Aetas is called to be reduced in height to keep inline with building regulations.
Bangkok is known for its sprawling skyline that is mainly dotted along the mass transit networks. For some the building of the city appears to be in a haphazard fashion, especially in comparison to other global cities that have particularly stringent planning controls and regulations to protect historic buildings and the aesthetics of the city.
However, Soi Ruamrudee by Ploen Chit BTS Station, one of Bangkok’s most expensive areas of prime real estate, is currently the centre of a planning dispute. Both the Aetas Bangkok and Aetas Residences Hotels are under fire for breaching height regulations. The total value of these buildings is estimated to be around the three billion baht mark, so the request of this partial demolition to bring the buildings down in height is not being taken lightly.
Currently the Aetas Bangkok stands at 24-storeys and the Aetas Residence at 18. Under building control rules the height of both buildings should be no more than 23 metres because the road is less than 10 metres wide. To meet this criteria both buildings need to be reduced to eight storeys, drastically reducing the combined number of 423 rooms.
The height of these buildings has been an ongoing feud since its development in 2005 with the local residents on Soi Ruamrudee. Accusing the district of Pathumwan for failing to ignore building control rules, there have been a series of complaints through the Central Administrative Court and later the Supreme Administrative Court. The latter of which accepted the complaint and called for the partial demolition of the buildings in October 2014 after surveys revealed that the road reached a width of nine metres in places.
Whilst the fingers of blame have been pointed in various directions, the residents of Soi Ruamrudee want action to be taken. Whether the outcome will result in the buildings having to face partial demolition or not, this case highlights the planning controls that are in place and for some it will reassure the state of play for the future of Bangkok’s development.