• By GROVE
  • | Nov 11, 2016
Stock Exchange of Thailand
 
Stock Exchange of Thailand

1. It’s the new CBD

Ratchada recently welcomed some of the country’s most iconic skyscrapers, making it ASEAN’s newest business hub. Among the neighborhood’s rising skyline are impressive projects like the G Land Tower and the upcoming Super Tower, the former being an office building boasting 1.2 million sq meters that looks like something straight out of Tokyo. The latter will reach 615 meters, making it ASEAN’s tallest building.  In the meantime, gleaming corporate headquarters like the AIA Capital Center, the Stock Exchange of Thailand and Unilever have already moved in—a forest of skyscrapers which makes Ratchada officially Bangkok’s Central Business District.
 
 

2. It’s geared towards a young crowd

Ratchada is a neighborhood for go-getters, thanks to its resident first-jobbers and ambitious junior executives. You can see it in the entrepreneurial meeting spaces and the many health and fitness-obsessed venues popping up. Asia’s biggest trampoline park—Bounce—is right here, along with Fitfac Muay Thai Academy, a cardio-focused boxing gym. Come lunchtime, healthy menus abound in the area’s numerous cafes, such as the farmers’ market-inspired Greenmade Cafe. Recent openings like Phynn offer a modern and trendy meeting space for young entrepreneurs. The minimal decor, strong Wi-Fi and affordable prices mean a guaranteed day of productivity with your team.
 

3. The transportation options are great.

The Ratchada neighborhood offers a refreshing change from Sukhumvit, despite being only minutes away from Asoke, where the Sukhumvit line of the BTS intersects with the MRT Blue Line. On Ratchada Road, traffic is smoother (it does have eight lanes) and the Srirat Expressway offers direct access to Suvarnabhumi International Airport.  The MRT Blue Line runs right under Ratchada, with five stations dotting its length between Asoke (to the South) and Lad Prao (to the North). It seamlessly connects with the Sukhumvit Line at MRT Sukhumvit and the Silom line at MRT Silom. At MRT Phetburi, the Airport Rail Link (ARL) allows travelers to reach Suvarnabhumi International Airport in 30 minutes regardless of traffic. In fact, the ARL Makkasan station even offers early check-in counters to send your luggage to the airport early.
 

4. And they’re about to get even better.

Ratchada’s transportation future is very promising. In 2020, the MRT Orange Line will run from MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, through ARL Makkasan, and to the BTS Sukhumvit line’s Ratchatewi station, a single stop away from Siam (and the BTS Silom Line).
 

5. Prices remain competitive

Prices in Ratchada remain lower than in legacy business areas like Asoke and Sathorn. But Colliers’ research notes that with little to no land left to develop in those areas, development is set to shift to up-and-coming areas like Ratchada. While rental prices in Ratchada are around B800 per sq meter, the potential is much higher, given that grade-A projects in the Phloen Chit area can reach prices as high as B1,600 per sq meter. Actually, Ratchada prices are already up from B700 in 2015 and expected to reach B950 by year-end. On the residential front, rates are expected to follow as this surge of new offices attracts young professionals. Land prices are up 33 percent compared to 2011 but condominium construction is still lagging behind the office boom, putting a lot of pressure on existing condominium projects.
 

6. The Central AEC District

With the ASEAN Economic Community becoming a reality, Ratchada is poised to be more than just Bangkok’s CBD. With its rapid access to Suvarnabhumi, the area is ideally positioned to welcome not only national but also regional corporate headquarters that want to be a short flight away from Yangon, Singapore and Hanoi. As such, it’s attracting foreign investors from Hong Kong and Singapore who want a pied a terre in the Thai capital.


Noble Revolve Ratchada 2

Simulated Image
 
Simulated Image
 
Noble is one of the developers that have been instrumental in shaping the neighborhood in its new image. Its skyscrapers’ edgy decor is the perfect fit for the neighborhood’s fresh-faced crowd. With its second development, Noble Ratchada 2, the developer has proven its commitment to the area as one of the most high-potential neighborhoods in Bangkok right now. The 42-story building boasts all the modern amenities including a particularly large saltwater swimming pool and roof gardens on the 6th and 42d floors. Located right by MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, units come fully furnished and start from B3.9 million. For more information, please call 02-251-9955 or visit www.noblehome.com.

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