The Ministry of Transport has set up two panels to look into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of a wall and roof of the new service hall at Don Mueang airport during a storm on Monday.

Deputy permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry Pisak Jitviriyavasin, said today (Wednesday) that one panel will look into the structural engineering aspect and the other will examine the construction contract.

Pisak said that he has instructed Airports of Thailand (AOT), which oversees operations at the airport, to check all buildings to make sure that they are safe before the arrival of the rainy season.

The damaged service hall was completed in June 2020, but is yet to open for use. Damage is initially estimated at 20 million baht.

AOT Vice President for engineering and construction, Kerati Kijmanawat, said that the collapse of the wall is initially believed to be related to a twist in a beam between two pillars, which supports the guttering, caused by the excess weight of rain water during the storm on Monday.

He said the area has been cordoned off to allow engineers from the Engineering Institute of Thailand to survey the damage and the structure of the building.

He maintains that the building is still within its warranty period and the contractor is obliged to undertake the repairs.