Latest news with #ItalianThaiDevelopment
Sky News
16-05-2025
- Sky News
Thai construction tycoon among 17 people charged over fatal Bangkok tower collapse
A Thai construction tycoon is among 17 people charged following the collapse of a high-rise tower block in Bangkok, which killed at least 92 people. The 30-storey development, which was still being constructed, was the only building to collapse in the city from tremors emanating from a powerful 7.7 magnitude quake in March in neighbouring Myanmar. Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian Thai Development, one of Thailand's largest construction companies, and 16 other suspects have been accused of negligence and breaching construction regulations. They deny all the charges. Collectively, they are linked to companies responsible for building design and construction, said Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Noppasin Poonsawat. Of those charged, 15 people surrendered to police and appeared in court on Friday for pre-trial proceedings. Premchai arrived by wheelchair. Two more suspects are scheduled to report to authorities in the coming days. A criminal court issued arrest warrants for the 17 on Thursday. "Expert assessments revealed that the architectural design did not comply with ministerial regulations or meet the technical standards outlined in the terms of reference," Noppasin said. Initial tests of materials gathered at the site in March indicated the presence of substandard steel among the wreckage structure, according to industry ministry officials. An investigation was still under way over the causes of the collapse. Italian Thai Development has said it is cooperating with authorities. Thai media have reported allegations of wrongdoing in the project almost every day since the building's collapse, many of them involving irregular documentation for the project. Rescue teams have so far recovered 92 bodies during a six-week operation at the site. Four people remain missing. The search has been halted in the rubble of the collapsed building, which was to become a new State Audit Office, although efforts will continue to identify remains using DNA. The epicentre of the quake was in central Myanmar, where it killed more than 3,700 people and caused major damage in Mandalay, the country's second biggest city, and the capital, Naypyitaw. Premchai's case is his second major clash with the law. In 2019, he was convicted of wildlife poaching and served about three years in prison. Park rangers found him with a hunting party at a wildlife sanctuary in 2018 with carcasses which included a rare black panther.
CNA
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Thai construction tycoon among 15 arrested in connection to Bangkok skyscraper collapse
The police in Thailand have arrested 15 people in connection with the collapse of a high-rise building triggered by the earthquake in Bangkok on March 28. One of them is Thai construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta, who heads Italian-Thai Development. The company is in a joint venture with China Railway No 10 (Thailand). Those arrested are now waiting to find out if they can secure release on bail. The State Audit Office was the only building to collapse in Bangkok during the earthquake, killing 92 people — all of them workers involved in the construction. Saksith Saiyasombut reports from Bangkok.
New Straits Times
16-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Thai construction tycoon and 14 others surrender to police over fatal Bangkok tower collapse
BANGKOK: A Thai construction tycoon and 14 others surrendered to police on Friday over a building collapse that killed nearly a hundred workers during a powerful earthquake in March, authorities said. The partially built 30-storey State Audit Office tower in Bangkok was the only building to collapse from tremors emanating from the powerful 7.7 magnitude quake in neighbouring Myanmar. Rescue teams have recovered 92 bodies during a six week operation from the collapsed site. Four were still missing. Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian Thai Development , one of Thailand's largest construction companies, and the 14 other suspects were affiliated with companies responsible for building design and construction, said Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Noppasin Poonsawat. They have been accused of negligence and breaching construction regulations. "Expert assessments revealed that the architectural design did not comply with ministerial regulations or meet the technical standards outlined in the terms of reference," Noppasin said. There were also irregularities in construction materials used, including substandard concrete and steel, he said, adding that investigators also discovered forged signatures in engineering documents. A watchdog organisation flagged days after the quake that corruption may have been involved in the building's construction. Initial tests of materials gathered at the site in March indicated the presence of substandard steel among the wreckage structure, according to industry ministry officials. The 15 suspects have been brought to court for pre-trial proceedings and have denied all charges, Noppasin said, while two additional suspects would report to authorities on Monday. An investigation was still underway over the causes of the collapse, one of the country's deadliest. Italian Thai Development has said it is cooperating with authorities. Premchai was convicted and sentenced to more than three years in jail in 2021 for poaching protected species after he was caught by rangers at a jungle campsite in a wildlife sanctuary with carcasses of protected animals, including a black Indochinese leopard.
Malay Mail
16-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Thai construction tycoon and 14 others surrender to police over fatal Bangkok tower collapse
BANGKOK, May 16 — A Thai construction tycoon and 14 others surrendered to police today over a building collapse that killed nearly a hundred workers during a powerful earthquake in March, authorities said. The partially built 30-storey State Audit Office tower in Bangkok was the only building to collapse from tremors emanating from the powerful 7.7 magnitude quake in neighbouring Myanmar. Rescue teams have recovered 92 bodies during a six week operation from the collapsed site. Four were still missing. Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian Thai Development , one of Thailand's largest construction companies, and the 14 other suspects were affiliated with companies responsible for building design and construction, said Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Noppasin Poonsawat. They have been accused of negligence and breaching construction regulations. 'Expert assessments revealed that the architectural design did not comply with ministerial regulations or meet the technical standards outlined in the terms of reference,' Noppasin said. There were also irregularities in construction materials used, including substandard concrete and steel, he said, adding that investigators also discovered forged signatures in engineering documents. A watchdog organisation flagged days after the quake that corruption may have been involved in the building's construction. Initial tests of materials gathered at the site in March indicated the presence of substandard steel among the wreckage structure, according to industry ministry officials. The 15 suspects have been brought to court for pre-trial proceedings and have denied all charges, Noppasin said, while two additional suspects would report to authorities on Monday. An investigation was still underway over the causes of the collapse, one of the country's deadliest. Italian Thai Development has said it is cooperating with authorities. Premchai was convicted and sentenced to more than three years in jail in 2021 for poaching protected species after he was caught by rangers at a jungle campsite in a wildlife sanctuary with carcasses of protected animals, including a black Indochinese leopard.
AsiaOne
16-05-2025
- AsiaOne
Thai construction tycoon and 14 others surrender to police over fatal Bangkok tower collapse, Asia News
BANGKOK — A Thai construction tycoon and 14 others surrendered to police on Friday (May 16) over a building collapse that killed nearly a hundred workers during a powerful earthquake in March, authorities said. The partially built 30-storey State Audit Office tower in Bangkok was the only building to collapse from tremors emanating from the powerful 7.7 magnitude quake in neighbouring Myanmar. Rescue teams have recovered 92 bodies during a six week operation from the collapsed site. Four were still missing. Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian Thai Development, one of Thailand's largest construction companies, and the 14 other suspects were affiliated with companies responsible for building design and construction, said Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Noppasin Poonsawat. They have been accused of negligence and breaching construction regulations. "Expert assessments revealed that the architectural design did not comply with ministerial regulations or meet the technical standards outlined in the terms of reference," Noppasin said. There were also irregularities in construction materials used, including substandard concrete and steel, he said, adding that investigators also discovered forged signatures in engineering documents. A watchdog organisation flagged days after the quake that corruption may have been involved in the building's construction. Initial tests of materials gathered at the site in March indicated the presence of substandard steel among the wreckage structure, according to industry ministry officials. The 15 suspects have been brought to court for pre-trial proceedings and have denied all charges, Noppasin said, while two additional suspects would report to authorities on Monday. An investigation was still underway over the causes of the collapse, one of the country's deadliest. Italian Thai Development has said it is cooperating with authorities. Premchai was convicted and sentenced to more than three years in jail in 2021 for poaching protected species after he was caught by rangers at a jungle campsite in a wildlife sanctuary with carcasses of protected animals, including a black Indochinese leopard. [[nid:716173]]
