Chinese firm, 23 suspects indicted over deadly Thai building collapse in Bangkok

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – A Chinese state-owned firm and 23 suspects, including a Thai construction tycoon, were indicted on Thursday over the deadly building collapse in Bangkok during the March 28 earthquake, Thai PBS reported.

At least 89 people lost their lives after the 33-story State Audit Office tower collapsed due to a powerful 7.7 magnitude quake that hit Myanmar on March 28. It was the only building that crumbled in Bangkok.

The construction of the building was a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development and China Railway Number 10, a local unit of the state-owned China Railway Group.

Italian-Thai Development Company and its CEO Premchai Karnasuta, as well as China Railway No 10 and its top executive Xuan Ling-jang, are among those indicted, Sakkasem Neesaiyok, a spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General, told media.

The suspects, who are held in detention in a prison in Bangkok, are accused of negligence in the design, construction, and construction supervision, as well as falsification of documents.