April 11, 2025
BANGKOK – Representatives of the State Audit Office (SAO) told a House committee on Thursday that their collapsed building in Bangkok was designed to be earthquake-resistant and that the agency was in the process of terminating the construction contract due to delays when the collapse occurred on 28 March.
House Committee Investigates Building Collapse
The SAO representatives were testifying before the House Committee on Affairs of Courts, Public Prosecutors, State Enterprises, Public Organisations and Funds, chaired by United Thai Nation Party MP Sanya Nilsuphan.
The committee summoned the SAO governor to testify after the agency’s under-construction office building in Chatuchak district was the only structure to collapse during the 8.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March.
Sanya said the incident had raised public suspicion about transparency in the construction project—particularly given that the SAO is tasked with upholding transparency in government agencies. The committee sought a full explanation.
SAO Defends Transparency and Design Standards
Testifying on behalf of the SAO were Deputy Governors Sutthipong Boonnit and Pimda Wapakphet, along with other staff.
Sutthipong stated that the SAO welcomed the opportunity to clarify the facts and affirmed that the project had been proposed and approved in full compliance with legal procedures.
He acknowledged public criticism and said the SAO had hired an external architectural firm both to design the building and to oversee construction. He insisted that the firm had confirmed the structure was designed to withstand seismic activity.
Justification for Building Size and Staffing Needs
Sutthipong addressed a public misconception regarding the size of the building. While many believed the SAO had only 500 staff, he clarified that the office employs around 4,000 personnel, thus justifying the need for a high-rise structure.
He added that staff were now disappointed that the new office building would not be completed in the near future.
SAO Unaware of Chinese Joint Venture at First
Sutthipong admitted the SAO initially believed that the contractor was Italian-Thai Development (ITD), unaware that it had entered a joint venture with China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group (CREC).
He said the ITD-CREC joint venture had been fronted by ITD during the bidding process, and the SAO was unaware of CREC’s involvement until later. The bidding process, he noted, followed the Comptroller General’s Department’s regulations, and 16 companies submitted proposals.
ITD-CREC won the bid, and the SAO found no signs of bid collusion. The winning bidder affirmed they could complete the project at the proposed cost.
Architect Firm Selected via Competitive Bidding
The design contract was awarded to a joint venture between Forum Architect and Meinhardt (Thailand) for 73 million baht, after three firms responded to invitations sent to 24.
Construction Delays and Contract Termination
Construction, originally expected to be completed within three years, had been extended twice. After four years, only 33% of the project was completed due to liquidity issues faced by the contractor.
On 15 January 2025, the SAO’s inspection committee resolved to terminate the contract. The termination process was underway when the building collapsed on 28 March.
Private Inquiry into Sensitive Issues
After hearing the initial testimony, the committee chair instructed reporters to leave the meeting room as the panel began a closed-door session to discuss sensitive matters related to the collapse.