If you take a trip to cities around the world, you will witness a lot of unique architectures that are as fascinating as they are impressive. The World is full of man-made marvels in engineering. One of the most impressive and bizarre of these buildings is the Sathorn Unique Tower in Bangkok, Thailand. This huge 49 stories unfinished skyscraper ominously looms over the city and its intricate design is impossible not to gawk at.
The history of this creation is the most fascinating of all. The Sathorn Unique Tower in Bangkok, Thailand, is certainly one of those mesmerizing creations that leave people in awe. But the building’s past is what makes it even more fascinating than one can imagine.
In 1990, Bangkok encountered a serious overcrowding problem and government knew it needed to find some sort of solution as soon as it can. They decided to build an enormous condominium complex which was capable to house hundreds of civilians. The project began in 1990 and was financed by Sathorn Unique Co. Ltd. and Thai Mex Finance and Securities Company. Construction started on time and was moving along at great pace. But in 1993, everything came to a halt for an unbelievable scandal.
Rangsan Torsuwan, who was the real estate developer and designer of the building, was arrested for plotting the murder of the president of the Supreme Court of Thailand. The murder never occurred but the case dragged on for 15 years. This had a serious impact on the building’s reputation too. The case completely destroyed any chance of work being resumed in the building. Rangsan Torsuwan’s reputation as a businessman and as a developer was ruined. As a result, it was impossible to find funding for the completion of the project. The building stood unfinished and became a haunting reminder of the troubles it faced in its construction from the beginning.
Now, it is largely lived by weeds and brush. The structure occupies 34,000 square feet with 49 floors and two underground levels. It also has a 10-story garage next to the base of the tower. The building Sathorn Unique Tower also has a sister structure called the State Tower. Both these buildings were designed by Rangsan Torsuwan. His designs are known to feature neo-Grecian elements that can especially be seen in the balconies and columns.
The view from the top floors of Sathorn Unique Tower is mesmerising. The scenery below is breathtaking. You can watch the entire city of Bangkok from here. It feels like you are a part of a different world when you are so far away from the city’s chaos.
The basic structure of the building is complete. The interior work was never finished once the construction came to halt. There are many stairwells and walls that are missing in the structure. Some of the top floors were also never completed. Occasionally, underground parties have been thrown there illegally. It has also been said that the city gangs organize their meetings in some of the rooms in the building.
The tower is officially off-limits to the public but there are still ways to get inside and explore. The Sathorn Unique Tower will most likely remain a skeletal structure forever. There is no sign that anyone wants to invest the time or the money to get it back up and running. Even though it never became the condominium that it was meant to be, it still gives tourists and civilians a reason to visit.