A Thai developer has been charged in connection with the collapse of a high-rise in Bangkok during the March earthquake
Kyiv • UNN
Thai tycoon and engineers charged over Bangkok skyscraper collapse during earthquake. The collapse killed dozens of people.
A Thai construction tycoon and engineers have been charged in connection with the collapse of an unfinished skyscraper in Bangkok during a deadly earthquake on April 28. The collapse killed 92 people, according to Euronews, reports UNN.
Details
The building, intended to house the State Audit Office of Thailand, was the only structure in the Southeast Asian country to collapse during the earthquake in neighboring Myanmar on March 28.
Prominent Thai businessman Premchai Karnasuta, head of the construction company, along with engineers, designers and builders, surrendered to police on Friday to answer charges of criminal negligence related to the deadly collapse of the new building.
The Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for 17 people. Of these, 15 suspects have already surrendered to the police, and the arrival of two more is expected.
Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian Thai Development, one of Thailand's largest construction companies, and 14 other suspects were linked to the companies responsible for the design and construction of the skyscraper, said Deputy Commissioner of Metropolitan Police Noppasin Poonsawat. They were charged with negligence and violation of building codes.
Noppasin added that the developer and contractors officially denied the charges. Many of the accused have previously publicly denied involvement in the construction of the building and responsibility for the collapse after increased attention from the Thai media.
The Deputy Police Commissioner also said that expert analysis and evidence suggests that the construction did not comply with building codes and structural standards. The investigation revealed "structural defects in the main elevator shaft and substandard concrete and steel".
Thai media reported almost daily on alleged violations in the project, including questionable documentation and procedural deficiencies.
Considerable attention is paid to the joint venture of Italian-Thai Development with China Railway No. 10, a Chinese firm involved in global infrastructure projects, including in Thailand.
Recall
The deadly earthquake on April 28 near Mandalay in Myanmar alone killed more than 3,700 people, with dozens still missing. In neighboring Bangkok, the earthquake collapsed a skyscraper.