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Construction contractor among 17 suspects in Thailand after door collapse
A Thai court has issued arrest warrants for 17 people, including a prominent building contractor, over their roles in the deadly skyscraper collapse.
Construction contractor among 17 suspects in Thailand after door collapse
In Bangkok, Thailand, a court has issued arrest warrants for 17 people, including a prominent building contractor. This happened in connection with the alleged construction of a skyscraper that collapsed during a powerful earthquake in March, leaving scores of workers dead.
Terrible incident during the earthquake
Search teams have recovered 89 bodies from the rubble of the partially built 30-story Ba tower of the National Examination Office in Bangkok in a six-week operation. This skyscraper was the only building to collapse during tremors from a massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake in neighboring Myanmar.
Serious accusations against those responsible
The charges include violations of building regulations that resulted in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, according to Bangkok's deputy police chief, Pol Maj. Gen. Somkuan Puengsap. Thai authorities are currently investigating the causes of the building collapse, while the results of these investigations are still pending. It is one of the deadliest incidents of its kind in Thailand and seven people remain missing.
Irregularities in the construction process revealed
An anti-corruption agency had already pointed out irregularities in the construction of the skyscraper before the accident occurred. Industry representatives also reported that initial material tests on site indicated inferior steel.
Construction arrests and investigations
The accused include executives and engineers from seven companies that were involved in the design, construction and construction supervision of the collapsed tower. Police named only one of the 17 wanted suspects: Premchai Karnasuta, a former president of Thailand's largest construction company, Italian Thai Development Pcl (ITD.BK).
Cooperation with the investigative authorities
Italian Thai Development has already held meetings with investors and said it is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Premchai could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Criminal record of the contractor
Premchai was sentenced to more than three years in prison in 2021 after he was caught poaching protected species by rangers at a jungle camp in a wildlife sanctuary, where he was found with carcasses of protected animals, including an Indochinese black leopard.