Audit and buried: Bangkok earthquake horror sparks 17 arrest bids
Cops eye engineers, bosses and site chiefs after SAO tower crumbles
Bangkok cops are gunning for 17 suspects over the deadly collapse of a 30-storey government tower during the March 28 earthquake, with a damning probe pointing fingers at engineers, site managers and bosses from the firms behind the doomed build.
Those facing arrest include execs from Italian-Thai Development and China Railway No.10 Engineering Group, whose joint venture was constructing the State Audit Office (SAO) HQ in Chatuchak when it came crashing down.
Police say the suspects, including project supervisors and sign-off engineers, are being charged under Sections 227 and 238 of the Criminal Code for flouting building safety laws, leading to multiple deaths.
Metropolitan Police Bureau chiefs say they’ve compiled rock-solid evidence, including expert opinions from the Council of Engineers, the Engineering Institute of Thailand and Chulalongkorn University. Investigators also tested over 300 samples of steel and concrete and even ran forensic checks on signature approvals.
Auditor-General Montien Charoenphol, who took up his post after the project had already begun, insisted he’s not worried about the legal storm brewing, which includes separate claims of bid rigging and use of nominee companies.
“This is a matter of law. If anyone has committed wrongdoing, they must face the consequences. Also, no one can escape the law of karma.”
Montien also pushed back at claims the SAO failed to apologise properly to the families of victims, saying his team had reached out to all affected.
“I believe you should ask the families directly and not listen to others. SAO officials have met with the families, whether of the injured or the deceased. We sent officers to every family in every province. So, everyone has received an apology… Don’t listen to rumours, listen to the facts.”
The SAO skyscraper was the only high-rise in Bangkok to collapse during the tremor, which had its epicentre in neighbouring Myanmar.
At the time, 109 people were believed to be inside. Rescue crews have recovered 89 bodies so far, with seven still missing. Nine were injured. In a twist of fate, four workers meant to be on shift weren’t present — and rushed back only after hearing about the catastrophe.
Bangkok Post reported that the police say the investigation is far from over. More arrests could be in the pipeline as they continue digging into what’s fast becoming one of the capital’s biggest construction scandals in years.
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