Developers claim they have complied with all legal steps required of them
Pattaya officials have halted construction
of a 53-story condominium and hotel project at Bali Hai Pier that
sparked an Internet firestorm after photos showing the tower obstructing
a classic Pattaya viewpoint went viral online. Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
stated that the project - first launched in 2004 - has continually
followed correct and fully transparent legal processes and he urged
anyone alleging that shortcuts were taken to investigate the various
hearings and reports themselves.
Teerarak Suthathiwong
Pattaya officials have halted construction of a 53-story
condominium and hotel project at Bali Hai Pier that sparked an Internet
firestorm after photos showing the tower obstructing a classic Pattaya
viewpoint were published online.
The Waterfront Suites and Residence was ordered July 16 to stop work
after inspectors discovered that the building - particularly its fire
escapes and elevator systems - varied from approved construction
designs.
Lead contractor Thai Engineering, however, allegedly ignored the
stop-work order and continued until Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
called a press conference Aug. 18 to address the chain of complaints
that went viral on the Internet last week.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
called a press conference to address the chain of complaints about the
construction of a 53-story condominium and hotel project at Bali Hai
Pier after photos showing the tower obstructing a classic Pattaya
viewpoint went viral on the Internet last week.
Photos showing the tower obstructing a large chunk of
Pattaya Bay were published on Facebook, Twitter and other online
sources, with outraged Thais writing a message on republished pictures
to the National Council for Peace and Order urging the military regime
to investigate.
The complaints accused the developer of building a structure both taller
and closer to the beach than permitted and noted it also obstructs the
view of the Prince Chumphon Khet Udomsak statue sitting on the top of
Pratamnak Hill.
Itthiphol repeatedly stated that the project - first launched in 2004 -
has continually followed correct and fully transparent legal processes
and he urged anyone alleging that shortcuts were taken to investigate
the various hearings and reports themselves.
However, he noted, during the approval process, Pattaya City Hall did
oppose the size of the tower, noting its impact on the skyline, but the
city’s objections were overruled.
The mayor also said allegations that Waterfront Suites was built too
close to the sea are incorrect. Law covering the Bali Hai area forbids
building within 100 meters of the waterline. However, Pattaya already
approved construction of a new marina built on reclaimed land. That
project extended the shoreline out by 100 meters, thus making the
condominium and hotel, which would be managed by Accor Hotels, legal.
The developers had submitted an environmental-impact report to a
Chonburi Province panel, which approved it in May 2008 and forwarded it
to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and
Planning. After being lashed at online, the ONREPP said last week it
would investigate the project again.
An office official told the media last week that EIA criteria forbid new
projects to block beach views. However, if public agencies approved the
impact report knowing it blocked scenery - and the developer followed
that plan exactly - the fault lies with the government and not the
developer.
Itthiphol said, however, it appears that project developers or
contractors have strayed from the approved plans, at least when it came
to fire escapes and elevators. Further checks will be made of the entire
structure to see what else, if anything, has been changed.
Itthiphol said it was possible that if the changes were substantial,
officials would go to court to have the multi-billion-baht project
demolished.
The tower’s financial backers, of course, will do anything possible to
avoid that. Cobbled together out of seven land-title deeds spread over
two rai of prime beachfront land, the towering condo and hotel was seen
by Pattaya officials as an anchor for their aspirations of a
luxury-yacht marina.
Developer representatives said online this week that they have complied
with all the legal steps required of them for the past 10 years and only
now - with construction set for completion on Sept. 6 - is the issue of
the condominium’s height being debated seriously.
