Accusations filed against Premchai and 17 others regarding the collapse of the SAO building
Breaking News: 23 Suspects Indicted in SAO Building Collapse Case
In a significant development, 23 individuals and corporate entities, including Premchai Karnasuta, former president and CEO of Italian-Thai Development Plc, have been indicted on August 7, 2025, for criminal charges relating to the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok during the March 28, 2025 earthquake.
The charges against the suspects, who also include seven companies, include professional negligence leading to death, breaches of construction regulations, and forgery and use of forged documents. The indictment covers those involved in the design, supervision, and construction of the building, including Chinese firm China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd.
The 30-storey building, which was about 30% complete, was the only structure to collapse from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, resulting in over 90 fatalities, mostly construction workers.
The investigation into the collapse, which has been ongoing since the tragedy, has seen the police submitting 233 files with over 98,000 pages to prosecutors in late July 2025. The charges specifically include violations of sections 227 and 230 of the Thai Criminal Code (professional negligence in design, construction, or demolition causing death), forgery and use of forged engineering documents, and breaches of the Building Control Act of 1979 and the Public Procurement and Asset Management Act of 2017.
All the suspects are currently in custody without bail. The case is being handled by Criminal Division 8 of the Special Prosecutor's Office.
It is important to note that Premchai Karnasuta and 14 others have denied all charges at the time of arrest. However, the thorough police investigation concluded that design and construction flaws were the primary causes of the collapse.
In addition to the main case, a separate probe into alleged bidding corruption involving as many as 70 state officials is continuing by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Department of Special Investigation.
The case against Premchai Karnasuta and co-defendants is progressing through the Thai criminal justice system, with formal indictments filed and investigations extending into corruption suspicions related to the procurement process.
The Bang Sue Police Station has been leading the investigation into the defendants, who are accused of professional misconduct in the design, control, and construction of the building. The defendants also face charges of document forgery and using forged documents under various sections of the Penal Code.
This development marks a significant step in the pursuit of justice for the victims and their families, and the investigation continues to shed light on the complexities and consequences of construction practices in Thailand.
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In the progression of events, the case involving the SAO building collapse, which claimed over 90 lives, has expanded to include politics, as Premchai Karnasuta, a former CEO, and several other individuals and companies are indicted for breaking construction regulations and committing forgery. This unfolding drama in the realm of crime-and-justice also involves general-news, as a separate probe into alleged bidding corruption is ongoing.
