We live in Chiang Mai, mainly, but also in Trang and Nakhon Phanom

We have seen a huge increase in BKK registererd cars in all three places,

but also land that has been idle for years, particularly in CM, is being built on with a fury.

What's this all about?..Am I missing something?

Possibly something to do with the "First Car" deal. Sons / daughters are buying and registering cars in Bangkok before sending them home to their parents.

Same happening here in Pattaya. From what I understand, people in BKK are worried about flooding again and are either moving out or getting second properties just in case. Land prices have skyrocketed since the floods.

From what I understand, people in BKK are worried about flooding again and are either moving out or getting second properties just in case. Land prices have skyrocketed since the floods.

Exactly this is what I heard through the grapevine.

Can not give any exact numbers, but even here in upcountry Khon Kaen property prices going through the roof.

New housing estates growing like mushrooms. Traffic will become a nightmare.

And my wife has only one explanation: Bangkokians moving up the hill.

The rich ones will probably have a secondary residence just in case.

Edited January 27, 201313 yr by KhunBENQ

The Thai mortgage brokers saw how many billions of dollars the Americans made writing mortgages with their eyes closed and are giving it a shot.

One key factor is that wages, especially at a lower level, are no longer affording many people a decent life here.

We've lost 4 staff members this year, all of who have gone up country for less money but a better quality of life.

3 homes eh....what a man!

It's been happening for a while. Youngish couples with or planning on children wanting a house instead of a condo simply can't and most likely never will afford a decent house with any form of garden in Bangkok .

Plenty of middle class Bangkok couples or of other origin and moved to Bangkok are moving away. Pattaya, Chiang Mahi etc are choices because they are cheap. Pattaya being cheap with all the secondhand ex-ex-pat houses and with modern facilities , shops and restaurants.

Many buying 2-3 million baht houses on estates from Bang Pra/ Sri racha southwards for commuting to Bangkok or work on the eastern seaboard.

These couples as said simply can't afford land/house prices in Bangkok , Chonburi, Samut Prakan, Nontaburi etc so move further away. How long they can support themselves (although the mortgage is probably paid for by the parents) away from Bangkok work is another matter.

As others have said floods and first car scheme probably have a hand in it too. IMO.

Yes it's the flooding, seemed like most of Bangkok was under water a couple of years back, so Thais don't want to invest in property and businesses that can be potentially wrecked by floods. I've heard a lot of Thais saying that in the future Bangkok will be totally underwater and I laughed at the thought but having actually witnessed the floods I would agree that it would be a major concern of mine if I were considering setting up home in Bangkok.

or it could be that they buy their car in BKK hence the BKK plates

BKK is still the place where the jobs and business opportunities are. If this weren't the case, who would voluntarily live in a place like BKK?

- Those Thais that have the financial means to secure land outside a city that is doomed in the long run anyway, they do so and I can't even blame them.

Cheers.

Thais Moving Out Of Bkk

Who can blame them?

Edited January 27, 201313 yr by Semper

3 homes eh....what a man!

Yeah, but acquired in the days of the much lamented Chavalit! Remember him? 90 Baht to the £

we are building a village and 3/4 have already booked and 60% are from bangkok

I agree the price of homes in the bangkok region have skyrocketed, the average mortgage in nontaburi in a development is around 20 to 30 thousand bath a month, they can be bought easy but try keep up the payments for a lot of Thais is not easy. I also have land in Chiang rai and I bought it some time ago I can't believe the price of land there now. They know the people from bkk are moving in and so they have up the price so high the land up there is also out of reach of many Thais.

I don't understandit but some day here there might be a bubble break i seen it in Canada when the prices of houses got o high