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Fire safety: 82% of buildings ignore fire regulations

07 เมษายน 2560

82% of Bangkok buildings failed to comply with fire inspections but sloppy govt record-keeping means can't find any documents anyway, so may not really matter.

82% of Bangkok buildings failed to comply with fire inspections but sloppy govt record-keeping means can't find any documents anyway, so may not really matter.

BUILDING & FIRE SAFETY

Fire safety: 82% of buildings ignore fire regulations

All Bangkok cinemas fail to meet standards
6/04/2017
Post Reporters

The Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) is urging City Hall to strictly enforce building control and fire safety regulations after its audit report showed massive non- compliance despite notices.

In its recently published report on the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's (BMA) enforcement of building and fire safety laws, the OAG said the city administration faces problems in enforcing orders.

The report involves the BMA's enforcement of building rules during 2013-2015 and fire safety regulations in August last year.

The issue of fire safety becomes an issue, of course, when buildings catch on fire and people die or are injured as they have been in the past (see here & here).

82% of BANGKOK BUILDINGS IGNORED FIRE REGULATIONS

As of Dec 27 last year, 82% of 3,372 buildings that were required to submit building inspection documents to the BMA's Public Works Department had failed to comply despite a 60-day notice period.

In the report, the OAG warned the BMA about this and pointed out the city administration needs to take measures to pressure building owners to comply with regulations.

EVERY CINEMA IN BANGKOK FAILED FIRE SAFETY TESTS

As for fire safety, the OAG found all 330 Bangkok cinemas in 44 buildings across the capital failed to meet legal requirements.

They were inspected by the BMA during Aug 2-17 last year.

According to the OAG, non- compliance issues include:

1. Use of inflammable materials,

2. Inadequate emergency lighting systems, and...

3. Lack of non-smoking signs.

Fire safety: 82% of buildings ignore fire regulations

Located in middle of Bangkok on narrow Soi Narathiwat Ratchanakharin 18, this fire was difficult for firefighters & fire engines to access. Building also lacked fire escapes & fire extinguishers.

LOCAL GOVT ASKS CINEMAS TO FIX PROBLEMS BUT CINEMAS IGNORE GOVT

The BMA sent notices to cinema operators to take steps to address the flaws within one month.

However, as of Dec 12 last year, 241 of the cinemas them had done nothing to solve the problems while the remaining 89 operators sought to extend the deadline to fix the problem.

In the report, the OAG pointed out that the BMA had failed to enforce measures to ensure cinema operators comply with fire safety regulations.

Fire safety: 82% of buildings ignore fire regulations

Burned out shell of the building after the fire. Built many years ago before fire laws enacted, did not have any safety features because safety laws not retroactive.

22.6% OF BANGKOK BILLBOARDS ILLEGAL & IGNORE GOVT ORDERS TO DISASSEMBLE 

The OAG report has also found the BMA failed to dismantle large billboards that have been illegally installed or failed to adhere to the designs submitted for approval.

As of Dec 28,2015, out of 1,067 large billboards, 241 (22.6%) were illegal.

Of this number, 212 were erected without permission from district authorities, which means there is no way of knowing whether they have followed safety and design regulations, while 30 others were found to be not in accordance with approved designs.

The district of Lat Krabang had the most illegal billboards at 35.

According to the OAG, the BMA issued demolition orders for 31 billboards but despite the order, 25 illegal billboards remained.

GOVT DOES NOT EVEN HAVE INFO NEEDED FOR BUILDING INSPECTIONS

In its report, the state auditor said the BMA lacks the three databases necessary to effectively enforce building and fire safety codes.

First, Bangkok City Hall needs a database for building control and management, according to the OAG.

The database in question should contain details of each building such as type, age and number of floors.

The second database would have information necessary for building inspections.

Currently each district has a "manual" which is not deemed to be enough.

The last database would deal with information necessary for follow-up inspections and monitoring.

SLOPPY RECORD-KEEPING: DOCUMENTS MISSING IF OFFICIAL TRANSFERRED

According to the OAG, the BMA does not store cases of building code violations in a systematic manner.

When city officials responsible for the cases are transferred, documents go missing or remain incomplete.

Fire safety: 82% of buildings ignore fire regulations

A fire in a draper's shop on the corner of Soi On Nut and Sukhumvit Road causes the temporary closure of the skytrain's overhead On Nut station on Wednesday morning. (Photo from Twitter user @SuradejL via FM. 91 Trafficpro Facebook)



http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1227756/oag-says-city-hall-must-do-better-on-building-safety


http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-news/859168/fire-safety-laws-don-t-work-deadly-fire-reveals

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/1046682/major-fire-engulfs-pinklao-cinema-complex

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/1034826/scary-looking-fire-at-on-nut-station-at-rush-hour

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/1051785/330-city-cinemas-to-be-inspected-after-fire

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-news/283123/city-wants-old-buildings-to-install-sprinklers

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1222116/tonnes-of-used-plastic-fuel-fire-at-recycling-plant

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1214458/fire-crews-battling-blaze-at-tyre-recycling-plant

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1218021/fire-hits-fortune-town-on-ratchadapisek-road

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1225155/fire-guts-pratunam-clothing-shops

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