Bangkok condos now launch at ฿120,364 per square metre

Thailand’s consumer price index climbed 3.9 percent in October from a year earlier, the highest reading in 45 months, Commerce Ministry data showed. Fuel prices jumped 29 percent and food costs rose amid global oil moves and flood effects. For anyone living here or visiting, that means higher restaurant bills, transport fares and grocery totals. The central bank expects the spike to ease after early 2027 but is watching energy prices closely. Watch the November reading due in early December.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand index fell 3.5 percent over the week to close at 1,465.70 on November 6. Delta Electronics and other tech exporters led the decline after US midterm results raised fears of tighter AI rules. Foreign investors sold net 203 million baht on the final day. Readers holding Thai shares or funds saw the move cut recent gains. Next week’s US jobs data may set the tone.

The baht traded around 33.40 to the US dollar this week. Higher US rates and oil prices kept pressure on the currency despite the central bank’s steady policy rate. For readers converting dollars or euros for a trip or pension, each ฿1 move changes the cost of a ฿100,000 transfer by about that amount. Watch Middle East oil headlines for the next swing.

The Bank of Thailand held its policy rate at 1 percent on October 28. One-year fixed deposits at major banks yield roughly 1.2 to 1.5 percent. A ฿3 million savings account earns ฿36,000 to ฿45,000 a year, less than one month’s rent on many Bangkok one-bedrooms. The next Monetary Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for late November.

New condominium projects in Bangkok launched at an average ฿120,364 per square metre in the first half of 2026, up 9.4 percent from end-2025 levels, Cushman & Wakefield data show. Developers are focusing on higher-end units and clearing finished stock rather than starting new mid-market towers. Buyers looking at Thonglor or Sukhumvit now face higher entry prices than a year ago, while rents have stayed flat in many buildings.

Phuket’s residential and holiday accommodation stock totals 90,597 units worth ฿705 billion, the Agency for Real Estate Affairs reported. Villas and resort condos make up half the units but 80 percent of the value, with Russian and other foreign buyers dominant in Cherng Talay. Completed stock continues to set prices while new launches slow.

The IMF projects Vietnam’s nominal GDP per capita will reach US$5,259 in 2026, edging ahead of Indonesia’s US$5,153. Strong electronics exports and foreign investment in factories have lifted the figure almost twofold in a decade. Thailand remains ahead at roughly US$7,500, but the gap with its neighbour is narrowing faster than many expected.

Thailand cut the general 60-day visa exemption to 30 days for nationals of 60 countries and territories, effective 15 September 2026, after Royal Gazette publication. A new 15-day exemption covers two additional nationalities, and Visa on Arrival eligibility shrank to three countries. Visitors may still be asked to show ฿10,000–20,000 in funds depending on entry type. The changes affect short tourist trips but leave longer-stay options such as the DTV unchanged.

Catch the final weekend of the anime exhibition at ICONSIAM’s Attraction Hall, 6th floor. Open until Sunday 8 November, 10am–9pm (last entry 8.30pm). Regular tickets ฿250, VIP ฿500. Direct booking and details at the ICONSIAM website.

Electronics and related technology names produced the bulk of the SET’s yearly advance through September, while banks, retailers and property barely moved, Krungsri Research estimates. The index has risen despite thin foreign flows and weak domestic demand. That split explains why some Bangkok malls stay half empty while the benchmark sits near recent highs.