Sukhumvit is falling down, literally

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, bangon04 said:

then they sold it to an American......

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_(Lake_Havasu_City)

There is a popular rumor that the bridge was bought in the mistaken belief that it was London's more recognizable Tower Bridge,[9][10][11] but the allegation was vehemently denied by both McCulloch and Ivan Luckin, who arranged the bridge's sale.[8]

[Deserted]

Even if it did fall down, it will still attract certain types. As long as it remains a haven for foreigners, there's not likely to be too much change no matter what buildings are left standing. 

[teelac777]

31 years ago when I landed in Suk some canals were already filled in, then condos were built in their place.

Most S-E Asian capitals are sinking for mostly the same reason if it's any consolation. 

 

[Lorry]

On 8/24/2022 at 3:55 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Maybe open your eyes and look at reality for a moment before you post about things which you don't understand.

Care to elaborate?

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, Lorry said:

Care to elaborate?

RandolphGB wrote: The land, may have value, but if developers can't build on the land because it's sinking and the structures are toppling over, the land is pretty useless.

 

From one of the property pages, looking for land in lower Sukhumvit:

340 sqm offered for 76 million, 2000 sqm offered for 500 million.

So much about "no value"

 

And about building: In Bangkok (and many other places) pillars are in the soft soil and they go down into the hard soil (or rock or whatever). And that makes it possible to build even tall high-rise buildings. And they are not "toppling over".

 

Also think about the Skytrain and Underground Train. Would they exist if what RandolphGB writes would be true? No!

And before anybody argues that Thais just do this, and they don't know what they are doing I can assure you that at least the MRTA was designed and build by international specialists. I know because I was often enough in their offices in the 199x. 

 

 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

"Sukhumvit is falling down, literally".

 

Er, no, literally, it isn't.  Neither that building, nor "Sukhumvit", which is a road, roads don't fall down.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/22/2022 at 12:54 PM, RandolphGB said:

the town houses are very poorly built and will slowly start to crumble and collapse.

What do you base that on, then?  You've had them all surveyed?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/22/2022 at 12:54 PM, RandolphGB said:

It has emerged today that buildings are literally starting to fall down already.  https://www.khaosod.co.th/special-stories/news_7224115

No, there are no reports or indications that that building is "literally starting to fall down".   One layman with a couple of amateur photos of a building that is, literally, not falling down, does not equate to a collapsing Sukhumvit.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/22/2022 at 12:54 PM, RandolphGB said:

The land, may have value, but if developers can't build on the land because it's sinking and the structures are toppling over, the land is pretty useless.

Where is this mysterious "useless" land?

 

Where has anyone (you don't count. for obvious reasons) stated that "land around Sukhumvit can't be built on because it's sinking and the structures are toppling over making the land useless"?   There's a lot of building going on all over Sukhumvit Road right now.

 

Which buildings have toppled over?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/22/2022 at 1:13 PM, HidyHo said:

If you bothered to actually read the linked article, the building in question is located at Sukhumvit 101/1  which is between BTS Punnawithi and Udomsuk (much closer to Bang Na than the lower Suk).

...and it is not falling down!

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/22/2022 at 1:38 PM, RandolphGB said:

On 8/22/2022 at 1:13 PM, HidyHo said:

If you bothered to actually read the linked article, the building in question is located at Sukhumvit 101/1  which is between BTS Punnawithi and Udomsuk (much closer to Bang Na than the lower Suk).

The same properties are found all along Sukhumvit Road

Really?      That one isn't falling down so which ones are "falling down all along Sukhumvit Road"?

[MrJ2U]

On 8/22/2022 at 1:22 PM, spidermike007 said:

I spoke to a realtor about a lot that was just off Suk, many years ago. Was curious about what the land was worth. Turned out it was around 10X the going rate of prime property in the center of the commercial district, in Beverly Hills. What can one say? 

 

Alot of the money we see in Thailand these days is from land bought 50 to 100 years ago, for a hundred baht a rai, which is now worth billions of baht. 

Collapsing buildings or not.

That property is incredibly expensive. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/23/2022 at 10:03 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Many many old buildings, either poorly constructed (poor foundations) or more recent (30 year old buildings) built to question able code, or not following code at all ... all over Bangkok is in dire need of ‘decommissioning’ or serious renovation.....

Such as?   

[freedomnow]

On 8/24/2022 at 10:03 AM, NorthernRyland said:

Thai land is hilariously overvalued. Sure they can ask but does anyone buy? Not far from where I live in about 20k Chiang Mai center I just saw about 0.75 acres for 380,000 USD. They must think a property developer is going to buy it and put up some higher end homes. Sounds crazy to me.

 

Yip, saw those kind of asks outside CM as well - nearly choked on my coffee - probably the agents inflating it out of proportion....will be a LONG wait.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/23/2022 at 10:03 PM, richard_smith237 said:

I wonder how many ‘incidents’ (tragedies) we may see as buildings fail over the next few decades.

My money's on none just falling over.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/24/2022 at 2:42 AM, The Hammer2021 said:

On 8/22/2022 at 1:38 PM, RandolphGB said:

The same properties are found all along Sukhumvit Road,. I know where Sukhumvit 101 is .

Its not low suk!

That's not the only thing that's inaccurate in his OP!

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/24/2022 at 4:39 AM, bangkok19 said:

I remember when they built (what is now) The Hilton Millenium Hotel on the Chao Phraya River.  It was originally going to be a Sofitel Hotel.  For a couple of years it stood there empty.

One afternoon I was having a few beers in THE BAARN, an old (long gone) Bar in Patpong 1.  I was talking to an engineer who was working on the (then) construction of the Baiyoke Tower, the tall bldg with the turret skywalk.

He was teling me the Sofitel on the River has been officially "condemned" because of unstable footings/foundations.

A few days later I took a ferry across the River, and the ferry exit up to the main road went right past the "condemned bldg.  There were already cracks in the concrete walls at ground level.

An accident waiting to happen?

The building stood empty for quite a while.

Some time later (maybe 1 year) I was doing a Dinner Cruise along the river at night and as we cruised passed the hotel I could see lights on in some of the rooms.

Long story short..  it was supposedly repaired and rendered 'safe' for habitation and rebranded The Hilton Millenium.

 

These days when I'm having a quiet Chardy up in the 360 Bar, looking around at all the 'other' construction...   my mind wanders back to the late 90's and what I'm sitting above.

There are strict regulations regarding building height v ground level footings sq metres.  The engineer was telling me that (because of unsafe ground subsidence in Greater Bangkok) the lower floors (at ground level and below) have to have a greater area (sq m) as well as depth (foundation /footings) in relation to building height.

When you look at that building, (Baiyoke) your attention is drawn to the height...  however the bottom floors take up a very large area.

 

Which reminds me of a new Apartment bldg completed early this year in the Ratchadapisek area, very close to the new Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.  It's close to 32 levels and built on a very small block.

Neighbours tell me it's development application was continually knocked back until one day...  the concrete mixer trucks turned up.  Payments involved?????

 

Me hopes the building doesn't come down during the upcoming APEC Conference across the road...  not a good look! 

A wonderful post full of anecdotal stories.  Got anything factual?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/25/2022 at 9:28 AM, josephbloggs said:

So I'm afraid your engineer just believed an urban myth. 

A bloke he met in a Patpong bar!

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/24/2022 at 10:03 AM, NorthernRyland said:

Thai land is hilariously overvalued. Sure they can ask but does anyone buy?

There's not much in Bangkok that doesn't find buyers and none in the Sukhumvit area of this thread. 

[Liverpool Lou]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

On 8/24/2022 at 10:03 AM, NorthernRyland said:

Thai land is hilariously overvalued.

It's not "hilariously over-valued" if it sells!

[bangkok19]

14 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

A wonderful post full of anecdotal stories.  Got anything factual?

YES !           You aren't a structural engineer.

In fact,  quite often when a Forum member here makes a completely sensible post, Diamond Member LIVERPOOL LOU is the first one to his keyboard to ridicule the post...  usually a snide 'one sentence' comment without any basis.    

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, bangkok19 said:

21 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

A wonderful post full of anecdotal stories.  Got anything factual?

YES !           You aren't a structural engineer.

In fact,  quite often when a Forum member here makes a completely sensible post, Diamond Member LIVERPOOL LOU is the first one to his keyboard to ridicule the post...  usually a snide 'one sentence' comment without any basis.

And you are a structural engineer?!  Is the OP?!

 

You're not trying to suggest that the OP had any basis in fact to write that Sukhumvit is "literally falling down", are you?   If you are perhaps you'd quote it, or provide your own evidence of "falling down Sukhumvit". 

[Phnom Penh Trader]

On 8/22/2022 at 7:50 AM, FritsSikkink said:

Sukhumvit road runs all the way to Cambodia

It actually ends in Scunthorpe,Great Britain?

[Phnom Penh Trader]

On 8/29/2022 at 7:21 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

A wonderful post full of anecdotal stories.  Got anything factual?

I have apparently Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II could do a very convincing Scouse (Liverpool for non-Brits) accent,a Scottish one also with the actual Aberdonian regional accent where Balmoral is situated!

[Liverpool Lou]

10 hours ago, Phnom Penh Trader said:

On 8/29/2022 at 1:21 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

A wonderful post full of anecdotal stories.  Got anything factual?

I have apparently Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II could do a very convincing Scouse (Liverpool for non-Brits) accent,a Scottish one also with the actual Aberdonian regional accent where Balmoral is situated!

Apparently you don't know the meaning of the word "factual", neither do you understand the content, nor the context, of my comment.   What does the "Scouse accent" reference relate to?