Bangkok: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has officially announced the closure of the Chatuchak District Command Center, following the collapse of the Office of the Auditor General building. Effective May 15, personnel and machinery will be withdrawn from the area, though police will continue to secure the site and collect evidence until the end of the month.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, along with key officials, held a press conference to outline the closure process. The command center had been operational for 48 days, coordinating search and rescue missions following the building's collapse due to an earthquake on March 28. Ms. Pattakorn Sinsuk, Director of Chatuchak District, stated that the situation has normalized, allowing for the center's closure and the removal of heavy machinery, which may disrupt traffic temporarily.
Governor Sittipunt emphasized that Bangkok will notify relevant agencies about the closure and remains open to providing further support if needed. Pol. Col. Watee Aswutmangkur from the Central Institute of Forensic Science reported that 89 bodies have been received, and identification work continues. Efforts are in place to identify body parts that cannot be matched to relatives, primarily due to some relatives being overseas.
Evidence collection has been a collaborative effort between forensic teams and the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning, resulting in the accumulation of 603 pieces of evidence from collapsed structures. Additionally, samples from buildings that remained intact have been collected for further analysis.
The Royal Thai Police will maintain control over the collapsed building site and a nearby cement pile until specified dates to allow for further evidence collection. Professional engineers are continuing to gather samples from the site for analysis.
Mr. Suriyachai Rawiwan of the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office highlighted the gradual withdrawal of personnel and machinery. Deputy Governor Assoc. Prof. Thawida Kamolvech discussed the extensive financial impact, noting that most assistance requests involved home repair materials, amounting to 176 million baht. Fuel costs alone reached up to 6,000 liters per day, with daily expenses around 200,000 baht over the operation period.
The operation's cost remains significant, with ongoing calculations required to assess the total expenditure, excluding equipment damage and repair costs. Italian-Thai Development has pledged to cover some expenses, and additional budget requests have been submitted to the Comptroller General's Department.