August_1965 — Page 5

HOTEL REMODELLING

Hilton International took over the Hotel Rama in Bangkok last month and in- auguated an extensive re. modelling scheme. The existing 180-room structure is to be redecorated and a new tower of 360 rooms will be built.

The photograph shows a model of the completed building prepared by the architect. Mr. N.P. Anderson, an American with offices in

Bangkok.

When construction, which includes new convention and dining facilities is completed, the Rama will be the largest hotel in Thailand.

brought up for discussion for the promotion of our line of business. We would want the general public to realize that the real estate business is not speculation. It needs just as much foresight, experience, technical know-how and perseverance as in any other lines of business endeavour

"Secondly, we aim at collective consultation and contact with Government. Owing to the rapid growth of the realty business, some changes have been made in Government's land policy and regulations on planning and construction of new buildings. While the underlying principles of Government's ordinances and regulations for the control of land usage and building construction are invariably for the protection of the general public, they should not be inflexible or incapable of amendment in such a dynamic society as ours.

"The recent slackening of the real estate business has been explained in many different ways, such as the bank crisis, new regulations governing dangerous build- ings and the demolition of old buildings, amendment in 1962 of Regulation 2 of the Building Regulations, Gov- ernment's policy in the sale of Crown lands in recent years, control of the sale of uncompleted flats on lands having building convenants to fulfil. etc. etc. But as a group, the real estate businessmen have not been given much of a chance to discuss these important topics with Government. The recent establishment of a Housing Board by Government was a step in the right direction and it is hoped that with the formation of this associa- tion, closer relationship will be established between Gov- ernment and the building industry.

"Lastly, we aim at making constructive suggestions and concrete proposals to Government for any possible improvement in the present system of selling uncom- pleted properties. Considerable delays in the completion of buildings have been experienced in recent years due to foundation difficulties and the necessity of shoring adjacent buildings before and after demolition or piling. These have caused misunderstandings between developers and purchasers of uncompleted flats. It is hoped that members of this association will work together in close consultation with Government and the legal profession to devise model legal documents which would be fair to both the pur- chaser and the developer."

HOUSING FOR ENVOYS

NEW buildings are planned for the Malaysian Govern- ment representatives in India and Pakistan. A Govern- ment spokesman said recently that the High Commis- sioner in India and the Ambassador to Pakistan were both occupying inadequate buildings in residential areas.

In New Delhi, the new building will be on a 41⁄2 acre site and will consist of a chancery, the High Com- missioner's residence and quarters for his staff and

servants.

In Islamabad, new capital of Pakistan, two pieces

Far East Architect & Builder August, 1965

of land on hilly ground have been acquired and a similar scheme is proposed. The preliminary estimated cost of both buildings is M$4 million.

Plans for the two schemes have been approved by the envoys after consultation with a senior architect of the Public Works Department, Inche Baharuddin bin Kasim, who visited the two cities recently. It is stated that the architecture will be Malaysian, but no further details have been released.

PROGRAMME FOR NINE DAMS

SOUTH KOREA'S Ministry of Construction has drafted a ten-year programme for the development of water re- sources which includes proposals for the construction of ten multi-purpose river dams.

Four of the dams would be along the Han River, four on the Naktong River and one on the Kum River. The dams would add 500,000 kw to the nation's generat- ing capacity. Present capacity is 705,000 kw and local power demand in 1974 is expected to rise to 1,725,- 000 kw.

The programme covers the years 1966 to 1975. It is planned to be financed with 69 billion won in local currency and US$122 million in foreign exchange.

US PROJECT IN THAILAND

A LARGE-SCALE housing scheme in Thailand is to be initiated by World Housing Inc., with financial support from the US Government. Mr. Wilard Garvey, head of the organisation with headquarters in Kansas, USA, visited Bangkok last month.

Initially work will start on the construction of 800 houses for middle income people on a 500-rai plot of land in Soi On-nuj, off Sukumvit Road, Prakanong dis- trict.

WH has built thousands of housing proects in eight Latin American countries in addition to similar projects in Taiwan and India.

BUILDING ACTIVITY DECLINE

THE number of plans for new buildings approved by Hong Kong's Building Authority continues to decline. Sixty-five plans for new buildings of all types in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories were approved by the authority in June as compared with 80 in the preceding month and 108 in the corresponding month in 1964.

During the same month, 84 completed buildings were certified for occupation. Of these, 23 were tenement buildings, 24 were buildings for non-domestic purposes and 37 were for combined domestic and non-domestic purposes. In addition the authority approved the de- molition of 111 buildings.

For the period January to June, 1965, a total of 560 approvals were given and 384 new building projects were

39

Page 5Page 6