Case Study

Whyborder is a borderless property marketing web-based platform, built to facilitate more cross-

border real estate business opportunities for developers, agents, sellers and buyers. It was

launched by the cofounder of OrangeTee, Dave Loo, in 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 had a severe impact on Thailand’s real estate market, with

restrictions on travel and a weakened Thai baht leading to a decrease in foreign buyers and

investors. In response, Whyborder, a web-based property marketing platform, was launched to

facilitate cross-border real estate business opportunities for developers, agents, sellers, and

buyers. The platform is designed to provide a hassle-free experience for overseas buyers, with

features such as a reverse bidding system and chat system providing free expert advice.

Whyborder reassessed the situation and found that there was an opportunity that they could

make use of. There was a growing demand for low-rise condominiums outside of the CBD,

which offered bigger living areas and more outdoor space, as a result of the change in lifestyle

due to the pandemic. This, coupled with a weakened Thai baht, opened a new opportunity for

savvy international buyers to enter the market before a post-pandemic boom kicked off. Hence,

Whyborder was created to be the conduit between these motivated overseas buyers and

developers keen to sell their properties, and to overcome the barriers that they faced as a result

of the pandemic.

Whyborder is a completely web-based service that streamlined the entire buying process, from

viewing and comparing properties and researching districts, right down to providing local

lawyers for immediate and free expert advice via the chat system. Its goal was to provide

overseas buyers with a fuss-free experience, where they could also feel confident in their

purchase decision. It also featured a reverse bidding system known as Whybid, going down to

lower buying prices, not higher. The winning bid would get the featured condo, while all other

bidders would be offered other recommended condos in the same property.

Whyborder engaged Flame Communications’ consultancy services to develop a marketing

strategy for overseas buyers who might be interested in Thailand property. This project was

supported by the Enterprise SG’s MRA grant.

The team was tasked to raise awareness about this new property marketing platform and its

unique Whybid feature. The team did a marketing campaign, introducing Whyborder’s position

to the media as well as cultivating target buyers and property developers’ perception of the

platform as a fuss-free platform that would allow them to confidently continue purchasing

property in Thailand from the comfort of their homes overseas. Press interviews were conducted

with mainstream Thai media, and the Flame team helped Whyborder to continue garnering

media attention across print, online websites and social media. Through the marketing efforts,

Whyborder was able to achieve a media value of $360,210 (9,313,004 THB).

• “We are glad to engage Flame Communications’ team to support us on Whyborder’s first foray

  into Thailand, which is a strategic market for us. Flame’s team has a good knowledge of

  marketing overseas using digital marketing and PR channels and helped us to map out our go-

  to-market plans for launch. We look forward to expanding into more markets in the coming

  months,” said Dave Loo, cofounder of whyborder.com.

  The campaign was a success, and WhyBorder was able to establish itself in the international

  real estate market. It proved to be a viable option for buyers looking to purchase property in

  Thailand, despite the restrictions of the pandemic, and for developers to sell their units.