Latest news with #ITD
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
23 indicted over tower's collapse in earthquake
Prosecutors have indicted 23 people and companies in a case linked to the deadly collapse of a Bangkok high-rise in an earthquake. The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on March 28, killing thousands in Thailand's wartorn neighbour. The tower, meant to house the state audit office, was the only building in Bangkok to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers. The speed and suddenness with which it fell prompted a legal probe. Thailand's Office of the Attorney General said a case has been submitted to a criminal court, with a decision expected in a matter of months. 'Investigators agreed to indict 23 individuals and legal entities over professional misconduct and forged documents,' it said in a statement yesterday. The indictment included 16 individuals and seven firms, and also listed the names of people representing some of the accused companies, which include an architectural firm and a Chinese construction business. Further details of the allegations were not released. However, separately, justice department investigators have previously said they were probing the quality of construction materials used at the site. Among the individuals indicted is Premchai Karnasuta, one of Thailand's top tycoons. He serves as executive director of the Italian-Thai Development (ITD) company – one of the kingdom's biggest construction businesses, which has also been indicted. If convicted, 71-year-old Premchai faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht (RM26,113). This is not the tycoon's first legal tangle. In 2021, a Thai court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison for poaching protected wildlife, including a black panther. He was released early in 2023 as part of a group of inmates granted clemency for good behaviour. According to public filings with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Premchai owns nearly 12% of ITD's shares. He was taken into pre-trial detention in May. — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Thai prosecutors indict 23 over quake skyscraper collapse
The speed and suddenness with which the tower fell prompted a legal probe in Thailand. (AFP pic) BANGKOK : Thai prosecutors indicted 23 people and firms today, in a case linked to the deadly collapse of a Bangkok high-rise in an earthquake. The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on March 28, killing thousands in Thailand's war-torn neighbour. The tower, meant to house the state audit office, was the only building in Bangkok to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers. The speed and suddenness with which it fell prompted a legal probe. Thailand's office of the attorney general said a case has been submitted to a criminal court, with a decision expected in a matter of months. 'Investigators agreed to indict 23 individuals and legal entities over professional misconduct and forged documents,' it said in a statement. The indictment included 16 individuals and seven firms, and also listed the names of people representing some of the accused companies, which include an architectural firm and a Chinese construction business. Further details of the allegations were not released. However, separately, justice department investigators have previously said they were probing the quality of construction materials used at the site. Among the individuals indicted is Premchai Karnasuta, one of Thailand's top tycoons. He serves as executive director of the Italian-Thai Development (ITD) company – one of the kingdom's biggest construction businesses, which has also been indicted. If convicted, 71-year-old Premchai faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht. This is not the tycoon's first legal tangle. In 2021, a Thai court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison for poaching protected wildlife, including a black panther. He was released early in 2023 as part of a group of inmates granted clemency for good behaviour. According to public filings with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Premchai owns nearly 12% of ITD's shares. He was taken into pre-trial detention in May.
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Prosecutors indict 23 in Bangkok building collapse
Thai prosecutors on Thursday indicted 23 suspects including the head or Italian-Thai Development Plc and a Chinese state-owned firm for violations that led to the collapse of the State Audit Office tower in Bangkok during the March 28 earthquake. The partially built 30-storey tower in Chatuchak district was the only building to collapse from tremors emanating from the powerful 7.7 magnitude quake in neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. At least 95 people — almost all of them construction labourers — were killed in the incident. The construction of the SAO building was a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd, a local unit of the state-owned China Railway Group. Premchai Karnasuta, the president of ITD and an executive of China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd, was formally charged along with 21 others for breaching construction regulations and causing death through negligence, said Sakkasem Nisaiyok, a spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General. Some other suspects have also been charged with forging engineering documents, the statement said. Preliminary investigations have concluded that design and construction flaws led to the collapse of the building. ITD did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Lawyers for other parties involved in the case, including China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd, could not be reached for comment. Mr Premchai along with 14 others denied all charges against them when they were arrested by police in May over the building collapse. Investigations are continuing into other aspects of the case, including alleged bidding collusion in which as many as 70 state officials could be implicated, according to the Department of Special Investigation.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Thai tycoon among 23 charged over deadly skyscraper collapse linked to Myanmar quake
BANGKOK: Thai prosecutors indicted 23 people and firms on Thursday, in a case linked to the deadly collapse of a Bangkok high-rise in an earthquake. The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on March 28, killing thousands in Thailand's wartorn neighbour. The tower, meant to house the state audit office, was the only building in Bangkok to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers. The speed and suddenness with which it fell prompted a legal probe. Thailand's Office of the Attorney General said a case has been submitted to a criminal court, with a decision expected in a matter of months. "Investigators agreed to indict 23 individuals and legal entities over professional misconduct and forged documents," it said in a statement. The indictment included 16 individuals and seven firms, and also listed the names of people representing some of the accused companies, which include an architectural firm and a Chinese construction business. Further details of the allegations were not released. However, separately, justice department investigators have previously said they were probing the quality of construction materials used at the site. Among the individuals indicted is Premchai Karnasuta, one of Thailand's top tycoons. He serves as executive director of the Italian-Thai Development (ITD) company – one of the kingdom's biggest construction businesses, which has also been indicted. If convicted, 71-year-old Premchai faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht (US$6,000). This is not the tycoon's first legal tangle. In 2021, a Thai court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison for poaching protected wildlife, including a black panther. He was released early in 2023 as part of a group of inmates granted clemency for good behaviour. According to public filings with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Premchai owns nearly 12 per cent of ITD's shares.
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
Thai prosecutors indict 23 over quake skyscraper collapse
BANGKOK: Thai prosecutors indicted 23 people and firms on Thursday (Aug 7), in a case linked to the deadly collapse of a Bangkok high-rise in an earthquake. The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Mar 28, killing thousands in Thailand's wartorn neighbour. The tower, meant to house the state audit office, was the only building in Bangkok to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers. The speed and suddenness with which it fell prompted a legal probe. Thailand's Office of the Attorney General said a case has been submitted to a criminal court, with a decision expected in a matter of months. "Investigators agreed to indict 23 individuals and legal entities over professional misconduct and forged documents," it said in a statement. The indictment included 16 individuals and seven firms, and also listed the names of people representing some of the accused companies, which include an architectural firm and a Chinese construction business. Further details of the allegations were not released. However, separately, justice department investigators have previously said they were probing the quality of construction materials used at the site. Among the individuals indicted is Premchai Karnasuta, one of Thailand's top tycoons. He serves as executive director of the Italian-Thai Development (ITD) company - one of the kingdom's biggest construction businesses, which has also been indicted. If convicted, 71-year-old Premchai faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht (US$6,000). This is not the tycoon's first legal tangle. In 2021, a Thai court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison for poaching protected wildlife, including a black panther. He was released early in 2023 as part of a group of inmates granted clemency for good behaviour. According to public filings with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Premchai owns nearly 12 per cent of ITD's shares. He was taken into pre-trial detention in May.
