Police have questioned 98 individuals as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the recent collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building, authorities said this week. The probe, which began shortly after the incident, aims to uncover potential negligence or legal violations related to the building’s construction and oversight.
Pol Maj Gen Noppasil Poonsawat, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, stated that evidence collection remains underway. Investigators are compiling witness testimonies, forensic reports, and assessments from structural experts to determine the cause and any liable parties.
The individuals interviewed include 13 staff from companies associated with the construction project, 15 relatives of those killed, 64 witnesses and family members of victims, and six people who were injured. However, police have yet to determine who may be charged, and no timeline has been set for concluding the investigation.
Search and recovery teams continue operations at the site, with some victims still believed to be trapped beneath the debris. Identification of all the victims remains incomplete.
Parallel to the police investigation, the Senate Committee on Commerce and Industry is pursuing a separate inquiry into allegations that China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) Co—a company linked to the SAO construction—may have violated the Foreign Business Act by using Thai proxies to retain a controlling stake.
Senator Ekachai Ruangrat, a committee member, said a subcommittee was formed to examine whether three Thai nationals were used as nominal shareholders to conceal foreign ownership. These individuals reportedly hold stakes in at least 11 companies suspected of having Chinese nationals as actual shareholders. Their shareholder roles reportedly do not align with their financial profiles, raising concerns of proxy arrangements.
The committee is also reviewing whether these named shareholders exert any real managerial authority in the businesses. According to Senator Ekachai, the investigation is being carried out using official documents and could lead to legal action. The individuals in question have not yet been identified or detained.
Additionally, investigators are assessing whether substandard construction materials were used in the SAO building. The findings of the Senate committee will be forwarded to the Department of Special Investigation and the relevant government agencies for further review.
In a broader context, Senator Ekachai emphasized the growing issue of Thai nominees being used to bypass legal limits on foreign business ownership, warning that such practices pose risks to domestic enterprises.