Owner of Grand Park Avenue Hotel faces legal action

BANGKOK, March 12 (TNA) - The Public Works Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has concluded that the Grand Park Avenue Hotel on Sukhumvit 22 Road, which caught fire last week, had been illegally modified and the Khlong Toey district office is, therefore, asking police to take legal action against the owner of the hotel. Regarding the fire at the Grand Park Avenue Hotel on March 8, Bangkok Deputy Governor Theerachon Manomaiphibul told journalists Monday that the management of the hotel had sought permission from the Khlong Toey district office in 1999 to expand its car park, but it had actually turned the area into a banqueting room, violated the Building Control Act 1979. Theerachon said that the BMA had ordered the Khlong Toey district office to file a complaint with the Thong Lor police station to demand both criminal and civil prosecution against the hotel owner. Theerachon acknowledged the BMA has ordered all 50 district offices in the capital to check the safety of all buildings in their respective areas within 30 days and he expects the safety examination of the buildings to start within this week and to report their findings to the City Authority within due course. (TNA)