Planning Permissions

[chiang mai]

Planning permissions seem to vary in Thailand from place to place, some areas require nothing whatsoever other than a nod from the village head. Other areas require, if recent post data is to be believed, formal applications and I would like to understand if there is an accepted procedure for this. I intend to build in the South later this year and wonder if anyone can shed light on this subject.

[chownah]

Go to your local gov't officials and ask!!! It's that simple. It might be your village head man or someone else...local advice is probably a lot more reliable than anything that will be posted here!

Chownah

[chiang mai]

Go to your local gov't officials and ask!!! It's that simple. It might be your village head man or someone else...local advice is probably a lot more reliable than anything that will be posted here!

Chownah

Chownah, sorry you're having a bad day but my question was aimed at trying to see if any one is aware of national, rather local rules and my question still stands.

[chownah]

Go to your local gov't officials and ask!!! It's that simple. It might be your village head man or someone else...local advice is probably a lot more reliable than anything that will be posted here!

Chownah

Chownah, sorry you're having a bad day but my question was aimed at trying to see if any one is aware of national, rather local rules and my question still stands.

Wasn't having a bad day at all. Why did you think I was having a bad day...really, just wondering?

I've never heard of a national rules for planning permission for a home or residential development. Are you planning on building a home or residential development? Regardless of whatever replies you get here, I suggest you go to your village headman and ask about this and also ask him where the tambon administrative office is and I would go there and ask them too...

Having another good day and hope you are too,

Chownah

[quiksilva]

As Chownah infers it depends on where you are. Planning permission by-laws and building regulations, vary greatly from province to province.

Some will have Town Plans and some will not. Whilst there are no national planning rules so to speak, the language and reasoning used is typically common to many, most will follow the BMA's requirements however when it comes to building regulations for example.

If there is no town plan then its pretty much as Chownah described and in any event all the answers will be at the local government ofice.

[excaliber]

Planning permissions seem to vary in Thailand from place to place, some areas require nothing whatsoever other than a nod from the village head. Other areas require, if recent post data is to be believed, formal applications and I would like to understand if there is an accepted procedure for this. I intend to build in the South later this year and wonder if anyone can shed light on this subject.

As already stated, "it mostly depends on where you intend to build".

The 'planning permission' isn't exactly the same process as in the west. When submitting plans for approval the main criterion is based on the foundation and structure and most always has to be designed to Thai specs and signed by a licensed Engineer. In Tessaban offices

there are Engineers who have the final say for permission to build, they can also design and draft the plans for you for a fee although in my experience, you have to spend a lot of time with them explaining details if the house design and elements are different than what they are used to. Plumbing, electrical (grounding), size of reinforcing steel (usually too small), location and heights of outlets, switches, etc.

If you're building in or near the city then the plans need more detail; plumbing, electrical, septic, etc. In any case, you will want to have properly engineered plans for your own piece of mind as well as giving the builder clear and accurate drawings to build from; although for the most part, Thai engineers tend to 'overbuild' the foundation to cover themselves, e.g., more concrete than is needed to support the structure. The foundation will be designed/engineered to support the load/weight for everything resting on top of it also considering the type of soil in the area. Piles are pretty standard for any decent size house and not expensive. If there's a lot of clay in your area then piles are absolutely necessary, again, depending on the size and the elements going into the house and roof. A large house with clay or concrete roofing materials will add a lot of weight to a structure increasing the size of the support columns as well as the foundation structure.

The first step is taking your plans to the Tessaban to have them checked. As mentioned, they must be in Thai and to Thai standards.

Many Architects provide this service, e.g., engineered & signed plans, ready to build, included with the design and Architectural drawings.

Best if you can find an Architect from the west to design and make the plans then take them to the Tessaban to engineer the foundation and structure....

....good luck in your build...

[chiang mai]

Go to your local gov't officials and ask!!! It's that simple. It might be your village head man or someone else...local advice is probably a lot more reliable than anything that will be posted here!

Chownah

Chownah, sorry you're having a bad day but my question was aimed at trying to see if any one is aware of national, rather local rules and my question still stands.

Wasn't having a bad day at all. Why did you think I was having a bad day...really, just wondering?

I've never heard of a national rules for planning permission for a home or residential development. Are you planning on building a home or residential development? Regardless of whatever replies you get here, I suggest you go to your village headman and ask about this and also ask him where the tambon administrative office is and I would go there and ask them too...

Having another good day and hope you are too,

Chownah

Thankfully my days are getting better and apologies for my wording - it was my interpretation and not your wording directly. But pleased to hear you are doing well and may that long continue.

[huahin]

Planning permissions seem to vary in Thailand from place to place, some areas require nothing whatsoever other than a nod from the village head. Other areas require, if recent post data is to be believed, formal applications and I would like to understand if there is an accepted procedure for this. I intend to build in the South later this year and wonder if anyone can shed light on this subject.

Good question chiang mai, my wife and I are planning to build in Nakhon Sawan at the end of the year. I have the same questionable problem, my wife has been told to go to the "tessa barn" and get official permission. My further question is to any one out there, does anyone, coming from Nakhon Sawan, know of what to do ?? Anyone that has built a house in that province, know of any reputable builders there ?? Also does one need to have a housing lawyer be involved with contracts etc. where does one obtain housing plans from ??

Thanks to the people who can advise me on these details.

[Crossy]

...... where does one obtain housing plans from ??

......

This bit I can answer. Go to your local Amphur office, most have a bunch of 'free' plans for you to peruse, usually just pay for the cost of duplication.

Or try here for government approved plans ready to build http://www.crossy.co.uk/Thai_House_Plans/

If nothing else these free plans are a good source of ideas to give to your own architect, we are building a No 27 with a re-vamped roof style (the Missus required that) and an extra workshop and laundry room downstairs (I require that)

[huahin]

This bit I can answer. Go to your local Amphur office, most have a bunch of 'free' plans for you to peruse, usually just pay for the cost of duplication.

Or try here for government approved plans ready to build http://www.crossy.co.uk/Thai_House_Plans/

If nothing else these free plans are a good source of ideas to give to your own architect, we are building a No 27 with a re-vamped roof style (the Missus required that) and an extra workshop and laundry room downstairs (I require that)

Many thanks Crossy, good site, will show my other half, and at least that's a start for me.

Thanks

[kamalabob2]

The previous posts all seem accurate. I would like to add that the total cost to have a building permit in my name, was 880 baht for a comfortable two story house in a small Amphur in Buriram Province. The only stumbling block was a misinterpretation on the "proof of residence". Once I submitted my Yellow House book (from our rental address) the Building permit was issued the next morning. The building permit was issued to me prior to my marriage to a Thai citizen. The plans were submitted by a licensed Thai Architect and Licensed Thai Structural Engineer in a professional manner. The whole process took three weeks, but the plans were quite detailed including a separate garage and swimming pool. The same office we obtained our building permit also will loan you basic house plan books which could be a great reference for those working directly with a builder. The price to hire a licensed architect and licensed structural engineer in Buriram was based on the size of the structure not a percentage of the building costs. Four architects quoted different prices and I hired the architect who had the best "Farang" references I could speak with. We visited actual homes completed and some under construction of the four architects we priced. We had over twenty meetings with our architect and three with the structural engineer prior to submitting the plans to the Amphur planning office.

Kamala Bob