ITD president and associates denied bail in collapsed building case

Court denied bail for Premchai and associates in the high-profile case over flight risk, ongoing witness testimonies

On Friday (May 16), at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road, Pol Lt Col Amnat Nakwijit, an investigator from Bang Sue Police Station, brought 15 suspects in the State Audit Office (SAO) building collapse case to file a detention request and oppose bail.

According to case details, on March 28, 2025, at 1:20 p.m., an earthquake originating in Myanmar caused tremors that reached Thailand, including the Bangkok metropolitan area. The tremors led to the collapse of a 31-storey under-construction building for the new SAO headquarters on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road in Chatuchak District, Bangkok. The incident resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities.

By 8:00 p.m. the same day, the court rejected the bail request for all 15 suspects. It ruled that the suspects were allegedly involved in causing severe and alarming damage with significant social repercussions.

Both investigators and victims opposed bail, citing concerns over a flight risk and the difficulty of tracking the suspects. Moreover, testimony from 15 witnesses has yet to be heard. The court deemed it appropriate to complete the investigation before reconsidering bail, opting for a cautious and thorough review at a later stage.

As a result of the court’s decision, all suspects were transferred to Bangkok Remand Prison for detention.In this case, investigators from the Metropolitan Police Bureau have sought arrest warrants from the Criminal Court for individuals involved in three key groups linked to the SAO building’s construction: the architectural design firm, the construction supervision company, and the construction contractor.

Among the suspects is Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian-Thai Development (ITD) Plc, who surrendered to police on Friday in response to an arrest warrant.

The SAO building was constructed by the ITD-CREC Joint Venture, in collaboration with China Railway No. 10 (Thailand).

The joint venture is currently under investigation by several government agencies, with inquiries focusing on three main issues: the use of Thai nominees holding shares on behalf of foreign nationals, the use of substandard or non-compliant construction materials, and the cause of the building’s collapse.

(2025/05/17-00:00)