Bangkok’s riverside area has historically been home to some of the most established & reputable hotels, the Mandarin Oriental was the first hotel built in Thailand when it opened as The Oriental in 1876. There are existing tourist attractions such as Asiatique (a large open-open mall) and established community malls such as Sena Fest. The gentrification of this previously gritty industrial area into a prime residential hotspot has been accelerated by brand new attractions like the monumental Iconsiam shopping mall & a mixture of train line creations & expansions which is transforming the area and its connectivity with the rest of Bangkok.

There is an established riverside residential market today, however until recently it was dominated by typical 1980’s white concrete buildings & traditional Thai designs with relatively low new activity compared to other central parts of the city. The riverside area in Bangkok’s development looked set for change. It wasn’t until the completion of a mixture of hotel-branded residences driven by the luxury market & huge infrastructure projects the riverside residential condominium area has been turbo-charged.

Emergence of the Hotel-Branded Residences
2020 was an important milestone for the development of the riverside area, we saw the completion of 3 luxury-tier hotel-branded condominiums:

The Residence at Mandarin Oriental

Developed by MQDC, the MO Residences is the sister tower to the ‘Magnolias Waterfront’
Attached to the Iconsiam Shopping Mall, winner of the best store design award by the World Retail Congress in 2019 & home to Thailand’s first Apple Store.
Each unit sports a private elevator.
There’s convenient access via the brand new Gold Line Monorail, which can be accessed from the BTS.
Freehold ownership

The Four Seasons Private Residences

Situated on the largest waterfront plot in Bangkok’s CBD area
It’s the fourth tallest building in Thailand
The Chao Phraya Estate is a mixed-use development comprising “Four Seasons Private Residences” and two ultra-luxury hotels “Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River & Capella Hotel Bangkok”.
All units designed to be a corner unit, features unobstructed panoramic river and city view
Located next to the renowned Shrewsbury International School
Leasehold ownership

Banyan Tree Residences Riverside Bangkok

Closest option to the river bank
Offers views of both ‘old’ & ‘new city’
1, 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms including duplexes
Mixture of square & curved designs around a semi-circle shaped building
Freehold ownership

Better Connectivity
Q4 2020 saw the completion of the Blue MRT line extension, now connecting east and west of Bangkok split by the river. The initial Blue Line metro, which first became operational in July 2004, is the first underground metro line in Bangkok. Previously the line was horse-shoe shaped and the new extensions now function as a circle line.

With this increased travel convenience, there has been a significant increase in the amount of new residential condominiums launched, despite Bangkok at a 10-year low. A number of developers are exploring a more accessible market segment, trying to entice investment buyers away from more pricey locations such as prime Sathorn & Sukhumvit locations. Supalai, Ananda & Pruksa have all launched projects in 2021 with starting prices under 5M THB on the west side of the river.

What’s Next?
Development has already started heading both north & south further down the river. A sizable new landmark coming to the riverside area is the new Terminal 21 Rama 3; a 7-storey building, 2 underground floors, totaling over 140,000 sqm of usable space. Rama 3 will be the fourth branch of Terminal 21 after Asoke in Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima and Pattaya. Central Plaza Shopping on Rama 3 is the only large mall in the area.
This along with the construction for Rama 3-Dao Khanong-Western Bangkok Outer Ring Road Expressway will greatly help improve connectivity to this area which currently doesn’t have train lines.

The New Thai Parliament is the latest landmark development on the riverside, which occupies a large 123-rai plot and will house a National Museum and a large-scale courtyard open to the public. The new Parliament is topped by a golden pagoda representing Mount Meru in Buddhist cosmology. The pagoda was designed by national artists Pinyo Suwankiri and Phao Suwansaksri.
The transformation of Bangkok’s riverside from ports and warehouses to residential and other uses has continued with more and more residential developments being launched in the area. Now there are a number of new options at the entry-level and mid-level filtering through the market. The main reason for purchase is still those looking for a lifestyle choice, there are concerns other central city areas such as Sathorn and Sukhumvit are becoming over-crowded. Pricing is no longer just at a premium, so buyers are seeing long-term investment value especially during today’s buyers’ market.

Demand has been consistent in the luxury market segment, where focus is still stronger on end-users, either as a lifestyle purchase, a trophy purchase or those looking for a part-time alternative residence instead of a hotel. Unless yields start increasing, it’s unlikely this market will attract landlords.

The Charoen Nakhon area is now clearly established as the prime riverside location and it remains to be seen whether other landmark developments will act as catalysts to revitalise other riverside locations.

Project to Watch; The Rhythm Charoenkrung Pavillion
Rhythm by developer AP Thai, is one of the most renowned brands in the city. This latest venture is a very well thought out and executed new generation riverside concept.

Building off the demand from a general lack of mid-market new builds on the riverside, focus is on larger room sizes and a family-friendly design to cater to the Shrewsbury International School market located just opposite. Pricing is a fraction of the neighbouring Four Seasons Private Residences for those looking for a more economical freehold alternative.