China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) Co has agreed to allocate 120 million baht in compensation following the fatal collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building, according to a statement confirmed on April 22 by Thailand’s Minister of Justice. The compensation is intended for the families of the deceased, those injured, and others affected by the incident.
The building collapse has resulted in 51 confirmed deaths, with nine individuals injured and 43 still unaccounted for. The compensation, while substantial, will not affect the ongoing criminal investigation tied to the incident, officials clarified.
Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong stated that the compensation offer was documented in statements given during the investigation, indicating the contractor’s willingness to support the victims. The funds are to be administered by the Ministry of Justice. While the offer is seen as a humanitarian gesture, it will not lead to leniency in any legal proceedings, the minister emphasized.
According to Pol Col Tawee, the company may coordinate with Italian-Thai Development (ITD), its local partner, if it seeks logistical support in distributing the compensation, ensuring government processes are observed. At the time of the announcement, there had been no direct contact between the company and the ministry, although the contractor’s intentions were noted by investigators.
In a parallel development, the investigation into the firm’s alleged use of Thai nominees found four suspects: three Thai nationals and one Chinese executive. The Thai suspects—Manas Sri-anan, Prachuap Sirikhet, and Sophon Meechai—were reported to hold majority shares in the company, yet were employed in low-level roles. All three surrendered to authorities earlier this week, while Chinese national Zhang Chuanling was arrested on April 20.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is handling the broader investigation, which includes issues beyond the collapse itself. These encompass procurement corruption, nominee arrangements, and an earlier case involving a steel supplier suspected of issuing fraudulent tax invoices between 2016 and 2017. Investigators are reviewing whether materials from that supplier were used in the SAO project.
DSI spokesperson Pol Maj Woranan Srilamm noted that only one of the Thai suspects provided a full statement during questioning. The other two opted to respond in writing within a 30-day period, as permitted by law.
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