Thirteen Bangkok high-rise projects ‘violate construction laws’
Consumer group notes deviation from approved designs, inadequate road clearance
Thirteen high-rise building projects in Bangkok may have violated construction laws, according to the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC).
Saree Aongsomwang, secretary-general of the TCC, said on Thursday that the council received complaints from residents in 11 communities about safety and regulatory issues related to nearby high-rise developments.
Upon investigation, the TCC found that 13 construction projects had deviated from approved designs or failed to comply with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements. Many also violated Ministerial Regulation No. 33, which mandates a minimum 6-metre-wide road or clearance space around high-rise structures.
“These violations raise serious safety concerns,” said Ms Saree.
“We need to work with relevant agencies to ensure future buildings comply with the law, to uphold safety standards for all building users,” she noted.
Pornprom Okuchi, assistant secretary of the TCC’s subcommittee on real estate and housing, said the infractions were found in several key areas of Bangkok, including Ratchayothin, Saphan Khwai, and Ratchadaphisek.
He added that in some cases, what developers advertised did not match the construction plans or EIA documents.
Instead of leaving designated areas open for road access, some developers converted them into electric vehicle (EV) charging zones, ornamental ponds, gyms, or badminton courts.
In 11 of the high-rise projects surveyed, areas intended as emergency access roads were used as cafés or gardens, leaving no space for fire trucks or emergency services. The TCC has formally requested that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) inspect 10 of these projects, including both completed and under-construction buildings, for legal compliance.
According to Sinit Boonsit, a legal expert with the Department of Public Works, the law requires that a clear, unobstructed 6-metre-wide road surface be provided at a high-rise building. Even plant pots are considered illegal obstructions, he said.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3038601/13-high-rise-projects-violate-construction-laws-tcc
