Phuket Approves 1000 More Homes - With a Warning About Need for Quality
By Chutima Sidasathian Monday, May 11, 2015
PHUKET: Another 1000 houses have been approved for construction on Phuket - with a warning to developers from Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak.
''You have approval to continue to build,'' the governor said at a meeting of the approvals committee of the Land Office Phuket.
''But with that approval we would like to see fewer complaints coming our way about new homes and condos on Phuket.''
Complaints included poor supply of water, poor planning of the effect to local communities and environmental problems, such as bad water.
The vice governor approved the 1000 homes in giving the thumbs up to Supalai View, Supalai Lagoon and Phanason Grand View. There is no suggestion that these brands generate any more complaints than other well known brands.
Phuketwan believes for Phuket to achieve sustainability, the number of developments and new resorts should be slowed by the government imposing a law making all large developers responsible for providing their own water supply and 20 percent of their power needs.
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Comments
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Government approval for building and construction should be given only after landowners/developers have given guarantees ( financial deposits?)attached to a 'building time calendar'.
This is needed seen the Ace Condo project disaster and like that shame full concrete skeleton on the junction outside Central festival ( Already many years!). Government also should care more about environment and plan a better separation between housing and industrial activities. Before building permits are given, Government has to calculate: Can we provide enough fresh water, enough electricity, sufficient garbage collection? (Long time now the Island of Phuket still not able to handle present islands carbage disposal!)Go and have a look at the carbage mountain outside Phuket town, which is polluting groundwater for ever. It is a environmental disaster. Already many housing communities suffer water shortage and are still not provided water, people have to buy tanker-water and also still have to pay the water board for not getting water.
Posted by
Kurt
on
May 11, 2015 08:47
The complaints as always will be a lack of sufficient water, hence an increase of water tankers on the roads; but worse improper 'grey' water treatment with sewage leaking into the ground or being flushed untreated into the sea.
The latter is a common complaint not just in Phuket but in other parts of Thailand & even Asia as per your recent article about Cambodia (Sihanoukville).
Too much haste to make a fast buck without thought for the environment as usual.
Footnote: Another 1,000 houses = another probable 1,000 cars + 1.000 motor bikes; when can the roads no longer sustain the overload?
Posted by
Logic
on
May 11, 2015 09:09
What is the thinking of PhuketWan about 'providing own water supply', considering that quite some areas on Phuket have polluted/contaminated well water? Karon areas are standing dry, because at Patak Road are large water tanker 'stations', taking so much water to sell, that the water wells of people are standing dry now, and ironically have to buy water what actually is stolen from their wells. Electricity: Phuket is a superb location for solar energy, but no Phuket authority supports that vision yet. With solar technics, every condo can be self supported, but they don't initiate that. ( check solar industrial activities in Germany, great!)
Posted by
Kurt
on
May 11, 2015 09:29
Editor Comment:
Lagoons, ponds and large tanks should be a part of every new development, slowing the mad expansion by increasing costs, and ending the burden for the rest of the community. Wells? No.
The building regulations in Phuket is a joke.
Unless they put real regulations and real enforcement, more crap will be built.
I've never known so many new builds to look like they derelict after a year.
Posted by
Tbs
on
May 11, 2015 09:32
"With solar technics, every condo can be self supported".
Kurt, self supported or self sufficient because there is a huge difference between both and the latter is impossible based on current technology and standards of building thermal efficiencies.
Currently, solar panels for electrical out put have efficiencies far less than 20% and the maximum output is only possible for a small period of time during any day while the angle of inclination and orientation is closest to being perpendicular to the sun's angle. This can be improved by installing sun tracking actuators.
The 2 largest household items consuming energy are air conditioning and water heating. The efficiency of solar water heating can be up to 70% but again, only during optimum daily periods.
In order to achieve a high efficient dwelling where low electricity demand is possible, the thermal efficiency of the structure, building fabric and design characteristics must be considered even before construction commences. You can retrofit an old building to make it better but nowhere near self sufficient.
If we accept that almost 75% of energy consumption is to provide favourable internal conditions via A/C, any improvement to minimise heat gain or loss through a building's exterior surface provides the greatest opportunity to reduce energy demand.
The cost to achieve an efficient building fabric is high and cannot be seen by the average person purchasing a condo with the exception of double glazed or vacuum filled window cavities.
Energy self sufficiency for detached dwellings is only just possible with today's technology because sufficient roof area is available for solar electricity and heating panels. In addition, self sufficiency requires a battery bank storage, inverter for conversion of DC power to AC and a back up facility of either grid connection or generator.
Condos do not have individual roof areas except the top floor, the battery bank capacity for a block of say 40 condos is huge and the storage of such without adequate ventilation is dangerous.
The energy losses associated with storage, conversion to an AC output and transmission losses would easily exceed 20%. How any system deals with the peak demand and how the storage batteries are charged when the daytime demand exceeds the total solar panel output are issues rarely addressed because all systems still require a grid connection.
It is far easier to reduce energy consumption by building design rather than by alternative energy supply, however, if you can do both properly and understand the limitations of a localised solar generating system, all for the better.
Posted by
Manowar
on
May 11, 2015 11:00
"Approved for construction" as far I know they are nearly ready for furnishing!
Posted by
Harald
on
May 11, 2015 11:01
Water supply, rubbish removal, parking, roads? Were these things even considered before this was announced?
Posted by
Arun Muruga
on
May 11, 2015 11:28
The local government here has made a decision. If all existing buildings are fully occupied, then it is a fact, that Phuket need more houses.
Posted by
Sherlock
on
May 11, 2015 11:37
Largest land developpers are politicians and influential people so do not expect any change in policy.
Posted by
Whistle-Blower
on
May 11, 2015 11:46
@manowar: every long run start with a small step
And sorry: what you wrote about technical details is correct for Europe, not for Thailand..
Posted by
dave
on
May 11, 2015 12:00
Technical/infrastructural issues are not the real problem. There are already FAR too many ratty looking properties sitting vacant. If they can't sell what they've already built, why build more?
Also, I can't speak for the others, but I know Phanason have been collecting payments for their Grand View development for a long time already.
Posted by
CaptainJack
on
May 11, 2015 13:14
Dave,
I thought the technical details were the same as principles of science do not vary depending on the location. I am always interested to hear any opposing views.
Posted by
Manowar
on
May 11, 2015 15:53
Sounds good, employment, buying, materials, sell for profit, same again....but more. Progress.
Posted by
Too easy
on
May 11, 2015 16:06
"..the maximum output is only possible for a small period of time during any day while the angle of inclination and orientation is closest to being perpendicular to the sun's angle. This can be improved by installing sun tracking actuators." Close to the equator sun is different. Even in Europe nobody use sun tracking actuator. Nobody use battery or any storage system: the power coulde be totally bought from PEA at 6.75 baht, the same power that you buy at about 4.7 baht. You can get the money or re-use your power at any time.
Posted by
dave
on
May 12, 2015 03:02
Dave,
The point was self sufficiency, not supplementary.
Yes, power can be brought from the grid to meet all demand if you wish, in which case the discussion of solar panels is irrelevant.
"Close to the equator the sun is different". I didn't realise that as I thought is was the same with a minor variation of distance light rays are required travel through the atmosphere, slight changes in refraction and sunlight hours.
Best not to misinterpret energy available from sun light and thermal storage of any land mass due to its location with reference to the equator.
Posted by
Manowar
on
May 12, 2015 05:16
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Government approval for building and construction should be given only after landowners/developers have given guarantees ( financial deposits?)attached to a 'building time calendar'.
This is needed seen the Ace Condo project disaster and like that shame full concrete skeleton on the junction outside Central festival ( Already many years!). Government also should care more about environment and plan a better separation between housing and industrial activities. Before building permits are given, Government has to calculate: Can we provide enough fresh water, enough electricity, sufficient garbage collection? (Long time now the Island of Phuket still not able to handle present islands carbage disposal!)Go and have a look at the carbage mountain outside Phuket town, which is polluting groundwater for ever. It is a environmental disaster. Already many housing communities suffer water shortage and are still not provided water, people have to buy tanker-water and also still have to pay the water board for not getting water.
Posted by Kurt on May 11, 2015 08:47