Kati Chitrakorn / Photographed for the FT by Natthawut Taeja Published November 6 2026 Jump to comments section Print this page Unlock the Editor's Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Bangkok wakes to a fast and loud symphony of daily life. Commuters pack tightly on subway platforms, motorcycle drivers in bright orange vests weave between gridlocked cars, and the hiss of hot oil takes over the morning air as street vendors grill sticks of pork to feed the rushing crowds.
But you'd almost never know it from Soi Langsuan, an upscale residential street in the heart of the city, where the bustle gently fades into calm. At its southern end is Nimit Lumpini Park North, a residential tower that will open its doors this year after a decade in the works. Interiors can best be described as 'quiet luxury', something often rare in the region: Loro Piana textiles, Arclinea kitchens, Miele appliances, B&B Italia wardrobes and Murano glass basins.
Panoramic views are of Lumpini Park and the historic Royal Bangkok Sports Club; wellness amenities are delivered by Chiva-Som, marking the brand's first residential partnership. For American deli lovers, there'll also be a Dean & De Luca. Nimit is among a new wave of premium residences that will launch in Bangkok in the coming years, including the Rosewood Hotel Group's first standalone Asia-based residences and the first from the hotel brand Upper House.
Nimit in particular tells a bigger story of changes in Bangkok's prime residential market — one of shifting priorities and new buyer interest. But it hasn't been an easy ride. Nimit Lumpini Park North is representative of Bangkok's shifting priorities and new buyer interest Behind the landmark project is Pace Development Corp, which since 2004 has helped transform Bangkok's skyline with ambitious architectural projects including Maha Nakhon, which broke records as the tallest building in Thailand when it officially opened in December 2016, and is home to the country's first Ritz-Carlton Residences.
In the driver's seat is founder and chief executive Sorapoj Techakraisri, known to many as Khun Ying. Where once local buyers were top of mind, Techakraisri is now scanning the global horizon. Techakraisri — a cool customer dressed in cream when we meet briefly in August and then again in September and October — is something of a divisive figure; his aggressive strategies have polarised investors and industry observers.
While some say he introduced international design and uncompromising standards to local projects, calling him and his company 'visionary', others including Forbes view the developer as making 'risky' moves: announcing Maha Nakhon during a financial crisis, forging ahead despite street protests and a military coup. Nimit, meanwhile, opens as the country faces scrutiny over its rock-bottom interest rates (its main policy interest rate is just 1 per cent), stalled growth, high household debt, high mortgage rejection rates and a rapidly ageing population. At the start of this year, the housing market above Bt10mn (around $300,000) had contracted for three quarters, according to a Savills report.
Many fear Thailand is on a path to 'Japanification' — a prolonged period of low inflation and low growth. The launch also follows significant challenges within Pace as international acquisitions forced it to default on Bt2.6bn ($86mn at the time) worth of debt in 2019 and financially restructure. Proximity to Lumpini Park carries with it a cultural cachet But it is also potentially a time of opportunity.
Thailand is increasingly drawing wealthy individuals from around the world, incentivised by long-term residency programmes, an explosion of branded residences, accessible property pr.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing