Executives and engineers linked to Bangkok’s collapsed Auditor General building denied bail and remanded to prison. The court cited case severity and risks of evidence tampering. The disaster, triggered by the Myanmar quake, claimed 89 lives with more still missing.
Those arrested by police in connection with the collapse at the Auditor General’s building in Chatuchak, Bangkok, were sent to Bangkok Remand Prison on Friday. Officers from Bang Sue Police Station brought the group of businessmen and engineers before the Criminal Court, seeking an initial 12-day detention order. The court later agreed with police objections to bail, citing the seriousness of the case and concerns over potential evidence tampering. Among those remanded are 71-year-old Premchai Karnasuta, the influential head of Italian-Thai Development, and 42-year-old Chuanling Zhang, an employee of a Chinese state enterprise.
The Criminal Court in Bangkok has approved a 12-day detention order for 15 people charged over the catastrophic collapse of the Office of the Auditor General building on March 28.
Two other accused defendants are due to surrender to police on Monday based on court arrest warrants.
The tragedy, triggered by an earthquake centred in Myanmar, has already claimed 89 lives. Officials fear the final death toll may exceed 100, with several workers still missing beneath the rubble.
Among the accused is 71-year-old Premchai Karnasuta, chairman of Italian-Thai Development PCL. He appeared in court in a wheelchair, accompanied by a nurse. Premchai has serious health conditions, including a catheter. Although he requested to arrive in a private vehicle, police denied the request. He was transported in an official van instead.
Joint venture leaders and foreign engineers denied bail and remanded to prison over deadly building collapse
Also in custody is 42-year-old Chinese national Chuanling Zhang. He is a director of China Railway Company No. 10, the key operational partner in the building’s construction. Both Zhang and Premchai held senior roles in the ITD-CREC joint venture that won the contract in 2019. According to police, their leadership linked them directly to key decisions.
Later in the day, the court denied bail to all 15 suspects. It cited the gravity of the charges and the risk of flight. Moreover, the court feared the accused could interfere with witnesses or destroy evidence. Following the decision, the group was moved to Bangkok Remand Prison.
Police from Bang Sue station filed the case. They laid out sweeping charges of gross negligence and violations of the 1979 Building Control Act. The accused include engineers, architects, contractors, and corporate executives. The charges centre on unsafe design, inferior materials, and lack of proper oversight.
Investigators identified three main groups responsible for the failure: architects, structural engineers, and construction supervisors. Companies named in the filing include Forum Architects Co. Ltd., Meinhardt (Thailand) Co. Ltd., P.N. Synchronization Co. Ltd., and the ITD-CREC joint venture. All were heavily involved in the project.
Expert reports confirm design flaws and missing safety margins in the collapse of 31-storey tower project
Police say the building’s design fell far below legal and professional standards. Expert inspections from Chulalongkorn University and King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang supported this conclusion. According to their findings, the structure lacked resistance to seismic and wind forces.
Forum Architects’ Mr. Suchart Chutipaphakorn, aged 64, signed the original design contract. He now faces charges both as an individual and as a company officer. Meinhardt’s Mr. Pimol Charoenying and Mr. Thira Wathanathap are also accused. They allegedly approved flawed blueprints and calculations.
The engineers responsible for structural analysis are in deeper trouble. Supol Akhararisuk, Chainarong Siang Praiphan, and Apichat Raksa are accused of signing off on incorrect calculations. Police say these engineers ignored required safety margins. Shockingly, they omitted critical loads such as earthquake and wind stress from their assessments.
Moreover, construction contractors are accused of cutting corners at every stage. According to investigators, PKW Joint Venture—comprising P.N. Synchronization, KP Consultants, and W. and Friends Consultants—used unqualified personnel and cheap materials. The cement was weaker than specified. Steel bars were of the wrong grade. Authorities say this clearly violated the approved blueprints.
Police allege supervision failures, fake sign-offs and cover-ups throughout the project’s construction phase
Patiwat Sirithai, a director at P.N. Synchronization, signed the supervision contract. He now faces both criminal and corporate liability. Others, including Krittapat Plongkratok, are charged with allowing unauthorised structural changes during construction. These changes, police say, were not reviewed or approved by certified engineers.
In a particularly damning claim, investigators allege that engineer Somkiat Chuesangsuk’s credentials were misused. He was listed as a project supervisor, yet he never performed that role. His signature was used again later when unauthorised changes were made. Somkiat has told police he had no knowledge of either event.
Further scrutiny has fallen on China Railway’s former project manager, Anuwat Khanson. Despite knowing about structural flaws, he allowed construction to continue. He later resigned, citing health issues. Similarly, engineer Thipat Rattanawongsa reportedly noticed irregularities but failed to report or stop the project.
The police case argues that all defendants, as licensed professionals, had a duty to act. However, they allegedly ignored serious red flags. Officials insist that strict compliance with engineering standards could have prevented the collapse. Instead, shortcuts were taken and risks were ignored.
Tragic collapse blamed on man-made errors as quake exposed critical violations and weak construction
Thai law requires that large buildings follow approved blueprints and use certified materials. Any change must be authorised by a qualified engineer. Yet, according to the case file, nearly every requirement was breached. The design was faulty. Construction veered off-plan. Materials were substandard. Supervision was weak or non-existent.
The collapse occurred at 1:20 p.m. on March 28, just as the building had reached the 31st floor. It fell without warning during tremors from the Myanmar quake. The site, on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, became a scene of chaos and horror.
At least 89 bodies have been recovered. Most victims were workers caught inside when the tower came down. Eleven people are still missing. Eight were injured, one critically. Recovery crews are still sorting through the debris. The identification of remains is ongoing.
The court noted the scale of the tragedy in denying bail. Moreover, prosecutors told the court that 15 key witnesses still need to be interviewed. There are fears that the suspects could interfere if released. Investigators have warned of potential collusion and evidence tampering.
High-profile prosecution aims to set legal precedent for construction failures linked to mass casualties
Although the quake triggered the collapse, officials say the real cause was man-made. If the building had followed the code, it might have withstood the shaking.
Instead, what they found was a catalogue of engineering and management failures. Every phase—from design to execution—was marked by negligence.
Italian Thai boss and 16 others arrested on Thursday charged with Auditor General building deaths
Giant Italian-Thai behemoth fights for survival and to pay wages as fears rise about the wider economy
DSI confirms arrested Chinese man is a state employee of China. Chuanling Zhang later released on bail
More arrests due over collapsed Auditor General building including an engineer. Up to 100 people may have died
The case is now seen as a landmark test for construction accountability in Thailand. Authorities appear determined to set an example. The court’s refusal to grant bail signals a hard line against professional misconduct. Prosecutors are expected to file formal indictments in the coming weeks.
Two more suspects, still at large, have contacted police. They say they will surrender on Monday. The investigation is ongoing.
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
Italian Thai boss and 16 others arrested on Thursday charged with Auditor General building deaths
Arrested man linked with Chatuchak building collapse now tells police he is a Chinese state employee
Prime Minister orders arrests over the Chatuchak Auditor General building disaster within seven days
Chinese steel firm linked to Chatuchak disaster faces DSI probes. Minister cancels investment status
Storm clouds gathering over Chinese firm at the centre of the collapsed Chatuchak building disaster
US scan shows 50-60 human beings said to be in a hallway within the collapsed Chatuchak building
