Where were these pictures taken?

[ChristianPFC]

Photo puzzle: where were these pictures taken? Which town (easy), from which building (advanced)? (Looking at the address is cheating as the answer is in the name.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kokopelli]

Although I have little idea of the cityscape of Bangkok, I will say Bangkok judging by the unique bridges and the Wats.

Otherwise no idea of the building. It must be Christian's condo?

[Moses]

4&5 - 13.717519,100.515268 (GPS) for sure, other seems has  been taken at the same place since time stamp on photos has just few minutes btw shoots

[Guest fountainhall]

The photos were clearly taken around the river end of Silom. My guess would be either the Lebua Hotel or the top of the Jewellry Trade Centre. 

[ChristianPFC]

Fountainhall, Lebua (State Tower) and Jewellry Trade Centre are both in picture 3!

[Guest fountainhall]

   Well spotted!

[Guest]

4&5 - 13.717519,100.515268 (GPS) for sure, other seems has  been taken at the same place since time stamp on photos has just few minutes btw shoots

Now that's a good answer !    I didn't see that much info on the file properties showing on my PC though.

[baobao]

My guess would be from the top of this abandoned high-rise in the Sathorn area of Bangkok, near the Robinson's department store and the Centre Point condo complex.  Kudos if you've actually climbed to the top of it!

 

I don't recall if I've already posted a picture of this place or not - I took it almost five years ago.

 

Is this it?

 

 

 

[Guest surfcrest]

Lebua at State Tower, the last photo is of the junction for the Saphan Taksin BTS.

 

Surfcrest

[Guest]

My guess would be from the top of this abandoned high-rise in the Sathorn area of Bangkok, near the Robinson's department store and the Centre Point condo complex.  Kudos if you've actually climbed to the top of it!

Climbed it? Christian lives in it to save on the rent!

 

Anyhow, there it is earning zero return on capital.  Amazes me how it stays like that, considering the incremental return on the additional capital required to finish it must have been very attractive.

I would have expected it to get sold onto a solvent developer a few years after the big crisis. Maybe too late now.

[kokopelli]

Taken from a helicopter or hot air balloon?

[ChristianPFC]

That’s right, these pictures are from the top of Sathorn Unique.

 

The idea of climbing Sathorn Unique has been in my mind for over two years, and last week I finally made it. It took several visits (I stopped counting, more than 5 and less than 10, alone or with a Thai friend) and total expenses of more than 500 Baht (travel and tips). Speaking to people in the main building, have a Thai friend call the numbers on the warning at the gate, first I did not get in at all, then I got into the main building, only to discover that on the the 2^nd or 3^rd floor, all stairways are blocked (lock and welding). This leaves me wondering how the advertising is attached to the building, they surely don’t open the welding every time?

 

View from Wat Yannawa:

 

 

My friend at the main gate (different visit, see date stamp in the picture), calling one of the numbers:

 

 

View from Saphan Taksin BTS Station:

 

 

In the main building, ChristianPFC on the escalator:

 

 

As it will be shown later, this is the way in:

 

 

 

Then on a walk around, I noticed the multi storey car park next to is has no locks, holes in the fence and there are makeshift bridges over to Sathorn Unique. That must be the way to go. When I was in the area, I always walked past hoping to get an inspiration. Last month, someone appeared in the in the park building. Full story:

 

Sunday 21.04.2013 I am near Saphan Taksin bridge, so I have a look at Sathorn Unique. Main entrance locked, nobody inside. I check the unfinished multi-storey car park mscp (separated by a soi, with two makeshift bridges to Sathorn Unique) as well, there is a man inside and beckons me to come in (through one of the many holes in the fence). All further communication takes place in Thai. He offers to take me upstairs the mscp for 100 Baht or Sathorn Unique for 200 Baht. Exactly what I am looking for! He needs a key from someone else and he has no phone, so we call the person with the key from my phone. My battery is low, the call is interrupted and he asks for 8 Baht to call from a public phone while I wait. There is a problem, the key is not available today (Sunday), but will be available Monday to Saturday. He lives in the mscp. I ask to see his place, he takes me up to 4th (?) floor, there is a mattress with some personal belongings. He has no job and no place to stay apart from this. A floor up is another person who joins us on our trip to the top floor of the mscp. There is one bridge to Sathorn Unique, but there is no door with a lock, the access is blocked by a sheet of steel that is welded to the bridge. The other bridge is on the roof of the mscp and the roof is only accessible through a small opening in the ceiling of the top floor, you would need a ladder to access it. On our way back, he hints that he needs money, so I give him 50 Baht. Technically, he is an intruder in the same way I am, but knowing him might come in handy in a future trip.

 

So I am left wondering: where is the lock? Who changes the advertising banners on Sathorn Unique and how do they go there? At least I have a phone number xxx and name xxx of the person with the key and know someone (name xxx, no phone number) who lives in the park house.

 

Fast forward to present:

 

On 18.05.2013, I picked up my passport at the German embassy, took a bus to Saphan Taksin bridge and shouted out B’s name outside the mscp. Nothing. Walk to the main building, ask a person there: no key. Walk back to the mscp: suddenly B appears. Today is the day! Now I finally learn, there is no key necessary, you just climb over the wall, walk over bridge and climb around the fence. Not for the timid, weak or those who are afraid of hights!

 

We are in! I give B 100 Baht for this first part (you never know what comes next, the deal is 200 Baht for getting me on the top). Get to the next stairwell and up. Alas, after some floors, it’s blocked, with lock and welded together! But I don’t give up that quick. There is another stairwell, this time it’s only locked, but no welding. I try my room key, it fits into the lock, but cannot open. Then I start removing the chain, and to my great surprise, it was not locked! I can open the door! B refuses to go any further, if I understand correctly, he is afraid of ghosts.

 

 

“Abandon all hope ye who enter” and an unlocked chain, this is supposed to deter ChristianPFC? You have to try harder!

 

So I continue on my own. The stairs are unfinished, uneven and with some debris. It gets dark, I take out the flash light I carry with me all the time (now I finally need it!), otherwise I would have lost time to adapt my eyes from sunlight to the pretty dark stairwell. Up and up with an occasional walk in a floor, nothing special.

 

Finally, the last floor, light comes in from above, I am on top! My joy lasts only for half a second as I am stung by two wasps or bees and can fend of two more. From a few meters apart, I can see that there is a small wasp or bee hive exactly over the exit. There are not many flying around, so this must be a vicious species, and fast as well, I didn’t see or hear them. One stung my naked arm, the other one my back through my shirt. Fortunately, I am not allergic and the poison isn’t strong, the pain goes away quick and I can walk around on top and take many pictures. There is plenty of plant live as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My full album is here: http://s1084.photobucket.com/user/christianpfc/library/Sathorn%20Unique?sort=9&page=1

 

On my return, watch out for the bees or wasps, close shirt around neck and arms and make the passage quick, nonetheless one more sting. On the way down, check some more floors, I come across the abandoned office of the construction management. Souvenir time!

 

 

Back to the bridge and across. Give B another 100 Baht (he wants 200 more because I spent 1 hour in the building instead of 30 minutes, but we didn’t talk about time, so I refuse). I would have loved to get in by telling the owner I wanted to buy Sathorn Unique and want to inspect it first, but I think this way is easier. As I was alone, I had nobody to take a “Victory” picture of me on top, and I didn’t see that you can climb on the circle and get a few meters higher than I was (it’s in the videos on youtube), so I will have to go again!

 

Not recommended for imitation! If this warning does not deter you, you will need solid shoes (there is dirt, debris, wood with nails pointing up), a flashlight, good condition, and some protection against the wasps or bees.

 

There are several videos on youtube, this one is the most useful (coincidentally, I downloaded it the day before I went and watched after I went):

 

 

http://www.justonewayticket.com/2012/12/13/exploration-of-an-abandoned-skyscraper-in-bangkok-the-sathorn-unique-building/

[Guest fountainhall]

Amazing adventure, Christian! I hope you felt a sense of satisfaction once you got to the top, despite the bee stings.

[ChristianPFC]

This month, a Swede hanged himself in 43rd floor of Sathorn Unique.

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/447647/swede-found-dead-in-high-rise

 

Says security guard takes 100 Baht from Thai persons and 200 Baht from Farang to let them in (double pricing, even here!).

 

People keep going there: http://desertedplaces.blogspot.com/2014/02/sathorn-unique-bangkoks-ghost-skyscraper.html

but that will probably come to a temporary halt now.

 

Copy of a post I made on Thaivisa (some the data is slightly different from what I reported in this thread here, my memory).

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/782044-swedish-found-hanged-in-deserted-building/page-8

 

This is a weird story. Why would someone climb 43 floors to hang himself, in addition to the difficulties to get in?

 

That's probably the last thing on a suicidal person's mind, but: he made it much more difficult for others to get in and for the owner to sell it.

 

It's not that easy to get in, just pay 200/100 Baht at security (double pricing, even here!). I managed to get in April 2013, via the park house next to it and the makeshift bridge, with the help of a homeless person dwelling in the park house (technically a trespasser, same like me, but at least he lives there, I paid 300). In 2011-2013, I made several attempts to get in via the main entrance, with help of a Thai friend to translate, but either the gate was locked or I could just get up to about 3rd floor (locked door on the stairway up), after tipping a homeless person on the premises 100 Baht.

 

It cost me a lot of money (400 Baht plus travel expenses) and time to get in, and I speak Thai (nobody there speaks English), I find it hard to believe that the deceased just walks by, pays, climbs up and doesn't come down.

 

When I am in the area I will have a look if fence and gate look different than last time I went there.

[vinapu]

Although I have little idea of the cityscape of Bangkok, I will say Bangkok judging by the unique bridges and the Wats.

Otherwise no idea of the building. It must be Christian's condo?

no. he lives in the villa on sprawling grassy compound ,

 

Christian stop tormenting me with those questions as you know I'm busy hunting #47 from Screboys LOL

[vinapu]

 

This is a weird story. Why would someone climb 43 floors to hang himself, in addition to the difficulties to get in?

 

why somebody would hang himself I'd ask in he first place

[kokopelli]

Oh, didn't you read about the plastic surgeon who hung himself?