Pattaya’s planned infrastructure improvements are set to give the housing market a much needed boost.
According to figures published in the Bangkok Post, the property market in Pattaya is set for a full recovery at the end of 2011. This has been boosted by a 15 billion Baht planned investment in the transport and utilities infrastructures as well as in the community and environmental processes in the region.
Of the 15 billion Baht budget, approximately 4.79 billion Baht is set to be spent on 12 separate transport projects, while 3.39 billion Baht is being put aside for 14 public utility projects. A further 2.73 billion Baht will be used for 16 development projects and 4.08 billion Baht for 90 community and environmental projects.
Further, railway and road developments have been initiated and are in the early stages, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Highways Department.
The SRT plans to build a 106 km rail line from Kaeng Khoi to Chachoengsao, which will also link with the 78km Chachoengsao – Sri Racha – Laem Chabang route. This will be in addition to the express rail link which will link from Bangkok to Pattaya and on to Chanthaburi and is set to cut travel time by 1 hour 53 minutes.
The plans by the Highways Department include the construction of a third and fourth extension to highway number 7. (These will be from Chon Buri to Pattaya and from Pattaya to Map Ta Phut) . There will be four traffic lanes in each direction and both roads will end at Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya.
It is however not only Pattaya itself which will benefit. The municipalities of Bang Lamung, Huay Yai, Khao Mai Kaew, Na Jomtien, Nong Pla Lai, Nong Prue, Pong and Takian Tia are all set to see improvements to public infrastructure according to Thiti Chantangpol, a director at the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA).
The beachfront in Pattaya is expected to see approximately 1 billion Baht of this budget, as the infrastructure is slowly deteriorating and in need of maintenance. Soi 1 will see a significant amount of the money. The development is expected to improve the overall look of the resort town as well as safety; especially at night.
DASTA expects the improvements to generate approximately 300 billion Baht in profits by the time everything is completed in 2019. This figure includes 50 Billion Baht that the government expects to see from business taxes.
Spending money on infrastructure development or improvement in Pattaya will have positive impacts on the real estate industry there. The industry was significantly affected by the global downturn and is in need of a boost to move it in the right direction.
Wason Khongchantr, managing director of Modern Property Consultants Co Ltd stated that the redevelopment plans are exactly what the industry needs to aid in its recovery. He said that the number of tourist arrivals in Pattaya last year totalled 7.2 million, an increase of 1-2%, and was expected to rise to 14.4 million by 2019. Many of these tourists are potential property buyers from property developers or from private owners.