Thailand’s Ghost Tower: A haunting legacy of opulence left in ruins

[webfact]

 

Sathorn Unique Tower, eerily dubbed the Ghost Tower, remains an unfinished, forsaken, and unloved edifice, 33 years after its inception in the heart of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok.

 

Construction of the opulent 49-storey skyscraper kicked off in 1990 with the grand vision of accommodating Thailand’s most affluent families, yet it languishes in a state of perpetual emptiness.

 

The towering structure commands a view of the majestic Chao Phraya River and is off Charoen Krun Road, between Soi 51 and 53, in Bangkok’s Sathon District. It is roughly opposite Wat Yan Nawa and is near the end of Sathon Road, where Taksin Bridge and the Saphan Taksin Station of the BTS Skytrain are located and has descended into utter disrepair. Its façade is now marred by graffiti and cloaked in mould, providing a haunting backdrop for numerous horror films throughout the years.

 

In 1990, the construction journey began with ambitious promises of 49 floors housing luxurious condominiums for Thailand’s affluent elite. However, seven years later, the project was abruptly halted, a casualty of the Asian financial crisis in 1997.

The Ghost Tower was among approximately 500 building ventures compelled to grind to a halt. While many of these projects eventually resumed, the Sathorn Unique remains a desolate relic.

 

by Bob Scott Bob Scott

Picture courtesy of @AbandonedHourly.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-09-25

 

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[phetphet]

Too expensive to demolish and start again?

 

[klauskunkel]

I climbed it in 2008, quite a few balconies were used to grow cannabis...

View of Sathorn Rd from GhostTower

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Construction of the opulent 49-storey skyscraper kicked off in 1990 with the grand vision of accommodating Thailand’s most affluent families, yet it languishes in a state of perpetual emptiness.

Killed by corruption.

[NanLaew]

Just to think that in about 20 years from now, there will be a puff piece about the derelict Bali Hai condo in Pattaya.

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

a casualty of the Asian financial crisis in 1997.

It was not alone. I witnessed many similar, but smaller, building projects crash at this time whilst living in Lanna. The glorious days when there were 89 Baht to one GBP!

[dddave]

Just as intriguing is the huge residential development in Bang Pak Chong, just off the highway between Bangkok and Pattaya.  Two condo towers and a huge Marina Townhouse project, 90% completed in the 90s and still maintained to a high level...not overgrown or visibly deteriorating.  I'm told it's part of the Asian Banking Collapse of '97.  Apparently tied up in court for 25 years.  All the principals are dead and it's families against other families.  

[dddave]

I'm curious.  Does anybody know if most Western governments require developers of such large projects to have insurance or bonds to cover demolition if everything goes wrong?

[NanLaew]

10 hours ago, dddave said:

I'm curious.  Does anybody know if most Western governments require developers of such large projects to have insurance or bonds to cover demolition if everything goes wrong?

I think that most Western governments probably have far less corrupt (less corruptible?) oversight of the developers and their planning, financing and insurance.

 

There's a newly completed high-end Bangkok condo in the news recently because the main entry from the street is narrower than their permit allows. Doesn't matter that it's been known to be too narrow since construction started maybe two or three years already. And I also recall several years back about a newly opened hotel somewhere in the vicinity of Wireless Road and Lumpini that had violated a regulation on maximum size/floors versus the width of the street it was built on. The street didn't shrink during the several years of construction either but, like Bali Hai and the new Bangkok condo, the bank accounts of certain local government department chiefs haven't shrunk either.

 

They just can't stop themselves.

Edited September 25, 2023 by NanLaew

[josephbloggs]

On 9/25/2023 at 1:57 PM, hotchilli said:

Killed by corruption.

How so?

They ran out of money in 1997 as did so many other people after the "Asian Tiger" bubble burst. I was here then and the abandoned buildings littered the city. As the article said a good majority have since been finished.

So what is your insight? How was this one killed by corruption? Intrigued to know, you must have something juicy. (Or is this just another thread that you feel you have to say something critical on like pretty much every single other topic on AN).

All ears.