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Apirak says at least 28 giant billboards are near collapseSUPOJ WANCHAROEN
At least twenty-eight of the 1,410 giant advertising billboards in Bangkok look insecure and are likely to collapse, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said yesterday. He said the giant metal structures have been erected in six districts of the capital, one in Kannayao, one in Klong Toey, two in Phra Khanong, three in Bung Kum, nine in Bang Rak and 12 in Taling Chan. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) was taking steps to remove them, and considering legal action against their owners.
Mr Apirak was speaking after a BMA meeting to discuss safety measures to cope with dangerous billboards following the collapse of one during a freak storm on Thursday which killed a woman.
Mr Apirak said the BMA had set up a panel to survey advertising billboards in the capital over the past two years.
Apirak: BMA taking step to remove them
The survey found that 887 billboards had been erected at ground level, and 523 put up on buildings. The BMA had awarded construction licences for 1,028, while another 382 were built without official permission.
Among these, 212 were constructed differently from original blueprints approved by the BMA.
The Bangkok governor said general advertising billboards could withstand winds of up to 30 kilometres per hour. The winds on Thursday blew at up to 50kph, which was stronger than usual. The BMA would work with the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning to tighten regulations to ensure that construction of billboards meets safety standards.
Under the proposed regulations, billboards up to 10 metres high must be able to resist wind pressure of 150 kilogrammes per square metre. Billboards higher than 10 metres must resist wind pressure of 180kg per square metre. As for longer-term measures, the BMA last year issued a regulation prohibiting buildings in some areas from being modified to accommodate billboards, as well as a regulation that introduced third-class insurance coverage to protect victims of billboard-related accidents. Deputy city governor Banasopit Mekvichai said the freak storm on Thursday wrought havoc in some 33 districts in Bangkok. Strong winds knocked down two giant billboards, and 23 small ones.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Jun2007_news03.php