The Court Order Survey
On Saturday the 17 of November we have finished two and a half days watching the Rayong Administrative Court ordered survey by a Bangkok surveyor from the Ministry of the Interior. It was witnessed by Pattaya City Hall officials and representative of our condo. It started at the Pattaya Meteorological Station where a Mean Sea Level (MSL) reference pin is located. This pin is approximately 59 meters above sea level. Starting at this pin, measurements had to be made down to the sea by using surveying instruments to establish MSL in front of VT7.
This required two measurements for MSL depending on whether it is 0.0 as claimed by City Hall or +1.448 as claimed by the Bangkok surveyor that was established by the Thai Royal Navy as and average of all of Thailand. This claim is the same as has been explained in previous Admin Court hearings. This is the acceptable international standard establishing MSL in Thailand. From the international standard, which is at +1.448 meter elevation for MSL, the location of the VT7 building starts about 88 meters from MSL and the entire building is inside the 200 meter which is stated in Issue 9 as the limit for construction that is to be no more than 14 meters high. We now wait for the official report to the court by the Bangkok surveyor group. But if the local MSL of 2.45 meters from Sattahip Navy Base would be used the maker would be much higher onto the shore. MSL is a determined using a 19 year average of the sea levels.
The argument in court is between Issue 8 (100 meters) and Issue 9 (200 meters) and VT7 building failing both Issue 8 and 9. It is expected VT7 will lose their building permit or receive a new permit for only a 14 meter (4 stories) building?
The Mean Sea Level (MSL) brass maker is located at the Meteorological Station, Chonburi is in Pattaya. The maker belongs to Meteorological Department and the reason this maker was establish to check the atmosphere used in the measurement of atmospheric pressure. The MSL brass marker has a value of 58.989 meters from the sea level and was set by the Thai Royal Navy.
We thank all the JCC co-owners who are supporting our legal case!
Richard
