Life Ladprao vs Life Asoke Rama 9 (condos)

[dj230]

Foreigner from Canada staying in Thailand, does anyone have any opinions on these two condos, not too familiar with Bangkok, how much of a difference does it make being closer to the centre of Bangkok?

[Heng]

Both are fairly convenient locations with near 'doorstep' access (they're both huge condo complexes so it's still a 1XX meter walk) to the MRT line.   Both are one station away from a Central department store.   If you travel a lot, the Asoke one is pretty much walking distance to the Airport Link Makkasan station.   

 

A lot of people live in both complexes so if you work office type hours, you have to deal with 'rush hour' starting with the elevators everyday.   Parking is usually a major pain in these types of complexes if you have a car (unless you can plan your entries and exits against the rush hour flow).   If you work (or not) independent hours or can plan around these hours, all the better and you'll be able to enjoy the location and facilities more.      

[dj230]

3 minutes ago, Heng said:

Both are fairly convenient locations with near 'doorstep' access (they're both huge condo complexes so it's still a 1XX meter walk) to the MRT line.   Both are one station away from a Central department store.   If you travel a lot, the Asoke one is pretty much walking distance to the Airport Link Makkasan station.   

 

A lot of people live in both complexes so if you work office type hours, you have to deal with 'rush hour' starting with the elevators everyday.   Parking is usually a major pain in these types of complexes if you have a car (unless you can plan your entries and exits against the rush hour flow).   If you work (or not) independent hours or can plan around these hours, all the better and you'll be able to enjoy the location and facilities more.      

How much a difference does it make living closer to the centre of bangkok? I noticed a lot of stores were closer to the Asoke area, does that make a big difference? 

Thanks for the reply, didn't really even think about that.

[Heng]

11 minutes ago, dj230 said:

How much a difference does it make living closer to the centre of bangkok? I noticed a lot of stores were closer to the Asoke area, does that make a big difference? 

Thanks for the reply, didn't really even think about that.

No worries.   As for the proximity to the city center difference... is there any particular facet of life you're referring to?    The air quality gets worse the closer in you get, but for these two condominiums, I'd say it's roughly the same (there's a website or app out there somewhere where you can look up the actual numbers) as both are close to major freeways, despite Asoke being closer to the city center.   The Asoke one is closer to western nightlife.   Ladprao is slightly more urban.   No real crime issues in either area as long as you keep your wits about you and don't look for trouble.     

[TimBKK]

The general consensus in BKK is to live as near to work, or school or wherever it is that you will spend the majority of your time.  Commuting can be hard from (roughly) 7 am-7pm so the less you have to deal with it, the better your quality of life will be.

[dj230]

27 minutes ago, Heng said:

No worries.   As for the proximity to the city center difference... is there any particular facet of life you're referring to?    The air quality gets worse the closer in you get, but for these two condominiums, I'd say it's roughly the same (there's a website or app out there somewhere where you can look up the actual numbers) as both are close to major freeways, despite Asoke being closer to the city center.   The Asoke one is closer to western nightlife.   Ladprao is slightly more urban.   No real crime issues in either area as long as you keep your wits about you and don't look for trouble.     

I have no real commute to work or study, I work online, but since theres a 6-12 month lease, I was thinking of renting a place I could travel around bangkok at after lockdowns are done.

Most important things to me are fast internet and access to delivery services, I noticed the Life Asoke Rama 9 location had more stores available on delivery, the Life Ladprao condo is a bit newer though

[tonray]

8 hours ago, dj230 said:

I have no real commute to work or study, I work online, but since theres a 6-12 month lease, I was thinking of renting a place I could travel around bangkok at after lockdowns are done.

Most important things to me are fast internet and access to delivery services, I noticed the Life Asoke Rama 9 location had more stores available on delivery, the Life Ladprao condo is a bit newer though

Delivery from pretty much anywhere in central Bangkok won't be an issue. We use either Grab/LineMan/FoodPanda for delivery...you'll have no issues. The MRT/BTS system will allow you to be pretty much anywhere in central Bangkok within 15 minutes...no worries. Come and Enjoy

[Pravda]

Worst condos ever

[dj230]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Delivery from pretty much anywhere in central Bangkok won't be an issue. We use either Grab/LineMan/FoodPanda for delivery...you'll have no issues. The MRT/BTS system will allow you to be pretty much anywhere in central Bangkok within 15 minutes...no worries. Come and Enjoy

I noticed the life asoke rama9 location had like an extra 26 stores on lineman (mart), but I don’t know if that makes much of a difference, just don’t want to find out too late. 
maybe I’ll try and offer a bit more to stay in the unit for a month and sign a lease after, although everyone they seems pretty content to a 1year-6month lease 

 

52 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Worst condos ever

Could you please explain why?

 

also if anyone can help me, I was wondering how bad is the heat on the higher floors of condos? I was in a hotel on the 12th floor and noticed it was significantly hotter than the 2nd floor apartment I’m in. 

Maybe I was just imagining things, or does the higher floor make a difference? 

[tonray]

3 minutes ago, dj230 said:

I noticed the life asoke rama9 location had like an extra 26 stores on lineman (mart), but I don’t know if that makes much of a difference, just don’t want to find out too late. 
maybe I’ll try and offer a bit more to stay in the unit for a month and sign a lease after, although everyone they seems pretty content to a 1year-6month lease 

 

Could you please explain why?

 

also if anyone can help me, I was wondering how bad is the heat on the higher floors of condos? I was in a hotel on the 12th floor and noticed it was significantly hotter than the 2nd floor apartment I’m in. 

Maybe I was just imagining things, or does the higher floor make a difference? 

Don't worry about delivery...those stores probably paid to get on the list. You will never be short of food in Bangkok pretty much anywhere. 

 

As far as hotter....a little but the real issue is the layout of the condo. If it is small sq mtr then will build up heat more readily. If it has rooms that face the afternoon (west) sun then....broiler. If it has smalll rooms separated by glass partitions...these little rooms will be like saunas. You really need to see the room in person to tell.

[Boomer6969]

In Lad Prao you have to share the whores with the locals. 

[tonray]

11 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

In Lad Prao you have to share the whores with the locals. 

and in ChokChai you have to share everything else with the police

[Mike Teavee]

OP, what made you pick "The Life" Condos and why did you restrict it to those 2 (e.g. there's a "Life" Sukuhmvit 48 which is close to Phra Khanong BTS station & not a bad place to live).... The reason I ask is answering that question for yourself might help you decide which condo/area is best for you... Either of them will be fine for the odd trip to other parts of Bangkok, as others have said, if you were having to do a commute everyday then it makes much more sense to live closer to where you need to be.    

 

FWIW I live in On Nut at one of the Ideo properties & really like the area (though moving to Wongamat at the end of August), my mate was also living in the same complex but has recently moved to Asoke and when I was looking around condos there with him I quickly came to the conclusion that it wasn't for me as not only is there no reason for me live in that area (I'm retired) and so pay the "Premium" that you have to pay when living closer to "The center" but the traffic there would do my head in & I don't even drive in Bangkok! 

 

I do recall my 1st trial run at long term living in Bangkok, I booked 1 month in The Trendy building on Soi 13 & had to leave after 10 days as the pollution from the traffic was getting on my chest (48 & in very good shape at the time so it wasn't an age/health thing, it was purely the crappy air pollution in the city center). 

 

 

[dj230]

1 hour ago, Mike Teavee said:

OP, what made you pick "The Life" Condos and why did you restrict it to those 2 (e.g. there's a "Life" Sukuhmvit 48 which is close to Phra Khanong BTS station & not a bad place to live).... The reason I ask is answering that question for yourself might help you decide which condo/area is best for you... Either of them will be fine for the odd trip to other parts of Bangkok, as others have said, if you were having to do a commute everyday then it makes much more sense to live closer to where you need to be.    

 

FWIW I live in On Nut at one of the Ideo properties & really like the area (though moving to Wongamat at the end of August), my mate was also living in the same complex but has recently moved to Asoke and when I was looking around condos there with him I quickly came to the conclusion that it wasn't for me as not only is there no reason for me live in that area (I'm retired) and so pay the "Premium" that you have to pay when living closer to "The center" but the traffic there would do my head in & I don't even drive in Bangkok! 

 

I do recall my 1st trial run at long term living in Bangkok, I booked 1 month in The Trendy building on Soi 13 & had to leave after 10 days as the pollution from the traffic was getting on my chest (48 & in very good shape at the time so it wasn't an age/health thing, it was purely the crappy air pollution in the city center). 

 

 

I am open to any other suggestions, I just mainly picked those two because they looked like newer condos that were cheap. I was on hipflat and looked at surrounding condos but most were older or more expensive. Anything relatively the same, in the centre of bangkok area, I'd be interested in. I saw videos on the condos on youtube as well which is what initially got me interested, which probably isn't the best way to find a condo. 

 

I am mainly looking for a newer building that's on the cheap side, relatively close to the centre of bangkok. I am in a 6000 baht apartment near the airport right now and noticed the conveniences of living closer to the centre (more stores/grocery on lineman mart is a huge plus), the 5G was significantly faster when I was in the ASQ near the centre of bangkok as well and the better appliances/unit in general would be worth paying more for.

 

Maybe I'll ask for a 1 month rental for a bit extra.

 

I just checked out one of the Ideo properties in On Nut and cheaper and practically the same, thank you so much for the suggestion, maybe I'll take a look at those units. 

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by dj230

[Mike Teavee]

1 hour ago, dj230 said:

I just checked out one of the Ideo properties in On Nut and cheaper and practically the same, thank you so much for the suggestion, maybe I'll take a look at those units. 

I've been at Ideo Verve for 3 years, the gate to the condo is about 15 feet away from On Nut BTS steps, it has everything you need locally (Cinema, Century Mall,, Tescos, Tops, local eating/drinking place, local wet market etc...) & no problem with getting groceries/food/Lazada delivered to there.

 

I've really enjoyed living there & after looking around Ekkami, Asoke etc... had decided that if I was staying in Bangkok, I would continue to live in that area/building, the only reason I'm  moving is because I wanted a change from living in Bangkok & fancied living near the beach for a change. 

 

[dj230]

Is bait and switch a thing? Or are condos getting booked quick? 

I’m replying to ads within a few hours of posting and they’re saying they’re rented 

 

Also does anyone have tips on negotiating/lease periods? 
asked for a better price a few times, got it was final price even if I signed the lease today. Are prices usually set in stone? Or is it better to negotiate in person?

[Mike Teavee]

44 minutes ago, dj230 said:

Is bait and switch a thing? Or are condos getting booked quick? 

I’m replying to ads within a few hours of posting and they’re saying they’re rented 

 

Also does anyone have tips on negotiating/lease periods? 
asked for a better price a few times, got it was final price even if I signed the lease today. Are prices usually set in stone? Or is it better to negotiate in person?

Don't know about Bait & Switch but I doubt Condos are getting booked quickly at the moment, suspect it’s more a case of the listings are out of date (even if the "Agent" has updated it recently, very few of them have exclusivity on the units so think sometimes just go in to click "Update")… Hipflat is great for showing you available condo buildings in an area but it might be worth cross-checking on https://www.ddproperty.com/en & https://www.thailand-property.com/...  https://www.renthub.in.th/en can also be useful if you want to live near a particular BTS/MRT station. 

 

I've found the best approach is to use the above sites (+ https://www.fazwaz.com/ to check out 3D Tours) to get a feel for available units & prices in the building you're interested in & then go into the management office to ask what they have available.. ... If you were interested in Ideo Verve then I can PM you the name of the lady who works the rental desk there. 

 

One other tip would be to check out AirBnB & Agoda monthly rentals on condos youre interested in as you can often find a monthly rental at least in the same area & if you do like the building can either look for other units or negotate a longer term deal on the same unit. 

 

 

[Andyfez]

My main concern in these areas is traffic noise.

What's the point of having a balcony if you can't sit on it?

[TimBKK]

4 hours ago, Andyfez said:

My main concern in these areas is traffic noise.

What's the point of having a balcony if you can't sit on it?

Put clothes out to dry, small grill area, extra storage space etc. etc. etc. 

[dj230]

5 hours ago, Andyfez said:

My main concern in these areas is traffic noise.

What's the point of having a balcony if you can't sit on it?

I never really understood the point of small balconies to be honest, not much to do there 

[Thingamabob]

On 7/25/2021 at 10:04 AM, Boomer6969 said:

In Lad Prao you have to share the whores with the locals. 

...and the traffic is horrible most of the time. 

[newnative]

     My partner and I have a condo (not Life) a short walk to the Phetchaburi MRT.   If you are interested in 'Life' projects, you might consider Life Asoke (a different 'Life' project than Life Asoke Rama 9).  It is literally right next to the entrance to the Phetchaburi MRT station and just a short walk to the Airport Link. This would give you a closer walk to the subway than the other two.  (My partner and I appreciate a very short walk to and from the MRT station after a long day out and about Bangkok.)   From Phetchaburi station, one stop gets you to Rama 9 with Fortunetown, Central Rama 9 Mall, and G Tower.  One stop in the other direction gets you to Terminal 21.  Across the street from Life Asoke is the new Singha Complex and Asoke Pier for boat travel.

[dj230]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

     My partner and I have a condo (not Life) a short walk to the Phetchaburi MRT.   If you are interested in 'Life' projects, you might consider Life Asoke (a different 'Life' project than Life Asoke Rama 9).  It is literally right next to the entrance to the Phetchaburi MRT station and just a short walk to the Airport Link. This would give you a closer walk to the subway than the other two.  (My partner and I appreciate a very short walk to and from the MRT station after a long day out and about Bangkok.)   From Phetchaburi station, one stop gets you to Rama 9 with Fortunetown, Central Rama 9 Mall, and G Tower.  One stop in the other direction gets you to Terminal 21.  Across the street from Life Asoke is the new Singha Complex and Asoke Pier for boat travel.

Thanks for the suggestion,

Is there a big difference with how close you are to the MRT? Notice a few people mention it. I thought the Life Asoke Rama 9 condo was fairly close.

 

If that's the case, anyone have any thoughts on Ashton Asoke? It's a little bit more expensive but not by much, I might stick to the Life condos as they're cheaper though

Edited July 26, 2021 by dj230

[tonray]

6 minutes ago, dj230 said:

Is there a big difference with how close you are to the MRT? Notice a few people mention it.

 

If that's the case, anyone have any thoughts on Ashton Asoke? It's a little bit more expensive but not by much.

In the tropical climate, I find that I really don't want to walk more than 800 meters at the max to the MRT/BTS.  Of course you can take a moto taxi to the train...but that adds a level of complexity and sometimes is a pain in the .... Walking briskly you can make 800 meters in less than 10 minutes. During hot season you'll wish it was shorter. But being close to the train is very liberating....anytime from 6 Am to Midnight you can just jaunt over to the station and go somewhere to get a new prespective on your day, especially important if staying in a small condo....otherwise you'll go nuts..

[newnative]

12 minutes ago, dj230 said:

Thanks for the suggestion,

Is there a big difference with how close you are to the MRT? Notice a few people mention it. I thought the Life Asoke Rama 9 condo was fairly close.

 

If that's the case, anyone have any thoughts on Ashton Asoke? It's a little bit more expensive but not by much, I might stick to the Life condos as they're cheaper though

     The first getaway condo we bought in Bangkok was around 900 meters to Phetchaburi MRT.  Being newbies (actually still are) to Bangkok we thought that wasn't too far--and the condo project had a shuttle bus.   In reality, for us it was much too far--and the shuttle never seemed to be running when we needed it.  900 meters is likely a cakewalk for many but not for me at my age in the hot temperatures and after a long day out and about.  Sold that condo and the one we have now is about a 100 meters or less.  We like being close not just for the transportation but we also often pop down to the Metro Mall shops at the station, too.  For us, being close to the MRT is very important; for others, maybe not so much.  

    As with 'Life', there is an Ashton Asoke and also an Ashton Asoke Rama 9.  I assume you are referring to the latter.  It's brand new and looks very nice--my partner and I have not been in it yet.  If possible, I would suggest you go see the projects you are interested in so you can check out the room layouts, views, project condition, and evaluate the amenities.

     My partner and I love to swim so a big pool is important to us--we always check out that amenity.  Some of the new projects have 'wow' sky pools but they tend to be on the small size--that wouldn't work for us.  It's important to look at the facilities you will be using to see if they suit.  You might check out the 'Think of Living' website for any projects you are interested in.  It does detailed looks at new projects with lots of photos.  Older projects can also still be available to view--our project was built in 2013 and it's review is still there.  Just google the condo name and 'think' and the review should come up if there is one.  Good luck with your search. 

[dj230]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

     The first getaway condo we bought in Bangkok was around 900 meters to Phetchaburi MRT.  Being newbies (actually still are) to Bangkok we thought that wasn't too far--and the condo project had a shuttle bus.   In reality, for us it was much too far--and the shuttle never seemed to be running when we needed it.  900 meters is likely a cakewalk for many but not for me at my age in the hot temperatures and after a long day out and about.  Sold that condo and the one we have now is about a 100 meters or less.  We like being close not just for the transportation but we also often pop down to the Metro Mall shops at the station, too.  For us, being close to the MRT is very important; for others, maybe not so much.  

    As with 'Life', there is an Ashton Asoke and also an Ashton Asoke Rama 9.  I assume you are referring to the latter.  It's brand new and looks very nice--my partner and I have not been in it yet.  If possible, I would suggest you go see the projects you are interested in so you can check out the room layouts, views, project condition, and evaluate the amenities.

     My partner and I love to swim so a big pool is important to us--we always check out that amenity.  Some of the new projects have 'wow' sky pools but they tend to be on the small size--that wouldn't work for us.  It's important to look at the facilities you will be using to see if they suit.  You might check out the 'Think of Living' website for any projects you are interested in.  It does detailed looks at new projects with lots of photos.  Older projects can also still be available to view--our project was built in 2013 and it's review is still there.  Just google the condo name and 'think' and the review should come up if there is one.  Good luck with your search. 

900M is definitely too far for transit, at least for me as well. I saw the life asoke rama 9 condo was supposed to be 300M away which didn't seem too far, but it's still a 5 minute walk, 900M is like a 15 minute walk for me. I wasn't really planning on using the MRT/BTS for now cause of covid, but I'm guessing its going to be important once things open up.

 

I was wondering about the former, Ashton Asoke, beside terminal 21, any thoughts on that condo?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by dj230

[newnative]

1 hour ago, dj230 said:

900M is definitely too far for transit, at least for me as well. I saw the life asoke rama 9 condo was supposed to be 300M away which didn't seem too far, but it's still a 5 minute walk, 900M is like a 15 minute walk for me. I wasn't really planning on using the MRT/BTS for now cause of covid, but I'm guessing its going to be important once things open up.

 

I was wondering about the former, Ashton Asoke, beside terminal 21, any thoughts on that condo?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions

 

Good location and fewer units than the other projects mentioned.  Nice amenities like the others.  My partner and I always buy and units there were out of our price range.  Think of Living has a review of it. 

[Heng]

1 hour ago, dj230 said:

900M is definitely too far for transit, at least for me as well. I saw the life asoke rama 9 condo was supposed to be 300M away which didn't seem too far, but it's still a 5 minute walk, 900M is like a 15 minute walk for me. I wasn't really planning on using the MRT/BTS for now cause of covid, but I'm guessing its going to be important once things open up.

 

I was wondering about the former, Ashton Asoke, beside terminal 21, any thoughts on that condo?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions

 

'Ashton' condos are a step up from the 'Life' brand.   There isn't a black and white grading system, so just an opinion.    One thing to look at since you're looking at Hipflat, there's a section in all the listings that include information on the # of units in the complex.   There are around half the number of units in that Ashton Asoke development compared to those Life condos.   Fewer people driving in and out, fewer people in the lifts, generally happier juristic staff (from having to deal with fewer problems), etc.   However if you're the type that wants more neighbors and perhaps a more regular crowd... you'd want to have a more crowded place.   I know for me, I bought a place that only has around 300 units as I'm more of an introvert.   

[Heng]

2 hours ago, dj230 said:

900M is definitely too far for transit, at least for me as well. I saw the life asoke rama 9 condo was supposed to be 300M away which didn't seem too far, but it's still a 5 minute walk, 900M is like a 15 minute walk for me. I wasn't really planning on using the MRT/BTS for now cause of covid, but I'm guessing its going to be important once things open up.

 

I was wondering about the former, Ashton Asoke, beside terminal 21, any thoughts on that condo?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions

 

Recommend you simulate your trek to the closest MRT or BTS station with Google Maps street view (and don't forget to imagine the 3-4 month rainy season as well).   Condos with direct access, short walk access, covered access, etc. are big selling points.   

[dj230]

18 minutes ago, Heng said:

'Ashton' condos are a step up from the 'Life' brand.   There isn't a black and white grading system, so just an opinion.    One thing to look at since you're looking at Hipflat, there's a section in all the listings that include information on the # of units in the complex.   There are around half the number of units in that Ashton Asoke development compared to those Life condos.   Fewer people driving in and out, fewer people in the lifts, generally happier juristic staff (from having to deal with fewer problems), etc.   However if you're the type that wants more neighbors and perhaps a more regular crowd... you'd want to have a more crowded place.   I know for me, I bought a place that only has around 300 units as I'm more of an introvert.   

I never thought about that but that brings up a great point, especially with covid-19. Someone was nice enough to PM about life asoke rama 9 and mentioned there were about 2 dozen reported cases of covid there in the past several months. Wonder if Ashton asoke had less. 
 

It’s a bit pricier but I might end up taking a look at a unit just to see what I’m missing out on. I’m also an introvert. 

  

8 minutes ago, Heng said:

Recommend you simulate your trek to the closest MRT or BTS station with Google Maps street view (and don't forget to imagine the 3-4 month rainy season as well).   Condos with direct access, short walk access, covered access, etc. are big selling points.   

Thanks for the suggestion, I think I'll take the advices from this thread and look for a condo with closer access to stations.

Edited July 26, 2021 by dj230