A petition has been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman by communities in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai district who want an investigation into agencies who approved the construction of high-rise condos in these neighborhoods, reports local media.
The Phaya Thai Conservation Group, which submitted the complaint, claims that the livelihoods of over 100 residents on the streets around Phahon Yothin Road have been impacted by new high-rise buildings. More than 20 residential projects in 7 communities have been built in the area with 5 more in the pipeline.
Problems from these include loud noises and falling objects as well as an increase in traffic and flooding which wasn’t as bad before work began on the buildings. The projects do not have proper management and the Phaya Thai Conservation Group suspects that the developments may not have been carefully considered by state officials.
“The traffic has increased after these projects began. This can hamper rescue efforts in case of fire. There are also problems with the drainage system, which can’t bear the load. We are asking the Office of the Ombudsman to look into the role of state agencies including the district office, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the City Planning Office,” says Phumrat Kasemsomboonchai, a representative of the Phaya Thai Conservation Group, to the Bangkok Post.
One issue noted by the group is that high-rise buildings have been constructed on certain streets that are narrower than 10 metres which is against regulations. According to regulations under the Building Control Act 1979, a building that is taller than 23 metres, or 8 floors, is not allowed to be constructed on a road that is less than 10 metres wide.
A number of projects on Phahon Yothin Road are ready to submit environment and health impact assessment studies to the authorities, however the developers have yet to complete negotiations with local residents to meet their concerns.
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