The National Housing Authority (NHA) is prepared to handle long-term residential development plans for low-income earners in accordance with the government's "Housing for All" ambitions.
According to Governor Tachaphol Kanjanakul, the authority is awaiting the national 20-year residential development strategy (2017-36), which is being drafted by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
The draft will give a framework for Thailand's residential development plan in the long run.
Apart from the NHA, the Department of Social Development and Welfare and the Community Organizations Development Institute will also work on the residential development plan.
Other government agencies and the private sector will also participate.
The national residential development plans are expected to be proposed to the cabinet for approval within this month.
According to the governor, this year the NHA will focus largely on improving communities in the Din Daeng area, where it is developing high-rise residential buildings worth 35 billion baht to replace the old Din Daeng flats.
The development will come in phases.
Phase one with 334 units is under construction. This phase began construction last December and is scheduled for completion by June 2018.
The old Din Daeng flats were built in 1963, comprising 64 buildings with a total of 4,144 units. In 1973, the NHA continued the development of 30 buildings with a total of 5,098 units.
On this 181-rai plot, the NHA plans to develop 36 buildings with a total of 20,292 units. Of these, 6,546 units will be allocated to existing tenants and the remaining 13,746 will be for new ones.
Phase two plans for two buildings of 32 storeys and 35 storeys with a total of 1,247 units, which will start construction in 2018 and be completed in 2020. Phase three will have three 32-storey buildings and two 35-storey buildings with a total of 3,333 units, to be completed in 2022.
There will be around 100,000 people living in this project.
In a related development, Mr Tachaphol said NHA has successfully sold units at the Baan Pracha Rat low-cost housing project, where it recorded 11,771 units sold as of July 26, 2017. The volume was higher than the target of 10,470 units for 2017.
"Those who are not ready to buy can avail a leasing or rent-to-buy programme the NHA offers with an interest rate of 1.49%," he said.
Mr Tachaphol said the NHA also plans to improve the rules at the 600 communities it manages. People living in the communities will be allowed to participate in planning and setting guidelines.