Magazine Issue 14 (Quarter 3)
The Englishman’s Retreat started trading on 30th September 2007, and this year they are expanding their operation to cater for long-term residents of Udon Thani. It seems very daring to expand in the middle of such an economic slump, so why do it?
Quite simply there’s a lack of budget accommodation that really meets the requirements of the true expat, so Ornuma (owner of The Retreat) decided to build 6 studio apartments with full kitchen facilities, a breakfast bar, and a proper lounge area where you can relax and watch TV. Add to that a private balcony or terrace overlooking the swimming pool, and all the creature comforts you need to create a real home from home. “We are aware there are less expats in Thailand these days, but on the other side of the coin are the many expats straying from the coast-lines in favour of cheaper living costs here in the north. When you are in an economic slump you’ll always have a customer base if your product is marketed towards budget conscious people. Many more expats are finding themselves falling into this category, as most pensions have crumpled to 65% of their value compared to 5 years ago, while the cost of living just keeps on rising”
You needn’t think budget means slumming it, the units are quite small at 31sqm. but Ornuma assures us she’ll get all the necessities plus a few accessories into the space, from dining stools and patio sets to LCD TVs and comfortable lighting.
So how much can one expect to pay for a unit like this? “It depends on the type of contract they are prepared to tie into, for a 12 month contract the monthly rent is 5,000bt and for a 6 month contract it is 5,500bt”.
Will you consider a smaller contract term, say 3 months? “To be honest I hope I won’t have to, and as there are no kitchen utensils or bedding provided, the units really are for long-term residence only. If I find the need I’ll consider purchasing bedding and utensils, but with this comes the need for room cleaning and linen change, so the cost is going to be considerably higher, I doubt there would be much change left from 8,000bt.
At the time of this going to print 3 units had already been reserved by eager clients, who obviously had an eye for a bargain, as all they had to view was 4 concrete walls. I’ve got a feeling the other 3 won’t be vacant for long, and they’re not scheduled for completion until late August.
- Glyn welcomes another long-term resident to The Retreat
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