Thailand Business News – Thailand Business News
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Whilst office demand has been slow, the market as of Q2 2011 was more active with clearer signs of expansion from existing tenants and a marginal increase in occupancy rates from the previous quarter to 86.5%. CBRE’s office enquiries were up 34.2% q-o-q, an upswing indicating the market is heading towards the right direction.
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Bangkok Office Demand and Rent Heading upward
The SET index bottomed at 432 in December 2008 after tumbling from a high of 833 earlier that year. The index then levelled off in Q1/09, before working its way back to 560 in May. Triggered by positive pre-sale signs from developers, a reduction in construction costs and the government’s stimulus package, property stocks were among the first to bounce back. The SET’s revival reached a mark just 32% below its peak, in line with other world stock markets including the Dow Jones (-33%), Singapore Straits Times (-27%), the Hang Seng (-25%) and the FTSE (-27%).
The Bank of Thailand Monetary Policy Committee stopped cutting its key rate in May 2009 after seeing signals of a recovering economy. Many expect banks to adjust their rates down once rising confidence supports housing purchases, and promotion campaign launches to grasp home buyers.
As a result of declining consumer confidence during four consecutive quarters there has been a dramatic drop in sales of big ticket items such as vehicles (-33%). Bangkok housing registrations for single houses and townhouse units have also been hit hard, while investments and new mass transit lines have boosted market share for condominiums in the residential property sector, although the market demand as a whole has been lower. Transactions will most likely remain slow until confidence returns to both buyers and bankers, who finance property developers and their customers.
When the crisis ignited on Wall Street hit Thailand, our economic engine stalled early in 2009 and so did developers’ sales and revenues.
Several factors have contributed to the strong and rapid rebound.
The mid to high-end segment boomed this year in Thailand as demand was wide and remained strong. The high-end will recover in the third or fourth quarter. But supply in this segment is very limited due to scarcity of land for new developments. Around 80% of the new launch in this segment was taken up. New supply in the high-end segment, now quoted at 150,000 to 200,000 baht a square metre, will be provided by developers with a strong financial status, experienced teams and products that match demand.
Currently, the MahaNakhon project is the only new high-end project in the pipeline. The Sukhothai Residence project on Sathorn Road, which is 70% sold, has frozen sales until demand can sustain the desired prices.
