PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya’s long-stalled Waterfront project at the foot of Pratumnak Hill could face demolition or a legally required redesign, depending on a pending decision by the Land Department over its land title documents, with the outcome set to determine the next legal step for the unfinished building. Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet said the city is still waiting for the department to rule on the documents, following an earlier opinion by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and the development has returned to public attention after the CSI LA page raised the matter online, prompting renewed debate on social media.

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If the department concludes that the land title documents were improperly issued, the city will act under the law by ordering the project owner to demolish the building, and should the owner fail to comply, Pattaya City can begin demolition proceedings itself and seek to recover the costs from the owner. However, if the documents are found to have been lawfully issued, the owner will have to submit the building plans for review under building-control laws, which could require alterations to sections that do not meet legal requirements, potentially including reducing the structure’s height or changing its design to bring it into compliance.

The mayor stated that there are therefore two main possible outcomes: demolition or alterations to make the building lawful, and the city is ready to proceed as soon as the Land Department reaches a conclusion, wanting the long-running matter resolved quickly. Poramet also warned that the Waterfront building is incomplete and remains subject to an order prohibiting its use, and vehicles and people should not be allowed inside because this could create a danger.

Pattaya City has already taken legal action over reports that cars and motorcycles had entered the project to use it as a car park, with a complaint filed at Pattaya City Police Station after information circulated on social media that a group of vehicles had parked on the lower area and second floor of the building.

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The complaint states that the building is covered by Pattaya City’s order under the Building Control Act, which prohibits use of or allowing people to use a building that may be dangerous, and police accepted the complaint for further legal action against the company owning the project and related parties, with legal proceedings ongoing. The case highlights ongoing challenges in Pattaya’s urban development and the complexities of resolving disputes over land titles and building compliance in the city’s rapidly evolving landscape.

-Thailand News (TN)