Updates from Kunming government mouthpieces:

1. People are now not required to put on masks in open, outdoor spaces.

2. Regarding designated hotels for quarantine in Kunming. Foreigners have to pay for the costs out of own pocket. Even overseas Chinese who've recently returned have to bear the burden of 14-day accommodation fees.

A report from Barrons reveals that "14 days in a government-designated hotel in Beijing, which now requires guests to pay for themselves... runs about 600 yuan ($86) per day."

www.barrons.com/[...]

Have previous tab inquiries about Kunming's designated quarantine hotels for foreigners been answered?

The Thai Kingdom throughout the outbreak was one of the few neighboring nations that generously opened their doors to Chinese tourists/investors, with a wai bow sawaddee greeting.

Quite a bit of solidarity in times of panic.

Chinese whose Thai tourist visa expired, yet owned condos in Thailand, were permitted to stay as long as the epidemic persisted. At the time, returning back to highly-infected Chinese provinces were deemed risky. So it was a welcomed gesture of goodwill from his majesty and his Thai government.

But it goes without saying, Thailand learned to be on good terms with the massive tourist industry (2 trillion bahts) from Mainland. Particularly after the bitter Chinese boycotting of Thailand in 2018. That was when the tragic capsizing of Chinese tourist boats near Phuket took the lives of 46 Chinese passengers. Wechat and Weibo blew up at the poor handling from Thai ministries. Lessons learned. Now water under the bridge.

However, with 47 cases in Thailand and counting. The welfare of their people now supersedes bottom line tourism revenue (12 - 14% GDP), warranting stricter security discretion... and completely understandable.

Excuse the following train derailing long post. But Peter's "modern men" diatribe reminded me of the one & only George Carlin (RIP), and his classic Modern Man rap:

"I am a modern man,
A man for the millennium,
Digital and smoke free.

A diversified, multi-cultural,
Post-modern deconstructionist;
Politically, anatomically and ecologically incorrect.

I’ve been uplinked and downloaded,
I’ve been inputted and outsourced.
I know the upside of downsizing,
I know the downside of upgrading.

I’m a high-tech low-life.
A cutting edge, state-of-the-art,
Bi-coastal multi-tasker,
And I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond.

I’m new-wave, but I’m old school;
And my inner child is outward bound.

I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking,
Warm-hearted cool customer;
Voice activated and bio-degradable.

I interface with my database;
My database is in cyberspace;
So I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive,
And from time to time I’m radioactive.

Behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve,
Ridin' the wave, dodgin' the bullet
Pushin' the envelope.

I’m on point, on task, on message,
And off drugs.

I’ve got no need for coke and speed;
I've got no urge to binge and purge.

I’m in the moment, on the edge,
Over the top, but under the radar.

A high-concept, low-profile,
Medium-range ballistic missionary.

A street-wise smart bomb.
A top-gun bottom-feeder.

I wear power ties, I tell power lies,
I take power naps, I run victory laps.

I’m a totally ongoing, big-foot, slam-dunk,
Rainmaker with a pro-active outreach.

A raging workaholic, a working rageaholic;
Out of rehab and in denial.

I’ve got a personal trainer,
A personal shopper,
A personal assistant,
And a personal agenda.

You can’t shut me up;
You can’t dumb me down.

Cause I’m tireless and I’m wireless.
I’m an alpha-male on beta-blockers.

I’m a non-believer,
An over-achiever;
Laid-back and fashion-forward.
Up-front, down-home;
Low-rent, high-maintenance.

I'm super-sized, long-lasting,
High-definition, fast-acting,
Oven-ready and built to last.

A hands-on, footloose, knee-jerk head case;
Prematurely post-traumatic,
And I have a love child that sends me hate-mail.

But I’m feeling, I’m caring,
I’m healing, I’m sharing.
A supportive, bonding, nurturing
Primary care-giver.

My output is down, but my income is up.
I take a short position on the long bond,
And my revenue stream has its own cash flow.

I read junk mail, I eat junk food,
I buy junk bonds, and I watch trash sports.

I’m gender-specific, capital-intensive,
User-friendly and lactose-intolerant.

I like rough sex; I like tough love.
I use the f-word in my email.
And the software on my hard drive
Is hard-core -- no soft porn.

I bought a microwave at a mini-mall.
I bought a mini-van at a mega-store.
I eat fast food in the slow lane.

I’m toll-free, bite-sized, ready-to-wear,
And I come in all sizes.

A fully equipped, factory-authorized
Hospital-tested, clinically proven,
Scientifically formulated medical miracle.

I’ve been pre-washed, pre-cooked, pre-heated,
Pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-packaged,
Post-dated, freeze-dried, double-wrapped
And vacuum-packed.

And... I have an unlimited broadband capacity.

I’m a rude dude, but I’m the real deal.
Lean and mean.
Cocked, locked and ready to rock;
Rough, tough and hard to bluff.

I take it slow, I go with the flow;
I ride with the tide, I’ve got glide in my stride.

Drivin' and movin', sailin' and spinnin',
Jivin' and groovin', wailin' and winnin'.

I don’t snooze, so I don’t lose.
I keep the pedal to the metal
And the rubber on the road.
I party hearty and lunchtime is crunch time.

I’m hangin' in, there ain’t no doubt;
And I’m hangin' tough.
Over and out!"

Be that as it may. Smaller units in Kunming's better located city-center areas have reaped high gross rental yield. Conversely, lower 'multiplier' than you generalized it to be.

The asking price and actual selling price you talked about depends on total price of your property.

Typically smaller apartment units on the market are sold faster than, say, villas in Dianchi would. Few potential buyers can burn ten million. One million on hand is much more tenable.

The smaller 24-50sqm units near Bangkok's CBD areas, or 70sqm units in Kunming's city-center, may reach higher achievable gross rental yield compared to properties over 300sqm lying inconveniently further away from center and MRT/BTS stations.

Achievable gross rental yield is an useful measurement of your property investment value.

In order to achieve 5%. You'd have to purchase apartment/condo for 600K. Renting it out for 2,500/month.

Historically viable in both cities.

In terms of the rent multiplier mentioned by you in page one. Said multiplier is 240. Or 20ish years (give or take) to break even. Even if house value has dismally remained completely unchanged. 5% yield is much higher than bank deposit rates, or against current 3.5% returns on investment funds. Probably still better than renting in this awful scenario. Particularly for those residing long-term.