Warning: Gale Thong Tower On Chang Klan Rd

[chboonman]

A general warning to those apartment or Condo hunting in Chiang Mai...

Do NOT rent at Galethong Tower on Chang Klan Rd.

Firstly, there is non-stop construction noise (WAY beyond the already high level you expect in Asia). I mean so loud that you can't hear the Television with the volume all the way up...

Secondly, the Elevators are usually inaccessible due to construction workers transporting materials into residences or transporting rubbish out. No problem if you live on the first or second floor, but if you are running late in the morning and you live on the 12th floor, and you have to wait 5 minutes for an Elevator, it's a huge pain in the ass. This is not an occasional thing, it's non-stop.

My lease is up next month, and I couldn't be happier to be leaving.

[Gravelrash]

A general warning to those apartment or Condo hunting in Chiang Mai...

Do NOT rent at Galethong Tower on Chang Klan Rd.

Firstly, there is non-stop construction noise (WAY beyond the already high level you expect in Asia). I mean so loud that you can't hear the Television with the volume all the way up...

Secondly, the Elevators are usually inaccessible due to construction workers transporting materials into residences or transporting rubbish out. No problem if you live on the first or second floor, but if you are running late in the morning and you live on the 12th floor, and you have to wait 5 minutes for an Elevator, it's a huge pain in the ass. This is not an occasional thing, it's non-stop.

My lease is up next month, and I couldn't be happier to be leaving.

One assumes then that you were not renting an apartment that had already been renovated?

[Drew Aitch]

Not familiar with this particular apartment block, but with so much construction going on around this city, it’s a bit hit and miss as to whether you’ll become a victim of noise pollution sooner or later, no matter where you reside. Shortly after I moved into my condo, the builders arrived next door and started to build a big new detached house right under my window. Pneumatic drills, diggers, rotary hammers, and dumper trucks operating morning noon and night almost every day for 18 months! Construction was eventually completed last month. Phew!

And right behind me there are pubs and clubs blasting out live music from about 11-01:00AM every night. Not the tranquil little pad I moved into some 2 years ago that’s for sure! Oh, and let’s not forget packs of howling soi dogs which spontaneously burst into night time wailing every 30 minutes or so.

But I guess this is urban living in a city which is in the midst of a building boom, and although the noise can be a bit overwhelming at times, I’ve learned to live with it simply because I like my condo and enjoy the area.

It’s nice to see you’re voting with your feet though, which is the right thing to do if you’re not happy.

Btw, it might be interesting to see where you end up next chboonman. From what to what and from where to where? I currently have a corner 1 bed unit of some 72 SQM which has lots of glass and great views for 9,900 THB/Mo. I’ve been looking around at some of the smart new condos and apartments shooting up recently, and 10,000 THB/Mo seems to pretty much the going rate for a reasonable sized studio in these new dwellings.

Maybe some of the long term expats here can report some hidden gems here as you search for a new place to live.

Aitch

[MookyG]

Well the noise seems to be the norm in Chiang Mai at the moment, where I am we had drilling 9:00 am this morning, I know Galare Thong and coincidently I was there today, I admit to hearing some building work but to the best of my knowledge work at the building only occurs between the hours of 10:00 - 16:00 to tru and cut down on noise and inconvienience's

Today I had no problems accessing the lifts maybe the most I waited was 2 - 3 minutes, which I would expect from any 15 storey building.

But as the previous poster said, good for you "vote with your feet" if you're not happy, maybe there is a condo out there that suits your needs.

Best of luck

[john b good]

A general warning to those apartment or Condo hunting in Chiang Mai...

Do NOT rent at Galethong Tower on Chang Klan Rd.

Firstly, there is non-stop construction noise (WAY beyond the already high level you expect in Asia). I mean so loud that you can't hear the Television with the volume all the way up...

Secondly, the Elevators are usually inaccessible due to construction workers transporting materials into residences or transporting rubbish out. No problem if you live on the first or second floor, but if you are running late in the morning and you live on the 12th floor, and you have to wait 5 minutes for an Elevator, it's a huge pain in the ass. This is not an occasional thing, it's non-stop.

My lease is up next month, and I couldn't be happier to be leaving.

One assumes then that you were not renting an apartment that had already been renovated?

Would it really make any difference (to the level of noise) whether the OP's apartment had or had not been renovated already

I have visited the majority of condos in Chiangmai and Galae Tong Tower would have to be a long way down the list in any event.

Edited November 6, 2008 by john b good

[wadsy]

Its funny, I used to own a 103sqm two bedroom condo on the 11th floor of Galae Thong until I had to return back to Oz earlier this year and I NEVER had a problem with noise during the 12 months that I owned it! In actual fact, as one poster correctly pointed out - contruction is limited to between 10am and 5pm to negate any 'inconveniences' as far as noise is concerned and yes, sometimes renovation noise was audible but not to the extent that you couldnt hear the TV over it! Maybe the reno's were right next door to you? And I always found the lifts were about the same as any other condo that I'd bought at. Horses for courses I suppose but I have/had nothing good experiences with Galae Thong and would buy there again when I return to CM.

[chuang]

But as the previous poster said, good for you "vote with your feet" if you're not happy, maybe there is a condo out there that suits your needs.

Best of luck

Well said......

[Gravelrash]

A general warning to those apartment or Condo hunting in Chiang Mai...

Do NOT rent at Galethong Tower on Chang Klan Rd.

Firstly, there is non-stop construction noise (WAY beyond the already high level you expect in Asia). I mean so loud that you can't hear the Television with the volume all the way up...

My lease is up next month, and I couldn't be happier to be leaving.

One assumes then that you were not renting an apartment that had already been renovated?

Would it really make any difference (to the level of noise) whether the OP's apartment had or had not been renovated already

Very astute observation should that have been the point I was alluding to. However it wasn't. To belabor what I assumed to be the obvious, if he was comfortably staying in a newly renovated apartment then other tenants would have had to put up with that noise when it was done. And so the cycle continues...

[Greenside]

This building seems full of people renovating their newly bought "investment" property. It looked like whole floors had been or were in the process of being gutted when I was there a while ago.

[mcgriffith]

It's a bank repo bldg from the 97 crash.

I have 2 friends who own on the 15th floor. Their side of the bldg is fully developed. And they have beautiful penthouse apartments.

On the other side of the same floor there were (maybe not now) whole apts that had never been completed. Like empty gutted bare cement.

Great views, but not in the most desirable neighborhood, IMHO.

Best of luck to those who bought there.

[Lobin]

does any one know what the original square metre price for this apartment block as, and what would it be going for now?

and are there still problems with noise and lifts lots of vacant apartments etc?

Edited January 23, 2009 by Lobin

[Greenside]

does any one know what the original square metre price for this apartment block as, and what would it be going for now?

and are there still problems with noise and lifts lots of vacant apartments etc?

I'm not sure what the relevance of the original price is but I went to see one there the other day. Described by the vendor as "near the Shangri-La" (actually 1.7km) the 90sq m apartment was on the second floor at the back, nicely renovated and decorated with some furniture and priced at 1.8m baht which makes it 20k a sq m which in CM apartment terms is pretty good. The noise issue is still there judging by my brief visit but in time the building will look pretty good although the interior common areas are austere to say the least and I'm not sure what they can do about that. Workmen were lugging stuff in and out of the elevators too.

Rentals look like about 10k a month on a 90sq m refurb but probably vary in line with the finish. Like McGriffith, I'd say the main disadvantage is the position - there's nothing much around that area and it'll be years before that end of Chang Klan road wakes up. When it does, people who bought in early can congratulate themselves on having found a good deal.

Edited January 24, 2009 by Greenside

[MookyG]

To the best of my knowledge the inside of the building is due to be given a makeover, lick of paint etc. Recently the Galae Thong Bistro (Cafe) has opened giving a good selection of Thai and western food.

The work that is going on at the moment, yes, sometimes can be a bit noisy, however this is kept to a minimum by only permitting work between 10am and 4pm and no work at the weekends.

As stated before there are few condo's left for sale and rent, depends on your budget of course and what furnishings etc you would like, some condo's lack air-conditioning, furnishings but that is reflected in the price, you can pick up a neat and tidy 40sqm for 7,000 - 9,000, and to buy I have seen a 2 roomed condo for sale at 1.6 million ( no air con + basic funiture ) to another with all the works for 3 million, there are a sucession of people interested here now as there is a good falang population and is a friendly place to be. IMHO.

All in all its different horses for different courses, I would never shout " beware do not buy/ rent " for the simple fact that my tastes may differ from the next, as they say here "its up to you ", go have a look make your own mind up, at the end of the day there are a plethora of condos to suit everyone here in CM.

Good luck :-)

[ChiangMaiFun]

Very strange post - work here is 10 to 4.45 and it is a sign that things are going very well - construction work shows improvement. Sorry you had such a bad time here - I own here and it's an up-and-coming condo which, in 2 years, will increase in value considerably.

Very well located on the same road as Night Market with superb views - which is why it's nearly sold-out

[Greenside]

Very strange post - work here is 10 to 4.45 and it is a sign that things are going very well - construction work shows improvement. Sorry you had such a bad time here - I own here and it's an up-and-coming condo which, in 2 years, will increase in value considerably.

Maybe. But since it's so popular I was surprised to get a call from the guy whose apartment I went to see last month wanting to reduce it even further from the fire sale price he was advertising it at. Probably just a one-off.

Very well located on the same road as Night Market with superb views - which is why it's nearly sold-out

It may be that Chan Klan appears somewhere in the address but to say it's on the same street is like saying that the Chiang Mai Zoo is in the same road as Hillside 4. It may be, but it's so far away as to be irrelevant. I'd just about accept that the Shangri-La Hotel is "convenient for the Night Market" but to claim that GTT is near either is misleading. GTT is 2km to the night market and by the time you've skirted around the wasteland behind the Park Hotel it's not really on the main road at all. I haven't checked but I wouldn't be surprised if Riverside Condos and the Holiday Inn aren't pretty much the same distance, even with crossing the river.

If everyone who has got a condo there is so happy why feel the need to talk it up and make misleading claims about the location?

Edited February 13, 2009 by Greenside

[Loaded]

Why would you ever want to buy?

Difficult to sell.

Values don't appreciate as in the West.

Because the build quality is not to Western standards, in 30 years your building will look like a box of frogs and be un-saleable.

You are stuck in one location.

If you rent a nice condo for 7,000 baht per month that's 84,000 baht per year or just over 2.5 million over a period of 30 years.

[Sir Burr]

If you rent a nice condo for 7,000 baht per month that's 84,000 baht per year or just over 2.5 million over a period of 30 years.

Of course, rent will never go up during that 30 year period.

[Loaded]

If you rent a nice condo for 7,000 baht per month that's 84,000 baht per year or just over 2.5 million over a period of 30 years.

Of course, rent will never go up during that 30 year period.

the two condos I first moved into when I arrived in the last century are still charging the same rate now as then.

After reading the posts about the developers and their scams in the Hua Hin section, I can only think a mug would buy a condo here.

[Ijustwannateach]

^Agreed! and it is generally accepted practice in apartments that rents don't go up much, because the rooms depreciate so much.

[ChiangMaiFun]

Various reasons - firstly prices increase here, roughly, 8/10% a year

Most importantly you get your 'western' cash into the economy and don't pay exchange rates etc. (or taxes) - I have a few condos and get an income, in Baht, which avoids the ATM drain

[ChiangMaiFun]

Just going to have to dis-agree on this one... I think it's very convenient - to night market (although I rarely go there), Airport Plaza (get there quicker than Night Market) and therefore Hang Don etc. and most other places.

Let's see as time goes on - most people in the condo business agree on its potential - one farang just bought 20! the views are the best I've seen in Chiang Mai (from upper floors) and I've seen most of them as I'm pretty familiar with the market.

Don't mean to 'talk it up' (I'm not selling!) just IMHO

I've heard the arguements both for and against buying (where ever you buy) but the main reason people purchase is to get money into the local exchange rate - the returns I get are approx 10% ROI - no tax - if you understand that you'll get why people buy and rent out - still 'up to you'

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Didn't read the whole discussion, but how is this different from ANY condominium development where units are sold over time and then completed up to the new owner's preference?

I think it's silly to single out this particular one, it's the same everywhere.

Don't buy a condo then. And even when buying a house, do it in a mature neighborhood, but even then you sometimes get construction. On another forum that's a bit construction-centric (PM me if you need a link) there is a detailed topic by someone constructing what looks like to be a very nice house inside the old town area. It's nice and interesting, but no doubt if causes noise, dust, blocked sois, etc. That is the way of things.

[Gravelrash]

Why would you ever want to buy?

Difficult to sell.

Values don't appreciate as in the West.

Because the build quality is not to Western standards, in 30 years your building will look like a box of frogs and be un-saleable.

You are stuck in one location.

If you rent a nice condo for 7,000 baht per month that's 84,000 baht per year or just over 2.5 million over a period of 30 years.

Why don't the anti-buy mob just fess up and say "I rent a 7k condo as it is all I can afford". Why the need to justify to strangers why you don't buy a property, no one could care less.

Your 7k condo probably has a buy cost of about 800k. So allowing for maintenance charges you get your money back in about 10 years. If you have chosen an OK building then at worst it can sell for what you paid for it. So in 10 years you can have 800k in your pocket or zero. So how is it so clever to rent and not to buy?

[cmone123]

I just stayed at Galae Thong Tower for 6 months and really liked it. The building is a work in progress but you can really see it improve day by day.

Howling dogs and street-noise are something you're gonna have everywhere around town, unless you go live on Doi Suthep!

It is true that a lot of the condo's are being renovated, and that that results in (minor) construction noise, but only on week days from 10am till 5pm.

You have a good mix of Thai's and Farangs in the building, which i liked a lot.

The newly re-opend restaurant in the lobby serves great food, has good service and does room deliveries as well.

The condominium's reception/management staff do a great job and are helpfull all the time.

One minor problem at GT is parking space, but I hear that the management is looking into that problem.

Conclusion : If you want to live in a palace, go build one or rent the penthouse at The Meridien. If you want good value for money, I suggest Galae Thong or a similar condominium.

[yumidesign]

Why would you ever want to buy?

Difficult to sell.

Values don't appreciate as in the West.

Because the build quality is not to Western standards, in 30 years your building will look like a box of frogs and be un-saleable.

You are stuck in one location.

If you rent a nice condo for 7,000 baht per month that's 84,000 baht per year or just over 2.5 million over a period of 30 years.

Why don't the anti-buy mob just fess up and say "I rent a 7k condo as it is all I can afford". Why the need to justify to strangers why you don't buy a property, no one could care less.

Your 7k condo probably has a buy cost of about 800k. So allowing for maintenance charges you get your money back in about 10 years. If you have chosen an OK building then at worst it can sell for what you paid for it. So in 10 years you can have 800k in your pocket or zero. So how is it so clever to rent and not to buy?

With the current aus/thai exchange rate you can sell at a 25% reduction in porice and still come out in front

[amexpat]

Your 7k condo probably has a buy cost of about 800k. So allowing for maintenance charges you get your money back in about 10 years. If you have chosen an OK building then at worst it can sell for what you paid for it. So in 10 years you can have 800k in your pocket or zero. So how is it so clever to rent and not to buy?

What else can happen in 10 years?

[technologybytes]

The person starting this thread with the Do Not Buy / Rent comments was a tenant, no tenant wants to put up with noise especially if there for just 6 months or 12 months. By voting with his feet he is doing the right thing, his money & his choice.

However, I went there today and I was impressed with the building. I last saw it about 2 years ago and the difference is staggering, it's hard to believe that it's the same building.

As an investment/home it looks unbeatable at the moment, it's improving all the time and all the construction workers coming and going are good news for owners. Also, it's worth mentioning that the management team includes a couple of farang who have bought a lot of condos also, that's reassuring.

I did not go there today as a buyer myself, I was simply with a friend who has just bought a condo there, but if I were looking for a condo at a good price to buy then Gale Thong would certainly be on my shortlist because that part of Chang Klan road is surely ripe for development soon.

Property is always a medium to long term investment, renting is a whole different world so it's clear that one mans meat is another mans poison with regards to this building.

Edited August 27, 2009 by technologybytes

[hmficc]

The person starting this thread with the Do Not Buy / Rent comments was a tenant, no tenant wants to put up with noise especially if there for just 6 months or 12 months. By voting with his feet he is doing the right thing, his money & his choice.

However, I went there today and I was impressed with the building. I last saw it about 2 years ago and the difference is staggering, it's hard to believe that it's the same building.

As an investment/home it looks unbeatable at the moment, it's improving all the time and all the construction workers coming and going are good news for owners. Also, it's worth mentioning that the management team includes a couple of farang who have bought a lot of condos also, that's reassuring.

What % of these condos will be owned by farang when the bank gets the property over to the oweners and off its back. Well sure 49%. What could be safer? They have been trying to dump these since '97?

[Chunkton]

Galae Thong has improved dramatically since a lot more foreigners got in there, there is even a coffee shop in the lobby now, and some very nice renovations.

Riverside is another building that is also improving with lots of upgraded units plus a change of management. Both these condos have farangs giving a lot of input and both are thus now being well maintained and should prove good long term investments.

They have indeed being trying to move bank owned units in both of these, and they have been successful which is why the maintenance money is now there to finally improve things.

[hmficc]

Galae Thong has improved dramatically since a lot more foreigners got in there, there is even a coffee shop in the lobby now, and some very nice renovations.

Riverside is another building that is also improving with lots of upgraded units plus a change of management. Both these condos have farangs giving a lot of input and both are thus now being well maintained and should prove good long term investments.

They have indeed being trying to move bank owned units in both of these, and they have been successful which is why the maintenance money is now there to finally improve things.

And once the condos are sold by the bank who will vote for funds to MAINTAIN. Visit Hillside 1