BMA under fire over illegal hotel

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BMA under fire over illegal hotel

Owners may be ordered to demolish building

Published: 10/02/2012 at 05:56 AM
Newspaper section: News

The Administrative Court has found a hotel building in Soi Ruam Rudi was built illegally and ordered Bangkok Metropolitan Administration authorities who allowed its construction to enforce compliance with the building control law.

On Sept 17, 2008, Grand Chamberlain Khwankeo Vajarodaya, Royal Household doctor Songkram Sapcharoen, and 24 residents of Soi Ruam Rudi on Phloenchit Road filed a complaint with the court against the Bangkok governor and the director of Pathumwan district office. Apirak Kosayodhin was Bangkok governor at the time.

The complainants accused Mr Apirak and the head of the district office at the time of issuing a certificate which the residents said exaggerated the width of the road in Soi Ruam Rudi and allowing Larp Prathan Co and Thabthimthorn Co, the operators of the Aetas Bangkok Hotel, to build a large building in violation of the law.

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Writer: Supoj Wancharoen & Kanana Katharangsiporn

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jacksprat
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Discussion 19 : 11/02/2012 at 09:10 AM19
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This will be interesting. I think it was the Ambassador Hotel that started the ignore-the-laws trend. There was a limit on height when it was built, with a fine for exceeding it. The hotel builder did, then simply paid the relatively low fine every month. I'd expect something like that to happen here too.
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manny
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Discussion 18 : 10/02/2012 at 03:05 PM18
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Speaking of illegal structures and buildings, haven't heard any word about the fate of the illegally built golf courses and luxury homes and apartments which continue to occupy main klongs and waterways on the eastern side of Bangkok below Suvarnabhumi Airport. Yes, those illegal structures which prevented the waterflow during the floods last year and created huge, unnecessary problems to the people north of Bangkok. While I certainly applaud the ridding of illegal buildings and structures such as the hotel in this article, there are far more pressing areas that must be dealt with first and be given priority.
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samut
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Discussion 17 : 10/02/2012 at 02:55 PM17
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This is everyday life in Thailand; building permissions can be paid for but enforcement of law is off the table. Hotels, department stores and private houses alike are built ignoring all regulations, additional floors are built (e.g. Royal Plaza Hotel in Korat collapsed in 1993) and safety measures are totally ignored by both the builder and the authorities (the fire at the Royal Resort Hotel in Pattaya killed 88 and injured plenty more) and the list goes on. Of course both hotels are still operating, Pattaya hotel just changed the name.
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hillfarang
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Discussion 16 : 10/02/2012 at 02:18 PM16
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The problem lies in the PERMIT.

"Everyone" knows that it is often possible to buy official documents.

How shall that be stamped out? How many 'White-color' criminals are in Thai prisons? Who believes that this building will be demolished? That's not easy on such a small street!
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tomb
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Discussion 15 : 10/02/2012 at 11:35 AM15
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Tear the hotel down, just like the illegal structures in Khao Yai National Park and bring the ones responsible for this cock-up (or skirting the law) to justice.
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dao
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Discussion 14 : 10/02/2012 at 10:58 AM14
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Thers not much point having a law if no one follows it .Soi 49 is full of tall condos and that soi is definitely less than 10 meters .There are condos being build as I type .Cash over morals once again .
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 13 : 10/02/2012 at 10:47 AM13
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@Ramet in Dallas #2: Do you really think the people who build the hotel should measure the street? I don’t know how they got their building permit but if they have a legal permit then I guess this should be good enough. Or do you suggest they should also check the capacity of drainage channels, electricity lines, etc just in case some BMA official made a mistake?
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 12 : 10/02/2012 at 10:42 AM12
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@bula #5: I am sure we all could find some more things which are wrong in Bangkok and we can all blame the Democrat let BMA. But while you mention it, does gambling only exist within the borders of Bangkok? Just in case that there is also any gambling going on in the east and north: Are Abhisit and the Democrats are also to blame for that or are your beloved red-shirts and PT in charge of those areas? Or am I wrong and nothing illegal does ever happen in red-shirt up-country?
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spiceman
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Discussion 11 : 10/02/2012 at 10:37 AM11
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And what will be the punishment for the former BKK Governor? Can't blame the Reds on this one!
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bikeme
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Discussion 10 : 10/02/2012 at 10:14 AM10
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"the court gave weight to the actual physical environment in the soi which may be changing all the time, Mr Surachet said. Areas in the soi had been encroached upon, making it less than 10 metres wide."

So who and what is encroaching on the soi to cause it to be less than 10 meters? And what is to stop people in every neighborhood from "encroaching" on the road in front of their house and then kicking out other buildings because the road is no longer X meters wide?
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