Concrete Zombies

[corkscrew]

This one near the Taksin station has been around for more than a decade. I wonder if anything can be done about it or must it be torn down? The Millennium Hilton was built out of a former zombie. How many years can raw concrete be left standing?

[Payboy]

This one near the Taksin station has been around for more than a decade. I wonder if anything can be done about it or must it be torn down? The Millennium Hilton was built out of a former zombie. How many years can raw concrete be left standing?

i wouldnt tear down the shangri-la just yet. they still have about 17% occupancy and the building at least partly hides the khmer era ruins behind it....

[taxexile]

this building at the sukhumvit/asoke junction was a zombie for many years before being reborn as the fine looking skyscaper it is now.

i think concrete lasts forever , but the rebar that strengthens it might have a limited lifespan , especially if it is exposed and therefore prone to corrosion.

[realmadrid25]

i imagine that the task is bigger than you'd imagine, otherwise it would already be happening. those huge empty ones pratunam center always stand out to me.

[mrtoad]

There's a real big zombie on Pahonyothin road too, just past the Elephant building, two massive structures that have been left for years now.

[PattayaParent]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

[DB84]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

We also have the zombie next to BTS Nana on the Sofitel Sukhumvit side.

Anybody remember the abandoned American Standard showroom, that was located around Sukhumvit 18? That used to be around for years. I think it's where the Lexus dealership is now.

[Jockstar]

There's a real big zombie on Pahonyothin road too, just past the Elephant building, two massive structures that have been left for years now.

I used to be able to look right through it from my apartment.

[Neeranam]

I heard last week that the zombie next to the Kosa Hotel in Khon Kaen will be turned into the Kosa hotel starting soon.

[corkscrew]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

Really? The tallest building in Thailand?

[corkscrew]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

Really? The tallest building in Thailand?

I am sorry that I just loaded such a large photo file. My goof.

[thaibebop]

I thought this was about wage slaves.

[howtoescape]

This one near the Taksin station has been around for more than a decade. I wonder if anything can be done about it or must it be torn down? The Millennium Hilton was built out of a former zombie. How many years can raw concrete be left standing?

Bridges are usually made of concrete (aswell as a steel structure) and they dont rot so im presuming provided the concrete is of high enough quality then itll last.

The fact theyve been left standing while apartments are built close by, shows that it must have some excess cost in getting them built. Or maybe the developers dont have faith in their ability to sell them.

[PhilHarries]

I would hazard a guess that there are several reasons why many of these half built buildings are not taken over and finished by others.

Firstly there is the issue of ownership of building and land, including working out the value, and building permissions which are issued to the original company and may not be transferrable.

Secondly any building is built specifically for a purpose and to plans drawn up around that purpose. Unless a buyer is found that wants that exact building or can fit his requirements within the shell it would be difficult to sell it on.

Thirdly if you have any structure built it will be constructed under your supervision to a set of specifications selected by yourself with which you are comfortable issuing guarantees and with which your insurers are happy providing cover. If someone else has half built it you have absolutely no guarantees regarding construction standards and anyone on TV doesn't need reminding about the general construction standards employed in Thailand.

Of course it does happen that construction recommences on these sites but I think that is down mainly to the original company getting refinancing to complete the project.

Lastly how can we have a thread about concrete zombies without mention of the Hopewell railway/road project?

btw I thought this thread was going to be about the 'ard men that drink in the Dog's B*ll*cks in Pattaya.

[PattayaParent]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

We also have the zombie next to BTS Nana on the Sofitel Sukhumvit side.

Anybody remember the abandoned American Standard showroom, that was located around Sukhumvit 18? That used to be around for years. I think it's where the Lexus dealership is now.

I remember it when it wasn't abandoned and was an American Standard showroom.

[DB84]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

We also have the zombie next to BTS Nana on the Sofitel Sukhumvit side.

Anybody remember the abandoned American Standard showroom, that was located around Sukhumvit 18? That used to be around for years. I think it's where the Lexus dealership is now.

I remember it when it wasn't abandoned and was an American Standard showroom.

It was a zombie for at least 3 years. You should visit more frequently.

[PattayaParent]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

Really? The tallest building in Thailand?

Yep, that's the one.

I seem to remember it being under construction during my first visit to LOS in 1987. In '94 it was in mothballs 'cos the developer and or the contractor had 'liquidity problems'. It used to have a big banner with the contractors name draped down it, Siam Syntech if I remember correctly. It was only finished in the recovery after the crash of '97.

And yesterday I saw another building that was under construction when I came to work here in '94 and is still not complete. The Honda showroom next to the Nana BTS.

[twschw]

If you are talking about Baiyoke II, the tallest building in Thailand, you are woefully mistaken. This building was started in 1990 and finished in 1997 so how could have been a "concrete zombie"?

[lopburi3]

Actually from my poor memory work did stop on Baiyoke II for a number of years and not sure the current top is the original plan or cost cut.

[quiksilva]

Building permissions and licenses are only a small part of the problem. There are usually engineering solutions to many of the physical challenges of breathing life back into these structures.

The primary reason as to why there are so many unfinished structures in Thailand, is down to disputes over value between creditors and debtors. (AKA greed, pride, and plain old stubbornness!)

Many creditors realise the potential of a property and place a premium on that, but often this is too heavily weighted in the creditor's interest and thus unviable for purchasers.

When this amount is finally settled upon debtors may then seek investment partners or purchasers to help them to dig themselves out of their holes. But the problem arises when the debtors do finally get their buyers lined up.

Once the creditors get wind of interest in the property they will often attempt to renegotiate their restructuring agreements (in their favour), stalling the entire process.

This happens all too often...

Edited March 24, 2008 by quiksilva

[vegas]

The Baiyoke Tower was one of those zombies from the 80s through the 90s.

We also have the zombie next to BTS Nana on the Sofitel Sukhumvit side.

Anybody remember the abandoned American Standard showroom, that was located around Sukhumvit 18? That used to be around for years. I think it's where the Lexus dealership is now.

The Nana zombie has been bought and will shortly become another hotel.

[PattayaParent]

Actually from my poor memory work did stop on Baiyoke II for a number of years and not sure the current top is the original plan or cost cut.

Your memory is spot on in this instance Lopburi3

[twschw]

PattayaParent, it was your reference to it being completed during the recovery that did not make sense to me since the building was finished in 1997.

Lopburi3, I seem to remember that there was a plan to put a large spiraling antennae on the top. The reason it wasn't was probably monetary. The current antennae was put into place in '99.

[slackula]

This one near the Taksin station has been around for more than a decade. I wonder if anything can be done about it or must it be torn down? The Millennium Hilton was built out of a former zombie. How many years can raw concrete be left standing?

i wouldnt tear down the shangri-la just yet. they still have about 17% occupancy and the building at least partly hides the khmer era ruins behind it....

Your post did not get the love it deserves in this thread, therefore I am quoting it here for those who may have missed it

[Kan Win]

Here is a site worth having a look at:-

20 Tallest Buildings in Bangkok

Kan Win

[PattayaParent]

PattayaParent, it was your reference to it being completed during the recovery that did not make sense to me since the building was finished in 1997.

Lopburi3, I seem to remember that there was a plan to put a large spiraling antennae on the top. The reason it wasn't was probably monetary. The current antennae was put into place in '99.

I guess I'm thinking about them putting that antennae on it as when the building was finished as I was out of the country quite a bit from '77 through '79.

Also I believe that when the construction was finished there was some delay in the fitting out of the hotel due to the crash so the building was not opened when it was actually finished?