Phuket property market draws overseas buyers amid geopolitical uncertainty
Property executives and analysts say Phuket is attracting continued overseas interest, including from Middle Eastern buyers, as geopolitical instability drives demand for lifestyle and diversification investments.
Phuket's condominium and luxury housing market is continuing to attract interest from overseas buyers, with property executives and analysts saying geopolitical instability is helping push more internationally mobile investors toward the island.
Bangkok Post reported that affluent buyers, including clients from the Middle East, are increasingly considering Phuket as a long-term lifestyle and investment destination rather than a speculative purchase. Felix Desjardins, head of acquisitions for Phuket and Koh Samui at List Sotheby's International Realty Thailand, said instability tends to accelerate discussions in the ultra-prime segment.
He said there was continued interest from Middle Eastern buyers and internationally mobile families, adding that the "Dubai-Phuket corridor" was becoming more established as more Dubai-based buyers viewed Phuket as part of their broader lifestyle and real estate allocation.
The report cited Dubai-based business owner Steven Swindells, 53, who recently travelled in Thailand to look for a second home. With a budget of 25 million baht, he searched in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hua Hin for a property that could support a long-term stay and possibly generate rental yield.
Daniel Ho, co-founder and group managing director of property data agency Juwai IQI, said Phuket had remained resilient even though any reduction in global tourism could affect arrivals of digital nomads and expatriates who support the island's condominium and villa market. He said Phuket ranked as Thailand's third most popular destination in 2026 so far by Chinese buyer inquiries, after Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
Titiwat Kuvijitsuwan, chief executive of developer Capstone Asset, said Phuket had historically shown resilience through previous global events and market cycles. He said some internationally mobile buyers were shifting part of their focus from Gulf Cooperation Council markets toward Phuket because the island compared favourably with destinations such as Dubai from a long-term lifestyle and investment perspective.
Yana Chuvalova, marketing and sales director of Phuket-based project Gardens of Eden, said Phuket offered better value for money than Singapore, where foreign buyers face roughly 60% additional buyer stamp duty taxes. She added that Thailand allows freehold condominium ownership, while foreign buyers in Bali are generally limited to leasehold arrangements.
The broader Thai condominium market also continued to draw foreign demand. According to Juwai IQI figures cited in the report, foreign ownership of Thai condominiums rose 2.2% in 2025, while foreign condominium purchases in the fourth quarter increased 9.3% from a year earlier.
