Phuket Living Guide - Living in Phuket, Thailand

In recent years, Phuket has become more than just a spectacular holiday destination, it is now home to literally thousands of expats, who have found the tropical climate, stunning vistas and international standard facilities very much to their liking.

There is a wealth of recent and new property development on the island, offering a wide range of choices, from 10,000 baht-a-month rentals to multi-million dollar sea view mansions. Much of this development has taken particular care to blend in with the outstanding natural scenery, complimenting, rather than blighting, the environment

Phuket's tourist development has also brought many advantages to the expats who have made Phuket their home, with international restaurants of all varieties, multiplex cinemas, and supermarkets and department stores to guarantee that all the comforts of home are available in paradise. The island's temperate climate means residents can enjoy Phuket's championship golf courses, tennis courts, acclaimed sailing and diving grounds, exciting water sports and natural wonders all year round.

Phuket's state-of-the-art telecommunications, world-class schools and hospitals, and international airport, with flights to the major Asian and European capitals, make moving a business or family to paradise an absolute pleasure, which is why so many have decided that Phuket makes the ideal home.

Property in Phuket

In the past only Pattaya and Bangkok were enjoying the property boom. Now Phuket is seeing one of the region's largest inflows of investment and boasts some ambitious numbers of holiday estates. Most of them appeal to foreign consumers. Prices can range from a couple million baht to hundreds of millions of baht. House rental is also interesting if you are not prepared to buy a house. They are many available in the Chalong Bay area where you have easy access to beaches like Kata, Karon, Rawai, Nai Harn and to Phuket City.

Condominium purchase is far more straight-forward since the latest criteria allows 49 per cent of a condo building to be owned by foreigners. This has proven popular in Bangkok, but many do prefer to live on terra firma and enjoy the lifestyle and privacy of a pool, garden and sizeable outdoor area. Another option is leasing. Land leases are generally prepaid for 30 years with options of renewing for two additional 30 year periods. In effect, the pre-paid rent is the same as a freehold or purchase price.