The president of one of Thailand’s biggest construction groups has surrendered to police investigating the collapse of a high-rise under construction in Bangkok.
The disaster, which took the lives of 92 people, was caused by the 28 March Myanmar earthquake.
But it was the only building in the city to collapse, and authorities are investigating claims that the way it was designed or built made it disintegrate in the tremors.
Yesterday, the Criminal Court approved arrest warrants for 17 people, including Premchai Karnasuta, 71, president of the Italian-Thai Development Company, which was building the tower in a joint venture with China Railway No 10, Bangkok Post reports.
Others arrested included builders, designers and engineers. They now face possible charges of professional negligence causing death.
Deputy chief of Bangkok’s police, Noppasin Poonsawat, said the individuals who surrendered to police formally denied the accusation. Several have already issued public denials in the media.
The Chinese-Thai joint venture was building the 32-storey office tower for Thailand’s State Audit Office.
Noppasin said at a news conference that testimony from experts suggested the building plan did not meet Thailand’s building codes.
In particular, there are concerns that the project had structural flaws in the core lift shaft and used substandard concrete and steel.
Other accusations made in the Thai media have involved irregular documentation for the project.
Also arrested was Chinese executive Zhang Chuanling, a director of China Railway No 10.
He was first arrested in April on suspicion that he violated Thai law by using Thai “straw men” nominees to control the joint venture. Three Thai executives were also arrested on the charge.
The epicentre of the earthquake was in central Myanmar, where it killed more than 3,700 people and caused major damage in Mandalay.
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