5,000 potential ‘Grenfell towers’ in city, experts warn
More than 5,000 buildings in Bangkok are not certified for fire safety as required by law, meaning they are potentially hazardous and subject to penalties for lacking the so-called Ror 1 certificate, officials said yesterday.
Over 10,000 structures in the capital are required by the Building Control Act to have annual inspections and receive a yearly certificate but over half have not done so since the act was implemented a decade ago, said Wasawat Kitsiriteeraphak, president of the Building Safety Inspectors and Officers Association (BSA).
According to the act, the owner of any building that lacks proper certification must pay an immediate penalty up to 60,000 baht plus a daily charge of 10,000 baht until the inspection is held and the proper documentation provided.
In reality, however, the penalties are discretionary and the fine may be reduced to as little as 1 baht, Mr Wasawat said.
“Many owners ignore the regulations because they are afraid the authorities will find they have no system to make their building safe,” he added.
In the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in London last Wednesday, which left scores dead, old and high-rise buildings in Bangkok must be inspected urgently, said Chan Sirirat, assistant managing director of property consultant firm Plus Property Co.
“Building managers should use [that] as a case study and seek preventive measures,” Mr Chan said. “Fire escapes, alarms and fire-detection systems must all be operating and up to date.”
Media reports said Grenfell Tower residents failed to hear the fire alarms that fateful night, while fire escapes were obstructed by materials used for building renovation two years ago — many of which were highly flammable.
One blaze that erupted last year at a cinema complex in Bangkok prompted the Office of the Auditor-General of Thailand to investigate why the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, which is responsible for issuing Ror 1 certificates, had not followed the inspection law.
“Though the building was built in 1995, three years after ministerial regulation No.33 [1992] in the Building Control Act 1992 took effect, it had no fire alarms or sprinklers. As a result, the damage from the fire was severe,” Mr Wasawat said.
According to the regulation, new buildings of a certain size, buildings that are 23 metres or higher, or which have a total area of 10,000 sqm or more, are required to meet certain safety standards to prevent the spread of fires.
“It is very dangerous for a public-use building to not have safety standards. In the event of an accident, the losses could be severe,” he said. “Annual building inspections can help prevent risk.”
He said most hotels and factories in the city follow the rules or they would not have their business licences renewed.
“Entertainment complexes are vulnerable to fire because most lack the proper permit to operate,” he said, citing the Zantika Pub tragedy, which was gutted by fire several years ago.
Thailand has around 2,000 licensed building inspectors in the form of engineers and architects, plus 200-300 licensed inspection companies that can cover all buildings.
“It’s all about awareness,” said Mr Wasawat, who also serves as managing director of Construction Audit Co, which inspects buildings.
He said some owners skipped fireprevention measures to cut costs without realising they were putting their entire operation at risk.
According to Plus Property, Bangkok has 3,000 buildings higher than 23 metres (seven floors). Around one third were built within the last decade, its research shows.
“We are concerned about buildings aged 20 years or older. Most are old buildings, prone to risk of short circuits or fire as the system has been used for a very long period. They should have a firesafety inspection annually to reduce loss, damage and casualties,” it said in a report.
Newer buildings must have their fire alarms and sprinklers tested regularly, it added.