Authorities in Thailand have initiated severe legal and administrative actions against Italian-Thai Development, one of the nation's largest construction firms, following two fatal crane collapses within a 48-hour period. On Thursday, a crane used for an expressway project in the Bangkok suburb of Samut Sakhon collapsed onto the Rama II Road, resulting in two deaths. Video footage of the incident captured the moment the heavy machinery crashed onto the highway, crushing vehicles and creating a large cloud of debris.
This latest tragedy occurred just one day after a separate crane accident in Nakhon Ratchasima province, where a crane fell onto a moving train. That incident resulted in 32 deaths and left more than 60 people injured. The State Railway of Thailand has announced its intention to sue the construction company in relation to the train disaster. In response to the recurring safety failures, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that he would address the issue of negligence by ordering the transport ministry to revoke existing contracts and blacklist the firm from future state projects.
Italian-Thai Development issued a statement to the Thai stock exchange expressing condolences to the victims and their families. The company stated that it accepts full responsibility for compensation and is currently assessing damages. Furthermore, the firm pledged to review and implement more stringent safety measures to prevent future occurrences. Despite these assurances, the Prime Minister described the accidents as shocking to the public and a massive risk to the safety of citizens and their property.
The Rama II Road, where Thursday’s collapse took place, has been the site of numerous accidents during its ongoing improvement project. Over the past seven years, approximately 150 people have died during construction work on the route connecting Bangkok to the south. The frequency of these incidents has led some local reports to refer to the stretch of highway as "Death Road," highlighting a broader concern regarding the enforcement of safety standards in the country’s construction sector.
This is not the first time Italian-Thai Development has faced scrutiny over safety and professional standards. Last year, several of the company’s engineers, designers, and its president were charged with professional negligence following the collapse of a Bangkok skyscraper during an earthquake. While no other buildings in the city fell during that seismic event, the company-managed site failed, leading to legal repercussions that preceded this week's double disasters.
