Expats living in Thailand high rise condos in the wake of the Florida disaster

[DFPhuket]

In 2016, the Jungceylon mall in Patong, Phuket was in the news because of cracked structural pillars in the basement carpark. Sections of the mall and carpark were closed for several weeks. Surprisingly, we never heard what the problems were. 

[impulse]

The building at the bottom of the photo is the one that collapsed.  If I lived in the one at the top, I'd find somewhere else to stay for awhile.  The design and age look pretty much identical, except a jog in Collins Avenue made them build it a little smaller.

 

[Yellowtail]

As a tax-paying American citizen, if the US government is going to be inspecting building in the US as a result of this disaster, I think it only fair that they come to Thailand and inspect any and all buildings where taxpaying US expats are living! I bet they've already inspected the consulate and embassy buildings to make sure THEY are safe.

 

Fair is fair!!!!! 

 

Who's with me?????

[Jingthing]

4 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

As a tax-paying American citizen, if the US government is going to be inspecting building in the US as a result of this disaster, I think it only fair that they come to Thailand and inspect any and all buildings where taxpaying US expats are living! I bet they've already inspected the consulate and embassy buildings to make sure THEY are safe.

 

Fair is fair!!!!! 

 

Who's with me?????

No.

[Jingthing]

Major clue.

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/26/florida-condo-building-collapse-live-updates/?itid=hp-top-table-main

 

 

 

Years before Florida building collapse, an engineer warned of ‘major structural damage’ to the condo

 

Engineers who evaluated the South Florida condo that partially collapsed Thursday, leaving dozens trapped under the rubble, warned in a 2018 report of a “major error” in the construction’s original development. The report – released late Friday by officials in Surfside, Fla., – notes that the building’s reinforced concrete slab is not sloped to drain.

[KhunBENQ]

For the hypothetical (never to happen) case that I lived in such a high-rise, collapse would be less of a concern.

Fire is way more of a concern if I lived in such a needle on the 30th floor.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

For the hypothetical (never to happen) case that I lived in such a high-rise, collapse would be less of a concern.

Fire is way more of a concern if I lived in such a needle on the 30th floor.

Yeah but fires might destroy a building but typically most residents escape. 

[Yellowtail]

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

No.

 

Why?

[bkk6060]

Some of the older filthy rat infested dumps in Jomtien off the lower Sois look like they could collapse at any time.  You can see the water damage and rot/mold on the outside of the buildings.

[Jingthing]

34 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

Why?

You're just trying to suggest an equivalence between building inspections and the vaccine situation. There isn't one.

Baiting post ignored. 

[impulse]

For anyone with waaaaay too much time on their hands.  Some interesting reports...

 

https://www.townofsurfsidefl.gov/departments-services/town-clerk/champlain-towers-public-records-documents

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

For anyone with waaaaay too much time on their hands.  Some interesting reports...

 

https://www.townofsurfsidefl.gov/departments-services/town-clerk/champlain-towers-public-records-documents

This one was quite shocking…from 2018

click through for full report

[Meat Pie 47]

On 6/25/2021 at 10:11 PM, WineOh said:

It's bound to happen in Bangkok sooner or later.

 

Question is, will it be a high rise condo or a section of the BTS that goes first???

 

What's everyone's money on?

betting is illegal in Lieland

[sharecropper]

I recall a few years ago the collapse of part of a flimsy-looking condo block as it was being built, which was also quite hushed-up at the time, in Jomtien on Second Road. I won't say which one, obviously, but it still has cracks in it. 

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, sharecropper said:

I recall a few years ago the collapse of part of a flimsy-looking condo block as it was being built, which was also quite hushed-up at the time, in Jomtien on Second Road. I won't say which one, obviously, but it still has cracks in it. 

Ouch.

So you're saying they did finish building the thing?

[sharecropper]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Ouch.

So you're saying they did finish building the thing?

They did and it's still standing years later, although lots of cracks evident. And you just know no responsible city or government agency or engineer is overseeing the build-quality of the flimsy, costs-sensitive rubbish going up now.

[Jingthing]

This seems to indicate that most of the Florida victims probably at least had time to get out of bed before the total collapse. Not good. Also of course many were already awake.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/26/collins-ave-miami-condo-collapse/

 

 

 

‘They were on their balconies, screaming:’ The final minutes at Champlain Towers South

An oceanfront respite from the world’s troubles drops into rubble in 11 seconds

[rickudon]

In the UK, after the Grenfell tower fire, all apartment blocks with combustible exterior cladding were given safety inspections - 90% were found to have fire safety issues - 60% were not related to the cladding. Just goes to show that builders take shortcuts even in western developed countries.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55318525

 

What is just as reprehensible is that the owners are expected to pay for rectifying most of these problems, not the builders. In some cases the repairs will cost nearly as much as the property is worth.

[George Aylesham]

On 6/25/2021 at 9:14 PM, Heng said:

Not worried.   That said, since we're only issued one life... how troublesome is it to only live in say 20 year old (or less) buildings?   Super easy if you're a renter, and not too troublesome if you're an owner (you just need to add to your condo portfolio periodically and only live in your new units).

 

Thanks JT, now I have to go add "construction completed" dates to my chanote folders.       

My thirty year old, 23 storey condo in Chiang Mai is always checked out whenever there are any significan earthquakes in the region. Reassuring.

[Excel]

Just now, George Aylesham said:

My thirty year old, 23 storey condo in Chiang Mai is always checked out whenever there are any significan earthquakes in the region. Reassuring.

Checked out by whom ? Plus no doubt there are quite a few amulets in the Juristic persons office in your condo, so no problems.

[PETERTHEEATER]

On 6/25/2021 at 3:16 PM, LomSak27 said:

Ancient History

 

There was a Hotel in Khon Kaen that collapsed in early 90's. Killed a few people as I recall. Long forgotten, the only reason I remember is because I stayed in the bleeding place, 89, a year before it collapsed. Must have been a mid range hotel recommended by Lonely Planet.

 

Thankfully that is one of the few in Thailand. Yep you would think more given the lack of regulations, but this was an exception. I believe it was Cairo Egypt which had repeated collapses back in those days, but you not going to retire there anyway so ..

The hotel in Korat which collapsed was because an additional floor (storey) had been illegally built atop the original.

[Yellowtail]

22 minutes ago, rickudon said:

What is just as reprehensible is that the owners are expected to pay for rectifying most of these problems, not the builders. In some cases the repairs will cost nearly as much as the property is worth.

 

Would that not depend on whether or not the builder met whatever code was in place when it was built? What met code twenty years ago, often does not meet code today. 

 

Codes change all the time. It is not realistic to compel companies that built homes a hundred years to come in and strip the lead-paint and re-paint everything is it? 

 

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 6/25/2021 at 8:52 PM, Jingthing said:

I reckon everyone has heard about the disaster in Florida by now.

No I hadnt, but when Im in our Bangkok condo I can feel  the building sway  occassionaly, its quite noticeable

[Caldera]

On 6/25/2021 at 8:52 PM, Jingthing said:

I wonder if that has made condo dwellers here start to wonder about the stability of the high rise condos that they live in.

 

Not me it hasn't, but then again, I'm not a worried noodle in general. Otherwise I wouldn't be living in Thailand, of all places.

[newnative]

Not worried.

[Heng]

It is something to think about, especially for generational/inheritance considerations.

[balo]

17 hours ago, Airalee said:

This one was quite shocking…from 2018

click through for full report

 

From the report 

 

[Scouse123]

On 6/26/2021 at 1:00 AM, AlexRich said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if corruption was at the bottom of the Miami incident, lax building standards being ignored in return for a pay off. It will be interesting when the investigation is published.

 

I suspect buildings don’t just collapse without prior clues. Rather you will see some tell tale signs several weeks or months before the incident. If I were at the top of a condo I’d be looking at the building very carefully. Wear and tear, cracks in the building, displacements. Any sign of that and I’d be off.

 

 

I read yesterday and the guy who inspected the place gave his recommendations THREE YEARS ago, he has already openly made a statement very recently, yesterday I think.

 

He stated to the building management that it was unsafe and suggested certain actions be taken sooner rather than later, and listed his recommendations.

 

There was erosion and salt damage but also cracks and crumbling and uneven floors..

 

The tenant and building management of course, are now sayings works were due to commence ' imminently '  in a major works programme this year.

 

There were also the Covid excuses for delays.

 

 

 

 

 

[Delight]

 Buildings give warning signs before they collapse

The Florida building  gave out classic warning signs.

A kind of 'moaning and groaning'.

These sounds were heard by at least  one unit occupier prior to the actual collapse.

They were not reported.

I can see that it would be difficult to educate the occupiers .

Maybe a case for mandated education.

 

[Yellowtail]

26 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

I read yesterday and the guy who inspected the place gave his recommendations THREE YEARS ago, he has already openly made a statement very recently, yesterday I think.

 

He stated to the building management that it was unsafe and suggested certain actions be taken sooner rather than later, and listed his recommendations.

 

There was erosion and salt damage but also cracks and crumbling and uneven floors..

 

The tenant and building management of course, are now sayings works were due to commence ' imminently '  in a major works programme this year.

 

There were also the Covid excuses for delays.

 

Apparently it was the responsibility of the condo association and they they were in the process of getting it funded. 

 

It was a $15MM project spread over 136 units, that's an average of about $110K each.