‘Someone Will Pay’: Arrests Looming Over Deadly Bangkok Building Collapse
BANGKOK, April 18, 2025 — Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra issued a stern warning that arrest warrants will soon be issued in connection with the collapse of a 30-storey government building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, following a 6.1-magnitude earthquake on March 28 that left several dead and injured.
Speaking after high-level meetings with state agencies, the 38-year-old premier declared, “I cannot accept the loss of life caused by the collapse of a single building,” adding that authorities would act swiftly once enough evidence was gathered.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is probing the incident, including steel and cement quality, unauthorized design modifications, foreign involvement, and possible bid rigging. The Comptroller General’s Department and Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning are also assisting the investigation.
Paetongtarn emphasized full transparency and accountability from all agencies involved, including the State Audit Office (SAO), the building’s main occupant. “Every building must be accountable. When problems arise, they must be investigated and prosecuted transparently.”
In response to public outrage, the prime minister also ordered nationwide inspections of large construction projects to prevent future structural failures.
“It is impossible that no one is to be held responsible for this,” she concluded.
