Today, the country is by far the most popular holiday destination for westerners in South East Asia, and is widely considered to be the 'Spain of the East'.

Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand has attracted significant foreign investment and has become one of the Asian Economic Tigers and one of the fastest-growing economies in the region. Only Malaysia enjoys a greater GDP per capita, and Thailand equals most and surpasses some of the Eastern European markets in those terms. The country has strong business links with China and has an excellent infrastructure and world-class facilities in many resort towns. The two key drivers behind the Thai property market are the domestic economic growth and tourism, and the expectation is that developments in both areas will contribute to a continuing upward trend in property prices.

KEY FACTS

• Largest growth market in Asia
• Significant FDI
• Excellent infrastructure
• Universal appeal
• Increased accessibility
• Low ongoing taxes

RENTAL RETURNS AND TOURISM

Tourist figures are now at their highest ever with the new airport (SBIA) expected to spur the growth even further. Thailand is the cheapest place to fly in Asia, with rental potential
continuing to grow with government spending on the luring of already growing numbers of tourists.

CAPITAL APPRECIATION AND THE PROPERTY MARKET

Property in Thailand is much cheaper than elsewhere and the property prices remain lower than those in established European markets, although they are currently growing at 10%-15% per annum.