The Lost Housing Estate.

[sceadugenga]

It's nothing to do with money kevvy, it's about playing catch up with certain members here.

You must have missed the deleted posts.

I must have missed the deleted posts too as I am at a total loss of what the heck this was about. One minute we were discussing the curious nature of abandoned housing projects and then...

The curious photogenic nature of abandoned housing projects at that.

[MagicLoogies]

I hope that it is ok that I am resurrecting this two-month old thread. Somehow I happened to come across it, and found it rather fascinating.

 

I am an architecture grad student at the University of Washington, and working on a hypothetical campus for a school/orphanage in Chiang Rai.  An abandoned resort/housing project like these would have the potential to be perfect sites for my project.  Would anyone be able to give me the locations of these ghost estates? I am visiting Chiang Rai soon, and would like to visit and take some pictures.  Feel free to pm me if that is better.  Thank you very much in advance!

[anto]

Plenty of Ghost towns in Ireland also ,built in unsuitable areas during the property boom .China beats everyone though with its Ghost Cities .You can see them on Youtube.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2014 by anto

[pomchop]

Chiang Rai country estates, the big project very near to Chiang Rai beach was obviously built during bubble days as an upscale complex with big houses on big lots as well as a massive clubhouse/pool.

 

Then it all went to hell in a handbasket and most units were abandoned and weeds growing through the roofs for years.......but ever so slowly it is coming to life as several of the units have been bought/leased and renovated or at least made livable again.  Last I looked the pool and clubhouse were still a total mess though.

 

It truly was originally a very nice development with wide streets , big houses, nice landscaping and a fantastic location.  Hopefully over time more and more of the units will be upgraded and someday perhaps it will return to it's glory days...or not. 

[Paul888]

Chiang Rai country estates, the big project very near to Chiang Rai beach was obviously built during bubble days as an upscale complex with big houses on big lots as well as a massive clubhouse/pool.

 

Then it all went to hell in a handbasket and most units were abandoned and weeds growing through the roofs for years.......but ever so slowly it is coming to life as several of the units have been bought/leased and renovated or at least made livable again.  Last I looked the pool and clubhouse were still a total mess though.

 

It truly was originally a very nice development with wide streets , big houses, nice landscaping and a fantastic location.  Hopefully over time more and more of the units will be upgraded and someday perhaps it will return to it's glory days...or not. 

 

 

It looks very similar to some of the locations where the cast of the Walking Dead would go searching for supplies.

 

I really don't understand what happened there. As you say, I bet it was an impressive project at the start and I don't see why it couldn't be again.... (notwithstanding the zombie problem of course)

[dman]

Chiang Rai country estates, the big project very near to Chiang Rai beach was obviously built during bubble days as an upscale complex with big houses on big lots as well as a massive clubhouse/pool.

 

Then it all went to hell in a handbasket and most units were abandoned and weeds growing through the roofs for years.......but ever so slowly it is coming to life as several of the units have been bought/leased and renovated or at least made livable again.  Last I looked the pool and clubhouse were still a total mess though.

 

It truly was originally a very nice development with wide streets , big houses, nice landscaping and a fantastic location.  Hopefully over time more and more of the units will be upgraded and someday perhaps it will return to it's glory days...or not. 

 

I believe a contributing factor other than the financial crisis to the demise of (Country Home) housing estate is that a two year old accidentally drowned in the swimming pool at the clubhouse. I understand in it's heyday the clubhouse pool and restaurant were a popular spot for Thais before the accident with the toddler. Over ten years ago, I rented a room in the upstairs portion of the clubhouse for a few months, and then one of the houses in the estate for a year. It had an eerie strange vibe like a ghost town but loved the layout of the estate itself. The house I rented had stunning wide, thick, teak plank flooring throughout. Very spacious open floor plan with four bedrooms and five bathrooms all for 6K/month. Property was owned by a wealthy Bangkok couple. 

[Rotweiler]

Another "lost estate"

 

The two years - 1997 and 1998 - had a huge impact on "special" developments in Thailand.  One of the lesser-known developments from that time was Sun Valley Village.  Using (mostly) borrowed money, a beautiful hill-side 300 rai plot was turned into a "country living" estate.  Over 200 plots were serviced, roads and full utilities put in.   A total of 8 (huge) houses were built - one is left standing, apparently occupied until the Bank forced the owners out in about 2003.

 

After the crash, the estate was abandoned, the deed turned over to the bank who lost over B300 Million.

 

The area is beautiful.  I tried to get a piece of it from the Bank - no way, it's all still held-up in multiple court cases.

 

Pics:

[villagefarang]

I recently rode through our local lost housing estate on the banks of the Ing River to see how it was looking.  They seem to have hired a new group of gardeners and they have the place looking lush and beautiful.