Auditors-General under legal scrutiny as two TV hosts file lawsuits against them
Hear Ya'll Out! Two TV Hosts Slam Auditor-General Over SAO Building Collapse
In a stunning move, television personalities Damrong Phuttan and Narakorn Tiyayon recently filed a police complaint against Auditor-General Montien Charoenphol for his role in the tragic collapse of the State Auditor Office (SAO) building on March 28.
They pointed their finger at Mr. Montien and former auditor-general, Prachak Boonyang, who signed a deal with ITD-CREC to construct the building, accusing them of reckless behavior and negligence.
Narakorn expressed her frustration that more than 30 days have passed, and Mr. Montien still hasn't shown an ounce of remorse or responsibility. Damrong, on the other hand, stressed that this unfortunate incident resulted in over 2.1 billion baht in taxpayers' money going straight down the drain. "It's high time for those involved to step up and take accountability," he stated.
The tragedy left 74 lives claimed, with nine injuries and around 20 individuals still not found.
Over the past day, rescuers managed to retrieve 13 more bodies from the wreckage in Zone D. Additionally, they discovered fragments of remains and tiny body parts in this area, making it a total of 41 such cases.
Accessing Zone C has been challenging due to its towering four-meter height and the unstable nature of the remaining building structure. It's suspected that the third-floor walkway sank into a deeper area below, which may conceal more victims. The rescuers have upped their game, employing machinery to reach otherwise unreachable locations.
Investigations into the building's elevator shafts, believed to be the potential catalyst for the collapse, are underway. The area will be secured shortly, allowing engineers from the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning to inspect the walls and elevator shafts for any clues.
Reports suggest that the lift shafts' walls were unusually thin—a factor that could have played a role in the disaster[5].
As the probe continues, a parliamentary committee, led by Pheu Thai MP Chalard Khamchuang, is scrutinizing contract management, material quality, and supervisory failures[5][6]. Mr. Montien has been summoned to clarify his stance[6].
Subcontractors have voiced concerns regarding unpaid debts exceeding 10 million baht, with one electrical subcontractor (Thitipong Phoprom) asserting a 3.8 million baht claim[6].
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has criticized the investigation’s snail’s pace, contradicting earlier declaration of speedy progress[6].
No official charges have been filed as of May 4[1][5][6].
[1] Prachatai English[2] Bangkok Post[3] Khaosod English[4] The Nation[5] Thai PBS World[6] CNA[Enrichment Data: See above]
- Amidst the ongoing investigation into the State Auditor Office (SAO) building collapse, auditor-general Montien Charoenphol has been summoned to clarify his role in the tragedy.
- Political discussions have escalated over the SAO building collapse, with General-News outlets reporting on the parliamentary committee's scrutiny of contract management, material quality, and supervisory failures.
- In a constructive approach to the tragedy, Damrong Phuttan and Narakorn Tiyayon called for those involved in the SAO building collapse to take accountability for the lives lost and the damage caused.
- Crime-and-justice reports suggest that subcontractors, including Thitipong Phoprom, have voiced concerns over unpaid debts, with claims exceeding 10 million baht, in the wake of the SAO building collapse.
