Real estate terminology in Bangkok
When it comes to real estate terminology in Bangkok, meanings can differ from agency to agency and also from property to property. However, the general concept is always the same. It is important to view the houses before making any kind of decision based on what you see on paper.
Unfurnished
There is no furniture included in the sale or lease. Everything must be provided by the tenant/buyer. It can also mean that certain furnishings will not be included such as:
- Air conditioners
- Water heaters
- Kitchen electrical equipment (such as fridge, cooker, washing machine)
- Curtains and curtain rails
- Cupboards and wardrobes
- Showers
Part Furnished
Usually only associated with rental properties and means that the lease includes some or all of the following:
- Water heaters
- Cooker
- Refrigerator
- Curtains and curtain poles
- Cupboards and wardrobes
- Beds
- Showers
- Air conditioners or ceiling fans
Fully Furnished
Only associated with rental properties and includes all of the above in the lease as well as items such as:
- Sofas
- Units (for example a television unit)
- Tables and chairs
- Electrical appliances (such as kettles, rice cookers, microwave)
- Bed linen
- Cutlery
- Television
Fully Western Kitchen/Thai Kitchen
Many Thai style houses have what is known as a Thai kitchen, which is essentially a sink and a unit. Occasionally there are also a couple of gas hobs, but facilities are very limited. Adverts stipulate whether there is a Thai or Western kitchen, although it only applies to the older houses as most condos and newly built houses have Western kitchens.
Studio/1,2,3 Bed Rooms
A studio condo or apartment is the name of a one-room apartment with no separate kitchen. A studio can be anywhere in size from 20 sqm. to 45+ sqm.
Condo’s and apartments in Thailand are classified by the number of bedrooms they have. That means that a 1 bedroom apartment will have one bedroom and a living room, a 2 bedroom will have 2 bedrooms and a living room and may have two bathrooms. 1 bedrooms and up usually have a separate kitchen.
Location to BTS/MRT
The BTS (Skytrain) and MRT (Subway) are the cities main public transport. Convenient access to either of these is a big plus. Be careful of sellers trying to pass off their property as being with ‘walking distance’ or ‘5 minutes from BTS’ when in reality it’s closer to 20 minutes. More than a 10 minute walk is not recommended unless there are motorcycle taxi’s operating outside the condo.
Floor System
Floors are counted by Ground Floor and then 2nd floor etc. Thais usually don’t include the 13th floor as it is seen as bringing bad luck. The 13th floor may be called 12A, AA or something else. Higher floors have the advantage of being further away from street traffic and thus have less noise.
