Adding an Additional Floor to an Existing Building

Adding a floor to an existing building, regardless of whether it was converted into a two-story, three-story, three-and-a-half-story, or four-story building, was not considered the "Repair" as provided in Section 4 of the Building Control Act, B.E. 2522 (1979). Instead, it fell under the meaning of the “Modification” within the same section of such Act. Consequently, obtaining a “License for Modification” from local officials under the mentioned Act was necessary for adding floors to the building. Failure to obtain such license constituted a violation of the Act. If there was an unauthorized floor addition, it could be rectified without demolishing the entire building. Under Sections 40 and 41 of the Act, a local official had the power to issue orders directing a building owner
to stop making alterations to the disputed building, prohibiting him and anyone else from using or entering the building or any modified area, and requiring building owners to make any necessary repairs and to apply for the license for modification within a certain amount of time.