Out for my daily exercise, I noticed a yellow sign announcing the construction of "VIEWTALAY MARINA BEACH CONDO" (viewtalay was one word), a 30+ story building. As you are heading south from Pattaya on Jomtien Beach Road, it is shortly before the intersection with Soi Chiyapruek.

Is this by the same developer as VT1, 2, 3 ... 7? I believe there is a "View Talay Marina" development down by the Ambassador hotel, but this is much closer to Pattaya.

I tried googling the name, but no hits. Is this VT4, the "missing link" in the VT numbering system?

Well, to continue my monologue, I just saw a full-page ad in the current Mid-Month Property Trader magazine. Looks like this is being marketed as VT-8: www.viewtalaymarinabeachcondo.com

Another cereal box? This place is beginning to look soooo ugly!

Another cereal box? This place is beginning to look soooo ugly!

This is the first "cereal box" that far south.

Most folks would be going out of their way to accidently pass this one, I think. For the time being, of course. There are several more plots on Jomtien Beach Road in that area still ripe for development.

maybe someone can enlighten me

I am told that for the 1st 150 mtrs of land you cannot build more than 5 stories high

then the next 100 mtrs is up to 9 stories

then after that its a free for all

Why then can the VT build in front of the Majestic - causing 300+ rooms to lose their view as its a Y shaped building

Then VT8 is this back from the beach or not?

There is only 1 tall building on Beach Rd Jomtien and thats the Coconut Grove ( illegally built )

So can anyone tell me about the height restrictions on building on the beach or can VT do wahtever they want

Blackjack - as far as I can see there are no hard and fast rules as far as how high you can build, it depends greatly on location and each plot of land has to be checked out individually at the land office. Generally speaking in Jomtien, as far down as Metro (approx Soi 18) you have to be at least 65 Metres from the SAND before you build anything at all. Then, you have to go back a further 100 Metres before you can build anything over 5 storeys. The size of the actual land plot will dictate how high you can build - called the setback rule - but the rule does not apply across the board (TIT) and is often subject to change over time. Once you step foot past Soi 18 ie. past the city limits and you can do what ever you want to apparently! IMO It's inevitable that most empty beachfront land is going to be built on at some stage - lets just hope that it's not all just concrete coz I don't fancy living in Milton Keynes by The Sea!

Another cereal box? This place is beginning to look soooo ugly!

This is the first "cereal box" that far south.

Most folks would be going out of their way to accidently pass this one, I think. For the time being, of course. There are several more plots on Jomtien Beach Road in that area still ripe for development.

Went to have a look at Le Royal. Sharkey's on the south side is now closed and on north side is vacant lot. I would be scared to buy Le Royal in case View Talay buy the land and build 2 more cereal boxes. And VT will build as close to boundary if they have to to get the cereal box in the space. What if they build one on each side of Le Royal? Also, City Hall can change the law every 5 years (so I have been told) with respect to how close a new building can be to the beach. Its a nightmare!

Blackjack - as far as I can see there are no hard and fast rules as far as how high you can build, it depends greatly on location and each plot of land has to be checked out individually at the land office. Generally speaking in Jomtien, as far down as Metro (approx Soi 18) you have to be at least 65 Metres from the SAND before you build anything at all. Then, you have to go back a further 100 Metres before you can build anything over 5 storeys. The size of the actual land plot will dictate how high you can build - called the setback rule - but the rule does not apply across the board (TIT) and is often subject to change over time. Once you step foot past Soi 18 ie. past the city limits and you can do what ever you want to apparently! IMO It's inevitable that most empty beachfront land is going to be built on at some stage - lets just hope that it's not all just concrete coz I don't fancy living in Milton Keynes by The Sea!

IMO, the plot that is going to have 91 storeys (O1) looks tiny.

There's a flyer with today's Bangkok Post that VT Marina Beach Condo will be 30 storey cereal box and is affiliated with Sandy Spring Hotel. So looks as though they will do the same as on Dongtan Beach where affiliation was with Avalon.

Dongtan Beach has buildings much, much closer to the sand than 65 metres. 3 - 5 metres more likely. There's just the width of the walking road between the sand and the buildings.

Of course, it's all going to be concrete. I don't know of City Hall buying land to make into parks. There seems to be no plan for Pattaya and Jomthien. Everybody just builds higgledy-piggledly.

Four years ago these vertical slums were selling for 18,000 per square meter,

now they are asking up to 50k.

Whoever is considering buying one of these should pay a visit to VT1 or VT2

first off, so they can see what they will be living in a few years down the road.

Naka.

And in 2007 we can look forward to the start of construction on the monster "Weetabix box on steroids", the Ocean 1 tower. At a mere 130,00 baht a square metre, you can wait 5-10 years before they finish it; assuming they ever start it. Please form a queue.....

. At a mere 130,00 baht a square metre.................................

More money than sense

Astonishingly, they claim to have actually sold some units. Personally I will be very surprised if they actually start this project; and amazed if they ever finish it. Their other projects have had completion dates that have slipped dramatically; this one has the potential to slip into infinity.