Pattaya —
Pattaya City is waiting for a crucial land ruling that could determine whether the long-disputed and controversial Waterfront Condominium will be demolished or revived.
Pattaya Mayor Mr. Poramase Ngampichet has provided an update on the long-standing legal dispute surrounding the Waterfront Condominium building, which has remained unresolved for over a decade.
Mr. Poramase stated that the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has recently notified Pattaya City about concerns over the legitimacy of the land title deed on which the Waterfront building stands. In response, the city has forwarded the matter to the Department of Lands to determine whether the title was indeed issued unlawfully. Pattaya City is now awaiting the department’s ruling.
If the Department of Lands concludes that the title deed was issued unlawfully, the city will be required to demolish the building. In such a case, the land would be deemed public property. The city would then summon the project owner to remove the building. If the owner fails to comply, Pattaya City will proceed with the demolition and charge the owner for the associated costs.
Meanwhile, the project owner has the right to take legal action against the seller of the land, who allegedly sold public land under an improper title deed.
On the other hand, if the Department of Lands rules in favor of the project and deems the title deed valid, Bali Hai Co., the developer of the Waterfront project, will be allowed to proceed with construction.
In that case, however, the company would need to submit a revised plan for approval by Pattaya City, which will review it in accordance with local building regulations. However, any future development will require significant adjustments to the building’s height to comply with environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations and to avoid controversy over obstructions with the famous nearby viewpoint, the mayor noted.
Mr. Poramase reassured that, regardless of the outcome, the height of the building will be reduced. A decision is expected soon, as the issue has been raised in parliamentary discussions by senators and the Minister of Interior, who has delegated the matter to the Deputy Minister for a formal response.
The ministry has also instructed the Department of Lands to expedite the review process and issue a ruling as soon as possible as the empty building has become an eyesore for many and a source of thousands of complaints for over a decade now.
We have covered the Waterfront Condo saga for years, here is an article that contains most of the story so far.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=–=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Need legal advice or a lawyer? We can help. Click here.
See more information about listing a property with us by clicking here.
