BANGKOK, Jan 15 — Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered the Transport Ministry to terminate its contracts and pursue legal action against a contractor who was involved in two fatal construction crane accidents.
Xinhua reported his remarks after chairing an urgent meeting today, in which he said the government would take all necessary legal actions, including blacklisting the construction firm, to safeguard public interests, ensure safety, and reinforce international confidence in the country.
This comes after an accident this morning at an elevated expressway construction site, where parts of a crane collapsed onto a major highway connecting Bangkok and Samut Sakhon province, killing two people and injuring two others.
Yesterday, another construction crane used for a high-speed rail bridge collapsed onto a passing passenger train in northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province, leaving 32 people dead and 66 injured.
According to Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, both fatal crane collapses have been linked to the construction contractor Italian-Thai Development PLC (ITD).
Speaking to the media after the meeting, he said the contracts for the two specific projects where the accidents occurred would be terminated.
All remaining contracts held by the firm have been suspended, and teams of engineers and transport officials are being dispatched to inspect safety standards at each site before any work resumes.
Ratchakitprakarn added that the Transport Ministry has set a one-week deadline for fact-finding committees to conclude their investigations into the cause of the collapses.
Yesterday, ITD issued a statement expressing condolences for the accident and promising to fully assume responsibility for compensation and medical treatment.
