Standards and Safety System of Hotel Building to be Changed

The Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning has recently conducted a public hearing to hear feedback on the Draft Ministerial Regulation Defining the Characteristics of Other Types of Buildings Used for Hotel Business (No. 4) B.E. …. (“Draft Ministerial Regulation No. 4”) and the Draft Ministerial Regulation Defining the Characteristics and Safety System of Hotels B.E. …. (“Draft Ministerial Regulation for Safety System”).

The objective of the Draft Ministerial Regulation No. 4 is to amend the Ministerial Regulation Defining the Characteristics of Other Types of Buildings Used for Hotel Business (No. 3) B.E. 2564 (2021) which will be expired on August 18, 2024. It also adds requirements for buildings to be converted to be used in the hotel business. For the Draft Ministerial Regulations for Safety System, it is to enhance the standards of stability and safety systems against fire hazards.

The Draft Ministerial Regulation No. 4 will be effective for 9 years. The buildings which will be converted to be used for the hotel business (“Hotel”) must obtain approval for modification or change. Moreover, the buildings must not be in conditions that may be harmful to health, causes a nuisance, or environmental impact, and must not violate urban planning, environmental protection, and the relevant laws. Furthermore, this draft also adds additional requirements for the buildings’ maximum load-bearing capacity and safety system for fire hazards.

For the Draft Ministerial Regulation for Safety System, presently, buildings used for hotel business have various features.  Generally, all new buildings which will be used for the hotel business, must have appropriate safety standards and proper features. This Draft Ministerial Regulation for Safety System sets out the definitions such as “guest room”, “main structure”, “permanent materials” etc. for the existing buildings to be converted for using in the hotel business. Keys provisions categorized safety structure and standards of the buildings are as follows:

1. Category 1 specifies the structure, stability, and construction materials: the structure must be strong and stable to support the load-bearing capacity of the buildings and the main structure. For 4 floors or more buildings, it must be constructed with fire-resistant materials that exceed the requirement. The buildings less than 3 floors that are constructed with non-fire resistance must provide a fire prevention and suppression system.
2. Category 2 specifies the fire prevention and suppression system: hotels must provide fire prevention and suppression system. The hotel room must have a fire alarm system with at least 2 components: a fire signal device and fire automatic detection which include a manual alarm device and fire alarm control panel. Moreover, hotels must have enough light from emergency lighting systems and fire escape signs on all levels.
3. Category 3 specifies the stairs, fire escape ladder, fire escape routes, and fire escape doors: The size, quantity, and width of stairs, fires escape ladders, and the minimum standard for fire escape routes and fire escape doors are specified.
4. Category 4 specifies characteristics of buildings, interior space, various distances, and vacant space outside the building: The hotel rooms must have the bed size, plumbing distance, internal aisles width, and vacant space (not less than 10%) appropriately for the hotel size and not less than the minimum requirements.
5. Category 5 specifies special characteristics of buildings: The building which have different characteristics, shapes, sizes, and areas from general buildings such as a raft, vehicle wreckage, etc. is required to be in compliance with provisions of the Draft Ministerial Regulation for Safety System.

It should be noted that the Draft Ministerial Regulation No. 4 and the Draft Ministerial Regulation for Safety System are not in effect yet but they are expected to do approved by the Cabinet soon.