Court orders demolition of illegally-built Aetas Hotel

Aetas, the luxury 25-storey hotel in Soi Ruamrudee, will be demolished within 60 days on orders of the Supreme Administrative Court yesterday.

The ruling said that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) illegally allowed the hotel to be built as its construction violated building laws.

Located in the narrow Soi Ruamrudee off Wireless road, residents filed a complaint in 2008 accusing the then Bangkok governor and the Pathumwan district office chief for allowing the hotel to be built in a soi less than 10 meters wide, which exceeds the building height limit of 23 meters or about seven storeys, according to 1979 Building Act.

Apirak Kosayodhin was the governor at the time.

Residents added the building has damaged the environment, caused traffic congestions and exposed the community to risks in the event of an emergency such as fire.

Sitthichai Thuamsakon, director of Pathumwan district office, said the hotel could sue the BMA for allowing the construction of the hotel and appeal against the court ruling.

Meanwhile, residents of Soi Ruamrudee welcomed the demolition order.

“The hotel doesn’t affect my daily life,” Amorn Pimhanam, a yoga teacher told the Bangkok Post. “But I don’t like the fact the developer has been allowed to flout the rules. The soi is less than 10 metres wide, so the height should be limited to eight storeys, but they just went and built a 20-plus storey hotel.”




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