Seventeen Arrest Warrants Issued Following Bangkok Skyscraper Collapse

On March 2023, a 30-storey skyscraper in Bangkok, intended to house the State Audit Office, was tragically brought down when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck neighboring Myanmar. Authorities have confirmed the recovery of 89 bodies from the site, while 7 individuals remain missing. The police have initiated a criminal investigation into the incident, leading to the issuance of 17 arrest warrants for those who played roles in the building’s design, construction, and oversight. Among those named is Premchai Karnasuta, former president of Italian-Thai Development PLC, one of the country’s leading construction firms. Investigators have reportedly identified structural deficiencies in the building's lift shaft, but conclusive details about the collapse are yet to be publicly released. Despite the strong tremors, most buildings in Bangkok withstood the earthquake; however, the State Audit Office, located near the bustling Chatuchak market, was severely affected after being constructed over three years at a cost of approximately 2 billion baht (about $59 million). More than 400 workers were on-site during the collapse, prompting a large-scale rescue operation utilizing drones, sniffer dogs, and heavy machinery.

News of the disaster has raised questions surrounding building safety regulations and oversight in Thailand's infrastructure projects.