Thailand audit office plans civil action to recover collapse losses
The State Audit Office estimates contractual losses at over THB500 million, with complaints against 70 officials referred for an anti-corruption inquiry.
- Thailand's State Audit Office (SAO) is preparing civil proceedings against contractors to recover more than THB 500 million in losses from its collapsed building project.
- In addition to the civil suit, the SAO has terminated all contracts and the case has been submitted to prosecutors for criminal action against the contractor, designer, and supervisor.
- An internal inquiry is also underway, with complaints against 70 SAO officials referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Sutthipong Boonnithi, deputy auditor general and spokesperson for the State Audit Office (SAO), provided an update on legal proceedings over the collapse of its building under construction during the March 2025 earthquake, speaking at the SAO on Wednesday (October 14, 2026).
Investigators had completed their investigation and submitted the case file to prosecutors for the contractor, designer and construction supervisor to be prosecuted.
The court is now hearing witness testimony, with SAO officials appearing as prosecution witnesses.
The spokesperson explained that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) had already taken the cases involving alleged nominee arrangements and unfair bidding to court.
Complaints against 70 SAO officials serving on 10 committees had also been referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for an inquiry.
The SAO had handed over all documentary evidence.
Regarding contractual action, the SAO had terminated its contracts with all parties and was reviewing appeals before submitting their names to the Comptroller General’s Department under the Ministry of Finance for formal designation as parties that had abandoned their work.
It was also preparing civil proceedings against the contracting parties to recover money paid for the contracted work.
The spokesperson put the project’s total construction budget at THB2.136 billion.
Payments totalling THB966 million had been made for 22 of the 36 work instalments.
After deducting advance payments and guarantees recovered in full, the remaining contractual losses were estimated at more than THB500 million.
A committee operating under the relevant laws and regulations was assessing the losses so that warning notices could be issued and lawsuits filed.
Responding to questions about budget allocations for a 15-year lease of State Railway of Thailand (SRT) property, the SAO explained that the allocations remained necessary because the existing agreement had not ended.
It aimed to terminate the agreement by 2027 and return the leased area to the SRT for leasing to another agency.
The SAO had adopted a digital organisational model from October 1 to enable staff to work off-site or from home without having to construct additional buildings.
The spokesperson also addressed previously questioned equipment prices, including more than THB90,000 for a chair for the president of the State Audit Commission and the cost of the telephone system.
The prices came from the designer’s materials list and were based on suitability for the position and system connectivity.
No funds had been disbursed for these items and no equipment had been purchased, as prices had to be updated to current levels before actual construction.
He maintained that budget payments corresponded to actual work instalments in each year and denied reports that THB2 billion had gone missing.
“I would like people to distinguish between the building procurement process, which follows procurement regulations, and the organisation’s state auditing standards, under which audits are based on documents and certification by qualified professionals. Staff continue to carry out their duty to safeguard public funds,” the spokesperson said.
