Alongkorn Saewang, owner
of the Boutique Hotel in South Pattaya, was arrested July 16 for
ignoring city orders to demolish an illegal building addition.
Boonlua Chatree
It was more than a bit unusual when Chonburi’s governor accompanied
Pattaya police last week to make an arrest. But Alongkorn Saewang was
not your usual suspect.
The owner of the Boutique Hotel in South Pattaya, Alongkorn has made a
fool of Pattaya and Chonburi officials for more than two years, building
unpermitted additions to the Boutique Hotel and ignoring orders to
remove them. After breaking his latest promise to remove three illegal
floors, Gov. Khomsan Ekachai had had enough.
Arrest warrant in hand, he and Pattaya police chief Col. Supathee
Boomerang arrested the Bangkok resident July 16.
The arrest came exactly 90 days after Alongkorn was ordered to remove
the top three floors of the Boutique because they were built without
permission and without safety checks. At the time, Pattaya officials
said they’d demolish the floors themselves, but Alongkorn pleaded with
authorities to let him do it himself. Even though authorities had heeded
such pleas before only to see Alongkorn do nothing, they gave him 90
days.
Unsurprisingly, 90 days later no work had been done and Khomsan had him
arrested, calling it proof that people cannot flout the law perpetually
without paying the price.
The Boutique drama has been playing out since 2012, when Alongkorn
started building a seven-story hotel annex directly next door. He never
obtained any permits for the building and the city issued two stop-work
orders, which were simply ignored. In January 2013, the Engineering
Department condemned both buildings of the hotel, ordering Alongkorn to
demolish the annex within 60 days. Not only was that order ignored, but
construction continued as before.
In July last year, exasperated Pattaya officials investigating
complaints of wastewater releases discovered work was still proceeding
on the condemned building. They ordered city workers to demolish the
structure, but gave in to Alongkorn’s pleas for time to do the work
himself. Ninety days was given, and wasted.
In November, the city lost patience and sent workers to demolish the
structure. Cheered on by area residents and business owners, Banglamung
District workers backed by 50 police officers began dismantling the
Boutique room by room.
In May, city officials took aim at the illegal floors added to the main
building. Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho and Pattaya Deputy
Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh led a team of city engineers in an inspection of
the hotel on Soi VC May 15, a day after Pattaya Business & Tourism
Association President Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn complained about the
Boutique’s continued defiance of government orders.
“The building has persisted as a problem for years,” Sinchai said. “We
fear for the safety of customers. Therefore, the business sector
requests the district to take serious action to inspect and remove the
floors, which could collapse, seriously damaging Pattaya’s tourism
industry.”
The snap inspection May 15 revealed that the hotel’s bottom floors were
still open for business and Banglamung Permanent Secretary Praphan
Pathumchomp ordered the arrest of two Boutique managers under the Hotel
Act of 2004 for operating without proper permits.
Pattaya officials now have the option to demolish the Boutique itself.
No word was given on if or when that might occur.
Official have been after
Alongkorn Saewang for not demolishing this addition illegally added to
the top of the Boutique Hotel in South Pattaya.
