. The former US air base would soon be able to handle three million arrivals per year. The conversation moved from one transportation project to another. High-speed passenger trains from Bangkok … a railway depot … deep water port expansion … it was an infrastructure bonanza.

We ended up in a serious discussion about the long awaited “underpass” or “tunnel” project on

irregular columnist • bart walters

24 REM 11/2015

Sukhumvit Road right in the middle of Pattaya. I remembered talk of this years ago, but apparently it is here and happening.

I’d avoided the area all month as I’m sure it is a traffic nightmare, but my friend was extolling the virtues of the massive undertaking (pardon the pun) finally ending with: “We’re getting there. It’ll be great when it’s finished.”

Doing it right Caught up in the euphoria, I found myself jumping in with my own optimistic comments. For the past few weeks I’ve noticed what’s happening in Jomtien, both at the beach and down Jomtien Beach Sai 2.

Plowing up kilometers of sidewalk should be nothing to write home about in Pattaya; it happens everywhere on a daily basis. An army of workers jamming plants in the ground in an attempt to “beautify” an area is usually no big deal. Most of the time is an uncoordinated and sloppy effort left undone and unsightly.

Not this time. When you have a team of folks that routinely win the most coveted awards in the world for horticulture and landscape, you should use them right? That’s exactly what’s been done in Jomtien as platoons of workers from Nong Nooch Land and Garden Design Company descend on the beach and the roads.

A Bt270m beautification project started in April and will continue through March 2017. The walkways extending from Dongtan beach

all the way to Chaiyapruek Road are being widened, evened up and actually made accessible for handicapped visitors.

What’s more, the median between the four (and sometimes six) lanes of Jomtien Beach Second Road are in the process of being planted with gorgeous palm trees and shrubs. It even appears that there are moves being made to make paved cross-overs at strategic locations. The facelift goes all the way from where Thappraya Road connects with Third Road to the southernmost intersection of Jomtien Sai 2 with Sukhumvit Road; more than four kilometers of street lights and palm trees!

But, what really lifted my spirits is the manner in which it’s all being done. This isn’t Uncle Jaroon with a pick-up truck full of Cambodians carrying hoes and machetes. These are organized crews with all the proper equipment, moving at a brisk pace, cleaning up after they finish an area. They even have a huge buslike vehicle equipped with portable toilets for the workers. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling to see city planners finally doing it right.

Locals buzzing When I engaged a group of Thai professional business ladies in polite conversation, they were equally animated. From the political landscape to local developments, they are all upbeat about Pattaya and Thailand in general. It should come as no surprise they are excited about the news a Bangkok-based group has

When you have a team of folks that routinely win the most coveted awards in the world for horticulture and landscape, you should use them right?

bought the old shopping complex located on the corner of Pattaya Second Road and Pattaya Nua close to teh Dolphin Roundabout and plan to build a Terminal 21-style shopping mall with a luxury hotel. Driving by later in the week, I could see the demolition had already started. When the locals start buzzing, you better believe things are happening.

Normally when I experience optimism on this level, it is with regard to one particular project or development and soon fades. But, I must say this seems quite widespread and genuine. When people start seeing coordinate infrastructure projects and legitimate efforts to support and sustain business growth, they get excited.

It all reminds me of Bangkok just before the BTS Skytrain opened for business. In a country filled with people known for “living in the moment”, Pattaya planners seem to be looking towards the future.

Yes, I still hear some boo-birds and negative Nellies. It is always more difficult to be positive about the future. Bad news travels fast and attracts more listeners who will regurgitate it. I choose to look at Thailand’s resilient track record and feel hopeful.

So, the next time you see me and want to engage in some oldfashioned Thailand bashing, please keep your negative rhetoric to a minimum. I respect the opinions of others, but am prepared to respond not-in-kind. And if we don’t agree … by all means, pardon my enthusiasm.

Bart Walters

green issues • office for interior & architecture (O-I-A)

After a break of a few months REm owner Dave Buckley resumes the series of articles in which he talks to Elmar Kleiner (right), the head of the Office for Interior & Architecture company, about how green issues can, or should, influence modern architecture and how we live. This month we look at an important exposition held recently in Bangkok.

Showcasing the best in innovation

A

26 REM 11/2015

couple of months back Elmar Kleiner and his OIA (Office for Interior & Architecture) company participated in TIDE 2015, the Thailand Innovation and Design Expo at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok.

They attended the event as part of a delegation from the GTCC (German-Thai Chamber of Commerce). TIDE, which was in its second year, is organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion. It has already become the country’s leading exposition of

its kind for innovation, creativity and design.

In attendance was Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha who opened the event before handing out TIDE 2015 awards.

But the prime minister’s involvement didn’t stop there.

Accompanied by a full delegation he took time to visit many exposition booths including the GTCC one.

“He talked to just about everyone and showed a lot of interest,” Elmar said. “We displayed an impressive physical model of our latest green industrial campus project. I hope to

Above: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha with award winners.

Below: The Prime Minister talks to GTCC director Dr Roland Wein.

Elmar Kleiner from OIA is seen towards the back with Markus Probst from ACI Enterprise Co Ltd.

be able to tell you more about it in a future issue.”

TIDE is about all aspects of innovation and design – not just green projects.

“Most of the exhibitors come from the field of product design.

It is about fashion, furniture and lifestyle in general,” said Elmar. “At OIA we think it is excellent to take part given that we also take time during TIDE to look around other booths and pick up ideas. I saw a few innovations which may help us with future projects so being part of the expo is well worthwhile.”

news • property

Riviera Group return to Mantra to host dinners for real estate brokers

28 REM 11/2015

The Riviera Group may have bowed out as title sponsor of the Movers & Shakers with a grand finale at the Mantra Restaurant in September but the event did not signal the end of the company’s links with the venue.

Soon after M&S they staged three Exclusive Agent Dinners on September 30th, October 7th, and October 10th.

As the name of the events suggests, the group played host to representatives from real estate agents in the city.

Above, left: Sukanya Gale presents a Lucky Draw winner.

Above, right: Sukanya and Min provide answers at a Q&A session.

Below, left: Agents register for the event.

Below, right: Min presents to a full house.

Each dinner allowed Riviera to host up to 30 agents and their staff. Attendees were a mixture of Thais, Russian, Chinese and other International brokers.

Warm greeting Early on each evening agents enjoyed plenty of wine and cocktails along with a warm greeting from The Riviera Group’s Sales & Marketing team members.

During dinner, agents were given a presentation and information that

will assist them in working with The Riviera team.

Members of Riviera’s in-house sales and marketing teams as well as Khun Sukanya Gale were presented to the agents.

Those familiar with the Riviera Group will know that Khun Sukanya is developer Winston Gale’s right hand woman whose knowledge of their projects is encyclopedic.

Earlier in the year the developers staged a lunch for agents in Jomtien which was also a great success.

special report • dave buckley

One Tower Pratamnak aims to be well worth waiting for...

30 REM 11/2015

T

he walls of the bedroom in One Tower Pratamnak’s showroom have several mottoes depicted on them in a very tasteful way. If it’s not already on there I would respectfully suggest that they add one more – good things come to those who wait.

Why? Well, unfortunately, the tower was held up for two-and-a-half years in its bid to get Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval.

But now the project has gained the necessary approvals they have gone full steam ahead on building the tower in Soi 4 Pratamnak.

Last month, when they organised a special showing for the members of REBA-ES (Real Estate Broker Association), the building had reached the 16th floor and is certain to be higher by the time you read this.

“We had to wait for the approvals to get funding from Siam Commercial Bank to enable us to start building,” a spokeswoman for One Tower told

me. “But now, as you can see, we are making good progress and we expect to complete at the end of next year.”

In total the project will have 216 units ranging from studio through to three bedrooms. Prices start at Bt84,000 per sqm and there is no price different between foreign and Thai ownership although the repayment schedules do differ.

Quality upgrades “While we were waiting for the approvals we took the opportunity to upgrade the quality of some of the materials used,” said the spokeswoman.

These upgrades are especially noticeable in the kitchen area where the units have been improved to have high gloss finishes.

The location of One Tower is a key selling point. It lies close to the bottom of Soi 4 opposite the Asia Pattaya Hotel’s nine-hole par three golf course and about 100 metres

Onecondopattaya. com is the project’s website and more information can also be gained by ringing +66 (0) 91 452 1111.

This page: A bird’s eye view of the site.

Facing page: Various pictures showing the interior of the showroom.

from Dongtang Beach. So owners on the Soi 4 side will have views over the golf course and beyond.

“The beach has clean water and no speedboats are allowed,” said the spokeswoman.

From the sixth floor and upwards owners in One Tower Pratamnak will have sea views.

To the rear of the building lies a project of completed villas which should ensure unobstructed views for the foreseeable future.

The spokeswoman continued: “It is truly an elegant location just five minutes from the city in one direction and Jomtien in the other. There is no confusion about finding the project – it’s very easy to locate.

“We believe we are offering great prices given Pratamnak is a soughtafter location.”

At present the showroom is separate just a few metres further down the road but the plan is to relocate it in the building itself once

more floors have been completed.

The building will have a 13m x 8m communal pool on the 13th floor and two penthouses with their own pools are also included in the plans.

Among its other facilities there will be a sundeck with panoramic sea views and a fitness centre plus sauna and steam rooms.

Add to these a coffee shop, children’s playground, and modern, luxury lobby and the picture is almost complete.

Parking spaces One Tower will offer plenty of parking spaces with four storeys devoted to parking and several bays dotted around the building.

Security will be via a CCTV (closed-circuit television) and a keycard entry system. The building will have three high-speed elevators.

The project is named after the owner whose Thai nickname, Nung, translates as “one”. |

mystery columnist • our man at large

It’s big, it’s close and it’s getting ready to fly in more and more international passengers.

We refer, of course, to U-Tapao. The airport is currently building a larger terminal and if all runs true to plan (rarely a given here, admittedly) soon Pattaya will have a truly international airport virtually on its doorstep. Could this be the start of something good?

U-Tapao: A top flight project!

F

or quite a while now U-Tapao has been classed as an international airport in addition to being one of the key air force bases in Thailand. But, in reality, the number of international flights available have been minimal and often they are of the charter variety as opposed to scheduled flights.

But all this has changed this year with the number of flights departing and arriving at the airport increasing substantially.

34 REM 10/2015

Frontline bases The airport first came to prominence during the Vietnam War when it was one of the frontline US Air Force bases and home to B52 bombers. Landing strips suitable for B52s can usually cope with most types of aircraft!

It was during this time that Pattaya started to develop from a fishing village into something more akin to what we know today.

During the 2008 protests some major airlines used U-Tapao when the main Bangkok airport was closed.

Following this development plans really gathered pace.

The airport again made the news during the 2008 political protests when protestors managed to close the main airport in Bangkok. Some of the major airlines including Emirates, Air France and Cathay Pacific used the airport for a short period and it appears that this was when plans to develop U-Tapao further really gathered pace.

The airport already offers a number of domestic flights through operators such as Bangkok Air, Thai AirAsia and Kan Air with these flights already proving to be very popular and, indeed, more are planned. At present most of the internal flights are to southern Thailand although there are reportedly plans afoot to have flights to cities such as Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen in the north which would naturally be a big boost to both regions’ economies.

The ambition for the “new” U-Tapao airport is for it to be classed as Bangkok’s 3rd international airport after Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang

although in reality the airport is close to 200km away from the capital.

The current expansion involves the building of a new passenger terminal – something that is now well underway and due to open next year. The hope is in the longer term to attract some of the major international carriers to use the airport.

Charter flights Until recently U-Tapao has been mainly used for domestic flights and charter flights to and from Russia and China. Now that is changing.

AirAsia Berhad launched four flights a week to Kuala Lumpur back in July and its sister company Thai AirAsia started daily flights to China just last month.

The flights to China go to Nanning four times a week and Nanchang on the three infill days. These flights are expected to operate initially at around 70-75 pwer cent capacity with this increasing over time.

Although this may not sound

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mystery columnist • our man at large

36 REM 10/2015

a lot it is in fact a massive stride forward for the airport and with Thai AirAsia also announcing that they are also planning regular scheduled flights to both Singapore and Macau it really goes to show the interest the carrier has for the airport – so much so that they are planning to have two Airbus A320’s permanently stationed there by the end of this year.

Obviously there has been interest in developing the airport for quite some time with the resort city of Pattaya close by along with a number of industrial estates on the Eastern Seaboard.

It is actually calls from many of these multinational companies that have gone some way to encouraging the development to get off the ground.

Commuting time There have long been issues with the commuting time to Bangkok when an international airport was already just a few minutes away. An international airport close to these industrial estates can only increase their appeal – something that can only be a bonus for the country heading into ASEAN, whenever that finally becomes a reality.

As mentioned, one of the biggest

It would only take a major international airline or two to start using the airport for U-Tapao to become a very serious player on the world stage.

attractions is the city of Pattaya that is now welcoming an increasing number of visitors from China with the Chinese now forming the biggest group of foreigners coming to Thailand.

Given they tend to only come to the Kingdom for short periods it would seem only natural to try and make their journey as easy as possible. Everything needs to be done to encourage these tourists to come to Thailand as they are playing a huge role in supporting the local economy. U-Tapao is certainly doing all it can to try to drive visitors towards the resorts on the Eastern Seaboard.

It should also be noted that the development of the airport is happening very quickly and it would be fair to say with quite considerable success.

Plans have long been mooted about a high speed rail link between Bangkok, Pattaya and Rayong as well as developing other infrastructure such as the road network. Obviously these things will also be of huge benefit to the area but the fact that the expanded U-Tapao airport will be completed long before many of these other projects even get underway is a real credit to all those involved.

Hopefully we will see the airport continue to expand and evolve. If this happens it will of benefit to everyone in the Eastern Seaboard and will show that the area is flourishing.

Serious player It would only take a major international airline or two to start using the airport for U-Tapao to become a very serious player on the world stage.

Perhaps this won’t happen in the next couple of years but who knows what may happen some 10 years down the line?

As always space is running short.

U Tapao airport is expanding all the time and along with it the number of visitors who are coming to Pattaya.

Tourism is booming again in the city albeit perhaps not among some of the dominant groups of the past.

Whichever group you may be part of it is important to recognise how the area is evolving. So until next time, keep enjoying the Land of Smiles! l When I think of the name U-Tapao it always reminds me of the British pop group T’Pau, named after a character in Star Trek. The band’s biggest hit was China in Your Hand.

I hope that proves prophetic – Editor.

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health • dr iain corness

Dr Iain Corness (left) is a medical doctor who has worked in the UK, Europe and Australia, before coming to Thailand in 1997 to become a consultant at the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (email: inquiry@bph.co.th). He has been writing for newspapers and magazines since 1967 and is currently a special correspondent for the Pattaya Mail, technical editor for Asean Autobiz, and contributor to many coffee table magazines in Thailand.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

I

38 REM 11/2015

have it on good authority that we are all going to die. That’s you, Auntie Annie and even me. OK, that is something we all consign to sometime in the future, and anyway, I’m not ready to die yet. I believe that if you can’t take it with you, then I’m not going!

So if we are all going to die, and since, in general, we are older than our Thai wives, we can expect to rock up to the pearly gates first to be fitted up with a harp and a comfy cloud.

Unfortunately, while it may be ethereal up there, you may have left bedlam down here. As well as grieving wives and family you may have left a financial mess.

Answer this question: When you die, how does your wife get the money necessary for daily living?

Was this something you paid her each month, like a salary? But now you’re not there to pay that salary.

Where does your money come from? A pension or superannuation

Remember that we are talking about terminal situations here. Not situations from which it would be reasonably expected that you will recover.

that is paid regularly directly into your account? And does your wife/partner have any access to that account?

Then there’s wills. If you die without making a will (intestate) then everyone hops in for a slice of the action, right the way through to the gardener and the soi dog. Sorting that lot out takes months (sometimes years), and money is not dispersed until all claims have been verified.

(You can relax a bit here – the soi dog won’t get anything.)

Unable to function But there’s another important will here – your Living Will. You are ensconced in the intensive care unit (ICU), unconscious and unable to function on any level. Who has the authority to tell them to pull the plug?

If you don’t nominate somebody in your Living Will then nobody has the authority. And while your body is lying there, the medical taxi metre is ticking away.

However, there is confusion in

the minds of many people, as to what a “Living Will” actually is and what it covers.

Remember that we are talking about terminal situations here. Not situations from which it would be reasonably expected that you will recover and still have a good quality of life.

A fractured hip when you are 90 is serious, but, provided you are healthy otherwise, then it would be expected that you would recover.

You would still be able to have a beer with your mates or play Scrabble or whatever your pursuits were before the incident.

In other words, the expectancy of a reasonable quality of life is there.

However, if you are in the terminal phase of metastatic cancer, which has progressed despite treatment, the future quality of life is not there.

Artificially prolonging life under that situation is then covered by your Living Will. |

one man’s view • dave buckley

the buck stops here ... a random selection of stuff and nonsense (Pt 1)

In praise of whisky...

E

40 REM 10/2015

Straight or just a mug?

I suppose it’s something of an affectation, but I really don’t much care for being served beer in a mug. It takes all sorts, as they say.

Recently I went into a restaurant and was offered a chilled mug (nice touch) but it’s hard to describe how nasty it looked – sort of dimpled at the top and a cut-glass style base. Horrid!

Some readers might say: What difference does the shape of the glass make as long at the interior is clean?

To me that’s like saying to a top chef just bung the food on the plate any old how as long as it tastes good.

I believe how a drink looks is important. I don’t drink Guinness because I don’t like the look of it. My loss, almost certainly.

When given a mug I grip it around the glass, not by the handle, and hold the handle furthest away.

So this is a call for glasses with a bit of style.

The one for the Belgian beer Duvel (pictured) is great or am I just being a mug for some clever marketing?

ver had a swig of a Dalmore ’62? Me neither! Could be because the price tag was a cool S$250,000 (approx Bt6,345,000) when a bottle was sold at Singapore Airport a few years back.

It is said that only a dozen bottles were made in 1962 so I hope it’s fair to say that the high price owes much to its rarity though one would hope that it also tastes pretty good.

I’ll probably never know.

Why am I bringing this up in my column? Well, the Dalmore gets a favourable mention very early in one of my favourite movies of the year – Kingsman: The Secret Service. If you, too, are a fan, look for a sequel in 2017.

The spy spoof film (see a still from it above showing Jack Davenport as Lancelot) shows a lot of whisky and brandy drinking maybe as a nod to James Bond’s shaken, not stirred martinis.

By the way the latest Bond movie, Spectre, is out very early this month in what is thought to be Daniel Craig’s last stint as 007.

But, back to whisky. Once you start looking up things on the Internet it is very easy to get sidetracked. For

example ... I’ve never fully understood why some spell whisky without an ‘e’ as the penultimate letter and others add it. I’ve always thought it was a Scottish/Irish thing and, to a degree, that’s true.

Who really gives a stuff?

Well apparently some serious whisky (no ‘e’) drinkers took the New York Times to task for spelling it with an ‘e’ (whiskey), which is the American way of spelling it.

The newspaper subsequently changed its tune to take into account the country of origin.

How to remember The article I read offered a fairly simple way to remember which is which. Countries with an “e’ in their name (such as the United States and Ireland) spell it whiskey; those without (such as Scotland, Canada and Japan) have no ‘e’ – whisky.

In fact more than 20 countries produce whisky in one form or another. Thailand weighs in with Hong Thong and Blend 285 though I’m not sure either should be mentioned in the same article as Dalmore ’62. Bit of a gulf in class and price. Other so-called Thai whiskys such as Sang Som and Mekhong are actually rums given that molasses, not grains, are the prime ingredient.

I tend to find some of the cheaper (Scottish) whiskys a little on the harsh side though when one gets onto the malts the flavour and mellowness certainly improve. I can drink a malt on its own but Johnnie Red, for example, needs a coke or soda to take the edge off it for my taste.

At the risk of losing Scottish readers, my whisky preference could best be described as bourbon. Scots probably wouldn’t even call it a whisky.

I was a little dismayed to read that the makers of my favourite – Jack Daniel’s – insist on its being described as Tennessee Whiskey, not bourbon. A bottle of JD No 7 offers infinite cocktail possibilities ... give me a Lynchburg Lemonade and I’m a contented man.

some (in)famous whisk(e)Y quotes and jokes Thoughts on whiskey: “I’m on a whisky diet. I’ve lost three days already.”

– Tommy Cooper, British TV comedian (right) “The water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable, we had to add whisky. By diligent effort, I learned to like it.”

– Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister “There is no bad whiskey. There are only some whiskeys that aren’t as good as others.”

– Raymond Chandler, novelist and screenwriter

“I’m a beer man. I tried to drink whiskey and Scotch, but I don’t get it. It smells like a girl who didn’t shower and just splashed a lot of perfume on.”

– Mads Mikkelsen, Danish film actor “Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whiskey is barely enough.”

– Mark Twain, American author and humourist “Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and, furthermore, always carry a small snake.”

– W C Fields, American film comedian (left)

one man’s view • dave buckley

the buck stops here ... a random selection of stuff and nonsense (Pt 2)

Fall from sporting grace

I

42 REM 10/2015

Please read the whole email text We live in a slapdash, throwaway, “I have the attention span of a gnat so will only read the first 20 words” type of world. And it’s getting very frustrating.

I cannot count the number of times I have sent a business message to someone and they only answer one of the points raised in it.

If you have been the recipient of such an email and are sitting there thinking, “is he having a go at me?” don’t be so touchy.

I’m having a go at just about everyone in business.

The other day I sent a message to someone saying that I would leave a parcel outside my office door overnight so it could be collected at any time the next morning. The messenger turned up two hours later and was unimpressed when the parcel was not ready.

So, please, read the whole text and answer all the points, not just the one(s) it suits you to answer.

don’t intend to get involved in a “who invented what” type debate, so I will just say this: Way back in the mists of time England was highly instrumental in promoting the sports of football, cricket and rugby to the world ... and now we are crap at all of them!

I really can’t begin to explain how badly I feel about making that statement, but the facts in relation to World Cups bear out my assertion.

Examine them...

Football: In the recent World Cup in Brazil they didn’t get out of the group stage.

Cricket: In the one-day version of the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand they didn’t get out of the group stage.

Rugby (Union): In the World Cup held on England’s home patch they didn’t get out of the group stage.

Now maybe the English did not invent these games. China lays claim to starting football (or soccer as Americans prefer to call it); Belgium thinks they got cricket under way; and there are even those who would dispute that William Webb Ellis got rugby going.

To me these are moot points. What, I hope, is indisputable is that for each of these sports England was an early front-runner in the

development of them and now they are among the also-rans.

England have won the football World Cup just once – in 1966. Since then they have never reached a final.

England have never won the cricket World Cup. They have reached the finals three times (1979, 1987 and 1992) but were the bridesmaids on each occasion being beaten by the West Indies, Australia and Pakistan in that order. The closest we came was in losing to Australia by seven runs.

England has won the rugby World Cup once – in 2003 when they edged out Australia in extra time. The English have been finalists on two other occasions.

It is possible to contend the southern hemispere now dominates all three sports.

Sure Germany are world champs at football. But look at these stats. The football World Cup has been played 20 times. It has been won on nine occasions by countries from South America. Additionally, five teams from the same continent have been finalists.

In cricket there have been 11 World Cups for the 50 overs game and Australia have won it five times and been runners-up twice.

In rugby there have been seven contests (not including the 2015 final which happens after we go to press). Of the first seven New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have each won twice. At the time of writing it is almost certain one of these three will have completed a hat-trick, Argentina permitting.

So why have England slumped so badly? I’m sure you can offer your own thoughts.

I can’t pinpoint when or how things started to go bad.

But I will opine that they started to go downhill more rapidly when some politically correct idiots started taking the competitiveness out of school sports in case the kids got upset about losing.

If you want to win big finals you need your youngsters to grow up to be winners!

EY house

Security

star interview  by lex martin / The Interview People

Daniel

Craig...

Early this month the 24th film in the James Bond series – Spectre – will have its worldwide release. The movie sees Daniel Craig making his fourth appearance as 007. Many rumours are circulating that it may be his last although he is contracted to do a fifth. Lex Martin from The Interview People speaks to Craig about the stresses of the role...

Lex Martin: Are you aware of your sex appeal? Because there are a lot of women out there that might want to marry you...

Daniel Craig: I have been married for five years (to actress Rachel Weisz, The Mummy, Enemy at the Gates, The Constant Gardener for which she won an Oscar). And I try not to be aware.

The enemy of acting is too much selfawareness. So I try not to be aware of my physicality. I try to get into shape, and Bond is a part where you get to wear suits and try to be cool, but that can be a very dodgy line to walk down.

You’ve got to try to be as natural as

I f***ing hate gadgets.

Modern life sucks.

you possibly can. Bond should look easy, and that’s the hard work.

LM: Are you a gadget fan, do you like driving?

DC: You mean do I do James Bond stuff in my normal life? Not really. I have a couple of nice cars. But I don’t drive them particularly fast because we’ve got kids and there you go. If I am on my own I might drive a bit fast, but don’t tell the wife.

LM: Do you like gadgets?

DC: I f***ing hate gadgets. Modern life sucks. All this s**t drives me f***ing insane. I have a simple phone and I wish I didn’t have a phone. I

All this s**t drives me f***ing insane. I have a simple phone and I wish I didn’t have a phone.

am on e-mail because I have to be on e-mail. That’s it. Because I don’t understand social media and what that’s about. And I am happy not to.

Nobody gives a f*** what I think about that anyway. I just don’t get it.

It’s a generational thing and I become the old man in the woods screaming with the axe: “Get off my property”.

LM: But there seems to be more gadgets in the film...

DC: Bond gadgets are a different deal.

They are something that play into the plot. We got some more, definitely.

LM: Can you tell us about them?

DC: God no. We just spent two and a half years working on the film, I can’t just give it to you now. You have to wait and see.

LM: What kind of traits do you share with James Bond?

DC: Nothing at all. I like drinking, I like nice suits, I like nice cars. 

49 REM 11/2015

Not a gadget kind of guy

star interview  by lex martin / The Interview People

50 REM 11/2015

LM: Were you a troublemaker when you were a child?

DC: I was an A student. I was top of the class.

LM: Really?

DC: No. I wish. I wouldn’t be doing this job. I would have gone to university and gotten a proper job. A doctor! I failed miserably at school. That’s why I became an actor.

Boyhood dream?

LM: Did you dream of becoming James Bond?

DC: No. I used to play James Bond when I was a kid and I used to play Spiderman, Superman and everything.

It was not a boyhood dream to be James Bond. It was not an actor’s dream to be James Bond. I had no desire to do it. I thought the idea that I would be cast in this part would be ludicrous. There you go – 10 years later.

LM: When you start working on a new Bond – is it like coming home?

DC: It’s quite stressful, because the first thing you have to do is to think up an idea – what is the script going to be about and what way you are taking the story. You do a lot of work where there are many versions of this script. My office, there is a huge pile of Bond scripts – all different.

LM: In what way are you involved with the development of the script?

DC: Every way I can. I couldn’t do it otherwise. It’s an eight month shoot.

And I need to know what is going on.

But even on a small movie I would work on a script for months and months before I start to film, so you are prepared when you start.

LM: Do directors like that?

DC: I don’t care. That’s the way I do it. I do my s**t, they do their s**t.

LM: You chose Sam Mendes (director), didn’t you?

DC: I just asked him to do it. I met him at a party where I had one too many beers and I was in a very good mood. I hadn’t seen him for two or three years. We sat down and chatted and caught up, and I just went ‘Do you want to direct the next Bond’?

And he went: ‘Yes’.

LM: Why did he say ‘no’ to Spectre initially?

DC: Time. The studio wanted to go straight away because of the success of Skyfall. And he didn’t. They were keen, as studios are, to jump on that kind of wave. There was not enough time. Sam had other projects he was involved with and he was right.

LM: With the films being more and more successful, is this more pressure for you?

DC: It is a nice pressure to have.

High class problem. Because you are working off success.

LM: The budgets are really huge now...

DC: That’s the privilege because movies like this are really rare. To get the chance to work on a movie where

Pictured across the top of the spread (from left): A chess scene from the latest Bond movie, Spectre.

When in Rome ... Daniel Craig with his 51-yearold Bond ‘lady’ co-star, Monica Bellucci.

Another scene from the soon-tobe-released film.

Mexico’s Day of the Dead parade forms the opening sequence for the new movie.

Far right: Léa Seydoux plays femme fatale Madeline Swann in Spectre. She is the third French actress to appear opposite Craig in his Bond films.

There have been nine in total.

there is a good budget, you have to be really f***ing careful. There is more pressure to get it right. Anybody can blow money. A bad movie would be a huge waste of resources, goodwill, hard work, so you have to spend the money in the right place and employ the right people and get the best team you can.

You owe that to the fans, to everybody.

LM: Monica Bellucci is cast as a Bond lady, not a Bond girl...

DC: There is no argument. We came up with her in the casting, and we said: ‘Do you think we should get Monica for this part? – Yes, of course we should. It’s brilliant idea. She is a phenomenal actress, beautiful, she fit the part beautifully.’ There was not a conscious ‘we must get an older Bond girl.’ It came out of the story, and we went ‘what a great idea’.

Misogynistic male LM: Some considered it revolutionary to hire an actress of her age...

DC: It’s sad that it should be. That disparity is crazy. And it’s difficult because we do Bond movies and we try our best – but Bond is a misogynistic male and within that we try and put very strong women around him so they can go ‘hey’ and he can go ‘oh, okay’. And that way we can hopefully get conflict. The industry is very off kilter age-wise.

LM: Does your character have more depth this time?

Good detective LM: What is it about? Revenge?

Patriotism?

DC: All of those things. Like a good detective he puts all the clues together and he goes after the top boss. This movie was a chance to do that. We haven’t really had the super villain in a Bond movie, so this was a chance to put someone very special in there.

LM: What is the secret of Bond’s success with women?

DC: I don’t know. He is danger. The fact that he has to leave. He always says he prefers married women, and I don’t know if that is true, and he brings a little happiness into their lives.

LM: It’s the third* time you have a French Bond girl with Léa (Seydoux) – after Eva (Green who played Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale) and Bérénice (Marlohe who was Severin in Skyfall).

Do they have something special?

DC: Yes! Very special.

LM: How do you kiss a French Bond girl?

DC: Same way you kiss everybody. I don’t distinguish nationality from the way you kiss.

LM: You said Bond was a misogynist...

DC: The original character was always that way.

LM: But he has a lot of fans...

DC: I don’t judge him. I play a character, that is my job, and I don’t judge the character. We do our best I think in these movies to balance it out. But the character should still be the character. And the conflict occurs out of the way he is. But he is not just that. He is other things as well. He is interesting. So hopefully with Monica we have raised the bar and I am very happy about that. We were not trying to do that, but if happens, then I am happy to join in.

LM: Is it true you have a cameo in the upcoming Star Wars movie?

DC: It’s the first time I have heard.

Talk to Simon Pegg.

LM: Are you confirmed for the next James Bond?

DC: I have not confirmed anything at all. * Ukrainian-born French actress Olga Kurylenko played Bolivian agent Camille Montes in Quantum of Solace so one could contend that Craig has had a French Bond girl in each of his four 007 movies.

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DC: In Skyfall Bond was playing catch up, he was chasing all the way through the movie and, in fact, failed, because she (M played by Judi Dench) died. So he didn’t save the day. In this movie we wanted to be on the front foot. In this movie from the beginning he knows what he is doing and he is one step ahead of the audience hopefully all the way through the movie – until it goes wrong. It’s a Bond movie!

motoring • dr iain corness

How I invented alternative fuels

A

52 REM 11/2015

lternative fuels are today’s buzzwords. The world has decided that the fossil fuel called crude oil is finite. We are going to run out of it very soon.

There will be (are) shortages and this will bring queues at the pumps and the price will go up, as does any commodity when it gets into

short supply. Like rice for example.

What about next year? We must find an alternative, and soon.

The impetus propelling us towards alternative fuels is then price. As the cost of gasoline goes up we look to see what else we can use. Gasohol is one of these, but it is not a new form of fuel. Quite the contrary.

Gasohol first became of interest in 1979, with much discussions regarding its production and use in 1980. In 1985, its use was put forward in Thailand, so gasohol is about 30 years old.

Wrong! I date gasohol back to 1960.

In 1960, I was the proverbial starving medical student. I had an Austin A40 and lived in a cheap flat. My car represented two years of celibacy as women cost money (they did then as they still do now). There was only one problem, I did not have enough money left over after cornflakes to put petrol in it for the week! Food was taken care of, but what about petrol?

The university provided the answer. I was forced to attend biochemistry classes once a week, and it was in the biochem laboratory that I saw these huge carboys filled with crude petroleum and crude alcohol (don’t ask me why they are called ‘carboys’ but apparently they have been known as that since 1753, so never say you can’t learn anything on these pages).

Free source In my impecunious state, I suddenly saw salvation. It was one of those ‘Eureka!’ moments that would later change the entire history of the world. If I could get my car to run on a

mixture of crude petroleum and crude alcohol, I had a free source of ‘petrol’ every Thursday.

The plan was hatched. Every Thursday I would park the A40 as close to the front door of the biochemistry lab as I could, and would remember my white lab coat. The pockets were large enough to carry one 500 ml flask in each, and it was a simple trip down the stairs to empty the flasks into the waiting Austin.

Many trips For those of mathematical bent, that was one litre a trip, and I could manage many trips in a three hour practical class.

My car ran, it could go one complete week on the biochem lab mixture, and I had, without knowing it at the time, invented ‘Gasohol 50’.

So there you are, gentle reader. Not only had I invented ‘Gasohol’, but I was doing my bit towards making for a cleaner, greener planet.

It is at times like this that I humbly feel that the Gasohol manufacturers should be beating a path to my door, by way of thanks, and delivering a small token of their gratitude into my bank account. Numbers with several noughts after them should be ample recompense for using my 1960 invention and producing it commercially 20 years later. I am sure you would agree. |

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l Located at beach entrance of Pratumnak Soi 5 l Featuring a 15th floor pool deck with stunning panoramic views l All units have sea views l 24-hr video surveillance l Four high-speed elevators l Wi-Fi and cable TV l Fitness and conditioning room l Five star lobby reception

Office 038 250 109 Mobile 092-484-6262 W: www.sandspattaya.com E: info@sandspattaya.com

Showroom open daily 10am-7pm

Prices start at only Bt2.5m

wining • dining

food freak 002 . . News Steaks & Grill, Thappraya Road

I’ll ‘steak’ my reputation on smiling Jack

56 REM 10/2015

This month an old friend offered to buy me a steak dinner. How often does that happen, right? He named the place and it was News Steaks & Grill (formerly News Café) on Thappraya Road in Jomtien.

Upon arrival, I realised that I’d been there before but didn’t recall why I didn’t remember … if you know what I mean.

A friendly young Swede named Jack Grinvold introduced himself as owner, manager and general person-in-charge. Jack was excited to see some big dudes come in and quickly ran through the list of He-Man hunger-stopping meals available.

The menu is impressive but not overwhelming. The “From the Grill” section features chops, ribs, lamb, and various fillets.

The “Main Course” section features European favourites like Weiner Schnitzel, Cordon Bleu and Swedish Meatballs. The “Imported Steaks” portion is a manual on how many ways one can enjoy New Zealand premium beef. Even the “From the Sea” offerings were impressive, featuring everything from Red Snapper to Snowfish.

My choice was the Greek Salad with the lemongrass marinated Beef Kebabs. I smiled knowingly when I saw the Greek Salad consisted of cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, onions, bell peppers, a liberal amount of feta cheese and most importantly … no lettuce. Fellow Food Freaks take note: Real greek Salad has no greenery!

Real passion To my surprise and delight the chef used big chunks of New Zealand beef and served them on a vertically hanging skewer! As a Food Freak, this kind of presentation displays a real passion for food and an appreciation for the customer’s dining experience.

The meat was a perfectly executed medium-rare and the mildly Asian influenced BBQ sauce was just the right accompaniment.

The following week, I returned by myself to get a beef fix and chose the Saltimbocca, a tenderloin fillet wrapped in Parma ham and served with vermouth sauce, olives, tomatoes and parsley fried potatoes. It is easily the most unusual and delicious use of premium beef I’ve consumed in recent memory.

Smiling Jack reappeared and had to endure my babbling tirade of compliments. He sat down and told me something I didn’t expect. He has never been in the food business before.

Basically, all his ideas about this restaurant are a result of his “customer’s advocate” mentality.

From the cool jazz oozing out of the sound system to the knowledgeable and friendly staff, I should have guessed this is a customer-driven eatery.

I took a walking tour of Steaks & Grill and realised that it has to be one of the biggest restaurants in town with seating for more than 150! It’s comfortable and well lit with indoor and outdoor seating. When the tour ended I had worked up just enough appetite for a generous slab of warm apple pie with cream sauce.

It was unashamedly decadent.

Good food … nice people. Go see Smiling Jack … Fellow Food Freaks he’s one of us!

Food Freak Out

advertorial • green field villas

Above: The A-type four bedroom, five bathroom style house.

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Below: The large lounge and kitchen featured in the A-type.

Green Field Villas – new variations on a successful formula

T

ucked away in the quiet eastern Pattaya suburb of Nongplalai is the fifth offering from Green Field Villas – an exclusive development of just 30 homes which ooze luxury and space to spare.

Despite its rural setting, nestling as it does in the angle formed by the intersection of highways 7 and 36, Green Field Villas 5 is nevertheless a mere 15 minutes by road from the centre of Pattaya.

Behind its 2.5 metre perimeter wall lies a development of one and two-storey properties brimming with elegance and luxury.

With construction now entering the final phase, demand for these spacious properties has been brisk

with Green Field Development Company benefiting from its hardearned reputation for high quality, European-standard construction acquired by its four earlier projects in the Pattaya area.

House types Green Field Villas 5 consists of 17 ‘A-type’ two-storey homes, each offering a huge 256sqm of living space, and 13 ‘B-type’ bungalows, nine of which are a new, L-shaped variation of the company’s popular and well-proven design.

A-type houses each consist of four bedrooms and five bathrooms, a car port for two vehicles, openplan kitchen and landscaped garden. All have uPVC windows and

doors imported from Germany and concertina-style flyscreens. Master bedrooms feature built-in, walk-in wardrobes and all bathrooms are fully-fitted with rain showers.

Other features include ceramic tiled floors, Cotto sanitary ware, granite staircases and CPAC tiled pitched roofs. Optional extras include a swimming pool, air conditioners and security alarms. The few remaining A-type units are being offered for sale with free, fully-fitted European kitchens. Plot sizes range from 156 to 212 talang wah (624-848sqm).

B-type bungalows feature an L-shaped variation. The top-of-therange B-type is constructed to the same high standard as the A-type with three and four-bedroom options,

each with three bathrooms and a twovehicle carport. Living space varies between 189 and 192sqm and plot sizes are 156 talang wah (624sqm).

The L-shaped variation has twobedroom, two-bathroom and threebedroom, three-bathroom options occupying between 60 and 127 talang wah (240-508sqm) and feature built-in furniture, fully-fitted kitchens, uPVC windows and doors, a one-vehicle carport and a landscaped garden.

Prices for two-storey houses start at Bt11m while top-of-the-range bungalows start at Bt10.7m. L-shaped bungalows start at Bt4.5m.

The development also features a clubhouse, communal pool, gymnasium, 24-hour security, CCTV, city water and underground electrics.

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The B-type bungalow has three- or four-bedroom options.

Below are two of the B-type interiors.

advertorial • green field villas

Here and below: The L-shaped bungalows exteriors and an interior.

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The people behind Green Field Villas are British architect Paul Barrett and his wife, Jan, who formed the company a little more than 10 years ago to develop and build Green Field Villas 1, a 57-unit village in Nongprue.

Open spaces Its success inspired Green Field Villas 2, located between Soi Khao Noi and Soi Nernplabwan. The project has plenty of greenery, open spaces and a well-maintained communal area reflecting the family feel that you get on all Green Field villages.

Green Field Villas 3 on Soi Siam Country Club offers a slight shift in design, reflecting changing customer requirements resulting for the 2008 global economic downturn when

the site was being developed. With 92 properties from shop houses and townhouses to three-bedroom bungalows, it is the largest of the five Green Field villages, although plots are generally smaller in response to the demand for lower prices at the time of construction.

Green Field Villas 4 is the most recently completed project. It is in Nongprue near the temple at the eastern end of Soi Nernplabwan and is the last word in luxury living with underground fibre optic internet cables to all properties.

Houses range from three-bedroom bungalows to luxurious two-storey, four-bedroom family homes, all of which are built on large plots with private swimming pools. |

l The head office of Green Field Villas Development Co Ltd is on site at Green Field Villas 5.

Address: 53/23 Moo 2, Nongplalai, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150.

T: 038 068 575/6; 086 788 3953; or 083 994 2373.

F: 038 068 575 E: greenfield@greenfieldvillas.com W: www.greenfieldvillas.com

Always a step ahead...

l l l l l l

Fine furniture products Smart furniture Custom kitchens Built-in furniture Home office Bedrooms

l l l l l l

Living rooms Carpets Interior design Lighting Complete renovation Developer supplies

T: +66 (0)92 272 8200 • E: info@euro-design-furniture.com

WWW.EURO-DESIGN-FURNITURE.com

sightseeing • attractions Bira International Circuit: is the only internationally certified racetrack in Thailand. Its extensive facilities include a full-service karting track, an off-road test track, and the FIA certified 2.41km racetrack. It can be found about 15km away on the Pattaya-Rayong Road (Highway 36).

Tel: 022 803 547/025 221 731/8 Flight of the Gibbon: this attraction is ranked highly on the Trip Advisor website list of things to do. Cheap it isn’t but most of the reviews rate the experience and commend the safety measures employed. It can be found close to Khao Kheow Zoo. Tel: 0899 70 55 11 or visit website www. treetopasia.com Khao Chi Chan: etched and filled with gold leaf, this Buddha is more than 100 metres high and is thought to be the largest such image in the world.

Next to Silver Lakes Vineyard which is also worth a visit.

Khao Kheow Open Zoo: 35 km north of Pattaya. A huge zoo with many animals that are on the endangered species list including six rare white tigers exchanged by the Memphis Zoo in the USA. Open daily 08:00-18:00. Tel: 038 298 188.

Koh Larn: is reached by ferry from Bali Hai pier or by speedboat. It has several beaches boasting white sand and clear blue water. The many activities include para sailing, snorkeling, jet ski, banana boat, swimming in tropical waters, and there is even a shooting range there.

Koh Larn is also suited for bicycling and hiking. www.kohlarn.com

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Million-Year

Stone

Park

and

Crocodile Farm: lies a 15 minute drive from central Pattaya. It features an exotic zoo, and crocodile, fireswallowing and magic shows, as well as the garden and stone park. Open 8.00-18:30. Tel: 03824 9347-9 or www. thaistonepark.org for information.

Mini Siam: is on Sukhumvit Road, surrounded by Soi 33. This model village celebrates the heritage of Thailand with miniature replicas of the most famous monuments and historical sites. Replicas of Tower Bridge, Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty and Trevi Fountain are also displayed. There is a small go-kart track. Open daily from 7.00-22.00. Tel: 038 421 628 for information.

Nong Nooch Tropical Garden: 163 Sukhumvit Road (15 minutes east of city towards Bang Saray). Beautiful gardens with waterfalls, “Cultural Extravaganza” performances four times a day. Tourists experience religious ceremonies, martial arts demonstrations, massages and elephant shows. Tel: 03842 9321.

Pattaya Dolphin World and Resort: a comparative newcomer to the scene and parts of it were yet to be completed at the beginning of 2013.

Recommended for families with young children but don’t expect USA-style shows. Tel: 038 051 790/6.

Pattaya Elephant Village: 7km from Central Pattaya on Phonpraphanimit Road. Shows daily at 14.30 and last an hour. A one-hour elephant ride is available from 8.00-17.30 and rafting, trekking (three hours including a meal) is available at 9.00, 10.30, 12.30 and 16.30. Tel: 038 249 818.

Here we list just a few of the things tourists and expats can do to make their time here more enjoyable ...

Pattaya Park and Tower: at Pratumnak features a large whirlpool with giant sliders and a tower with a revolving restaurant. Visitors can also enjoy several games and rides on the tower and in its playground.

Open daily from 10.00-19.00 (20.00 on Saturday). Tel: 03836 4110-20 or 02579 9612-4 or www.pattayapark. com for more information.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum: on the third floor of Royal Garden Plaza. Access from both Second Road and Beach Road. Open daily 11.0023.00. Tel: 03871 0294/8.

Sanctuary of Truth: this wooden giant can be found in North Pattaya.

The entrance is at Soi 12, Naklua Road.

Every inch of the building is covered with wooden carvings to reflect Ancient Vision of Earth, Ancient Knowledge, and Eastern Philosophy. It is open daily from 9.00-18.00 Admission is 500 baht. 038 225 407/038 367 229 www. sanctuaryoftruth.com Sriracha Tiger Zoo: a zoo with various shows at 341 Moo 3, Nongkham, Sri Racha (30 minutes away). It claims a population of 200 tigers and around 10,000 crocodiles, the largest of such in the world. Tel: 03829 6556.

Underwater World: on Sukhumvit Road 200 metres south of Tesco Lotus at Pattaya South has a collection of marine species from the Gulf of Thailand. Walk through the 100-metre long pedestrian tunnel and witness more than 200 species of fish swimming by. Open daily from 9.00-18.00 (last tickets 17.30). Tel: 038 756 879.

bars • restaurants

Bars Bamboo Bar: live music nightly in this busy bar and streetside lounge.

Close to Walking Street entrance.

Tel: 038 232 315, Fax: 038 232 315, email: bamboopattaya@hotmail.com Booze Lounge: situated on the Dark Side in Soi Khao Talo this airconditioned bar combines low prices with good music. Tel: 087 747 8555, email: info@loungebarpattaya.com Caddy Shack: as the name suggests, it’s a haven for golfers. Airconditioned with outdoor terrace and swimming pool and rooms to rent upstairs. 388/385 M10, Soi 17. Tel: 038 300 683, Fax: 038 300 682, email: enquiries@caddyshack-pattaya.com Green Bottle: cosy, well-run pub with a good reputation and central location. 216/3 M10, 2nd Road.

Tel: 038 429 870, email: dianagrp@ loxinfo.co.th Jameson’s: Irish pub with strong food offering. Popular with locals and tourists alike. Good place to unwind.

80/164 Moo 9, Soi Sukrudee (Soi AR) right next to Nova Park. Tel: 038 361 873-4 Fax: 038 361 873, email: info@ jamesons-pattaya.com

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Metro: an air-conditioned sports bar boasting free pool tables and numerous screens on which to watch top sports events. Soi LK Metro, 33/8536, Moo 10 close to Soi Buakhow.

Tel: 038 425 874, email: info@metroapartments-pattaya.com

Need to be fed and watered?

You’ll find a warm welcome at any of the following ...

Restaurants Ali Baba: Good quality Indian restaurant with a fine selection of authentic dishes. 1/13-14, Pattaya Central Road close to the beach. Tel: 038 361 620 Alt Heidelberg: German sausages and imported sauerkraut dominate the menu, good location. 273 M10, Pattaya Beach Road. Tel: 038 421 258 Blue Olive: Slightly tucked away off Thepprasit Soi 8 this restaurant it worth digging a little to find. Mediterranean food is the speciality. Chef also produces Mexican food. Tel: 038 416 285, email: blueolivepattaya@hotmail.com Bruno’s: Renowned for serving classy reasonably expensive French cuisine, more than 150 wines available. A place to impress. 306/63 Chateau Dale Plaza, Thappraya Road, Pattaya. Tel: 038 364 600-1, Mobile: 081 861 5612, Fax: 038 364 602, email: reservations@brunospattaya.com Cherrys: You get a lot for your money here. European and Thai food. Be careful not to fill up on the salad bar which is free when ordering a main course. Their buffet nights get crowded.

In Third Road. Tel: 086 3145819 Hard Rock Café: International restaurant cum bar with large cocktail menu and mainly American influenced cuisine. DJs spin discs and house band performs cover versions.

429 Moo 9, Pattaya Beach Road. Tel: 038 428 755, Fax: 038 421 673. Open: Mon-Sun 11.00 to 02.00

Punch & Judy: this is a London-style pub with good food and competitive prices. Frequent promotions. Almost opposite the Caddy Shack in Soi 17.

Tel: 038 413255

JJ Pizza Bar: authentic pizza cooked in wood fire ovens, reasonably priced.

325/85 M10, Soi Pattaya-land 2, Pattaya Beach Road. 038 424 128

Shamrock: fun and lively Britishrun ‘family’ bar, an oasis of sanity among the bars of Pattayaland, South Pattaya. Tel: 038 425 417 email: pattayashamrock@yahoo.com

Lobster Pot: huge restaurant serving all seafood, specialising in lobster and tiger prawns. Walking Street opposite Pattaya Soi 14, South Pattaya. Tel: 038 426 083

Witherspoons: A typical Britishstyle pub with inexpensive meals available while you watch the football on one of its numerous screens.

Rooms also available. Soi Buakhow near Soi Diana Inn. Tel: 038 721 121

Mata Hari: close to the Thappraya Road turn-off towards Pratumnak.

Specialises in fine European and Thai cuisine at prices less than you might expect. Tel: 038 259 799, email: info@ mataharirestaurant.com

Murphy’s Bar: described as a family sports bar and restaurant on Soi Khao Noi in East Pattaya. One of the few bars on the Dark Side to serve draught Guinness. Tel: 084 100 9016, www. murphysirishpub.asia.

PIC Kitchen: classy Thai food in a traditional atmosphere. Soi 5, Pattaya 2 Road. Tel: 038 428 374, 428 387, Fax: 038 422 773, email: picpih@ loxinfo.co.th Pig and Whistle: British pub grub in ample portions served by well-trained staff. 217/34 Moo 10, Pattaya City. Tel: 038 361 315, Fax: 038 361 272, email: info@pigandwhistlepattaya.com Queen Victoria Inn: traditional English pub with excellent menu and a good selection of imported beers on tap.

437/137-8 Soi Yodsak (Soi 6), Pattaya.

038 425 418, 362 523, Mobile: 086 060 6210, Fax: 038 424 941, email: mail@ queenvicpattaya.com Rice Mill: Cantonese restaurant offers dim sun and all-you-can-eat buffet on weekends. Royal Garden Plaza, 218 Beach Road, Pattaya. Tel: 038 421 120 Royal Cliff Beach Hotel: huge complex containing 10 restaurants, including the delicious Maharani Indian restaurant. 353 Pratumnak Road. Tel: 038 250 421, Fax: 038 250 511, 250 513, email: info@royalcliff.com Shenanigans: bar and restaurant serving traditional Irish pub-style fayre and drinks with daily food specials. In Jomtien Complex which also has daily promotions such as “Toss the Boss”. If he loses the drinks are on him. Tel: 038 303 490.

The Sportsman: traditional pub fayre with Thai food. Top Sunday carvery, extensive wine list and many imported beers. Soi 13, Beach Road.

Tel: 038 710 609 Sugar Hut Restaurant: in hotel of the same name, expensive, but worth it. Thai cuisine. 391/18 Moo 10, Thappraya Road. Tel: 038 364 186,251 686, Fax: 038 251 689, email: sugar-hut@cnet.net.th, open: 07.00-24.00

golfers • guide Many local bars organise golf days, often at better prices than casual golfers can negotiate with the course direct. If you plan to play regularly, consider membership of the Pattaya Sports Club as production of its membership card can help secure worthwhile discounts. The one-off registration fee is Bt400 plus Bt500 a year membership thereafter. Most golfers find they can save these sums within just a few rounds.

Bangpra International: is one of several five-star courses in the area.

This is an 18-hole, par 72 course with plenty of water on the front nine.

Clubhouse has been renovated in style – even the toilets are automated! Tel: 038 341 149-50 Burapha Golf Club: is a four-star, 36-hole, par 72 course. The Eastern course suits up-and-coming golfers, while the Western challenges the more experienced. Reserving a tee-off time is advised. Tel: 038 372 700-1

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Crystal Bay: Many palms has led to Hawaiian comparisons. Testing par 3s are a feature. Water adds to the look of the course, not just as a hazard. Virtually no rough. Good chance to play to your handicap or better. Tel: 038 349 370-80

Whatever standard you play to you will find a course to suit within an hour’s drive.

Here are just some of them.

designed this in conjunction with the late Desmond Muirhead. Many holes test accuracy, not length, of drive. Tel: 038 941 111 Great Lake: is a 36-hole, par 72, Nick Faldo design to the east of Pattaya.

The 120 bunkers, water hazards and lovely setting make this a challenging course at moderate prices. Tel: 038 622 630 Greenwood (formerly Noble Place): is well designed 27-hole, par 72 course. A well-kept course with few water hazards allows good scoring for high handicappers.

Tel: 081 484 9066, 081 484 9069 Laem Chebang International: in terms of course, facilities and expense this Jack Nicklaus-designed, 27-hole, par 72 course is one of the top ones.

Set in spectacular surroundings on mountain, valley and lake nines.

Carts are compulsory. Tel: 038 372 273 Pattana Golf and Sports Resort: Three nine-hole course – one of which features a par 6; another starts with an intimidating drive between two stretches of water that catches out many a high handicapper. The course is a par 72 set in more than 1,200 rai.

Tel: 038 318 999

Eastern Star: near Bang Chang is an 18-hole, par 72 four-star course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The course with a five-star clubhouse is set in an old coconut plantation and is popular with families due to its pools and sports club adjacent. Tel: 038 630 410-6

Pattavia Century (formerly Century Chonburi): Designed by Nick Faldo, this 18-hole, par 72 course, has recently undergone remodelling on some of the holes. And there is a new clubhouse to enjoy. Tel: 081 304 1545

The Emerald: Close to Bang Chang, Emerald is another course where Nick Faldo has left his mark. He

Pattaya Country Club: located 25 kms outside Pattaya on Route 36 is popular with expat golfers. This 18-

hole course gives value for money.

Tel: 038 423 718-9 Phoenix: not far outside of the city this offers a five-star clubhouse and a four-star, 27-hole, par 72 course which is found between Pattaya and Sattahip in a well marked turning off the Sukhumvit. The three nines are called Ocean, Lake and Mountain. Tel: 038 239 391-5, 239 400 Rayong Green Valley: this is a Wolveridge and Thompson course of 18 holes, classed as five-star for both the course and clubhouse (which it shares with St Andrews). Suits all handicaps, but beware the water. Tel: 038 603 000-5 Royal Thai Navy (Plutaluang): reasonable green fees ensure this 36hole, par 72 venue is well used but is rarely too busy. Feature holes include The Lighthouse par 3 surrounded by water. Tel & Fax: 038 246 056-7 Siam Country Club, Old Course: is a three-star, 18-hole course, a fourstar clubhouse and a five star price.

Gentle hills with large trees give it the feeling of Western golf courses. Host to the LPGA tournament early each year. Tel: 038 909 700 Siam Country Club, Plantation Course: 27-hole course opened in 2008 and is already regarded as one of the most difficult. Three holes share the same green – a first in Asia.

Carts are compulsory. Clubhouse is a delight. Tel: 038 909 600 St Andrews 2000: is considered one of the best in the area. This course is a serious challenge. Carts are compulsory. Boasts two par 6 holes.

Tel: 038 030 660-2

THE COOL BAR ON SOI KHAOTALO OPEN DAILY FROM 1pm • For more information call +66 (0)87 747 8555, + 66 (0)89 250 5691 or email info@boozeloungepattaya.com

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weekend traveller • bart walters

Lost and found – why Chinese

I

70 REM 11/2015

t’s been low season in Pattaya and with it comes the moaning and groaning about how empty the city is and what needs to be done.

The most recent wisdom is Pattaya needs to attract hoards of Chinese tourists like Chiang Mai. Thais and foreigners with tourismdependent businesses all think it’s a good idea to somehow do whatever it takes to get more Chinese tourists.

Last month I went up to Chiang Mai, a place I know pretty well, to see exactly how many Chinese were going there and what secret magic spell Thailand’s second city has over them.

I spoke to several hotel and restaurant owners inside the huge moat in the city’s centre known as “The Old City”. They were more than candid about how they felt regarding Chinese tourism in Chiang Mai. Not equal All agreed on one thing; all Chinese are not created equal. They draw a very distinct line of difference between mainland tour bus Chinese and all others. Hong Kong Chinese, Singaporeans, Taiwanese and independently travelling mainlanders are more rare, but infinitely more desirable.

According to Lester Smith, owner and operator of Seven Suns Residence: “The tour bus Chinese get

up early, eat the pre-arranged buffet at the hotel they are pre-booked into, ride the bus and go to the predetermined tourist attractions. Then they come back to their hotel, eat another pre-paid buffet and don’t really venture out.”

According to Mr Smith, the money they spend on their Thai holiday pretty much transacts in China before they leave.

Lester went on to say that he has hosted several parties of Taiwanese, Singaporeans and a few couples from Shanghai. “The big difference,” he added, “is they all speak English.”

Several other tourism-dependent business owners I spoke to echoed his sentiment. The bulk of mainland Chinese visitors speak no other language but Mandarin. Tourism operators in Chiang Mai are used to English as an intermediary language.

It is the main reason the big doubledecker tour bus option is so attractive to Chinese.

Lester also said almost all of his Chinese guests had booked through English language travel sites like Air B-n-B, Agoda or Expedia. They had, at the very least, a rudimentary command of the English language.

Tourism tips I asked if some of the other hotel owners in the Old City had any tips

Chiang Mai tourism officials widely agree that the doubling of Chinese tourism from 2011 to 2013 is largely due to this (Lost

in Thailand movie) phenomenon.

on how to attract and keep Chinese clientele. The responses I got were mixed. “They like the colour red,” said one restaurant owner “and menus with pictures”. And naturally, many business owners had signage translated into Chinese.

Still, I didn’t really get a feel for why Chinese tourists are so attracted to Chiang Mai, at least not in a way that could be emulated by Pattaya.

I always assumed it is because Chinese aren’t really beach people and that Chiang Mai is somehow more ethnically Chinese than other Thai cities. Then I talked to some Chinese tourists first hand and was stunned by what I learned.

Lost in Thailand Two young ladies from Shanghai were enjoying their lunch at a café across from Wat Chedi Luang in the Old City. I noticed them speaking English to the waitress, so I asked them how they liked Chiang Mai and how they knew about it.

“Oh, it is such a wonderful place … with so many temples … and really good food … and very nice people … and it’s where they made the movie,” said one.

“Movie … what movie is that?” I asked. They looked at each other and then back at me like I was an alien.

“Lost in Thailand … you don’t know

tourists home in on Chiang Mai

Things got really weird I was stunned and amazed by the sheer numbers, but I did some more research and that’s when things got really weird.

The popularity of this movie has resulted in large numbers of tourists from China flocking to the campus of Chiang Mai University which is featured in the film.

According to associate professor Rome Chiranukrom who is in charge of International Relations, Chiang Mai University’s peaceful lakeside

surroundings have become a top priority of places to visit in Thailand. Up to 500 Chinese tourists per day arrive to roam the campus, disrupt classes and even dress up in borrowed or bought school uniforms and attend classes. This bizarre costume-play is heartily encouraged in Chinese travel web-sites.

University officials site other problems caused by the tourists like traffic accidents, wrecked cafeterias and a group of squatters who pitched a tent and spray-painted the words “we are here” on the ground.

The university is rolling with the punches and announced it will start charging tourists to visit the campus. Mini-bus and bicycle tours are available for a fee.

Chiang Mai tourism officials widely agree that the doubling of Chinese tourism from 2011 to 2013 is largely due to this phenomenon.

Helpful suggestions So now I’m back with helpful suggestions for the tourism gurus in Pattaya. Besides painting the town red and teaching everyone Mandarin, we should immediately recruit a Chinese film company to shoot a movie on Walking Street. Something like a Chinese version of “The Hangover” would certainly go over big.

We live in interesting times.

Bart Walters

71 REM 11/2015

Lost in Thailand?” they giggled. I felt like the outsider to an inside joke.

Upon sensing my confusion, the young Chinese tourist did what a modern day person does; she pulled up the Wikipedia listing on the aforementioned movie with her i-Pad and handed it to me.

Apparently I’ve missed the biggest sensation to hit the cinema scene since Casablanca. Lost in Thailand is a 2012 Chinese comedy film directed and co-written by Xu Zheng. The film is about three Chinese men travelling in Thailand; two competing scientists searching for their boss, and a tourist eager to explore the country.

Lost in Thailand grossed more than US$200,000,000 at the Chinese box office and is the highest grossing Chinese language movie of all time.

72 REM 11/2015

broker & developer directory

Health, fitness, massages and spas will all play a big part in the success of the Trend 7 Condominium from New Nordic featured on 12-13.

Your at-a-glance guide to some of the major players in the Pattaya property market. We do not claim this is a comprehensive list of all the brokers and developers who can provide a service but we hope readers will find it helpful.

Sponsorship of this directory is now available. If interested to know more please contact Dave on

087 988 0799

agents agents •• directory directory

ACI Enterprise Co Ltd (incorporating ACI Ocean Properties) 672/20 M5 Soi 18, Naklua Road next to Northpoint, Wong-Amat T: +66 (0)38 41 6060 F: +66 (0)38 41 6061 M: +66 (0)81 762 2627 E: info@aci-enterprise.com W: aci-enterprise.com and pattayaoceanproperties.com Principal: Markus Probst Memberships: CRS, REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), NAR, CIPS Alan Bolton Property Consultants Unit C102 The Avenue Shopping Mall Second Road near Villa Market T: +66 (0)38 416 728-9 F: +66 (0)38 416 730 M: +66 (0)81 996 2489 E: info@pattaya-property.net W: pattaya-property.net Principal: Alan Bolton Memberships: REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), TREBS All Siam Properties M: +66 (0)87 068 5159 E: info@allsiamproperties.com W: allsiamproperties.com Membership: TREA Arise Asia 415 Pratumnak Hill Soi 6 T: +66 (0)38 075 610 M: +66 (0)85 228 8911 (Thanya) E: info@ariseasia.com W: ariseasia.com Principal: Thanyamai Totharong (Thanya) Memberships: CRS, REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), NAR, CIPS Benchmark Asia Property Co Ltd Soi Post Office T: +66 (0)38 304 133 M: +66 (0)81 792 9486 E: info@benchmarkthailand.com W: benchmarkthailand.com Principal: Gareth De Silva Memberships: CRS, REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), NAR, CIPS

glossaRY The following are among the trade organisation memberships or qualifications held by some of the agents. Note that, in some instances, the qualification is with the individual employee – not the company overall.

AIPP: Acronym stands for The Association of International Property Professionals which is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to improve the standards of professionalism in the international property market, helping both the industry and the public.

Members have voluntarily signed up to follow the AIPP Code of Conduct.

CIPS: Certified International Property Specialist – this is a members-only group which is for international practitioners of the National Association of REALTORS®.

CRS: Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) is the top professional designation awarded to REALTORS® in residential sales. Held by fewer than five per cent of all REALTORS®.

NAR: National Association of Realtors is North America’s largest trade association representing more than 1.2 million members. Members can call themselves REALTORS®. NAR also functions as a self-regulatory organisation for real estate brokerage.

TREBA (Thailand): This is the nationwide Thailand Real Estate Broker Association with affiliation to the international Council of Residential Specialists.

REBA-ES: The Real Estate Broker Association for the Eastern Seaboard.

RETS (Thailand): Real Estate Training School (Thailand) – brokers seeking membership of REBA must have staff attend and pass their test.

Bizhouse Co Ltd 324/22 Moo 9 Central Pattaya Road near junction with Third Road T: +66 (0)38 416 322 M: +66 (0)89 0924593 E: info@bizhouseproperty.com W: bizhouseproperty.com Principal: Richard Arthur Century 21 – B2 Real Estate 315/2 (Soi Lengkee 1) Moo 9, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150 T: +66 (0)38 421 652 M: +66 (0)83 603 7989 E: century21@b2realestate.com W: century21-b2.com Century 21 – Seven Stars 157/523 Pattaya-Naklua Road next to Lumpini Ville Condo project T: +66 (0)38 410 510 E: info@travelnfp.com W: travelnfp.com Principal: Suradej Sroyrungrueng

Coastal Real Estate 216/62 M10, Soi 13 (Soi Diana next to Mega-Break) and 519/163-4 Moo 6 Soi Siam Country Club T: +66 (0)38 421 580, +66 (0)38 412 169 M: +66 (0)81 269 0742 E: info@coastalrealestatepattaya.com W: coastalrealestatepattaya.com or coastalrealestatepattaya.asia Principal: Kevin Mattson East Coast Real Estate Co Ltd Office 1: 414/19 M12 Jomtien Complex T: +66 (0)38 267 030-1 F: +66 (0)38 267 029 M: +66 (0)81 862 8034 Office 2: 485/4 M10 Second Road T: +66 (0)38 723 615-6 Office 3: 223/22 M 6 Soi Siam Country Club T: +66 (0)38 730 352-3 F: +66 (0)38 426 624 E: eastcoast@thaiproperty.com W: thaiproperty.com or thaiproperty.net Principal: David Gray

REM 11-12/2015 Issues174 164and and175 165 01-02/2015 ••Issues REM

AAAA Properties Jomtien Plaza Condotel 406/37 M12 Jomtien Beach Road T: +66 (0)38 756 370 F: +66 (0)38 757 015 M: +66 (0)86 144 1312 E: info@aaaaproperties.com W: aaaaproperties.com Principal: Louis J Van den Bergh

xxxxxxxx• •directory agents xxwriterxxxxx

glossaRY

Farang Property Services 223/32 M9, Third Road T: +66 (0)38 052 495 F: +66 (0)38 052 496 M: +66 (0)89 938 7433 E: info@farang-services.com W: farang-services.com Principal: Manfred Ehrenheim Advertisements: Pages 4 and 5 Five Star Villas & Condos 315/5 Moo 9, Soi Leng Kee, Pattaya Third Road M: +66 (0)81 938 8391 Robert or (0)809 16667 Mesiya E: sales@fivestarvillasandcondos.com W: fivestarvillasandcondos.com Principals: Robert and Mesiya (May) Watson Memberships: CRS, REBA (Thailand), CIPS, REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), NAR, TREBS Gecko Properties 420/146 Soi Buakhow Moo 9 (street with Asia Backpackers on corner) T: +66 (0)38 412 150 M: +66 (0)846 564 846 E: info@gecko-properties.com W: gecko-properties.com Principal: Steve Scholey

REM 11-12/2015 • Issues 174 and 175

Global Property Pattaya Co Ltd 565/56 Moo 10, near Big C South Pattaya T: +66 (0)38 426 231 F: +66 (0)38 426 232 M: +66 (0)81 838 1390 E: info@globalpropertythailand.com W: globalpropertythailand.com or global-property-pattaya.com Principal: Rainer Heinzmann Memberships: REBA-ES, CIPS Golden Homes Real Estate Co Ltd 33/39 M9 Soi Diana Inn T: +66 (0)38 720 892-3 M: +66 (0)86 826 8821 E: info@goldenhomespattaya.com or Ploy1@csloxinfo.com W: goldenhomespattaya.com Principal: Yupaporn Sangpagdee (Ploy)

RICS: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors – an independent body which regulates the conduct of property professionals and surveyors in the UK and other sovereign nations. RICS provides education and training standards, protects consumers with strict codes of practice and advises governments and business.

TREA: The Thai Real Estate Association aims to be the hub of the real estate profession here by encouraging entrepreneurs to operate to standards of quality and ethics; to create the maximum benefits for developers, government and consumers altogether.

TREBS: The Thailand Real Estate Broker School provides training for real estate professionals. The course includes real estaterelated laws, broker law, broker ethics, listing and sales techniques, reconciliation techniques, property evaluation, property transfer procedure and tax calculation.

JLL (formerly Jones Lang LaSalle) The Village Shopping Centre, Sukhumvit-Pattaya Road Services: Property sales and leasing; property management; consultancy; project management; and valuation T: +66 (0)38 074 663-5 E: info.thailand@ap.jll.com W: joneslanglasalle.co.th W: jllresidential.in.th Principal: Adam Bell Knight Frank The Village Shopping Centre where the Sukhumvit meets Soi Chaiyapruk M: +66 (0)81 550 4099 E: anchalee.kasemsukthawat@ th.knightfrank.com W: knightfrank.co.th North Shore Property Co Ltd 315/414 M12 Thappraya Road T: +66 (0)38 303 825-6 M: +66 (0)87 833 5066 or (0)86 323 4607 E: info@ns-property.com W: ns-property.com Principal: Mesa Wongsida

Homes Direct Asia 99/34 Soi Khao Noi T: +66 (0)38 068 956 F: +66 (0)38 068 957 M: +66 (0)811 429 0111 or 0890 160 077 E: info@homesdirect.asia W: homesdirect.asia Principal: Matt O’Sullivan

One Stop Real Estate 219/14 M9, Soi Yamato T: +66 (0)38 710 699 or (0)38 710 725 M: +66 (0)819 454 845 E: onestop@realesthai.com W: real-estate-thailand.com Principal: Mark Welch Memberships: CRS, REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), NAR, CIPS

Hometown Property Pattaya Soi Khao Talo opposite Eakmongkol 4 T: +66 (0)38 332 334 M: +66 (0)85 793 4898 or (0)85 6981023 E: info@pattayabaan.com W: pattayabaan.com Principals: Todd Richer and Steve Arthur

Pattaya Bay Real Estate 338/24 Moo 12 Pratumnak Road T: + 66 (0)38 250 944 M: + 66 (0)811 580 065 (English) + 66 (0)861 566 346 (Thai) E: info@pattayabayrealestate.com W: pattayabayrealestate.com Principal: Mal Patterson

Jomtien Property 315/185-6 Thappraya Road near entrance to View Talay 2 T: +66 (0)38 303 243 M: +66 (0)86 108 6575 E: info@properties-in-thailand.com W: properties-in-thailand.com Principal: Stu Sutton

Pattaya Jomtien Property 75/49 Soi 5 Immigration, Beach Road, Jomtien (75m from Immigration Office) T: +66 (0)90 132 1891 M: +66 (0)85 129 5657 (Thai); or +66 (0)85 056 9880 (English) E: sales@pattaya-jomtien-property.com W: pattaya-jomtien-property.com Principals: Kevin and Chanram Hurst

agents • directory

Pattaya Prestige Properties 2/28 Ground Floor, View Talay 7 F: +66 (0)38 059 632 M: +66 (0)870 217 014 E: info@pattayaprestigeproperties.com W: pattayaprestigeproperties.com Principal: Jan Nuyten

Pattaya Realty 420/185 Moo 9 Soi Buakhow 15 T: +66 (0)38 412 301-2 M: +66 (0)89 833 6175 or (0)90 465 4563 E: info@pattayarealty.com W: pattayarealty.com Principal: Stuart Daly Memberships: CIPS, REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), NAR Advertisement: Page 17 Powerhouse Properties Co Ltd View Talay Residence 4 489/2 Jomtien Soi 5, Pattaya, 20150 T: +66 (0)38 059 635 M: +66 (0)81 945 8002, +66(0)90 398 6643 E: info@powerhousepropertiesltd.com W: powerhousepropertiesltd.com Principal: J. Bernard Memberships: REBA-ES, REBA (Thailand), RETS (Thailand), CIPS, NAR, CRS, RESMA Premier Homes Real Estate Co Ltd 240/21 Jomtien Beach Road T: +66 (0)38 231 931 M: +66 (0)81 634 2915 E: premier@loxinfo.co.th W: premierinternational.com Principals: Clayton and Supap Wade Memberships: CIPS, RETS (Thailand), NAR

Rightmove Pattaya 369/1 M9, Units 8&9 PS Bowl, 2nd Road T: +66 (0)38 361 212 M: +66 (0)89 253 5607 E: info@rightmovepattaya.com W: rightmovepattaya.com Principal: Craig Turner Memberships: REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), CIPS Seaboard Properties Co Ltd 505/31 View Talay 7 Lobby T: +66(0)38 059 537 F: +66(0)38 059538 E: info@seaboard-properties.com W: seaboard-properties.com Principal: Eddie Buehler Siam Properties 313/27 M10 Pattaya Tai T: +66 (0)38 415 490 F: +66 (0)38 414 693 M: +66 (0)81 861 1907 (Heiner) or (0)81 821 7045 (Porn) Russian: +66 (0)89 245 2890 (Vera) E: info@siamproperties.net or rus@siamproperties.net W: siamproperties.net Principals: Heiner and Porn Moessing Memberships: CRS, REBA (Thailand), REBA-ES, RETS (Thailand), NAR, CIPS

Town & Country Property 63/10-11 Pattaya Tai T: +66 (0)38 374 136 F: +66 (0)38 374 137 Russian: +66 (0)84 873 7425 E: info@towncountryproperty.com W: towncountryproperty.com Principal: Cees Cuijpers Memberships: CRS, REBA-ES, NAR, CIPS Advertisements: Pages 21 and 23 Vauban Real Estate Chateau Dale T: +66 (0)38 251 728 F: +66 (0)38 251 745 M: +66 (0)9 27 900 962 E: laurent@companyvauban.com W: companyvauban.com Principal: Laurent Gras

Thailand-Property-Gate (We Can Do It Co Ltd) 50/2 Moo 6, Huay Yai M: +66 (0)81 835 9923 W: thailand-property-gate.com Principal: Stefan Matter Thailiving 306/90-91 M12 Thappraya Road T: +66 (0)38 364 514 M: +66 (0)81 862 7405 E: info@thailiving.net W: thailiving.net Principal: Supaporn Persson (Sara) Thai Properties M: +66 (0) 855-166-041 E: paul@thaiproperties.asia Principal: Paul Johnson W: thaiproperties.asia

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REM 01-12/2015 • Issues 174 and 175

Pattaya Paradise City Property Chokchai Village 7 and 99/391 T: +66 (0)38 376 145 M: +66 (0)81 761 3238 E: pattaya@paradisecityproperty.com W: pattaya-property.biz Principal: Gavin Perfect

REAL ESTATE BROKER ASSOCIATION – EASTERN SEABOARD

ticks all Members of REBA-ES are respected

Member companies in REBA-ES are part of an established and respected real estate organisation which has the support of the Thai Government

professional

Clients of REBA-ES members can be confident that they are dealing with honest, reputable and properly trained real estate professionals

ETHICAL

The high standards we set conform to internationallyapproved rules, regulations, strict codes of ethics and dispute resolution policies

INFORMed

Our members network closely, giving all of them access to the Eastern Seaboard’s largest real estate association

For comprehensive property listings and professional real estate consulting contact our members at www.rebaes.com

REAL ESTATE BROKER ASSOCIATION – EASTERN SEABOARD

the boxes ...

Sponsoring REBA-ES members Mark Welch +66 (0)81 945 4845 info@1stop-pattaya.com www.real-estate-thailand.com

Stuart Daly +66 (0)38 412 301-2 info@pattayarealty.com www.pattayarealty.com

Markus Probst +66 (0)81 762 2627 info@aci-enterprise.com www.pattayaoceanproperties.com

... if your answer is ‘yes’ to all, check out the REBAHeiner Moessing +66 (0)89 499 1000 info@siamproperties.net www.siamproperties.net

Rainer Heinzmann +66 (0)81 838 1390 info@globalpropertythailand.com www.globalpropertythailand.com

Rob Watson +66 (0)81 938 8391 sales@fivestarvillasandcondos.com www.fivestarvillasandcondos.com

Gareth De Silva +66 (0)81 792 9486 info@benchmarkthailand.com www.benchmarkthailand.com

Craig Turner +66 (0)89 253 5607 info@rightmovepattaya.com www.rightmovepattaya.com

June Bernard +66(0)38 059 635 info@powerhousepropertiesltd.com www.powerhousepropertiesltd.com

You can trust

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agents • •directory xxxxxxxx developers xxwriterxxxxx • directory Blue Sky Developments Co Ltd 933 Ruamtanuthai Building, 11th floor, Mahachai Road, Wangburapapirom, Phranakorn, Bangkok T: +66(0)81 8180874 E: pornthepchawla@gmail.com W: blueskydevelopments.co.th Principal: Pornthep Chawla (Dev) Boutique Corporation 170/67 21st floor, Ocean Tower 1, Soi Sukhumvit 16, Ratchadaphisek Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 T: +66 (0)86 378 7777 E: pattama@boutiquecorporation.com W: boutiquecorporation.com Principal: Pattama Piyamaneeporn Bravo Thai Lifestyle Co Ltd Projects: The Vineyard I, II & III M: +66 (0)89 8677 969 E: terry@siamdevelopments.com W: siamdevelopments.com Principal contact: Terrence Allen Collins CSP Projects Chaiyapruk 2 over rail track on left opposite The Ville Projects: Coconut Grove, Coco Palms and Palm Grove T: +66 (0)38 076 285-6 E: md@csp-construction.com W: csp-construction.com Principal contact: Tom Coglan

REM 11-12/2015 • Issues 174 and 175

Colossus Group Co Ltd 187/115 M7 Soi Nong Ya, Bang Saray, Sattahip, Chonburi, 20250 Project: The Willows M: +66 (0)92 472 5743 E: adam@willowsbangsaray.com W: willowsbangsaray.com Principal contact: Adam Rhodes CW Asset Co Ltd 212/13 North Pattaya Road Project: Bang Saray Beach Condominium T: +66 (0)38 414 405 M: +66 (0)85 272 8338 (English) or +66 (0)85 272 8228 (Thai) E: info@cwasset.com W: cwasset.com or bangsaraybeachcondo.com Principal: Ms Imorn Luekhamharn Membership: TREA

Dusitpattaya Co Ltd Soi Wat Yan off the Sukhumvit near Ban Amphur Projects: Baan Dusitpattaya and Dusit Grand Condo View (Jomtien) T: +66 (0)38 343 586 F: +66 (0)38 343 585 M: +66 (0)81 0584 930 (English and Thai) M: +66 (0)868 486 704 (Russian) E: baandusit@gmail.com W: baandusitpattaya.com or domvtae.su Principal contact: Darwan Bunting (Meam) Global Tower Group Co Ltd Banglamung Soi 16 Project: Paradise Ocean View M: +66 (0)8 222 66 077 E: info@paradiseoceanview.com W: paradiseoceanview.com Habitat 5 Co Ltd Sales Office: 172 Soi Chaiyapruk 2 Projects: The Ville Jomtien and X2 Vibe Pattaya SeaPhere M: +66 (0)81 450 0001/2 E: chane@habitat-5.com W: TheVillePattaya.com Heights Holdings Co Ltd Thappraya Road next to Bruno’s Italian Restaurant Projects: Park Royal I, II & III, Pattaya Heights, Club Royal, Laguna Bay I , II and III (The Maldives), Laguna Beach Resort Jomtien I & II, Laguna Heights, The Peak Towers, Wong Amat Tower, Water Park Condominium, C-View and Arcadia Beach Resorts I-IV (Pattaya, Naklua and Jomtien x 2) M: +66 (0)85 282 6454 E: oliver@heights-holdings.com W: heights-holdings.com Principal contact: Oliver Nabarro Matrix Developments 352/202-3 M12 Pratumnak Road Current projects: Art-on-the-Hill, Paradise Park, Sunset Boulevard, The View, The Vision, Amazon Residence, City Center Residence and The Orient T: +66 (0)38 250 120-1 F: +66 (0)38 250 008 M: +66 (0)87 607 8880 E: info@matrix-developments.com W: matrix-developments.com Membership: AIPP

Modus Group 292/1-2 Moo 5 Soi 12, Pattaya-Naklua, Naklua, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150 Project: Modus Beachfront Condo T: +66 (0)38 225 999 or (0)38 252 635 M: +66 (0)89-092 1333 E: info@moduspattaya.com W: moduspattaya.com Principal: Pimpinan Namthep New Nordic Occupies a large area of Pratumnak.

Soi 4 and look for the orange signs Current projects: New Nordic Suites, New Nordic VIP Condominium I, II and III and IV are planned T: +66 (0)38 250 025 M: +66 (0)89 605 4114 E: sales@new-nordic.com W: new-nordic.com Norwegian Properties Group 315/175-180 Moo 12, Nongprue Banglamung, Chonburi 20150 Project: VN Residences 3 T: +66 (0)38 303 310 F: +66 (0)38 252 548 M: +66 (0)89 936 6741 (Eng) or +66 (0)89 834 7664 (Eng and Rus) E: jeanette@vnresidences.com or liene@vnresidences.com W: vnresidences.com Principal contact: Jeanette Eiksund Heltne Nova Group Nova Park, 80/164 M9, Soi Sukrudee (Soi AR) near Jameson’s Pub Projects: Amari Residences, The Cliff, Nova Ocean View, Novana Residence, The Palm, Nam Talay, Serenity Wongamat, North Beach and The Orient T: +66 (0)38 415 304-8 F: +66 (0)38 415 309 M: +66 (0)85 282 6454 E: info@nova-thailand.com W: nova-thailand.com Principal contacts: Rony Fineman and Keith Storey Petch Property Development Co Ltd Projects: The Cove and Prima Residence Main office: 44 Soi Sukhumvit 59, Klongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 T: +66 (0)27 143 872 M: +66 (0)89 991 1999 E: info@ppd.co.th W: ppd.co.th Principal: Itthi Chavalittamrong

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agents • directory

Where you can get a copy of REm

Robin’s Nest 33/42-44 Moo 10 Soi Diana Inn T: +66 (0)38 720 194 W: robinsnestpattaya1@gmail.com

Mantra Restaurant & Bar Pattaya Beach, Pattaya T: +66 (0) 3842 9591 E: email@mantra-pattaya.com W: mantra-pattaya.com

Starbucks Coffee Company Avenue Pattaya Royal Garden Pattaya Stylo Pattaya Beach Road Tuk Com South Pattaya Central Festival T: 038 710 087 E: customercomment@ starbucks-thailand.com W: starbucks.co.th

Sportsman Pub & Restaurant Soi 13, Pattaya Beach Road T: +66 (0)38 710 609 or +66 (0)86 834 3729 W: sportsmanpub.com

Star Books Soi Khao Noi 087 605 4326 E: books@starbookworm.com W: starbookworm.com

Holiday Inn Pattaya 463/68 Pattaya Sai 1 Road, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi T: +66 (0)3872 5555 W: holidayinn.com/pattaya

The Village Shopping Centre Junction Soi Chaiyapruk and Sukhumvit Road T: 038 074 647-8 W: thevillagepattaya.com

Shenanigans Irish Pub Jomtien Complex Condo Thappraya Road, Jomtien T: 038 303 490 E: info@ shenanigansthailand.com W: shenanigansthailand.com

Bangkok Hospital Pattaya Highway 3, Naklua T: 038 259 999 Emergency: 1719 E: inquiry@bph.co.th W: bangkokpattayahospital.com

Tequila Reef Cantina Soi 7, Pattaya Tel: (038) 414-035 E: info@tequilareefpattaya.com W: tequilareefpattaya.com

Read back issues on-line @ www.remthai.com

REM 01-02/2015 • Issues 164 and 165 REM 11-12/2015 • Issues 174 and 175

Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa Beach Road, Pattaya T: 038 412 120 E: pattayamarriott@minornet.com W: marriott.com/PYXMC

agents • •directory xxxxxxxx developers xxwriterxxxxx • directory Powerhouse Properties Co Ltd View Talay Residence 4 489/2 Jomtien Soi 5, Pattaya, 20150 T: +66 (0)38 059 635 M: +66 (0)81 945 8002, +66(0)90 398 6643 E: info@powerhousedev.com W: powerhousedev.com watersedge-pattaya.com skylightjomthien.com habitusjomthien.com Principal: J. Bernard Memberships: REBA-ES, REBA (Thailand), RETS (Thailand), CIPS, NAR, CRS, RESMA

Tulip Group Co Ltd 88/58 Moo 4, Bowin Sub District, Siracha, Chonburi Projects: Centara Avenue Residence & Suites Pattaya and Golden Tulip Hotel & Residence (both behind The Avenue), Centara Grand Residence Pattaya (Na-Jomtien), Waterfront Suites & Residences (Bali Hai), Royal Tulip Suites T: +66 (0)38 959 180 F: +66 (0)38 959 508 M: +66 (0)83 718 0005 E: jason@tulipgroup.co.th W: tulipgroup.co.th Principal contacts: Kobi Elbaz and Jason Payne

Raimon Land PLC 22nd Floor The Millenia Tower, Bangkok Projects: Zire Wong Amat and Unixx South Pattaya T: +66 (0)26 519 601 M: +66 (0)81 3717 888 E: info@raimonland.com W: raimonland.com Ratanakorn Asset Co Ltd 300/6 M10 Pattaya Tai Current Projects: Life Star City Tower, Pattaya Klang Center Point, Ratanakorn Park View, Ratanakorn Villages 12 and 13, R-Con Residence, TW Garden Hill, TW Jomtien Beach Resort, TW Park View, TW Wong-Amat Beach Resort Condominium, Vela Casa.

T: +66 (0)38 421 534 or +66 (0)38 421 274 M: +66 (0)81 762 6080 E: marketing-ratanakorn@live.com W: ratanakorn.com

REM 11-12/2015 • Issues 174 and 175

(The) Siam Oriental Trading Co Ltd 267/4 M12, Pratumnak Projects: Siam Oriental Condominium, Siam Oriental Garden, Siam Oriental Twins, Siam Oriental Elegance, Tropical Garden, Siam Oriental Plaza T: +66 (0)81 305 3071 or 085 085 8284 E: siamoriental@mail.ru W: siamoriental.net Principal contact: Anastassiya Konchaphat Town & Country Property 63/10-11 Pattaya Tai Projects: The Meadows, The Residence and Whispering Palms F: +66 (0)38 374 137 Russian: +66 (0)84 873 7425 E: info@towncountryproperty.com W: towncountryproperty.com Principal: Cees Cuijpers

Tudor Villas Co Ltd Showroom Pratumnak Hill, Soi 2 Projects: Tudor Court and The Cube M: +66 (0)81 863 0201 E: tudorvillas@yahoo.com W: tudorcourtthailand.com Principal: Simon Ditchburn Universal Group Thailand 324/90 Moo 12, Thappraya Road Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150 Projects: Seven Seas, Savanna Sands and Seven Seas Cote d’Azure T: +66 (0)38 074 625 E: universalplus@ymail.com W: universal-thailand.com Principal: Sonia Punjabi (The) Urban Co Ltd Projects: Acqua Condominium, The Gallery, SP Townhomes, The Urban, The Urban Suites and Aeras T & F: +66 (0)38 231125-6 M: +66 (0)86 323 1908 E: theurbanproperty@gmail.com W: thegallerycondo.com, theurban pattaya.com, theurban-property.com

VKK Real Estate Co Ltd Sukhumvit 87 just before the rail track and the new road Projects: Porchland I, II, III (The Blue Residence), IV (The Time), V (La Santir), VI (The Feelture), VII (Del Mare) T: +66 (0)38 757 375-7 M: +66 (0)82 444 1147-8 E: theblue@porchland.com W: porchland.com

Western Seaview Co Ltd Pure Sunset Beach, 225, Moo 3, Sukhumvit Road, Soi 48, Najomtien, Sattahip, Chonburi, 20250 Project: Pure Sunset Beach T&F: +66 (0)38 238 583 M: 083 096 22 24 E: contact@pureNajomtien.com W: pureNajomtien.com Principal: Nicolas Büchler

Want all your property news on-line? Visit www.remthai.com

cover story • dave buckley

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Riviera have good reasons

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83 REM 11/2015

t has been a roller coaster of a year for Thailand in general – and the property market in particular – and as Riviera Group looks forward to 2016 they are hoping for some steep climbs ahead without too many dramatic dips.

“Like anyone in the marketplace we have experienced some ups and downs,” said head of Riviera Winston Gale, “but we are happy to report that the good has definitely outweighed the bad.

“The year 2015 seems to have just flashed by. It started out with great promise and, despite it being a tough market, we continue to sell a fair amount every month even given the economic and political challenges we face.”

Star-studded launch The great promise actually started towards the end of 2014 when the group’s first project The Riviera Wongamat Beach was granted its EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) approval. This was followed soon

after by a soft-launch of a second project, The Riviera Jomtien, held on the ground floor of the Central Festival Shopping Mall. To back it all up Riviera went on to stage a star-studded launch for the Jomtien project which many still regard as being the party of the year.

To describe The Riviera Wongamat Beach as the group’s first project is perhaps a little misleading given that previously Winston has been the driving force in the development of The Palm, Wongamat Beach, in association with the Nova Group.

“My partners and I needed and appreciated the involvement of Rony Fineman and his Nova Group in The Palm,” said Winston. “At the time of project’s launch we were unknown quantities here in Pattaya and teaming up with Nova gave us instant credibility which we are extremely grateful for.”

Winston is justifiably proud of The Palm. He regards it as his ‘baby’ and it gave him great pleasure when it was voted best condo development

It (2015) started out with great promise and, despite it being a tough market, we continue to sell a fair amount every month even given the economic and political challenges we face.

on the Eastern Seaboard in the Thailand Property Awards a couple of years back.

“My wife, Sukanya, and I have been putting our hearts and souls into this place since 2010 so it was great to get recognition from others.

Among other things we did all the interior design ourselves and this has struck the right note with buyers.

Best location “I believe that The Palm has the best location in Pattaya. When finished, I’m confident it will be one of the most sought-after projects to live in.

Everything about it is upscale and we injected many great features into it.”

But Winston felt that there was no time to dwell on The Palm’s success.

He wanted to progress and when the opportunity to build on a large plot just a few hundred metres back up the road from The Palm presented itself, he ventured in.

Winston opted to set up The Riviera Group and do his own thing.

“My relationship with Nova remains

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cordial,” he said. “I had developed a project back in the UK before The Palm and the combination of the experience gained in the two gave me the confidence to strike out alone.”

The Riviera, Wongamat Beach, is now progressing nicely with more than a dozen floors already built.

When complete it will contain xxx units. Sales in it are holding fast at a healthy 82 per cent although Winston concedes that the sales picture would look even better were it not for the combination of Thailand’s domestic difficulties and the currency fluctuations experienced by potential Russian buyers.

Happy and confident The luxury showroom in Soi 16 in Naklua remains a happy and confident place.

But even that showroom was eclipsed by the one for the second project in Jomtien.

The group spent Bt50m on it and lord knows how much on the launch party. Given that an estimated 1,300

people attended, which included many well known celebrities from Bangkok, local dignitaries, high profile investors and business people, the figure must have been considerable.

The Riviera Jomtien is currently going through its EIA application process and the hope is that approvals will be gained any time soon.

In the first weeks of Jomtien sales more than 50 per cent of the units were snapped up.

Soon after this improved to 65 per cent before the cracks in the market started to appear.

Cancellations shaved 10 per cent off sales in the huge 1,075 unit high-rise development.

But the folk at The Riviera Group were not too despondent. They knew that cancellations had become fairly common throughout the industry and they were/are confident in their product.

Another reason to be cheerful was the fact that the group had decided to market themselves strongly. They took on the role of lead sponsor for the

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1 Progress at The Riviera, Wongamat Beach which is expected to finish Q3 2017.

2 Highly commended in this year’s Property Awards.

3 Model of The Riviera Jomtien shown at the M&S event in the Renaissance, Bangkok.

4 Part of the Mantra M&S fashion show.

5 Winston Gale acknowledges the thanks for the M&S sponsorship.

6 M&S presented plenty of photo opportunities.

7 Big turnout at Mantra event.

Movers & Shakers (M&S) business networking events held in Bangkok and Pattaya which have done much to raise the group’s profile and brand.

The last M&S event sponsored by The Riviera Group was held at the Amari’s Mantra Restaurant on Beach Road in late September. It was the second time M&S had been held there under Riviera sponsorship.

Glamorous theme In keeping with the glamorous theme the group has been developing recently Winston asked Emmy, the model on their The Riviera Wongamat marketing materials, to use models from her own agency to perform a fashion show to round off the sponsorship programme.

A large crowd turned out for the evening, exceeding all estimates.

“Yes, it’s been a fast and furious year in many respects,” said Winston, “and in among all the madness and hustle and bustle I became a dad for the third time. That alone made 2015 a very special year for Sukanya and I.” |

84 REM 11/2015

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