Minister calls for probe on legality of the new Central Village luxury mall at BKK
PHOTO: Under construction at the time and now ready to open, but…
It’s bright and shiny, it’s new, it promises discounts on luxury goods, it’s next to the airport, it was set to open this Saturday, but is it legal?
The Department of Provincial Administration Department has been asked to investigate the legality of the new Central Village ‘Bangkok Outlet Experience’ next to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport. The development is located on the side of Highway 370 running along the south of Suvarnabhumi airport, in the Bang Phli district in Samut Prakan province.
The project’s owner Central Pattana insists everything is legal.
But the Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda says that there must be an investigation into the town planning.
AoT (the Airports of Thailand), is challenging the 184 rai luxury shopping precinct saying it lacks all the proper authorisations. They say it will cause traffic congestion on roads to the airport. They also claim that lighting in the area could pose an aviation hazard as the lights from the new development might confuse pilots as they prepare to land. They also dispute the construction of a water pipeline to the property.
The AoT has given no reason why they have waited for the week before the planned opening when the site has been under construction for the past five years.
The 5 billion baht mall development was meant to open this Saturday but the AoT had blocked the main entrance since last week. Read that Thaiger story HERE.
The director-general of the local Or Bor Tor has now been directed to to determine if the Central Village has all the legal documents and building approvals necessary.
Meanwhile, Central Pattana issued a statement last night claiming the development had been constructed legally and had legitimate permission for the construction from the Highways Department, provincial authorities and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand regarding the use of land and buildings and access to the highway in front of the project site.
The statement says that “the company is confident that the government can resolve the situation so that cooperation will lead to economic and tourism benefits for the country and national development, and about 170 shops and 1,000 employees can start as scheduled.”
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
