Decapitation looms for too-tall Ruamrudee hotel

By The Nation

 

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is ready to spend Bt130 million demolishing the top floors of the Aetas Bangkok Hotel and adjacent Aetas Residence serviced apartments on Soi Ruamrudee, a City Hall source said on Monday.

 

A single Bt130-million contract for the demolition work was planned, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

 

The BMA is determined to recover the cost from the buildings’ owners.

 

At least three qualified companies would be invited to bid and a contractor selected by next month.

 

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said the Pathumwan District Office had on December 4 notified occupants of both buildings by letter that they had to vacate within 30 days.

 

It had also for a second time erected signs warning that use of the buildings was illegal. Signs erected on January 29 have been ignored.

 

Aswin said two rounds of electronic bidding had failed to find a contractor for the demolition work, so the city would select the best choice among three nominated candidates.

 

A committee was being formed to set the terms of reference, Aswin said, and he expected a contractor to be named by February.

 

At that point, the demolition area would be sealed off under police supervision and handed over to the contractor.

 

The Supreme Administrative Court ruled on October 30, 2014, that portions of the hotel and condominium had been erected illegally and their demolition could take place within 60 days.

 

Property owners Larp Prathan and Thaptimtorn, two private firms, failed in court to have the demolition order overturned.

 

The hotel’s 24 floors and condo’s 18 floors exceed the 23-metre legal height limit for buildings on city lanes less than 10 metres wide.

 

The court agreed that Soi Ruamrudee was less than 10 metres wide and ordered the upper floors of both buildings lopped off.

 

When the owners failed to adhere to the judgement, the BMA proceeded with demolition plans.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30360555

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-17

It surprises me that the BMA does not have the power to instruct that the supply of water and electricity is stopped.... better than paying THB130million then hoping to recover it.

 

Someone, somewhere, must have agreed the plans!!!!

And the BMA at some stage had an employee get rich by signing off on the working drawings & engineers specifications, so where are they ?

Thai "authorities"........masters of creative incompetence 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The court agreed that Soi Ruamrudee was less than 10 metres wide and ordered the upper floors of both buildings lopped off.

Why doesn't the hotel send someone out one night to widen the Soi in front of it and then ask for a re-measure?

Is the average soi in Bangkok over 10 meters wide? What about the Conrad on Rumrudee? Somethings smells awful fishy here. 

Soi Ruamrudee really isn't that busy and chopping a few floors off Aetas will make no difference what so ever. Give them a fine and leave the hotel as it is.

53 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Soi Ruamrudee really isn't that busy and chopping a few floors off Aetas will make no difference what so ever. Give them a fine and leave the hotel as it is.

Why.. that only shows that by not obeying to laws you can do as you want. Its time the take more actions like this, what is a shame is that they don't go after those who given the permits too. 

Since when laws are obeyed here? I guess this announcement will keep ongoing forever.

3 hours ago, natway09 said:

And the BMA at some stage had an employee get rich by signing off on the working drawings & engineers specifications, so where are they ?

Ssshhhhh! 

No resident received notification to move out.

The signboards say no such thing either. 

If the rule is not to build higher than 8 floors, Chateau de Bkk has 14 floors. But the owner is a Khunying...

Athenee Residence with 32 flrs apparently belongs to Wireless Rd zoneing. 

At least emergency vehicles have good access to Aetas in case of fire. No such at Chateau.

 

16 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Is the average soi in Bangkok over 10 meters wide? What about the Conrad on Rumrudee? Somethings smells awful fishy here. 

Conrad has access off Wireless Road which is much more than 10m.

17 hours ago, natway09 said:

And the BMA at some stage had an employee get rich by signing off on the working drawings & engineers specifications, so where are they ?

The envelope trail has long disappeared as has the distribution list. The names on the permit document are undoubtedly fictitious and the signatures forgeries. Thai management and senior administration can be incompetent most of the time but when it comes to corruption they are masters of the art.

Can't wait to see this decapitation