Charges filed after Rama II Road beam collapse tragedy

The Thai Ministry of Transport and the Expressway Authority (Exat) have taken legal action against a contractor. This follows a tragic accident where a beam collapsed on the Rama III-Dao Khanong Expressway last Saturday, leading to six deaths and 24 injuries. On Friday, officials from the Ministry and Exat filed civil and criminal charges against the contractor responsible for the construction project. The collapse affected a 15-meter section of the expressway's Dao Khanong exit ramp, closing outbound lanes. However, the inbound toll plaza on the Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway, which was also damaged, reopened on Thursday. A committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the collapse. They will review construction materials, equipment, and work processes. The investigation is expected to take 20 days and will include laboratory testing. The Department of Special Investigation is also looking into the procurement process for the project, which costs 7 to 8 billion baht. If negligence is found, those responsible could face severe penalties. Offenders might face up to 10 years in prison and fines of 200,000 baht for causing deaths. For serious injuries, they could face up to three years in prison and a fine of 60,000 baht. Meanwhile, the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) and the Lawyers Council are looking for ways to help the victims of this incident. The TCC highlighted that there have been over 2,500 construction-related accidents on Rama II Road since it was built in 1973. These accidents have resulted in 144 deaths and injuries to 1,400 people. Officials are urging for better construction quality and supervision on projects along this road.