Thailand's real estate excellence celebrated at 2014 Thailand Property Awards

Setting a benchmark for excellence in the region’s property sector, the 2014 Thailand Property Awards welcomed over 500 of the industry’s leaders to celebrate the winners at a lavish Gala Dinner held 11th September at Bangkok’s Conrad Hotel.

“There were many exceptional entries for the 22 awards this year and the judges had a tough time in whittling down thousands of nominations, hundreds of entries and visiting more than 40 short-listed developments around the country to finally reach their decisions. It’s never an easy task and I’d like to thank the judges for their time, diligence and expertise,” said Terry Blackburn, CEO, Ensign Media Co. Ltd, organisers of the awards.

“This years Winners and Highly Commended developers and developments should be rightly proud of their achievements.”

Professionally run by Ensign Media, publishers of Property Report magazine, the ninth annual Thailand Property Awards recognise quality in architecture, design, construction and development, rewarding the best condominiums, housing developments, villas, commercial buildings and hotels. Promoting Thai real estate to the world, the fair, transparent and fully audited judging process with an international judging panel led by Chairman Sunchai Nuengsit, Managing Director, BuilderSmart Public Company Limited and overseen by BDO Advisory Limited, has been fundamental to the Awards’ success and the high regard with which they are held by the industry.

Five VIP speakers gave insightful speeches before the awards ceremony, including Blackburn, who gave the opening remarks, and Nuengsit, who spoke on behalf of the judges’ panel. The others were Paul Ashburn, Senior Partner at BDO; keynote speaker Dr Robert Mather, head of the Southeast Asian group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN); and the evening’s Guest of Honour, Dr Naris Chaiyasoot, Director-General of the Treasury Department at the Ministry of Finance of Thailand.

As the industry evolves, so have the Awards and organisers this year opted for no agency awards with the focus being on developers, development, design and architecture in residential and commercial real estate nationwide, including specific regional awards for Bangkok, Phuket, Eastern Seaboard, Samui, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai and Khao Yai.

The much-anticipated ‘Best Developer Thailand’ award – past winners of which reads like a who’s who of Thailand’s real estate industry – this year went to Major Development PCL whose more than 15-year track record of real estate development in the Kingdom is exemplary.

Big winners of the night were Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited, who took home three awards and were Highly Commended in two other categories, while Pace Development Corporation PLC took home the highly sought-after ‘Best Luxury Condo Development (Bangkok)’ award against some tough competition for The Ritz-Carlton Residences at MahaNakhon.

Outside of Bangkok, Phuket developers and developments claimed the lion’s share of acclaim with four award wins and six Highly Commended, most notable being Point Yamu Villas by COMO by COMO Hotels & Resorts who won ‘Best Villa Development (Phuket)’ and ‘Best Hotel Architectural Design’, and were Highly Commended for ‘Best Residential Interior Design’.

Recognising the growing social and community responsibility that developers have, organisers Ensign Media this year introduced the ‘Special Recognition in CSR’ award which was awarded to two companies who have excelled in their corporate and social responsibilities: Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited and Absolute World Group.

The publisher’s choice award for Real Estate Personality of the Year was presented to Tos Chirathivat, the 49-year-old Chief Executive Officer of The Central Group. Chirathivat’s vision and leadership in the past year have been a testament to his firm’s success, as well as an instrument for his firm’s plans for regional and international expansion.

COMPLETE WINNERS & HIGHLY COMMENDED LIST

PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Thailand) 2014:

DEVELOPER AWARDS

Best Developer Thailand

WINNER: Major Development PCL
HIGHLY COMMENDED: AP (Thailand) PCL
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited

Best Boutique Developer Thailand

WINNER: SLM Real Estate Co. Ltd. (Trading as Orchid Palm Homes)
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Absolute World Group
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Red Mountain Hua Hin

Special Recognition in CSR

WINNER: Absolute World Group
WINNER: Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited

DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

Best Luxury Condo Development (Bangkok)

WINNER: The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Bangkok at MahaNakhon by Pace Development Corporation PLC
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard by Magnolia Finest Corporation Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Marque Sukhumvit by Major Development PCL Menam Residences by Menam Residences Co.,Ltd.

Best Affordable Condo Development (Bangkok)

WINNER: Than Living Pracha Uthit by Kitha Properties Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: My Story Ladprow71 by Kitha Properties Co., Ltd

Best Housing Development (Bangkok)

WINNER: Soul Ratchadaphisek 68 by AP (Thailand) Public Company Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Perfect Masterpiece Sukhumvit 77 by Estate Perfect Company Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Siamese Blossom@Fashion by Siamese Asset Company Limited

Best Condo Development (Phuket)

WINNER: Baan Mai Khao by Sansiri PLC
HIGHLY COMMENDED: The View Kata Condominium by The View Co., Ltd.

Best Villa Development (Phuket)

WINNER: Point Yamu Villas by COMO by COMO Hotels & Resorts
HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Pavilions Estate by The Pavilions Universe

Best Condo Development (Eastern Seaboard)

WINNER: Amari Residences by The Nova Group
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Centara Avenue Residence & Suites by Tulip Group
HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Palm, Wongamat Beach by Nova Luxury Developments Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Waterfront Suites & Residence by Tulip Group

Best Villa Development (Eastern Seaboard)

WINNER: The Vineyard, Phase Three, La Residence by Bravothai Lifestyles Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Amaya Hill by Bravothai Lifestyles Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Silk Road Place Pattaya by Better Home Development Co., Ltd.

Best Residential Development (Samui)

WINER: The Ridge by Panoramic Estate Company
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Aqua Samui by Luxury Living
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mandalay Beach Villas by Mandalay Samui Developments

Best Residential Development (Hua Hin)

WINNER: My Resort by My Resort Holding Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Palm Villas by Ban Sanam Golf Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Red Mountain by Red Mountain Hua Hin

Best Residential Development (Chiang Mai)

WINNER: Baan Chiang Mai Riverside by Vorrawut Property Development Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: S Condominium by Prattana Properties and Healthcare Co., Ltd.

Best Residential Development (Khao Yai)

WINNER: Toscana Valley Casa Del Artiste by Toscana Valley Company Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Zen Next Condominium Kao-Yai by K.D. Asset and Development Co., Ltd.

Best Commercial Development

WINNER: AIA Capital Center by AIA Company Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: The District Em by The Emporium Group Co., Ltd.

DESIGN AWARDS

Best Residential Architectural Design

WINNER: Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard by Magnolia Finest Corporation Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bugatti Retreat Phi Phi by Beach Project Development Group
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Menam Residences by Menam Residences Co., Ltd.

Best Residential Interior Design

WINNER: Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard by Magnolia Finest Corporation Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Menam Residences by Menam Residences Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Point Yamu Villas by COMO by COMO Hotels & Resorts
HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Beach Samui by Absolute World Group

Best Commercial Architectural Design

WINNER: The District Em by The Emporium Group Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: AIA Capital Center by AIA Company Limited
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bhiraj Tower At EmQuartier by Bhiraj Buri Group

Best Landscape Architectural Design

WINNER: Silverlake Vineyard and Winery by Silverlake Vineyard Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Toscana Valley Casa del Artiste by Toscana Valley Company Limited

Best Villa Architectural Design

WINNER: Villa Seawadee by STK Development Co., Ltd.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Villa Kya by Dreamcoast
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Villa Sritrakul by Sritrakul Development Co., Ltd.

Best Hotel Architectural Design

WINNER: Point Yamu Villas by COMO by COMO Hotels & Resorts
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Centara Grand Phratamnak by Tulip Group
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach by Fair and Firm Co., Ltd.

PUBLISHER’S CHOICE

Real Estate Personality of the Year

Tos Chirathivat, CEO, The Central Group

All the winners in the developer, development and design categories are now automatically entered in the fourth annual South East Asia Property Awards 2014, which will be held at The Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, on 16 October.

The central panel of judges at the 2014 Thailand Property Awards included Bill Barnett, founder and managing director, C9 Hotelworks; Teresa Biesty, managing director, Access Property Limited; Ian Hamilton, commercial and industrial property specialist; and Dr Theerathon Tharachai, CFO, Project Planning Service Public Company Limited; while the regional panel heads were Keith Humphreys, managing director, Keith Humphreys & Associates, for Chiang Mai; Clayton Wade, managing director, Premier Homes Real Estate, for the Easter Seaboard; Russ Downing, managing director, Hua Hin Property Central, for Hua Hin; Robert Krupica, senior partner, Hughes Krupica, for Phuket; and Christian Glanville, CEO, Limcharoen, for Samui.

“It’s been a challenging year for Thailand’s real estate and the industry has shown resilience and maturity. It is now stronger and well-positioned for 2015 with the opening up of ASEAN and the Asean Economic Community,” added Blackburn.

Started in Thailand in 2006, the awards programme has expanded Asia-wide, rewarding developments, consultants, architects and designers in China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, with the emerging industry in Myanmar the most recent to be added in 2015.

For more information, visit www.asiapropertyawards.com/thailandpropertyawards.