The Ghost Tower: A Victim of the Times
Back in the 1990s, Thailand’s economy was booming and the future was as bright as it had ever been. Things were going so well that developers were seeing tall office buildings everywhere and residential skyscrapers, a true show of the nation’s wealth.
Sadly, Thailand’s poor investments and large number of debts sunk the country’s economy in what is now known as the “1997 Asian Financial Crisis.” Due to lack of funding, all the building development came to a screeching halt, as the dreams of sky-scraping opulence suddenly faded.
The Sathorn Unique building was among the buildings that fell victim to the Asian Financial Crisis. Many of the towers that were being developed prior to the economic crash were eventually completed, or are about to, but this one remains in ruin. Although once on its way to becoming one of Bangkok’s most beautiful buildings, the Sathorn Unique is now a creepy reminder of what Thailand dreamed of becoming.
The commercial brochure is a sad reminder of how the tower was envisioned. It names the Sathorn Unique Tower as being the best place to overlook the grand cityscape; with 659 residential units and 54 retails, the 49-story building was set to become one of Bangkok’s most important landmarks. Sadly, however, the tower now looks more like what was left after an atomic apocalypse than anything else.
Frozen in time, the tower’s iconic eerie appearance, locals believe the building to be haunted, calling it the Ghost Tower. This moniker sparks the interest of urban explorers and tourists alike, who want to see the building’s cracked and decaying insides for themselves.
As the years flew by, nature flourished through the building’s concrete roots. The trees growing on some of the intricate balconies are the only things that could live inside the Ghost Tower these days. Surrounded by new office buildings, shops and residential towers, the decaying Sathorn seems like it belongs in a different picture.
A time capsule of an era long gone, the Sathorn Unique will always be a statement not only of Thailand’s former glory and but also its dreams of greatness.
Location: Yan Nawa, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Images IMP1/Flickr via Kuriositas.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Sathorn Unique Tower, Yan Nawa, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
- Access
- The Sathorn Unique Tower is privately controlled, closed to public entry and unsafe to enter. Do not attempt to access or climb it; observe only from a lawful public street.
- Admission
- No public admission or authorized interior visit is available. Viewing from a public street is free.
- Time needed
- No visit is possible inside the tower. If viewing its exterior, keep to lawful public streets; no standard viewing duration is published.
- Best season
- No visitor season applies because the tower is closed. The exterior may be observed from lawful public streets, but do not enter the site.
- Opening hours
- No public visiting hours. The tower is private, closed to entry and unsafe; observe only from lawful public streets.
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-22
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What a beautiful yet sad building. I wonder if it is so far gone that it couldn’t be “finished” or at least completed to serve the original purpose? Maybe there are other things I’m unaware of, but the shell and structure of it look solid and sturdy. Other things like roofing, pipes, wiring, sheetrock and surface finishes would be a minor issue as long as the bones of the building are strong and sound.
It looks like a lost cause.
Was actually just up on the top of this building a few weeks ago, a mere 6-7$ US to bribe the guard and your free to explore! Sadly after the death of a tourist in late 2014 and an incident in the past 2 weeks involving stupid people throwing rocks off the tower it appears to be closed to tourists and local photographers…. for now. It is beyond restoring as the basement is flooded and the foundation is far beyond repair. It is currently for sale but nobody is interested as it will require demolition.
China has entire communities that were abandoned and Pyongyang has a famous hotel that was restarted after sitting empty, and then abandoned again.