Renovation of Din Daeng flats ‘to go ahead’

THE SOCIAL Development and Human Security minister yesterday confirmed that the renovation of the Din Daeng flats – under which old buildings will be knocked down to be replaced with high-rise condominiums – would go ahead.

Pol General Adul Sangsingkeo told the press that the panel in charge of the project has decided to go ahead, adding that a team would be set up to gather opinions from the residents and help them better understand the project. 

This action came after some 200 residents rallied against the project on Sunday and also complained that the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) had not conducted any further tests, which they say might help solve the conflict. 

“The committee has decided to go ahead with the renovation project as it is part of the 10-year master plan. However, there will still be public participation in the project and all those who are affected will be compensated,” Adul said. 

“I understand that this is a very big project and concerns a lot of people, so it is normal that some will not be happy about it. But the project has to go ahead because it is for public interest as a whole.”

He also reasoned that the buildings were very old and in a bad condition, which can be very dangerous during an earthquake. Also, he said, it would be too expensive to repair these buildings. 

The Din Daeng flats renovation project is part of the National Housing Authority (NHA)’s master plan to reconstruct and enlarge housing estates that are more than 50 years old. 

The Din Daeng flats will be replaced with 36 high-rise condominiums that are 25 to 35 storeys high and will consist of 20,292 units that are 33 square metres in size. Rents at the new condos will rise to Bt1,000 to Bt1,500 per month, compared to the current rate of between Bt300 and Bt600 per month. 

“Tomorrow [today], we will hold a meeting and will invite all sides to discuss the project, including the residents and engineers from EIT,” Adul said. 

As for residents’ anxiety about the absence of EIT-led in-depth inspection of the buildings apart from preliminary checks in September, EIT secretary Siriwat Chaichana said this was because NHA had never told them to conduct further checks. He added that EIT has already sent its preliminary reports to the housing authority. 

Ubonwan Suebyubol, NHA’s acting governor, responded by saying that the committee had not decided about continuing with the renovation project, so the inspection had to be postponed. 

Separately, Adul said the NHA’s next move would be to authenticate the rights of all residents because he said people are only eligible to own one unit, but some own more than one and have put their spare rooms up for rent. 

He also said that NHA officers will be investigated to see who has been supporting and benefiting from this illegal practice.