Bangkok: The Deputy National Police Chief has clarified the controversy surrounding the unfinished staircase that penetrates the ceiling at Sutthisan Police Station, attributing the situation to certain conditions. He likened it to a disaster where no one is blamed and announced plans to impose daily fines on the contractor involved. The contracting parties for the project are the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and China Railway Public Company Limited.
According to Thai News Agency, social media criticism surfaced after images of the staircase construction in the new Sutthisan Police Station building showed it enclosed by a ceiling and light fixtures, rendering it unusable. On March 30th, at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters, Pol. Gen. Kornchai Klaiklung, Deputy Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police and head of administrative affairs, clarified the issue. He explained the reasons for the delay in the construction project, which has extended over two years.
Pol. Gen. Korachai stated that the building has not officially opened yet. The images of the cordoned-off staircase area were temporary ceiling installations, not permanent walls. This measure was necessary due to homeless individuals sleeping inside and theft of items. The contractor cordoned off the area to prevent unauthorized access to the unfinished upper floors.
The Deputy Commissioner General urged those who posted the images to exercise discretion and verify facts before disseminating them to criticize the Royal Thai Police.
Regarding the construction delay, Pol. Lt. Gen. Korachai highlighted the main issue as the inability to connect the electrical system to the building. The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) is currently working on burying power lines underground along Ratchadaphisek-Rama 9 Road. As a member of the MEA board, he noted that this process is in the Terms of Reference (TOR) stage, necessitating a wait for the completion of the undergrounding process before connecting electrical wiring to the new police station.
Addressing the project's delay beyond the contract schedule, Pol. Gen. Korachai clarified that the Police Logistics Department of the Royal Thai Police is not at fault, and all construction plans were correctly designed by the police's team of engineers and architects. He assured that if the delay is due to the contractor's fault, daily fines will be imposed as per the contract. External factors like electrical system connection issues from other agencies or force majeure will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and thorough inspections will precede handover.
When asked about blame concerning the electrical system installation, Pol. Gen. Korachai rhetorically questioned, "Who's to blame for COVID-19, natural disasters, or the tsunami?" He emphasized understanding exceptions to the problem and affirmed that any wrongdoing would result in penalties and the establishment of an investigation committee as per regulations.
Regarding China Railway Public Company Limited's involvement as a joint venture contractor, the Deputy Commissioner of Police expressed surprise at the company's name appearing. However, he was unaware of the company's other projects with the Royal Thai Police. He affirmed his commitment to expediting project delivery within specified timeframes and closely supervising all projects, even those with contracts signed before his tenure.