Two building officials set to surrender

[Lite Beer]

Two building officials set to surrender
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Boss of collapsed condo and foreman contact police, but one suspect 'elusive'

TWO MORE suspects wanted over the death of many building workers when a condominium being built in Pathum Thani province collapsed on Monday have contacted police to announce they will surrender shortly - but another suspect remains elusive, police said yesterday.

Provincial police chief Maj-General Smithi Mukdasanit said Chanaichon Kerdthes, an executive with the condominium's owner Plook Plang Co Ltd, and the project's foreman, Jira Khanman, planned to surrender.

Chanaichon has reportedly been running a business in Cambodia.

But Kanyarat Heepthong, the legal representative for the project, is still at large.

Another four suspects have been released on bail - Bt100,000 each - after turning themselves in.

The seven have been charged with causing the deaths of 14 Thai and foreign workers and injuring 25 people through carelessness.

The building, U Place, is located in Klong Luang district.

The families of the dead were yesterday given at total of Bt1.09 million at a ceremony overseen by Pathum Thani Governor Phongsathorn Sajjacholphan.

Five workers remain in hospital and will be compensated at various rates depending on their injuries and treatment.

Project representative Surachai Baojanya expressed regret over the collapse and said the company had the responsibility to compensate all affected workers.

Phongsathorn said further payments would be given soon to affected workers under social security regulations.

Charity offers help

Charity foundation Poh Teck Tung yesterday handed Bt10,000 to the families of each dead worker to go towards funeral costs. It also gave between Bt3,000 and Bt5,000 to the injured workers.

Rescue workers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation expressed regret over the deaths despite regarding their mission a success in terms of retrieving of the bodies.

Foundation spokesman Anyawuth Phoamphai recounted how a worker, Phichet Kamphoochart, had communicated with rescuers after being stuck under the rubble for over 19 hours.

His lower body was trapped under an entire concrete floor and he eventually died.

Anyawuth said that when rescuers asked Phichet if he wanted his wife to keep talking to him, he said he would meet her by himself when he was freed.

Rescue worker Naphat Klom-kliang said he felt sorry that people had died but he regarded the mission a success.

"We finally retrieved all of them and sent them home, although not all of them were retrieved alive," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Two-building-officials-set-to-surrender-30241043.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-16

[ChrisY1]

Did the Cambodians receive any compensation?

[johna]

Will any local government officials who gave planning permission, or the Building Control Surveyor's be called in for questioning..

[o2eZy]

We have just had a house built in Pak Kret and the standard of workmanship is non existent...have had the plumbing redone 3 times and got the shits with the constant leaks so I redid it myself

cement render is cracking and there are not too many square walls in the place...wall to wall wardrobes and have to place fillets at each end and they go from zero to 20mm at the top

shower floor unreal can't explain why they have the fall on the opposite side of the drain

builder just won't come back to rectify these problems under warranty .......

[trainman34014]

We have just had a house built in Pak Kret and the standard of workmanship is non existent...have had the plumbing redone 3 times and got the shits with the constant leaks so I redid it myself

cement render is cracking and there are not too many square walls in the place...wall to wall wardrobes and have to place fillets at each end and they go from zero to 20mm at the top

shower floor unreal can't explain why they have the fall on the opposite side of the drain

builder just won't come back to rectify these problems under warranty .......

There should be an office in your local Amphur that can help you with problems like this. You have to get your wife/gf to get in there and start asking questions about who to talk to.

Whatever happens never expect square walls, they don't even have a clue what you mean !

[elgordo38]

When I lived in a village in Phitsanulok with my g/f her mother was building a large store and whatever building. I could never figure out what she needed with 600 square metres. We had an apartment over the original store. The building was built in three stages and we lived in stage one. By the time the contractor got to stage two it was the rainy season and water was pouring in through the living room, kitchen, bedroom ceilings and the balcony ceiling collapsed. The water shorted out our fuse panel and was also seeping in around the windows. The rainy season was especially heavy that year. The bathroom floor was slanted away from the drain and had little dips where the water collected after showering. We laid the large tile and the rows along the edge were a complete full tile but by the time the reached the end of the room they narrowed down to nothing. As my g/f's mother was divorced and had no man (I could not speak Thai and had no financial interest in the bldg.) each time she complained to the builder he told her she was crazy. I moved out just before the building was finished as my g/f and I had come to a parting of the ways and all I could see in the future were bldg. problems and requests for money to fix their nightmare. That was all the kick in the arse I needed

[mango66]

We have just had a house built in Pak Kret and the standard of workmanship is non existent...have had the plumbing redone 3 times and got the shits with the constant leaks so I redid it myself

cement render is cracking and there are not too many square walls in the place...wall to wall wardrobes and have to place fillets at each end and they go from zero to 20mm at the top

shower floor unreal can't explain why they have the fall on the opposite side of the drain

builder just won't come back to rectify these problems under warranty .......

dont you know a good traditional Thai house have never straight walls !

Ayuthaya style at least :-))

[Artisi]

We have just had a house built in Pak Kret and the standard of workmanship is non existent...have had the plumbing redone 3 times and got the shits with the constant leaks so I redid it myself

cement render is cracking and there are not too many square walls in the place...wall to wall wardrobes and have to place fillets at each end and they go from zero to 20mm at the top

shower floor unreal can't explain why they have the fall on the opposite side of the drain

builder just won't come back to rectify these problems under warranty .......

You should be well aware that floor drains must always (in Thailand) be located at the highest point of the floor.

[Lite Beer]

Owner of fallen condo compensates victims with 1 million baht

BANGKOK, 16 August 2014 (NNT) – Injured victims of the recent collapse of a condominium building in Pathum Thani and relatives of the dead will receive compensation worth 1 million baht in total from the project owner while one more engineer has reported himself to the police.

Governor of Pathum Thani Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun has accepted 1 million baht worth of compensation money from the owner of the collapsed U-Place Condominium in order to begin its distribution to all the victims. Out of the total, 55,000 baht will be paid to the family of each of the 14 people killed in the accident and the rest will be given to the wounded to cover their costs of treatment.

Concurrently, the Pathum Thani Social Security Office is also paying for medical expenses of the injured at not more than 300,000 baht per person. Another amount of 30,000 baht is being given to the families of the deceased for their funeral expenses.

Meanwhile, Mr Jira Khanman, the foreman of the condominium project, has come forward to the police after arrest warrants were issued for all involved. Mr Jira’s lawyer claimed he was in great distress following the accident as some of those killed were his colleagues. He was reportedly not at the construction site on the day as he was sick.

Chief of the National Council for Peace and Order Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha recently expressed his condolences over the tragedy, which claimed 14 lives and caused 25 injuries. He said the NCPO had been coordinating assistance for the victims from the beginning and would thoroughly investigate the accident in a bid to prevent its reoccurrence.

-- NNT 2014-08-16

[lvr181]

Owner of fallen condo compensates victims with 1 million baht

BANGKOK, 16 August 2014 (NNT) – Injured victims of the recent collapse of a condominium building in Pathum Thani and relatives of the dead will receive compensation worth 1 million baht in total from the project owner while one more engineer has reported himself to the police.

Governor of Pathum Thani Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun has accepted 1 million baht worth of compensation money from the owner of the collapsed U-Place Condominium in order to begin its distribution to all the victims. Out of the total, 55,000 baht will be paid to the family of each of the 14 people killed in the accident and the rest will be given to the wounded to cover their costs of treatment.

Concurrently, the Pathum Thani Social Security Office is also paying for medical expenses of the injured at not more than 300,000 baht per person. Another amount of 30,000 baht is being given to the families of the deceased for their funeral expenses.

Meanwhile, Mr Jira Khanman, the foreman of the condominium project, has come forward to the police after arrest warrants were issued for all involved. Mr Jira’s lawyer claimed he was in great distress following the accident as some of those killed were his colleagues. He was reportedly not at the construction site on the day as he was sick.

Chief of the National Council for Peace and Order Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha recently expressed his condolences over the tragedy, which claimed 14 lives and caused 25 injuries. He said the NCPO had been coordinating assistance for the victims from the beginning and would thoroughly investigate the accident in a bid to prevent its reoccurrence.

-- NNT 2014-08-16

Must not only "prevent its re-occurence" but SEVERELY punish those who, collectively, allowed it to happen! Maybe, just maybe then it will not occur again.

[retell]

Sound like a attempted pay out for the owners ,

Do not know how it works here but even if the families / injured not press charges doesnt the state or something anyway to bring those wrongdoers to court ?

[NCC1701A]

ok now that we got that non sense out of the way, lets see how much of this rubble we can salvage to use in construction of the building and lets get back on schedule. and get all these crying women and children out of here, it is getting on my nerves.

Edited August 16, 2014 by NCC1701A

[fatfather]

We have just had a house built in Pak Kret and the standard of workmanship is non existent...have had the plumbing redone 3 times and got the shits with the constant leaks so I redid it myself

cement render is cracking and there are not too many square walls in the place...wall to wall wardrobes and have to place fillets at each end and they go from zero to 20mm at the top

shower floor unreal can't explain why they have the fall on the opposite side of the drain

builder just won't come back to rectify these problems under warranty .......

You failed to keep a certain amount of money back. The full sum is paid, after you are happy with the quality. If you don't do this, you have no "power" to make the builder come back and care for issues... I took this lessen as well

Fatfather

[Mitker]

Owner of fallen condo compensates victims with 1 million baht

BANGKOK, 16 August 2014 (NNT) – Injured victims of the recent collapse of a condominium building in Pathum Thani and relatives of the dead will receive compensation worth 1 million baht in total from the project owner while one more engineer has reported himself to the police.

Governor of Pathum Thani Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun has accepted 1 million baht worth of compensation money from the owner of the collapsed U-Place Condominium in order to begin its distribution to all the victims. Out of the total, 55,000 baht will be paid to the family of each of the 14 people killed in the accident and the rest will be given to the wounded to cover their costs of treatment.

(...)

I naively believed it was 1 million per victim (a fraction of the tag price of any unit built). Thinking: "it's still cheap for a life but better than other cases"

Well, it's not better

[ratcatcher]

Owner of fallen condo compensates victims with 1 million baht

BANGKOK, 16 August 2014 (NNT) – Injured victims of the recent collapse of a condominium building in Pathum Thani and relatives of the dead will receive compensation worth 1 million baht in total from the project owner while one more engineer has reported himself to the police.

Governor of Pathum Thani Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun has accepted 1 million baht worth of compensation money from the owner of the collapsed U-Place Condominium in order to begin its distribution to all the victims. Out of the total, 55,000 baht will be paid to the family of each of the 14 people killed in the accident and the rest will be given to the wounded to cover their costs of treatment.

(...)

I naively believed it was 1 million per victim (a fraction of the tag price of any unit built). Thinking: "it's still cheap for a life but better than other cases"

Well, it's not better

Well, it's not better

As you know, Mitker, some Thais have no shame. That is about 1000 pounds sterling for a life. Or the cost of a set of wheels for her Benz.

All we can do is wait and wonder whether the neighboring condos built for the same owner and maybe by the same contractor will, at some point, collapse.

[Valentine]

Sound like a attempted pay out for the owners ,

Do not know how it works here but even if the families / injured not press charges doesnt the state or something anyway to bring those wrongdoers to court ?

There is civil law & criminal law. The civil side has been taken care of once compensation has been paid out but the police can still file criminal charges although that does not usually seem to happen here once payments have been made (possibly the police get asked "nicely" not to file charges).

[Robby nz]

That's from the owner so now what about the contractor ?

He has said he had some urgent business to attend to in Cambodia (as soon as it collapsed) and would be back soon.

The workers have said that he has not paid them some of their wages.

Lets hope he will pay them what they are owed plus a similar compensation package to that given by the owner.

Not taking bets on it though.

[monk213]

We have just had a house built in Pak Kret and the standard of workmanship is non existent...have had the plumbing redone 3 times and got the shits with the constant leaks so I redid it myself

cement render is cracking and there are not too many square walls in the place...wall to wall wardrobes and have to place fillets at each end and they go from zero to 20mm at the top

shower floor unreal can't explain why they have the fall on the opposite side of the drain

builder just won't come back to rectify these problems under warranty .......

wow that sounds like you got really screwed over big time, I mean we have all heard of bad workmanship but that is pretty astonishing. One reason among many why I will not purchase property here under any circumstances, so much can go wrong. Anyway good luck with rectifying it all

[retell]

Sound like a attempted pay out for the owners ,

Do not know how it works here but even if the families / injured not press charges doesnt the state or something anyway to bring those wrongdoers to court ?

There is civil law & criminal law. The civil side has been taken care of once compensation has been paid out but the police can still file criminal charges although that does not usually seem to happen here once payments have been made (possibly the police get asked "nicely" not to file charges).

And thats another thing mr gen. Prayuth can look into .

[robertthebruce]

I thought it was one million baht each !!! But no, how sad is that, I always say life is cheap in Thailand and this takes the biscuit...

R.I.P. To the deceased......

[Benmart]

I pray that another significant earthquake does not strike again. I wonder how my eight-story, five-year-old condo will fare.

After reading, seeing and experiencing construction standards here, I can only hope that I am outside when it does.

RIP to the dead and condolences to the familes.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Someone else in one of the earlier threads on this topic noted the same family name between one of the builder executives involved here and the former Thai police Lt. General who was sentenced to death for murder related to the Saudi gems cases...but later pardoned and released from prison in 2013. That prior post suggested a family connection, but I don't have any info on that.

Provincial police chief Maj-General Smithi Mukdasanit said Chanaichon Kerdthes, an executive with the condominium's owner Plook Plang Co Ltd,

Chalor Kerdthes handed a 20-year jail term for embezzling some of the stolen Saudi gems

The Criminal Court yesterday convicted former police commissioner Chalor Kerdthes (ชะลอ เกิดเทศ) of embezzlement in connection with the Saudi jewelry theft and sentenced him to 20 years in jail.

The court found Chalor had abused his authority by embezzling some of the jewelries while he was investigating the theft case.

Another defendant, Rittisart Kaewdej (ฤทธิศาสตร์ แก้วเดช) was handed a seven-year imprisonment but this jail term was reduced to four years and eight months because he gave useful information during police interrogations.

Three other defendants were acquitted, one is still at large and one had died.

Chalor had already been sentenced to death by the Appeals Court for murdering the wife and son of jeweler Santi Srithanakhan (สันติ ศรีธนะขันธ์).

Reporter : KUNSIRI OLARIKKACHAT
News Date : 30 June 2006

http://202.47.224.92/en/news.php?id=254906300001

Edited August 17, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[tingtongteesood]

A million baht is but a mere slap on the wrists to these people. They should be fined at least a million per person and pay for the kids education through university. They should also be levied a huge fine to go into a government pot to be used for good causes.

[connda]

Sound like a attempted pay out for the owners ,

Do not know how it works here but even if the families / injured not press charges doesnt the state or something anyway to bring those wrongdoers to court ?

There is civil law & criminal law. The civil side has been taken care of once compensation has been paid out but the police can still file criminal charges although that does not usually seem to happen here once payments have been made (possibly the police get asked "nicely" not to file charges).

Whoopie. A life is worth about $1750 US. If the victims family were smart, they refuse the money and file civil charges. There's gotta be some sharks lawyers in Thailand who smell blood in the water. But then again, maybe the courts think a life is only worth 20000 baht. TIT.

[12DrinkMore]

There are two currencies bandied around in Thailand.

We have the wage earners and the poor, who talk in terms of twenty baht, fifty baht or seventy baht, and we have the rich.

The rich deal in another currency among themselves, 1 million, 5 million, 10 million. These are the "lan guys".

The "lan guys" naturally also deal everyday with their employees and eat food at the same places.

Somehow the "lan guys" can pull a context switch, and suddenly find that 60 Baht is way too much, the price should be 40 Baht.

And then they knock over the switch and they are back in the "one lan" context.

But a "non-lan-guy" shall never deal in the "lan-currency".

It is back to the 40 Baht currency,

And "4 pan" is a helluva lot, and don't forget it.

[ezzra]

The bigger the payout is, the bigger the guilt....