PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN
Din Daeng flat residents' fresh conflict with authorities over room areas in their new apartments has led to a new opinion survey aimed at easing their concerns.
The survey was ordered yesterday by Social Development and Human Security Minister Pol Gen Adul Sangsingkeo who wants officials to ask residents about the room areas they prefer and how much they would like their rents to be.
Their views will be taken into account to "adjust the project", Pol Gen Adul said, adding a conclusion must be reached within one and a half months.
His order follows a meeting among authorities, engineers and Din Daeng flat representatives who want the National Housing Authority (NHA), which oversees Din Daeng flats, to maintain old rental fees and design rooms that suit their needs.
The flat representatives suggested in the meeting they would prefer new rooms with an area of 42 sqm, but the NHA wants a smaller area of 33 sqm.
The room sizes in the old Din Daeng flats range between 31-39.8 sqm.
Pol Gen Adul said a 42-sqm room is too big and it will affect the number of rooms the government plans to build to serve the large number of people under its housing policy for low-income earners.
Under the plan, 11 new buildings with 25 to 35 floors will serve current residents while another 25 buildings with up to 35 floors will be leased to newcomers.
The Din Daeng apartment project is part of the government's 10-year plan to build apartments and houses for 2.7 out of 4.6 million people. The plan, scheduled to start next year, faced a setback when residents of the ageing Din Daeng flats were earlier reluctant to support the demolition plan.
They were worried about changes in their residency terms once new tenants arrived and new rental fee rates were applied, local residents of Din Daeng flats said earlier.
Authorities have so far insisted on the need to raze the old apartments, citing an earlier inspection of the 50-year-old buildings by the Asian Institute of Technology and the National Safety Commission which said the buildings must be demolished for safety reasons.