Bangkok: The Minister of Justice, in collaboration with Italian-Thai Development Co., Ltd. and China Railway Co., Ltd., has prepared over 95 million baht to compensate individuals affected by the collapse of the new Office of the Auditor General building. The compensation will be disbursed immediately upon the completion of necessary documentation.
According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, the Minister of Justice, along with Pol. Maj. Col. Yuthana Phraedam, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Somkuan Phuengtrakul, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, convened a meeting with Dr. Wichian Chupthaisong, President of the Lawyers Council, and representatives from Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Company Limited. The meeting, held at the Department of Special Investigation building, aimed to discuss humanitarian relief efforts for those affected by the building collapse.
Pol. Col. Thawee stated that the discussions centered around providing humanitarian assistance to the relatives of the deceased and the injured. He emphasized that this financial aid is separate from any criminal or civil proceedings and is not connected to the legal case.
Pol. Maj. Col. Yuthana explained that the proposed assistance includes 1 million baht for each deceased person and 200,000 baht for each injured individual, excluding medical expenses. He noted that the criminal case is proceeding according to the law, with charges being filed, but the accused retains the right to contest the case.
Mr. Kriangsak Kowatana, a representative from Italian-Thai Development, confirmed that they have been proactive since the incident occurred. A command center was established at the scene to communicate with the relatives of the victims. Initial compensation, including financial aid for funeral expenses, has been provided to those verified by forensic science. Mr. Kriangsak emphasized the importance of verifying the eligibility of recipients to prevent fraudulent claims.
The plan is to provide compensation for a total of 103 individuals, comprising 94 deceased and 9 injured. The Lawyers Council will assist in screening legal documents to ensure the proper allocation of funds.
Dr. Wichian highlighted the required documentation for receiving compensation, which includes identification cards, house registration, police reports, death certificates or medical treatment certificates, and proof of legal ties. The council is also working with the Thai Embassy in Myanmar to facilitate DNA or identity verification for the relatives of deceased or missing persons.
Pol Maj Gen Somkhwan added that a center for identifying victims has been established at the Police General Hospital’s Forensic Science Institute. To date, 60 bodies have been confirmed, with 54 identified and 43 returned to their families.