A decade after a court ruling ordered the demolition of the Aetas condominium in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district for violating the Building Control Act, former senator Rosana Tositrakul is urging the city’s governor to take immediate action. In a Facebook post on Sunday, she called on Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to enforce the Supreme Administrative Court’s order to tear down the 21-storey building on Soi Ruamrudee.
Rosana warned that Chadchart could face legal consequences under Section 157 of the Criminal Code for dereliction of duty if he fails to act. The condominium, constructed on a narrow street less than 10 meters wide, has long been a point of contention for residents. Opposition to the project dates back to 2005, led by Dr. Songkram Supcharoen and a group of locals who raised concerns about safety and accessibility. Despite their protests, the Pathumwan district office approved the construction.
In 2008, residents, with support from the Foundation for Consumers, filed a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court. Four years later, the court ruled that the structure violated building regulations and ordered its demolition within 60 days. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) challenged the decision, but in October 2014, the Supreme Administrative Court upheld the ruling, instructing city officials to proceed with the demolition within the same timeframe.
However, no action has been taken in the decade since the final verdict. During a recent forum hosted by the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), Dr. Songkram recalled a past fire at a hotel in Soi Ruamrudee, where a foreign guest died because fire trucks were unable to reach the site due to the narrow road. He cautioned that allowing illegal high-rise construction in congested areas could lead to similar tragedies in the future.
