As Q1 2026 closes, Phuket’s property market is operating at full post-pandemic momentum, with strong inflows from Russia, Europe, China and the Middle East. Two figures this paragraph used to carry need different treatment. The arrivals number is a real published statistic, Airports of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports both report it, but it was quoted here with no publishing body named, so it is withdrawn until it is cited from one of them. The occupancy average is withdrawn outright: Thailand publishes no occupancy series for Bang Tao, Surin or anywhere else, so nothing was measured to average.
New Project Launches: Q1 2026
The first quarter saw multiple new project launches and phased releases across Phuket’s western corridor:
| Project | Developer | Zone | Price from | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skypark Elara (final units) | Banyan Group | Cherng Talay / Laguna | $265K | Near delivery Oct 2026 |
| Laguna Lake Residences Aster | Banyan Group | Laguna Lakelands | $338K | Construction started |
| Origin Prime Surin | Origin Property | Surin Beach | $160K | New launch Q1 2026 |
| KA Village Rawai (Phase 2) | n/a | Rawai | $280K | Under construction |
| Various The Title phases | Rhom Bho | South Phuket | From $95K | Ongoing sales |
Rental Yield Data: High Season Close 2026
A six-row table of gross yields and high-season occupancy by zone stood here. It is withdrawn in full. Thailand keeps no letting register and publishes no occupancy series, so neither column described anything that had been measured, and a table of twelve such figures, ordered and to one decimal place, is the most persuasive form the invention takes.
What our own price list holds for the same six zones is not income but price, and it ranks them very differently:
| Zone | Priced apartments | Median (THB) | THB per sqm | Finished, priced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bang Tao / Laguna | 4,589 | 7,017,150 | 161,000 | 446 |
| Surin | 108 | 9,150,000 | 155,000 | 29 |
| Kamala | 699 | 7,723,650 | 156,200 | 7 |
| Rawai / Nai Harn | 1,568 | 6,750,000 | 140,949 | 52 |
| Kata / Karon | 1,329 | 7,003,000 | 156,477 | 49 |
| Patong | 202 | 11,070,000 | 234,561 | 0 |
Patong headed the withdrawn yield table and heads this one too, but for the opposite reason: it is the most expensive square metre on the island, 46% above Bang Tao, on the smallest book of the six and with nothing finished in it. A zone cannot be simultaneously the cheapest place to earn and the dearest place to buy.
Low season, May to September, is genuinely quieter across the island. How much quieter for any given building is not published, so plan for empty months rather than for a percentage.
Buyer Nationality Trends Q1 2026
Enquiry and purchase data from MORE Group’s Q1 pipeline:
- Russian buyers: Largest single nationality group by transaction volume; strong preference for Bang Tao and branded product
- UK buyers: Second largest; mix of lifestyle buyers (Rawai, Kamala) and investors (Bang Tao)
- German / Austrian / Swiss buyers: Growing; preference for quality branded product above $250K
- Middle East (UAE / Saudi): Increasing activity post-Q4 2025; preference for branded residences and villas above $500K
- Australian buyers: Consistent demand for south Phuket and Bang Tao; strong in $200K-$400K range
Infrastructure Update
- Phuket International Airport expansion: Phase 1 capacity upgrade to 12.5M passengers progressing; Phase 2 target of 18M passengers (2028) on schedule per CAT announcement
- Bypass roads: Cherng Talay bypass construction improving north-south Phuket connectivity
- Laguna Lakelands infrastructure: Lake system landscaping and internal roads progressing alongside Skypark Elara final fit-out
MORE Group Market View
March 2026 confirms the fundamental investment case for Phuket: high-season demand is structurally strong, the Laguna Lakelands masterplan is delivering as announced, and new visa pathways (LTR, Thailand Elite) continue to attract long-stay buyers who strengthen the rental market baseline.
Risks to monitor: low-season rental performance for properties without strong management, and developer delivery timelines for off-plan stock scheduled 2027-2028.
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Frequently Asked Questions
New project launches continued across the Bang Tao and Laguna corridor, which is visible in developer price lists. The arrivals figure this answer used to give is withdrawn pending a named source, Airports of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports both publish arrivals, and the occupancy average is withdrawn outright, because no occupancy series exists for Phuket to average.
No zone can be ranked on yield, and the three figures this answer used to give are withdrawn: Thailand keeps no letting register. Ranking by price is possible and it inverts the old answer, Patong has the island's most expensive metre at 234,561 THB, 46% above Bang Tao's 161,000, on 202 priced apartments with none of them finished. Year-round tourist traffic is a real feature of Patong; it is not evidence of a return.
Russian buyers are the largest single nationality group by transaction volume, followed by UK buyers. German, Austrian, Swiss, Middle Eastern, and Australian buyers are all active segments in 2026.
Maksim Shchegolev
Phuket Real Estate Experts
The MORE Group team has helped 500+ European and American buyers purchase property in Thailand. We provide legal support, 0% commission, and on-the-ground expertise with 8 years in the Phuket market.
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