Patong Municipality found guilty over illegal hotel construction

[webfact]

Patong Municipality found guilty over illegal hotel construction

The Phuket News

 

Patong Municipality was found guilty by the Regional Administrative Court for not taking action to ensure the original building permit for the Andakira Hotel was adhered to. Photo: Supplied

 

PHUKET: Patong Municipality has confirmed that it has not fulfilled a court order to issue a notice for the Andakira Hotel to remove all structures that exceed the original building permit issued seven years ago despite a court ruling that has found Patong Municipality and the Office of the Patong Mayor guilty of failing to perform their duties in ensuring that the original building permit was adhered to.

 

Instead, Somchai Neitibumroong, head of the Patong Municipality Legal Division, told The Phuket News on Thursday (Mar 8) that his office has filed an appeal against the decision.

 

“We filed an appeal on Jan 24,” Mr Somchai said.

 

Full story:  https://www.thephuketnews.com/patong-municipality-found-guilty-over-illegal-hotel-construction-66305.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-03-12

[colinneil]

We filed an appeal, they are scared that they will be required to repay all the bribe money.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

We filed an appeal, they are scared that they will be required to repay all the bribe money.

Of course not, bribe money will never be repaid.

[Damaz6052]

Despite these court rulings and convictions they still allow the building of illegal structures etc etc..I see the land high above IndoChine is being cleared...

[meinphuket]

Money, money, money.....is it ever any different  ?

[Just Weird]

28 minutes ago, meinphuket said:

Money, money, money.....is it ever any different  ?

Didn't see where money was mentioned in this case.

[Just Weird]

"However, a copy of the court judgement obtained by The Phuket News shows that the court was aware of major discrepancies of the location of the building on the site in the permit and where it is now located.

Specifically, one building in question was to be no more than 4.8 metres from the boundary of the property, but now sits just 3.2m from the fence".

 

No problem, then. 

What does The Phuket News think is wrong?  Is 3.2m more than 4.8 now?

 

[eisfeld]

26 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

No problem, then. 

What does The Phuket News think is wrong?  Is 3.2m more than 4.8 now?

 

It's an extremely common mistake around here to swap "at least" with "no more than". I've encountered this no more than a dozen times :)

[ChrisY1]

1 hour ago, Just Weird said:

Didn't see where money was mentioned in this case.

Do you think there may be any other reason?

[xylophone]

The hotel owner has already been sued by another property owner because he built far too close to the boundary and he was made to buy the property and pay something like 27 million baht for it, this despite trying to fight it and apparently frightening off several local lawyers.

 

Hopefully he will be made to pay for (buy out) this other property because he has built far too close to the boundary line and substantially affected this property.

 

These people really do think they can do anything they want because they are connected and have money, and most of the time they can, however let's hope this is different and he gets stung for a few more million baht.

Edited March 12, 2018 by xylophone

[DrDave]

I find the following to be the most troublesome of the issues:

 

   "Mr Somchai did not recognise these issues. He also refused to present to The Phuket News a copy of the original building permit approved to support his claims."
 

The fact that the municipality refuses to release a copy of the building permit just points to the lengths these people will go in order to try to prevent detection of corruption.

 

I recall a similar situation a few years back, where a large hotel owned by the Mayor's family was thought to have been built with more stories than the building permit allowed. That issue was quickly quashed, never to be heard again.

[LivinginKata]

3 hours ago, Just Weird said:

Didn't see where money was mentioned in this case.

 

Many millions of Baht pass hands under the table to 'fast track' land and building permits. Environmental studies etc etc.

 

This also encourage these corrupt officials to turn a blind eye to irregularities with the building work.  

 

Edited March 12, 2018 by LivinginKata

[Just Weird]

15 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Do you think there may be any other reason?

For anyone who is not a tainted Thaivisa poster who delights in being a Thai-basher, yes, there could be other reasons.

[Just Weird]

13 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Many millions of Baht pass hands under the table to 'fast track' land and building permits. Environmental studies etc etc.

 

This also encourage these corrupt officials to turn a blind eye to irregularities with the building work.  

 

So...?