Thai Shippers Balk at Rent for Bangkok Port Offices.

Byline: Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn

Oct. 1--Shipping companies remain cool on Bangkok Port's revised rent for its new office building, arguing the charge is too high.

The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) recently decided to lower the charge to 300 baht per square metre from 550 baht. But many offices still lack basics such as air-conditioning.

"The new rate is too high. It has not been presented properly to us. I'm speaking from the tenants' point of view," said an executive of a local shipping firm. "An appropriate rent should be 200 to 250 baht per square metre per month."

The executive, who asked not to be identified, said the revised rate was far above market rates, particularly those of high quality air-conditioned offices in Bangkok's central business district where rent is between 300 and 500 baht per square metre per month.

The rent at the new building did not include basics such as car parking and security services, he said. Many tenants were moving instead into private offices near the port.

"We were told to pay an additional 3,000 baht per unit per month for car parking at the new building, and have not yet been ...