Warning: Gale Thong Tower On Chang Klan Rd

[femi fan]

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.

...

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.

Nobody wants to put up with noise you say...

so this load of development you talk about coming along soon, is this some kind of noise-free development??

And, just why would lots of development be a good thing anyway? Chang Klan is hardly short of 'development' already.

[sassienie]

No one can ever own a condo; they are only glorified tenants living under the terms and clauses of a lease.

Leaseholders are normally imposed by the terms of the lease to pay service changes to the Estate management company for communal area maintenance, repairs, block insurance coverage, the Management Company's administrative fees, plus extras for a sinking fund.

The estate management company will increase the fees each year and demand lump sum payments from residents for any additional works that may be required. The contracts for these works are usually given to subsidiaries of the estate management, in other words, jobs for the lads.

The directors of the Management Company are the juristic persons responsible for imposing the terms of the lease and ensuring leaseholders pay their management fees.

Their are 2 ways that an estate management company can be formed. Firstly turn it over to the residents themselves (a company limited by guarantee) or use an outside management company (a company limited by shares).

The problem is that many property developers are also the owners of the management company that they create to run the estate. So in fact the juristic persons can be the Management company belonging to the actual developers that built and sold the estate in the first place, meaning they are only answerable for any breaches of contract to themselves.

Potential buyers should be aware of these facts before committing themselves to a leasehold property.

[theKiwi]

05 October 2009: I am here visiting a school and away most of the day.

Yes there is construction here in the building and according to the management this will be going on for the next SEVEN years!!!

How ever construction hours are between 10AM until 5PM Monday to Friday. If you are away all day, like myself, you won't have a problem.

But, however, if your here for a vacation you will have to put up jack hammers and so forth.

Chiang Mai is still a place to visit as it has every thing that Bangkok has to offer... except the stench.

cheers! the kiwi.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Wot.. we have stench too!! Visit the Mae Kha Canal.

So there, now we completely have everything Bangkok does.

Except the nightlife.

[john b good]

No one can ever own a condo; they are only glorified tenants living under the terms and clauses of a lease.

Leaseholders are normally imposed by the terms of the lease to pay service changes to the Estate management company for communal area maintenance, repairs, block insurance coverage, the Management Company's administrative fees, plus extras for a sinking fund.

The estate management company will increase the fees each year and demand lump sum payments from residents for any additional works that may be required. The contracts for these works are usually given to subsidiaries of the estate management, in other words, jobs for the lads.

The directors of the Management Company are the juristic persons responsible for imposing the terms of the lease and ensuring leaseholders pay their management fees.

Their are 2 ways that an estate management company can be formed. Firstly turn it over to the residents themselves (a company limited by guarantee) or use an outside management company (a company limited by shares).

The problem is that many property developers are also the owners of the management company that they create to run the estate. So in fact the juristic persons can be the Management company belonging to the actual developers that built and sold the estate in the first place, meaning they are only answerable for any breaches of contract to themselves.

Potential buyers should be aware of these facts before committing themselves to a leasehold property.

'sassienie' sometimes, you have a post that has a bit of sense about it and then you post some shyt like this.

"no one can ever own a condo" why then do you go to the land office and get ownership transferred the same as you would a house ?

"the estate management company will increase the fees each year" this again demonstrates your ignorance. I have owned and lived in the same apartment for twelve and a half years and the fees have not gone up one satang in that time.

"jobs for the lad's I agree"

"potential buyers should be aware of these facts before committing themselves" I agree, but that goes for anything in this country (and many other countries as well)

In respect of Galae Thong Tower it may have improved over the years but there are quite a few downsides as well.

There is also insufficient parking particularly if all units are occupied, and you then have to park on the road.

And some 'much' of the workmanship is crap. I visited there last year and the floor in one unit was springing up and down by around 8 - 10 mm as you walked over it. Sure on the surface it can or might look fancy enough but that is only part of the equation.

I have visited perhaps around 80% of the apartment buildings around Chiang Mai and whilst Riverside is on the improve there are really only a couple of others worthy of mention and they are Floral (if the noise from the mosque doesn't send you crazy) and Rimping. Both with good management and well enforced condo rules.

Twin peaks is very poor for what you pay. Yes nice and new and shiny but !!??

Edited October 7, 2009 by john b good

[Gonzo the Face]

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

I am also sorry but thats too much to swallow If I understand you saying 8 - 10 % per yr appreciatiion

That means that in about 8 +/- years the price has doubled ! !

I would disagree. Also needed to be considered is the inflation adjustment.

Since 2001 the price has doubled..... I diagree

Sounds like a timeshare mans presentation to me...

remember location, location, location

gonzo

[MookyG]

Well I have been here ( Galae Thong ) for the past year, I agree that in the early stages there was a lot of noise, now the renovations are slowing down due to the fact that all units have been sold, talking to the manager today the falang / Thai ratio is now 46% / 54% so getting near to the 49% falang ownership threshold.

Car parking - the committee has sourced the land oposite the building, which will alleviate the car parking problems in the future, just down the soi there is a restuarant being built which will also have a swimming pool, which to the best of my knowledge and also speaking to the owner he will allow residents of Galae Thong to use this facility.

7 years to complete renovations !!??! is that dog years ? maybe 1 year tops as 90% of condo's have been or in the proces of being renovated.

Yes I have a vested interest here, as I said before there are plenty of choices of condos around Chiang Mai to suit anyones individual requirements I however am happy here, its one of the more friendliest condominium buildings staff and residents alike that I have been in.

[clinique]

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

View Doi in Santhitham. ! bedroom apartment with all facilites including kitchen, mwave, fridge, wide screen TV , fantastic mountain views.. 12,000- pm.

[ChiangMaiFun]

Well I have been here ( Galae Thong ) for the past year, I agree that in the early stages there was a lot of noise, now the renovations are slowing down due to the fact that all units have been sold, talking to the manager today the falang / Thai ratio is now 46% / 54% so getting near to the 49% falang ownership threshold.

Car parking - the committee has sourced the land oposite the building, which will alleviate the car parking problems in the future, just down the soi there is a restuarant being built which will also have a swimming pool, which to the best of my knowledge and also speaking to the owner he will allow residents of Galae Thong to use this facility.

7 years to complete renovations !!??! is that dog years ? maybe 1 year tops as 90% of condo's have been or in the proces of being renovated.

Yes I have a vested interest here, as I said before there are plenty of choices of condos around Chiang Mai to suit anyones individual requirements I however am happy here, its one of the more friendliest condominium buildings staff and residents alike that I have been in.

But... unfortunately has weak management - weakly enforced rules and only 2 lifts which is a bugger if they let the contractors use both (and they do!). Parking is poor - but bikes have an improved shelter now which is an added bonus.

Galae Thong has great montain views - but in reality its facilities are poor and the noise and dust? arghhhh! if I had know then what I know now I'd have waited to consider buying until 2010 or 2011 - however the prices are sure to rise after renovation is finished. Location is problematical too - be careful when quoting farang/thai ratios as a few farangs have bought 20 cheap units so it sort of inflates the figure - i.e. they are unsold and do not indicate satisfaction in Farangland