Ekkamai Area Overview
When local residents talk about the Ekkamai neighborhood, they are usually referring to the commercial activity and residential condos located on Sukhumvit 63 Road. Geographically “Soi 63” runs parallel to trendy Thong Lo (Sukhumvit 55 Road) and is even connected via Thong Lo Soi 10/ Ekkamai Soi 5.
This proximity has led the two areas to develop a close affinity; thus resulting in commercial activity from bustling Thong Lo to spillover into Ekkamai. As a result the area has developed a vibrant range of leisure options that appeal to a young working professional crowd.
While similar to Thong Lo in numerous ways, Ekkamai stands apart from its neighbor by offering its own unique living atmosphere. The area is lined by large trees and is less commercial, benefiting from a more peaceful and serene residential environment.
The location, offers a charming old-fashioned Bangkok feel, especially with its multitude of undeveloped shop houses that still host “mom and pop” stores. Interestingly, more modern and trendy venues (I.e. Bars, Shops and Restaurants) operate, often sprinkled and intertwined between these “old-town” shop houses. This combination of old and new has created a unique appeal for the area.
Local Life Overview
The neighborhood is centrally located, only a few BTS Stops away from places such as Asoke and Phrom Phong. Secondly in regards to transport and travelling, road users can connect to Phetchaburi, Sukhumvit and Rama 4 Road with ease. This makes it ideal for working professionals and commuters.
Ekkamai has also developed a reputation for offering a vibrant and eclectic nightlife. Some of the capital trendiest bars and nightclubs can be found along Sukhumvit 63. These places, tend to cluster mid-soi and toward the end of “Soi 63” (Closer to Phetchaburi Road). These classy venues have made the area popular, amongst Bangkok’s Expat and Thai Socialites.
Interestingly, the area also offers a large range of non-nightlife related leisure options. Allowing Ekkamai’s residents to benefit from a balanced residential lifestyle in the heart of Sukhumvit. Some potential venues of interest include:
Gateway Ekkamai
A Shopping Complex with a Japanese theme, offering a grocery store, a variety of retails shops (Clothes, Cosmetic, Electronics, etc…), Japanese eateries, and a food court. The Mall acts as a community hub and it often hosts a range of events such as “weekend markets” (Selling gourmet food, general accessories and clothes) and expos (I.e. Manga Exhibitions).
Big C Ekkamai
This shopping complex is a large hypermarket selling food (Fresh and prepared) and general consumer goods. Index Living Mall is also hosted in the complex and it offers a wide-range of furniture and home accessories.
Major Cineplex
This Mall as its name suggests, hosts a Cinema that offers a range of Thai and Western movie screenings. The complex also hosts numerous retail shops and a multitude of eateries (I.e. KFC, McDonalds and MK).
Property Investment Overview
The relaxed and trendy living experience offered by the neighborhood has inevitably driven demand for residential units in the neighborhood upwards. This popularity is the result of convenient travel options, great leisure venues and a central geographical location. On top of this the living atmosphere (Especially with its tree-line roads) makes the area pleasantly relaxing; offering residents a good escape from typically urban Bangkok. This combination of factors has contributed to Ekkamai’s appeal and desirability.
Buy-to-let investors can positively benefit from investing in Ekkamai Condos, as the area offers a steady market of potential tenants. The area has gradually solidified its reputation as a premium residential address; making it a hotspot and a popular rental option especially for the Expat residents of the city.
On a Capital Appreciation and condo re-sales basis, the area is proving to be an attractive and dynamic neighborhood. Its geographical location means it is inadvertently attracting the Thong Lo “crowd” and benefiting from the spillover of commercial and residential activity from its neighbor.
It is important to note that Ekkamai is a narrow road, meaning developable height of projects in the area is limited; this is due to restrictions imposed by Bangkok’s planning and building regulations. This means that naturally Ekkamai tends to offer fewer high-rise condominiums, adding pressure on overall supply of residential units. This is having a positive knock-on effect on general price-levels.
Finally it is worth mentioning that Ekkamai has not experienced the same level of area redevelopment as its counterparts such as Thong Lo or Phrom Phong. The area can therefore still benefit from momentum generated by the commercial gentrification of the neighborhood. Medium/Long-term this represents an opportunity for property investors who could benefit from the natural regeneration of this neighborhood.
Ekkamai Condo Options
When referring to Ekkamai Condo options, most of the residential buildings cluster around 3 main sections of the neighborhood. These sections are:
Sukhumvit 63 (Soi Ekkamai)
Obviously being the heart of Ekkamai, several residential options can be found along Sukhumvit 63. It is important to note that Ekkamai is made-up of a collection of intertwined “sub-sois” where different residential options are available. This ranges from Condos, Apartments and especially Houses.
Example of Condos on Sukhumvit 63 include:
Sukhumvit 42
This one-way road is accessibly only from Rama 4 (For road users) and it hosts a multitude of residential options. Condos in this part of Ekkamai are usually low-rise 8-Floor buildings, tucked away in Sukhumvit 42’s side-roads. These options offer fewer units per building and thus offer peaceful living environments.
Interestingly, Sukhumvit 42 has recently welcomed its first high-rise, “Rhythm Sukhumvit 42” a 36 Floor project by AP (Thai) located on the main road.
Condos located in this part of Ekkamai include:
–Tree Condo Ekkamai
–Zenith Place Sukhumvit 42
–Issara @ Sukhumvit 42
Sukhumvit 61
This road benefits from a quiet and peaceful environment with low-thoroughfare. Residential options in the area are limited to a handful of condos and houses.
Condos available on Sukhumvit 61 include:
