Bangkok: The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has announced the possibility of providing compensation of 1 million baht per deceased person following a recent construction incident. The acting governor of SRT emphasized the need for strict oversight on the remaining construction contracts with Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Anan Pothinimdaeng, Deputy Governor and Acting Governor of the SRT, stated that after any incident, it is crucial to investigate and resolve the cause. The SRT plans to review the remaining contracts with Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited, ensuring stringent controls. Additionally, CCTV cameras will be installed at the site of the incident, and the SRT's central committee is set to convene this morning to discuss the issue further.
Mr. Anan provided insight into the incident involving a 400-ton construction crane. He noted that if the crane had been correctly installed, trains could have passed through without issue. The incident involved the failure of crane supports, which resulted in the collapse onto train carriages and the death of an Italian-Thai construction supervisor.
The acting governor also mentioned the involvement of China Railway, which holds 10 contracts to design and oversee the high-speed rail construction. Normally, design and construction are handled by separate entities, but China Railway manages both to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology to local staff.
Responding to the Prime Minister's directive, Mr. Anan affirmed that the proposed compensation of 1 million baht per deceased person is feasible. The SRT is committed to expediting the compensation process and examining the legal avenues to hold the construction concessionaire responsible, aiming to conclude this within 15 days.