Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that the tragic crane collapse at a high-speed rail construction site in Nakhon Ratchasima today, in which 22 people lost their lives, must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible held accountable.
The priority, he stated, is to determine the cause of the accident. If the contractors are found to be at fault, they must face the full consequences.
"When such incidents occur, there must be consequences. Someone must be punished for failing to oversee the project properly," he said.
Anutin noted that the high-speed rail construction project has encountered multiple issues, including a previous tunnel collapse.
He was referring to an incident in 2024. Three people, including a Chinese engineer, were killed when a tunnel, being constructed for the China-Thailand high-speed railway project in the same province, collapsed and trapped them inside.
Stressing that the cause of the incident is still under investigation, the prime minister emphasised that it is crucial to understand why this construction is deviating from its planned design.
"Such incidents occur when proper steps are not taken or the process is not followed correctly," he added.
When asked whether construction would proceed, Anutin stated that, after a tragedy of this scale, the contractor should halt construction, submit a report and propose a plan for compensation.
He added that penalties for delays are already in place, but the government’s current focus is on assessing the damage and preventing further losses.
Anutin suggested that the investigation could lead to legal action, including the possible blacklisting of the contractor by the Ministry of Transport or the Comptroller General's Department.
"The SRT must also be held accountable and we have assigned transport minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn to handle the situation on-site," he added.
With the general election just over three weeks away, he stressed that the tragedy must not be politicised, urging that the focus must remain on the immediate relief efforts for the victims.
"I cannot stop politicians from discussing it, but this is not a political issue. It is a technical one. Instead of focusing on the damage, some are turning it into a political debate. Let’s not use this as a political tool,” he said.
