Thai PBS World
Government mulls revoking ITD contracts over safety failures
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 outlet. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◌ Single Source
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today that his government is uncomfortable with allowing Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) to continue implementing the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project or the Rama II–Samut Sakhon elevated expressway after two fatal crane accidents within 24 hours.
Key facts
- He suggested that the relevant agencies should explore ways to revoke ITD’s contracts, even though the company has completed about 85% of the construction work, and appoint a new contractor or contractors to complete the remaining 15%.
- The prime minister also questioned why ITD has not been blacklisted, noting that the company and its Chinese partner, China Railway Engineering Corp (CREC), were responsible for the construction of the 30-storey State Audit Office building.
- The building collapsed after being hit by tremors from the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on March 28, killing about 90 people, mostly construction workers, and injuring many others.
- The prime minister made the remarks after chairing a meeting this afternoon with the heads of the Transport and Finance ministries, the Comptroller General’s Department, the Office of the Attorney-General and the Council of State.
Summary
He suggested that the relevant agencies should explore ways to revoke ITD’s contracts, even though the company has completed about 85% of the construction work, and appoint a new contractor or contractors to complete the remaining 15%.
The prime minister made the remarks after chairing a meeting this afternoon with the heads of the Transport and Finance ministries, the Comptroller General’s Department, the Office of the Attorney-General and the Council of State.