Wednesday 16 June 2010

Absolute Developments enters Thailand Property Awards 2010

Asia Property Report is urging everyone to nominate their favourite projects, developments and companies in the Thailand Property Awards 2010. Don’t worry Absolute Developments have already got their entry in.


The Thailand Property Awards celebrate the best of the best and showcase Thailand’s residential real estate industry.
Now in their fifth year, the awards assist in promoting the high level of quality of Thailand’s real estate, construction, architectural and interior design as well as industry professional services, and through a professionally run awards system helps put Thailand real estate on the world stage.
Starting with nominations by the public and the industry, followed by entry submissions and judging by a panel of professionals, including site visits for the top short-listed developments in each category, makes the Thailand Property Awards a tough and grueling process with only the winner in each category being awarded.
The awards are highly coveted by real estate agents, property developers, interior designers and architects in Thailand’s residential real estate industry.

Absolute Developments have been entered in the Best Boutique Developer category.

yooPhuket




Absolute Bangla Suites





Absolute Nakalay Beach Resort




Absolute Palm Grove Villas





Absolute Developments defines what it means to enjoy luxury properties in a paradise location.

Thursday 10 June 2010

Phuket turns green

As May turns to June, people in Europe, North America and more northerly parts of Asia are thinking of the summer, with sunny skies, warm balmy days and BBQ’s in the garden. It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy… Here in Phuket, the weather doesn’t have the same 4 seasons as “back home”. We don’t get cold weather, I have no use for warm clothes save for the occasional early morning ride on the bike, you can wear polo shirts and shorts every day. We don’t have a spring with the bluebells flowering in the woods, we don’t have an autumn with golden leaves. But – we do have weather!

Now, there are many reasons why people choose to take a vacation in Thailand. Could be for scuba diving, could be for the culture, could be for the great food, for the nightlife, for the beaches, for the chance to sample Asia in small easy to manage pieces or because it’s cheap… but the weather is also an important factor.
High season is when (on average) you get the best weather – meaning more sun and less rain. This is approximately November to April. It can rain anytime, but the prevailing winds at this time are from the North East, bringing little in the way of storms and rain. Also it means that the west facing beaches in Phuket are sheltered and calm. So, this is when most of the tourists come.
Low season is what we are in now. From May to October we enter the South West monsoon season, meaning prevailing winds are from the South West, coming across the Indian Ocean bringing (on average) more rain than the high season. The winds also mean that the beaches are sometimes too rough for swimming. Many guidebooks and travel agents will tell you the weather is always bad at this time of year and many people believe it. Of course, thats nonsense.

Low season rocks. Low season is a great time to visit Phuket and the rest of Thailand. That is, so long as you don’t mind occasional rain and don’t want to sit on a beach for 2 weeks. You’ll get sun most of the time, most days are hot and you start to wish it WOULD rain just to cool things off! The rain that does fall mostly comes right at the start and end of the season. For example we had a wet start to May this year, but most of the rest of the month was great weather.
Another plus – the colour Green – many locals call this time of year the Green season, as the rain that does fall is lapped up by the tropical plants that cover Phuket. Another plus – less crowds. Yep, this is not package tourist season, so you have more space to move, more room on the beach, less crowds at the main sights, less divers in the water, more breathing space in the restaurants.

Wednesday 2 June 2010

What to do in Phuket

When in Phuket make sure you don’t miss these highlights
Phuket Fantasea is a stunning 140 acre cultural theme park that is the ultimate in night-time entertainment on Kamala Beach, 4 kms from Patong. Fantasea takes you on a fantastical adventure into Thailand’s myth, mystery and magic. There is a 3000 seat theatre that stages Las Vegas style productions featuring magical illusions, acrobatics, stunts, pyrotechnics, elephant performances, and a song and dance spectacular that brings to life tales of Phuket‘s history and mythology. There is a Carnival Village shopping street and the Golden Kinnaree buffet restaurant hosting the world’s largest buffet of Thai and international cuisine.
Phuket Zoo is located on the way to Chalong Bay. The zoo contains a collection of Asian and African mammals and birds. Elephant and crocodile shows are performed every.
Khao Rang Hill has a great view overlooking Phuket Town, the southern part of PhuketIsland and some of the offshore islands. There are several restaurants featuring spectacular views of the city and a park with a bronze statue of Phraya Ratsada Nupradit, the Governor of Phuketduring King Rama V’s reign.
Phuket Butterfly Farm is 3kms from Phuket Town via Yaowarat Road and the Sam Kong intersection. There is a great collection of tropical animals such as butterflies, insects and marine life.
Phuket Aquarium is located at Cape Phanwa and is an amazing underwater world with over 150 different species from freshwater and marine habitats, most of them local species from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
Elephant trekking is a must-do experience in Thailand and a way of supporting the remaining domesticated elephants of Thailand and their mahout (trainer). The elephants are gentle and well trained, taking visitors on interesting jungle treks.
Dinos Park Mini Golf is located at Karon beach next to the Marina Phuket Resort. The 18-hole mini-golf course feature dinosaurs and an erupting volcano
Thai Massage & Spa has evolved into a major business in Thailand. A traditional Thai massage starts around 250 baht in one of many massage shops in Phuket. There are many places to get a massage right up to 5-star hotels/resorts that offer a whole range of spa treatments to guests.
Phuket provides visitors with the opportunity to engage in many outdoor activities, including: scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, parasailing, jet-skiing, yachting, fishing & deep sea fishing, sea canoeing, horse riding, mountain biking & hiking.
As you can see there is a lot to do in Phuket – one visit will not be enough!

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Siam Country Club

The first privately owned course in Thailand was also the first Thai course to ever host an LPGA event: the 2007 Honda LPGA Thailand. It’s got all the attributes of a championship track. Built by Isao Mazumi in 1970 and redesigned by Schmidt-Curley in 2007, the 7,016-yard stunner shares terrain with fruit trees, creeks, lakes and – count ‘em – 101 sand traps. The immaculate greens are huge, elevated and contoured, meaning even the best putters will want the expertise of a well-trained caddie.

Fortunately, Siam CC has those in spades, as it has the ideal perch for a clubhouse, which overlooks the course from a low hill just a few kilometers from the bustling resort town of Pattaya. The last four holes make up what is widely considered the best closing stretch in Thailand.
Siam Country Club is set in the low hills just a few kilometers from Pattaya and has been wonderfully landscaped to contain more than its fair share of mature trees, shrubs and plants. Various fruit trees on the course give the impression of being in an orchard, especially when in season. After a 2 year closed period, Siam Country Club re-opened in March 2007. The course having under gone a complete renovation and upgrading has been renamed to the Siam Country Club Old Course following the Scottish tradition recognizing classic golf courses.
For players on a golf holiday Siam Country Club offers world class golf in truly stunning surroundings. The club has hosted a large number of national and international tournaments and is cited as being the premier location for golf events in Thailand including the Thailand Open 4 times, many Asian Golf Circuits and the latest being a world class tournament  the “Honda LPGA Thailand 2007″. The Siam Country Club was closed for the entire 2006 season and underwent a huge amount of renovation and redevelopment, it reopened its gates in 2007, gifting the golfing community in Thailand with well laid out fairways, strategically placed bunkers and several water hazards. The clubhouse at Siam Country Club is noted to be of excellent quality, offering an exceptional level of service including locker room, restaurant, reception, pro shop, seminar and function rooms.
The course has an out and back layout with many of the golf holes playing past a series of lakes, and strategically placed creeks and even a large golden Bhudda on the 9th fairway. Long, straight driving is required to negotiate the often narrow fairways. The large trees at Siam Country Club often get in the way and will punish errant tee shots. It is not uncommon to find an otherwise good drive actually nestled under a bed of pine needles or a shaded canopy of huge trees hanging over the fairway. The greens at Siam Country Club are for the most part large, roll fast, and are excellently maintained.
Dotted with many bunkers and water hazards, the course also boasts several dramatic holes, particularly the last four. The 15th through 18th holes taken together could arguably be the best finishing holes of any Pattaya golf course. If you’re having a good day and scoring well, take care as these 4 holes could easily bring you back to earth and ruin a good score.
In 2008 the long anticipated 27 hole course “Plantation” was finally opened, adding an exciting and demanding course for even the most experienced player.Designed by a well known Arizona based, Schmidt & Curley Design Inc.  The “PLANTATION” name was given in the honor of the historic Sugar Cane, Tapioca, and Pineapple plantations, and each 9-hole is named accordingly.