Ari: A Neighborhood That Enriches Life


             Along the BTS Skytrain route, if one were to look for a location that is interesting and perfectly suited for urban living in Bangkok, "Ari" would likely come to mind. This area is supported by various fundamental factors, such as being home to several large office buildings, numerous rental offices, and a plethora of popular shops and restaurants favored by Bangkok residents. Additionally, transportation is convenient with the BTS Skytrain. Let's take a closer look at whether "Ari" can truly become a neighborhood that enriches life, supporting the lifestyle of Bangkok residents 24 hours a day, as previously mentioned.

Work Life in Ari: A Continuously Expanding Job Market

              Originally, "Ari" was home to many government agencies, including organizations related to communications, resource management, and economics, such as the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the Department of Water Resources, the Ministry of Finance, and the Phaya Thai District Office. Along the main road, Phahonyothin Road, one can also find various leading private sector job sources, including Kasikorn Bank's headquarters, the Export-Import Bank of Thailand, Sahamongkol Film International Co., Ltd., and the IBM building.

              It seems that land development in Ari is not stopping anytime soon. In recent years, several developers have announced plans to develop mixed-use projects with investments in the billions of baht. This has made "rental offices" a key component of each project, ensuring that job opportunities in the "Ari" area will undoubtedly increase in the future. Some projects have already been completed, such as Grade A office buildings launched in 2017, including Pearl Bangkok with over 30,000 square meters of usable space and SC Tower with over 25,520 square meters. There is also Ari Hill, a mixed-use project that includes a hotel, offices, and a shopping mall, with a total building area of 43,000 square meters, launched in 2018. Additionally, there is a future project that has been announced for investment since 2015, De Raiz by Srisuphan, a mixed-use project comprising a hotel and shopping mall with an investment budget of over 2 billion baht, which we will continue to monitor for progress.


( 1. New Projects in the Ari Area )

Good Living and Delicious Food: Ari Has It All


              With over 450 restaurants and cafes clustered in "Ari", if one were to eat at a different restaurant every day, it would take a year to try them all. The fun of living in the Ari area does not stop at the sheer number of famous restaurants and cafes available; one of its charms is that you can easily walk between them. Just 100 meters from BTS Ari, you will find Soi Phahonyothin 7 (Ari). Within this main soi, there are smaller sois from Ari 1 to 5 where you can stroll and experience delicious food. If you’re still not satisfied, those smaller sois will lead you to Rama VI Road Soi 30, which is lined with restaurants.

              Furthermore, within about 1 kilometer from BTS Ari, you will find a renowned food street, Pradiphat Road, which has everything from street food stalls to trendy cafes catering to the young crowd in Bangkok. All of this can be considered a stroke of luck for those living in the Ari area, as not only is it densely populated with job opportunities, but it is equally rich in delicious food.


( 2. Food Hotspots in the Ari Area )



Where Can You Shop Within 10 Minutes from BTS Ari?


              Ari is home to La Villa Ari, a lifestyle shopping center that includes leading restaurants, lifestyle cafes, banks, and various other services to meet the needs of residents, office workers, and the general public nearby.

              If you ask where you can shop within 10 minutes from BTS Ari, calculations of normal travel times on the BTS show that within 10 minutes from Ari Station, you can reach the heart of Bangkok at Siam Station and enjoy shopping at Siam Paragon with ease. Along the BTS route, you will pass by many large shopping centers in Bangkok, such as Victory Monument (Victory Monument Station) and The Platinum Fashion Mall (Ratchathewi Station). At the same time, if you want to travel outside the city, just two stations away is Mo Chit Station, where you can enjoy the weekend at Chatuchak Market, a market with over 8,000 stalls that is loved by both locals and foreigners alike.

              Additionally, Mo Chit Station connects to Chatuchak Park Station on the MRT, just one station away, where you will find large shopping centers and malls in the Ladprao area, such as Central Ladprao and Union Mall.

              For those looking to stretch their legs, you can also exercise, run, or take a walk at Railway Park every day.

( 3. Shopping Areas Around Ari )

Ari Condominiums: Cap Gain of 5.5-9.5% per Year, Rental Yield of 4.7-6% per Year

              Given the important job sources in Ari mentioned above, there is a corresponding demand for housing. With the lifestyle of the new generation, condominiums appear to be the most popular type of residence, due to the convenience of living and the price range that working-age individuals can afford.

              Over the past 10 years, it has been observed that the prices of new condominium projects in the Ari area have continuously increased in line with the area's development. The pre-sale prices have started to reach hundreds of thousands of baht per square meter since 2013, and currently, new condominium projects typically have average pre-sale prices of around 170,000-200,000 baht per square meter. It can be said that over the past 10 years, the average pre-sale price of new condominium projects has increased by approximately 6.7% per year. Currently, there are about 4,078 units available for sale in this area, including over 704 units from the last three years across four projects. The market response has been quite good, with an average project sales rate of 70%.


(4. Overview of Ari Condominiums)


              In the secondary condominium market in Ari, the average market price per square meter is around 102,000 - 155,000 baht, creating an average Cap gain of 5.5% - 9.5% per year, which is quite good.

 

              At the same time, Ari condominiums can generate rental income, with rental rates varying by room type. For studio apartments, the average rent is 15,000-22,000 baht per month; for one-bedroom apartments, the average rent is 21,000-30,000 baht per month; and for two-bedroom apartments, the average rent is 35,000-45,000 baht per month. Overall, Ari condominiums generate an average Rental Yield of 4.7-6% per year.

 

              For new condominium projects launched in the past 1-2 years, there are about four projects that have received positive consumer feedback, achieving an average sales rate of 70%. Most of these are luxury projects from both small and large developers, including both high-rise and low-rise buildings. Details of each project are as follows:


( 5. New Condominium Projects in the Ari Area )
 


              One noticeable trend is that developers aim to showcase the "highlights of their projects" to reflect the luxury level of those projects, which is quite interesting. For example, the project Suanbua Residence Ari 1- Rajakru emphasizes 100% parking availability, ensuring that all residents have no parking issues. The Noble Around Ari project focuses on luxurious common areas, complete with an Automatic Parking system and ceiling heights of 2.70 meters and 2.85 meters, so it’s no surprise that the launch price of the project is as high as 220,000 baht per square meter. Meanwhile, The Urban Property emphasizes privacy in living, with a limited number of units and spacious Duplex rooms, which are quite rare in this area and have not been found in other projects in the past 1-2 years. Currently, there are two projects: Savvi Ari 4, which has only 39 units in total, and the latest project in the Ari area, Savvi Phahol 2, which is known to focus on privacy for residents, with a three-tier security system and 84% parking ratio with an Automatic parking system, launching at a price of 4.3 million baht, expected to officially launch in December 2018.

              All of this indicates that Ari has become a location that truly reflects the activities of life for Bangkok residents. Even though one-third of each day is spent working, the job market in Ari continues to grow, which is the reason for the demand for housing in the area. Condominiums have thus become an important choice for working individuals in the area, allowing them to live without worrying about other aspects of life, thanks to the convenient BTS Skytrain access. Ari is also well-equipped with restaurants, cafes, and various shopping options, making it a neighborhood that enriches life, whether during work, leisure, or relaxation, seamlessly blending all aspects of life. All of this is possible at Ari.