After the successful completion of its first Bangkok residential condominium project on Rama III Road, Eastern Star Real Estate has embarked on its second inner-city project at Soi Narathiwas.

The firm's deputy managing director Kawee Siribhadra said Star Estate @ Narathiwas would be a distinct upgrade from the Rama III site.

"The prices at Narathiwas will start from about Bt70,000 a square metre, with a 60-square-metre, one-bedroom unit going for Bt3.9 million and upwards."

The Rama III project has already won much acclaim for its quality, providing affordable units from Bt2.2 million for a 37-square-metre studio.

"The prices at both sites include air-conditioning units and a fitted kitchen," he said. "All the buyers need to do is purchase the free-standing furniture and move in."

"The Narathiwas building will be butterfly-shaped, allowing residents good views of the river as well as the city, said Kawee, an experienced US-trained real-estate professional.

In all there will be 211 units in the 20-storey building. The project is worth about Bt1.5 billion, and the firm has scheduled the building for completion in the middle of next year.

"Construction has already reached the ninth floor," said Kawee, "and we have opened a sales office with show units."

The Narathiwas project also marks an effort by the company to beef up its reputation as a dependable and responsible builder, said Kawee.

The condominium was one of four projects announced by the company two years ago as it shifted from its base in the industrial belt of Rayong to focus on developments in Bangkok.

When the units at Rama III are transferred next month, he said, the company will start a campaign for Narathiwas to draw home-buyers to check out its luxury units near the Sathupradit-Narathiwas junction.

Both the Rama III and Narathiwas locations are blessed by being in two of the more unpolluted parts of Bangkok.

Another plus is the new bridges that will soon connect the area to Samrong and Bang Na. When completed, the new route will allow speedy connection to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The firm's third project, on Pattanakarn Road, is also drawing attention, with 57 detached homes. About 19 units have been built, with prices starting at about Bt16 million.

Kawee said the company was currently reviewing the project to improve its lay-out. A fourth project on a 37-rai plot is also being fine-tuned before a launch later this year, he said.

Eastern Star was established in 1989 and began operations in the eastern-seaboard town of Ban Chang. It built residential homes, schools and other infrastructure projects.

Among its several achievements in Ban Chang are the Eastern Star Country Club luxury-home community of grand houses overlooking a sprawling 18-hole golf course, the Hamlet 1 and 2 housing estates, Sintavee Park and Sintavee Garden.

Itthi C Tan

The Nation