Opposition to use House panel to pursue probe in SAO building collapse scandal
People’s Party to launch House probe into SAO building collapse, citing substandard materials, poor design, and corruption as likely causes.
The opposition People's Party said on Monday that it suspects multiple irregularities led to the collapse of the new State Audit Office (SAO) building and vowed to use a House committee to investigate the causes.
People's Party deputy leader Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn stated that the party is currently focusing on three main possible causes behind the collapse of the building, which came down on 28 March.
He said the party's preliminary findings would be submitted to Surachet Pravinvongvuth, a People's Party MP who chairs the House committee monitoring government budget spending.
Three Key Suspicions Behind the Collapse
Wiroj outlined the three main suspected causes as follows:
- Substandard concrete quality: Wiroj noted that the concrete wall was originally designed to be 30 centimetres thick, but the thickness was later reduced to 25 cm. He also suspected that the contractor might have used excessive water in the concrete mix to cut costs. Further laboratory testing is required to confirm this.
- Poor design with reduced safety: He said the party suspected that corrupt officials may have allowed the contractor to downgrade the building’s specifications, which made it less resistant to seismic activity compared to nearby structures.
- Irregularities in the design change process: Wiroj revealed that the engineer responsible for the design claimed his signature had been forged. He added that the party would investigate further to uncover more details about the design alterations.
Collapse Likely Due to a Combination of Failures
Wiroj said the People's Party believes the collapse was likely the result of a combination of all these factors. He explained that if it had been due to a single cause, the building might have only subsided or tilted, potentially leaving time to intervene. Instead, it collapsed entirely and without warning.
He added that the House committee chaired by Surachet would aim to uncover who was at the top of the alleged corruption within the construction budget by identifying the root causes.
Call for International Testing and Concerns Over Foreign Contractors
Wiroj said samples of construction materials from the site would be sent to international laboratories for testing.
He further warned that several Chinese construction firms might be using Thai nominees to carry out projects in Thailand and employing Chinese engineers who have not been certified by the Engineering Institute of Thailand. Such practices, he warned, could lead to future safety issues.
