Fate of Din Daeng flats up in the air
A joint decision by two self-governing bodies will be reached in the next two weeks on whether parts of a deteriorating Bangkok apartment complex will be demolished.
The Council of Engineers and the Engineering Institute of Thailand will today release a statement indicating their initial recommendation for Buildings 1 to 8 and 21 to 32 on the Din Daeng Estate. The buildings are home to around 1,400 residents from a total of 30,000 living in the entire complex, which was built 40 years ago by the National Housing Authority (NHA), which later leased or sold units to residents. Deputy Social Development and Human Security Minister Poldej Pinpratheep said yesterday the NHA two years ago recommended major repairs to the buildings, but the latest survey found that structural damage was beyond repair. NHA governor Phornsak Boonyodom dismissed residents' fears that demolition was intended to drive them away so that other buildings could be built instead of new apartments. Residents said they would allow only repairs to be done to their apartments but would not move away or allow demolition "under any circumstances". Mayuree Sukyingcharoenwong The Nation
|
