Former senator Rosana Tositrakul is calling on the Bangkok governor to order the immediate demolition of the Aetas condo in Pathumwan district, which was ordered by a court 10 years ago over a violation of the Building Control Act.
In a post on Facebook on Sunday, Ms Rosana urged governor Chadchart Sittipunt to enforce the order issued by the Supreme Administrative Court to demolish the 21-storey condo building on Soi Ruamrudee, which remains standing 10 years after the order was issued.
Mr Chadchart risks facing charges under Section 157 of the Criminal Code for dereliction of duty if he fails to enforce the order, the former senator said.
The Aetas, built on a narrow street less than 10 metres wide, has long been a source of concern for locals. Nearby residents, led by Dr Songkram Supcharoen, began opposing the project in 2005.
Despite their objections, the work was approved by Pathumwan district office. Residents then sought assistance from the Foundation for Consumers in filing a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court in 2008.
In 2012, the court ruled that the building violated the Building Control Act and ordered its demolition within 60 days.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), however, appealed the decision as the case proceeded to Supreme Administrative Court.
In October 2014, the court upheld the ruling, requiring the defendants, including the then-Pathumwan district director and Bangkok governor, to enforce the demolition order within 60 days of the ruling being issued.
Despite this, the building remains standing to this day, and no action has been taken since the final ruling, which was issued over 10 years ago.
During a recent forum on the case held by the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), Dr Songkram recounted a tragic fire incident at a hotel in Soi Ruamrudee when the narrow alleyway prevented fire trucks reaching the building in time, resulting in the death of a foreign guest.
He warned that a similar tragedy could occur in the future if illegal construction of tall buildings on narrow city streets is allowed to go unchecked.