Thai construction tycoon and engineers charged over deadly Bangkok high-rise collapse
The building, meant to house Thailand’s State Audit Office, was the only structure in the Southeast Asian country to collapse in the quake in neighbouring Myanmar, killing 92 people.
A prominent Thai construction executive, along with engineers, designers and builders, surrendered to police on Friday to face criminal negligence charges linked to the fatal collapse of a high-rise in Bangkok caused by the 28 March earthquake in neighbouring Myanmar.Premchai Karnasuta, the president of Italian-Thai Development Co, was among 17 individuals charged with “professional negligence causing death,” Bangkok Deputy Police Chief Noppasin Poonsawat announced at a press briefing.Noppasin confirmed that those who reported to the authorities on Friday formally denied the charges. Many of the accused had previously issued public denials following mounting scrutiny in Thai media.The collapse of the under-construction State Audit Office claimed 92 lives and left several individuals still unaccounted for. It was the only building in Thailand to collapse during the quake, which devastated parts of Myanmar and killed over 3,700 people. While rescue operations have concluded, DNA efforts to identify the remains will continue.Noppasin stated that expert analysis and evidence suggest the construction did not meet building codes or structural standards. According to the Bangkok Post, investigations revealed “structural flaws in the core lift shaft and substandard concrete and steel.”Thai media have reported almost daily on alleged irregularities in the project, including dubious documentation and procedural lapses. Much attention has focused on Italian-Thai Development’s joint venture with China Railway No 10, a Chinese firm involved in global infrastructure projects.Among those charged is Zhang Chuanling, a Chinese executive and director of the joint venture. Zhang was arrested last month on separate allegations of violating Thai business law by allegedly using Thai proxies to unlawfully control the venture. Three Thai nationals were also detained in relation to that charge.The Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for the 17 individuals on Thursday. Noppasin confirmed that 15 turned themselves in on Friday morning, with the remaining two expected to follow later in the day.This is not Premchai’s first brush with the law. In 2019, he was convicted of poaching protected wildlife and served nearly three years in prison. He was found guilty after rangers discovered his party in a wildlife sanctuary with the carcasses of several rare animals, including a black panther whose meat had been cooked.The earthquake devastated large areas of central Myanmar, causing major damage in Mandalay and the capital Naypyitaw.