Premchai, 14 Others Surrender to Police Over Fatal Bangkok Tower Collapse
BANGKOK – Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD), along with 14 others, reported to police on Friday to face criminal charges in connection with the catastrophic collapse of a 30-storey skyscraper in Bangkok that left 92 people dead.
The 71-year-old construction magnate arrived in a wheelchair at Bang Sue police station to contest charges of professional negligence resulting in death. The charges stem from the collapse of the State Audit Office tower on March 28, triggered by an earthquake in central Myanmar.
Among those who turned themselves in were Kriengsak Kovadhana, ITD’s executive vice president, and Pimol Charoengying, the engineer who signed off on the original design. They are part of a group of 17 individuals named in arrest warrants issued after investigators determined that the tower’s design violated safety standards and involved the use of substandard construction materials.
“The architectural design did not comply with ministerial regulations or meet technical standards outlined in the project’s terms of reference,” said Pol Maj Gen Noppasin Poonsawat, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
He also revealed that investigators had discovered irregularities, including forged engineering signatures and the use of inferior concrete and steel during construction.
Nine people were injured in the collapse, and four remain missing. The 15 suspects who reported to police were taken to court for pre-trial proceedings, where they denied all charges. Two more suspects are expected to report to authorities on Monday.
The high-rise project was being developed by a joint venture between ITD and China Railway No.10 Thailand (CREC).
On Thursday, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration officially ended the disaster zone designation at the 2.1-billion-baht construction site in the Chatuchak district and handed the location back to the State Audit Office. However, Bang Sue police, who are leading the investigation, have since confiscated the site as inquiries continue.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out further charges.
