Issue 11 | Feature brought to you by Siri Village
Siri Village: the product of research and hard work
UdonThani is one of the “big four” cities in Northeast Thailand and is around 560 kilometres from Bangkok. It first came to be known by significant numbers of people during the Vietnam War when it was used as a strategic air force base. Today it still retains some of that charm in the form of small bars and coffee shops, but it has also developed into a bustling metropolis with an equally busy property sector.
Located near the border with Laos and linked through Vietnam and China, the province has strong economic potential as it is the trade centre and transportation network hub of the northeastern region. It has just completed an enlargement of its own International airport to welcome more than two million passengers in 2016 as planned upon the implementation of AEC.
The growth of the retail and wholesale sectors increases year after year. The UD-Town shopping mall is extremely popular, especially at weekends, and is arguably as good as anything the capital has to offer. Central has also moved in with its ‘Festival’ brand mall nearby. Along with the Udon-Nong, Bua Lumphu road is the wholesale destination with 168 Platinum and the Ngee Sun superstores.
Perhaps that’s why the property and real estate market in UdonThani is starting to attract attention from Bangkok-based developers?
Stock Exchange listed property developer Thanasiri Group has been focusing some of its efforts outside Bangkok, and its latest project Siri Village UdonThani- Airport will be the culmination of much hard work and extensive research. The firm is helmed by Managing Director Sutthirak Sateanraphap-a-yut, who took over the company from his father who founded the company 30-years-ago.
After the Tom Yum Kung crisis in 1997, he changed the company name to Thanasiri Group and restarted in Nonthaburi. The firm now has 22 projects with more than 3,000 units to its name. Four more developments are planned for launch in that district this year. The company is solely focused on residential projects, and especially outside Bangkok.
For example, Thanasiri has developed five projects in Phuket. They are sold out, and whilst the company is still looking for suitable locations on the island they understand land is becoming increasingly expensive. Khun Sutthirak revealed the company has one large plot of land in Phuket, but the concept is still under discussion – whether it will be a boutique hotel or luxury villas.
After Phuket, the company looked at other provinces in Thailand, especially in the Northeast. After a lot of research they found UdonThani to be quite good and a perfect choice for a big project.
Some of their initial research came in the form of a small pilot project in Sakon Nakorn. They used this to learn about local culture and what residents wanted from a new property. The company needed to know the answer to the question – ‘Do they like our designs?’
The answer: there are actually some significant differences between developments in the Northeast compared with other parts of Thailand.
Khun Sutthirak said: “Northeastern people are more focused on having space for gatherings. They are very family focused – more so than elsewhere. We therefore design a large terrace for family party”
The company learned a lot from that development, and selling out the project is testament to the fact they seemed to get things right.
The new Siri Village UdonThani-Airport development is a large scale one on a 40- rai site, and when completed in between three or four years it will have a total of 179 units with the concept “Difference begins.”
What makes this project stand out is that it offers premium living standards.
Khun Sutthirak said: “We have been around UdonThani quite a while now, and we have discovered that prices are increasingly high. We can offer high standards with lower prices and we are confident it will work.”
Siri Village UdonThani -Airport is just 4 kilometers from the airport and only 30 minutes from the centre of the city. It is also close to Big C, Tesco Lotus and the biggest discount store in UdonThani. The area offers good opportunities for those who want convenience but want be away from crowded traffic. The project is situated in the best location, amidst the reserved-green zone for residence and national forest.
The development also boasts a salt water swimming pool, a jogging track, a big clubhouse and double security throughout 24-hours. The architecture will be modern-tropical resort style. Prices for the premium quality homes range from THB 4 million up to THB 8 million – and your money will go much further here than arguably most other parts of Thailand. For THB 4 million you will get a substantial property with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, one separate living room and two car parking lots.
The development, which Khun Sutthirak described as being “big for us”,is a joint-venture with KhonKaen’s biggest developer, Issan Piman Group, enabling both companies to make the most of each other’s experiences.
“We are hoping for a warm welcome from the people in Udon Thani,” he added.
Siri Village Udon Thani-Airport will offer a special promotion to its invited guests in soft launch event between March 18 and Marcg 20, and is aiming for a grand opening in June. Although this will be Thanasiri’s first project in UdonThani, their hard work and research will surely make it a successful one.
“For sure we will develop more in Issan and other provinces. We are looking for suitable locations but we have to prove that Siri Village will work for us, and also achieve good bookings levels.
“Some developers come and go in UdonThani but I can assure you we are here to stay,” concluded Khun Sutthirak.
