Professional Certification Could Shape the Future of Phuket’s Real Estate Industry
Another perspective shared during the panel discussion on building buyer confidence came from Ora Pimbley, Founder of the Phuket Certified Agent (PCA) initiative.
Her comments focused on something that will likely become increasingly important in Thailand’s property sector over the coming years: professional certification for real estate agents.
According to Ora Pimbley, the industry is gradually moving toward a more structured and regulated environment where formal qualifications and professional standards play a larger role.
Certification Is Becoming More Important
Ora Pimbley explained that if the Thai government places greater emphasis on certification within the real estate sector, the market could eventually move toward a system where licensed or certified professionals become the norm.
In that scenario, the traditional model of loosely structured brokerage networks may begin to change.
Rather than having separate groups of local Thai agents and international or expatriate agents operating independently, the market could shift toward a more unified professional framework built around recognised qualifications.
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Collaboration Rather Than Competition
One of the key points she made was that the future of the industry should not be seen as a conflict between Thai professionals and the expatriate real estate community.
Instead, she believes the two sides should work together.
Phuket’s property market is unique because it attracts a large number of international buyers. Expat agents often bring international networks, language capabilities, and global marketing reach, while Thai professionals bring local knowledge, regulatory understanding, and long term experience within the country.
When those two groups collaborate effectively, the market becomes stronger.
Building a More Professional Industry
Initiatives such as the PCA programme aim to raise professional standards by encouraging agents to pursue recognised training and certification.
This helps create a more transparent and trustworthy environment for buyers, particularly foreign investors who may be unfamiliar with Thailand’s property regulations and ownership structures.
As Phuket’s market continues to grow and attract global attention, professional standards will likely play an increasingly important role.
A Maturing Market
From my perspective, discussions like this reflect the fact that Phuket’s property industry is maturing.
As markets expand and attract more international investment, there is usually a natural shift toward clearer professional frameworks, stronger regulation, and more structured industry practices.
If certification programmes and collaboration between Thai and international professionals continue to develop, it could ultimately strengthen Phuket’s reputation as a well organised and trustworthy real estate market for global buyers.
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