What Is The Story Behind This 'tourist' Attraction?

[webfact]

Since many years Bangkok has a beautiful landmark and tourist attraction...

It appears to me as a replica of the finished State Tower.

I can't exactly remember since when but my guess is its here since the 1996

Something has happened, of course.

Does anybody know the true story of this mystery building? Why it was never finished? Any plans to finish it....?

Many questions out of curiosity.

[connel707]

This building was deemed unsafe and was not granted a permit...still going through courts... thats what I heard.. it was a very political thing..

[webfact]

I am not an architect nor construction expert. But I can imagine a lot of damage has been done to that unfinished monster.

The basic structure of the building must be unrepairable after so many years.

[lazygourmet]

Agreed with you webfact... I was always guessing that it was made by the same developer.

In the mean time, State tower stayed for long unfinished until Lebua took it over.

They first opened the last three floors as (posh) lounges and restaurants. Made themselves -worldwide- famous with one million baht dinners... and thereafter refurbished (step-by-step) the rest of the building as hotel & residence.

[DP25]

There were many ghost towers after the 97 crash, over 300 stopped construction. Almost all were finished eventually, but with some there was no money. It's expensive both to repair and finish, or demolish, or they don't want to or can't sell to new developers. Some of these buildings are useful as soi dog colonies and ghost movie shooting grounds however.

[Deke]

There used to be (maybe still is) an architectural model in the lobby of the State Tower that includes the twin. Whether the owner of the State Tower has plans to ever complete it or not, I don't know.

[babuhavas]

yep even i noticed this building when i came to bangkok,i heard there were conflicts between shareholders and lot of finance problems.

and now if they want to finish this project it will cost them billions,and if they want to colaps it will cost them millions(at least).

so whenever we pass saphan thaksin,just enjoy the views.this building will stay unchanged atleast for 10 more years.

[AleG]

I don't have a picture at hand, but there's a big building near the intersection of Rama IX and Ratchada, about three hundred meters behind the Fortune mall that is completely abandoned. The odd thing is that, it seems to have been finished, it's not an empty skeleton like the one in the picture. All windows are installed, the outside is clad in some sort of granite tiling (or something that looks like pink granite polished slabs) If you see it from some distance it looks like any other functional building, but in closer inspection it shows some widespread weathering; even some of the outside slates have fallen off, since they must weight 10 kilos each at least I suppose that must be a very serious safety issue. One of those things falling from a hundred or so meters up even if it doesn't land directly on your head must shatter into hundreds of shrapnel like pieces when it hits something solid.

[Boater]

it was a building that suffered the 97 crash ..... it was for sale at 750 million THB , but there is conflicts in the share holders..

[zzdocxx]

http://travelhappy.info/bangkok/thailands-...-journal-video/

(There is a video about the ghost buildings.)

Edited October 4, 2009 by zzdocxx

[sabaijai]

The State Tower, formerly called Royal Charoen Krung Tower, was bought by Bualert after developer-architect Rangsan Torsuwan was convicted and imprisoned for plotting to assassinate a supreme court judge. Bualert renamed the building and decided not to complete its smaller twin.

[webfact]

http://travelhappy.info/bangkok/thailands-...-journal-video/

(There is a video about the ghost buildings.)

Thanks for that! Very interesting.

[Jonathanpattaya]

http://travelhappy.info/bangkok/thailands-...-journal-video/

(There is a video about the ghost buildings.)

Thank you for this.

[SirSpike]

Sorry for adding to this late but the building shown in the pic was called Sathorn Unique, developed by Rangsan-Arch taken from the developers website they say the following

Sathorn Unique Tower is our first residential project in downtown Bangkok. The tower is 49 storey with the total of 659 residential units and 54 retails, located only less than 200 meters from BTS: Taksin station. Sathorn Unique Tower is also located at the edge of old commercial town of Charernkrung meets the new international business zone of Silom-Sathorn roads. It sits on the a horse-shoe blend which is considered as the best place for overlook at the Bangkok’s grand cityscape and the charm of the Chaopraya river.

A number of pictures from inside can be seen here http://www.explo-guide.com/index.php?page=...&photo=1366

[shawndoc]

Possible to go "urban exploring" at this site?

[webfact]

That would make a good location for a "Blade Runner" remake...

[schmutzie]

There was an article in Bangkok Post's Business section about a BMA initiative to make it more attractive for developers to take over some of these sites.

I was blown away when I saw the tower in the OPs post. It's gargantuan.

My favourite derelict building is the one directly opposite Nana BTS which has been sitting empty until recently when someone put green nets around it. It's not tall, 4 floors or something, but has some beautiful ramps. Most likely due to be demo'ed.

In some ways I find these ruins more attractive than some of the finished or upcoming glitzy stuff (eg. Terminal21. Yuk!)

[soundman]

No links to Bkk Post please.

[phetaroi]

It's pretty clear that based on years of neglect it's going to have to come down. I want to know how they'll do that.

[Shah Jahan]

so thats what happens when you lose at the condo speculation/pre-buy game I suppose.

[sorensen]

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.p...=sathorn+unique