Bangkok: Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, witnessed the disbursement of humanitarian aid to 21 individuals affected by an earthquake that led to the collapse of the new Office of the Auditor General building. The event took place at the Lawyers Council of Thailand, where several key figures, including Mr. Sunthorn Payak, Secretary-General of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, and Mr. Songkram Sakunpram, Vice President of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, were present.
According to Thai News Agency, the ITD-CREC Joint Venture, which includes Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Company Limited, has coordinated with the Ministry of Justice and the Lawyers Council of Thailand to provide initial humanitarian assistance. This measure was taken despite the absence of an official conclusion on the collapse's cause from the Fact-Finding Committee on the Construction of the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand or the Investigation Team. The Lawyers Council and other agencies acted as mediators to establish criteria for disbursing aid to the deceased and injured individuals.
The Lawyers Council issued an order on 7 May 2568 to appoint a committee to oversee the disbursement process. The committee, comprising representatives from various agencies, expedited the first round of aid payments to 21 affected individuals. Families of the 12 deceased received 1,000,000 baht each, while the 9 injured received 200,000 baht each.
Individuals eligible for further aid can apply through the Lawyers Council under Royal Patronage. They are encouraged to submit the necessary documents to expedite the process. For inquiries, Mr. Phirat Phaphaphiwatchai and Ms. Malinee Wacharalin can be contacted for assistance.
Mr. Sunthorn Payak, Secretary-General of the Lawyers Council, emphasized that the aid distribution is humanitarian and unrelated to any ongoing legal cases. Affected individuals can still seek assistance from other relevant agencies.
Mr. Suphamit Watanoppakun, representing CREC Number 10 Co., Ltd., addressed misinformation circulating on social media regarding relief documents. He confirmed that the relief efforts aim to alleviate the suffering of those affected and are not intended to influence any legal proceedings.
Mr. Kriangsak Kowattana, Senior Executive Vice President of the ITD-CREC Joint Venture, noted that DNA verification is required for several deceased individuals to ensure accuracy. While assistance has been provided to 21 individuals, efforts to aid others will continue, even beyond the initial 30-day period.