Behind the Towers

Q U E S T I O N 1

People see the finished towers, showrooms, launches and beautiful marketing, but very few see what happens between the first drawing and handing over the keys. What are the most important decisions a developer makes that buyers never see, and which mistakes are the hardest to correct later?

SUKANYA'S RESPONSE

From the first drawing to the day, we hand over the keys, there is an enormous amount happening behind the scenes. For me, it’s a bit like putting together a very large jigsaw
puzzle. There are so many pieces, and so many different teams involved, and everything has to come together in the right way.

Some of the most important decisions are actually made very early on, long before buyers see the project. It starts with the vision and concept - what we want the development to be and how we want people to live there. From there, we make decisions about the position of the buildings, the orientation and views, the size and layout of the residences, how every square meter inside the unit is used, and where the facilities should be.

All of these decisions are connected. Architects, engineers, interior and landscape designers, construction, sales and marketing - there are so many teams working both in front of and behind the scenes. A decision made by one team can affect several others, so a big part of being a developer is being able to see the bigger picture and bring all of those pieces together.

In terms of mistakes that are difficult to correct later, one of the biggest for me is getting the unit sizes and layouts wrong. We can study the market, look at data and learn from previous projects, but when we are designing, we still don’t know exactly how buyers will respond.

Sometimes we may believe a particular unit size, floor or position will be very popular, and then the actual feedback from buyers is completely different. What we believe is right isn’t always what the customer wants.

And by the time you receive that feedback, the design or construction may already have progressed too far to make significant changes.

That’s why I think being a developer requires vision, but also confidence in your decisions.

You are making decisions today about what people will want several years from now. You won’t get every single decision right, but you have to understand your market, trust your experience and have a clear enough vision to make those decisions before you have all the answers.

Q U E S T I O N 2

You have said that true luxury is not simply marble, expensive furniture or a beautiful lobby, but the complete experience of living somewhere. What makes a residential development genuinely feel luxurious, and why do some expensive projects still fail to achieve that feeling?

SUKANYA'S RESPONSE

For me, true luxury isn’t really about what you put into a building. It’s about how people feel when they actually live there.

Of course, the quality of the materials matters, and good design matters, but I think it goes much further than that. It’s the whole experience of living there - how you feel when you come home, the sense of space, the privacy, the views, the facilities, and whether everything works well in your everyday life.

For me, one of the most important things is simply the feeling of happiness. You should enjoy coming home. You should feel comfortable and relaxed, and feel that the place you live in adds something positive to your life.

And I think that’s where some expensive developments can get it wrong. You can spend a lot of money on marble, furniture or an impressive lobby, but those things alone don’t create luxury. If the layout doesn’t work, the facilities aren’t right, there isn’t enough privacy, or the building isn’t well looked after, you feel it when you live there.

So, for me, true luxury is really the experience of living somewhere. If people genuinely enjoy being there and feel happy to call it home, that’s luxury.

Q U E S T I O N 3

The Riviera Malibu went through a major change of direction when the original hotel-and-residential concept could no longer proceed as planned. What did that experience teach you about adapting under pressure, communicating difficult changes to buyers and agents, and protecting trust when the original plan has to change?

SUKANYA'S RESPONSE

The Riviera Malibu was one of the most difficult and sensitive periods for me. It wasn’t that we wanted to change the direction of the project, but when the legal requirements meant that we could no longer proceed with the original concept, we had to accept the reality of the situation and decide how to adapt so that the project could still move forward.

What I learnt under that pressure was that sometimes there simply isn’t a perfect solution. You have to make decisions based on what is actually possible at that moment, knowing that the solution you choose may not make everyone happy.

Communicating that change was extremely difficult. Buyers were disappointed, agents were unhappy, and even within our own team there was uncertainty and a loss of confidence. We tried to communicate honestly, listen to everyone involved, and find the best possible solutions for our buyers, whilst accepting that we could not satisfy everyone.

When it came to maintaining trust, I think the most important thing was that we didn’t disappear when things became difficult. We stayed, we listened, we dealt with the issues in front of us, and most importantly, we continued building and made sure the project moved forward to completion.

If I speak about leadership during that period, I have to give that credit to my husband. He was the one who remained steady through the pressure, uncertainty and criticism, and continued to push the project forward.

At the same time, I suddenly lost someone very important within our team. He had been part of this journey with my husband and me almost from the very beginning, and he was far more than simply an employee. So for me, it was an incredibly difficult period, both professionally and personally.

That experience taught me much more than how to adapt in business. It taught me to accept what we cannot control, to deal with people’s disappointment, and to keep moving forward even when you are struggling yourself.

Looking back, I am very grateful to everyone who stood by us during that period - our team, our buyers, our agents, and everyone who continued to support us. In the end, what meant the most to me was that, despite how difficult it was, we didn’t give up on one another and we found a way forward together.

Q U E S T I O N 4

The Riviera is highly visible on social media and sells not only property but also a lifestyle and an identity. How has social media changed the relationship between developers and buyers, and where is the line between good lifestyle marketing and simply creating beautiful advertising?

SUKANYA'S RESPONSE

For me, The Riviera’s strong identity on social media doesn’t begin with social media itself. It comes from the passion we have for what we do. We put a great deal of ourselves into every project, and I believe our buyers can genuinely feel that. Social media simply allows us to communicate it more directly.

It has also changed the relationship between developers and buyers. Today, that relationship begins from the first moment someone discovers the project and decides to believe in what we are going to create. From that point, they can follow us and the project throughout the entire journey, right through to completion and transfer.

For me, the line between good lifestyle marketing and simply creating beautiful advertising comes down to the reality of what the buyer actually receives.

At the beginning of a project, we have a concept and beautiful images because we are showing people something that hasn’t yet been built. But we don’t promise things that we know are impossible. What we present has to be something we genuinely believe we can deliver. 

And that delivery is not only about the building or the facilities. It is also about the service from our team, the communication and the way we look after our buyers from the very first day, throughout the construction period and all the way to transfer. Everything is connected, and every part of that experience represents The Riviera.

Beautiful images may attract people initially, but the real experience is what matters. When the project is completed, I don’t want our buyers simply to think, “It looks like the pictures.” I want them to feel that what they received was even more than what they saw in the pictures.

For me, that is the difference between beautiful advertising and a lifestyle and brand identity that genuinely exist.

Q U E S T I O N 5

After so many years developing in Pattaya, how do you see the city changing over the next decade? What will tomorrow's more demanding buyers expect, and do you believe areas outside the traditional centre, including Bang Saray and the southern coastline, will become increasingly important?

SUKANYA'S RESPONSE

Having developed projects in Pattaya for many years, I think the city will change a great deal over the next decade. More people will choose Pattaya not simply as a holiday destination, but as a place to live long term.

Buyers will also become more selective. It will no longer be enough to offer a sea view or an attractive development. They will look more closely at quality, space, privacy, how well a development is managed and, most importantly, how convenient everyday life is.

I think this will be particularly important for the younger generation. They may not want the expense and responsibility of owning several cars or having to drive everywhere. Having good hospitals, international schools, supermarkets, restaurants and everyday services within easy reach will become increasingly important.

As for Bang Saray, I think it has potential, but personally I feel it still needs more time. People may like the peace, nature and privacy, but they still want convenience. As more hospitals, international schools and everyday amenities develop in the area, I think more people will consider living there permanently.

So yes, I believe the areas further south will become more important, but it will happen gradually. Ultimately, people want a better quality of life without having to give up the convenience they are used to.

Approved by Sukanya Gale for publication.