Bangkok: Kritchanon agrees with the decision to halt work by Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited following two major tragedies. He emphasizes that immediate contract termination must be clearly defined and considers the impact on the public, risking project delays of over a year. He urges the government to clarify its approach and calls for the establishment of a consistent standard for similar cases, particularly regarding the road collapse on the Purple Line. He points out that if Sino-Thai Development Public Company Limited is at fault, its contract should also be terminated. Finally, he thanks Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited for continuing the "Contractor's Handbook" measure to strictly control safety standards.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Kritchanon Aiyapanya, Deputy Spokesperson of the Pheu Thai Party, revealed that he thanked the government for continuing and implementing the Contractor Handbook measure that the Pheu Thai Party had initiated. He stated that this measure would allow for better supervision and control of contractors who win bids for various government projects, and would provide appropriate penalties for contractors who violate regulations, such as downgrading their classification, blacklisting, deducting points, revoking bidding rights, and placing them on a list of contractors who abandon projects.
In light of the two tragic events, namely the collapse of a construction crane on January 14, 2026, during the first phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project (Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima section, contracts 3-4, civil works between Lam Ta Khong-Sikhiu and Kut Chik-Kok Kruat), resulting in 32 fatalities, and the subsequent collapse of a steel structure from the M82 motorway onto Rama 2 Road, killing two motorists, both projects commissioned by Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited, I would like to express my deepest condolences once again to the families of the deceased.
Meanwhile, regarding the government's recent order to temporarily halt construction on all 15 projects, I "agree" with this order. During this time, relevant agencies must conduct rigorous engineering inspections to ensure public confidence in road usage and, most importantly, prioritize public safety.
Mr. Kritchanon further stated that regarding the order to "immediately cancel" the two contracts involved in the incidents, without any prior management of the incident sites-such as demolition, restoration of road surfaces and railway lines-and without a conclusion on the next steps, he believes the government should prioritize the public's benefit and manage the situation with the utmost safety. Canceling the contracts would require a new bidding process for contractors and other procedures, potentially delaying construction by approximately one year. This would impact public services and transportation. The government should clarify its approach to the situation for the public's awareness.
However, if the government insists on terminating the contracts with Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited on these two projects, it should also consider other incidents to ensure fairness and establish a precedent in Thailand. Specifically, it should consider terminating the contract with Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Public Company Limited, the contractor for the Purple Line (Tao Poon - Rat Burana (Kanchanaphisek Ring Road)) project, specifically the section on Sam Sen Road in front of Vajira Hospital where a road collapse occurred on September 24, 2025. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul promised in the House of Representatives on October 2, 2025, that the repairs would be expedited and the road surface restored by October 9, 2025. However, four months later, the work is still incomplete, and the road surface has not been restored for normal traffic.
Mr. Kritchanon further stated that if the Pheu Thai Party forms a government, they will ensure a thorough investigation of all construction contracts. They will also amend and push forward the entire construction system to ensure compliance with legal requirements, including implementing stricter penalties. Furthermore, all bidding processes will incorporate a price-performance ratio to enhance construction safety. They will also integrate technology into all construction projects, such as vibration and tilt sensors and CCTV cameras.