PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet led a multi-agency inspection at the long-disputed Waterfront Pattaya building near Bali Hai Pier after reports emerged that tourist vehicles were being allowed to park inside the structure, despite a long-standing order prohibiting its use, Feb 23.
The inspection team included Deputy Mayor Manot Nongyai, senior Pattaya City officials, engineers, legal officers, local police from Pattaya City Police Station, and Tourist Police. The visit followed public concern over the use of the unfinished building’s first and second floors as an informal parking area.
Mayor Poramet said the inspection focused on two key issues. The first concerns a long-running land dispute involving an area adjacent to the Waterfront project near the marina. Pattaya City is in the process of seeking official designation of the land as public property, while discrepancies in land records have created legal ambiguity. The city has instructed its legal team to formally coordinate with the Land Department to clarify the land’s status and, if confirmed as public land, to install clear signage indicating its public use.
The second issue involves the Waterfront condominium project itself, developed by Bali Hai Co., Ltd. The building was found to have been constructed in violation of its approved design, leading to a formal order banning its use (Order K.6) issued on July 16, 2014. The project has also been linked to findings by the National Anti-Corruption Commission that the land title was improperly issued, a matter still under review by the Land Department.
Despite the ban, authorities recently discovered that the building was being used as a parking facility, raising serious safety concerns for motorists and tourists. Mayor Poramet said Pattaya City has authorized the Engineering Department to file a formal complaint with investigators under the Building Control Act of 1979.
Violations carry penalties of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both, along with additional daily fines of 30,000 baht until compliance with the law is achieved.
The mayor stressed that the city would strictly enforce the law to protect public safety and ensure proper use of land and buildings in Pattaya.
