Bangkok: The Minister of Justice visited the area to find evidence in the nominee case of the construction of the Office of the Auditor General building. Minister of Justice visits to find evidence in nominee case, expanding on 4 construction contracts of 2 giant companies, overseeing the construction of the Office of the Auditor General building.
According to Thai News Agency, at 10.15 am, Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, along with Pol. Col. Yuthana Praedam, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), went to the collapsed Office of the Auditor General building to collect evidence to prosecute China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited. These are two large construction contractors involved in the nominee case, which includes the forged signatures of high-ranking engineers overseeing the construction, now accepted by the DSI as a special case.
Pol. Col. Thawee emphasized the need for all agencies to work together to search for victims trapped inside the wreckage. Legally, the police have initially charged the contractors with reckless causing death, marking it as a criminal case. The DSI is investigating the nominee case and will expand the investigation to the case of bidding for materials to the government. If offenses related to the government are discovered, the NACC will be involved. The DSI's visit aims to gather witnesses and evidence, including crucial contract documents divided into four categories: structural design, supervision, design changes, and construction. Three of these contracts remain under investigation.
The DSI's coordination has improved, allowing for smoother operations. Experts in building construction are assisting in gathering information to clarify the responsibilities of each officer involved. This process aims to build public confidence in the authorities' work.
Regarding the forgery of Mr. Somkiat's signature, a high-ranking engineer, the DSI has collected the necessary information. Investigators are comparing the real and fake signatures, with results expected within 1-2 weeks, to be used in the nominee case file.
The DSI is focused on completing the nominee case investigation before expanding to the government bidding case. The Ministry of Commerce is urged to verify the facts actively.
In terms of additional contracts, no Chinese company involvement has been found yet. The DSI has not obtained all the evidence, except for the construction contract involving a Chinese company.
If offenses are confirmed, investigators will decide on issuing summons or arrest warrants. Currently, no such actions have been taken. However, authorities assure that there is no delay, and efforts will be made to track and prosecute any suspects who flee.