Bangkok: An 85-year-old engineer has been identified as one of the individuals who signed off on the design of the State Audit Office building, which collapsed. The engineer insists he had no prior knowledge of the incident. A spokesman from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has requested the engineer to provide information and prepare as a witness if he is not involved.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Somkiat Chusangsuk, Chairman of the Subcommittee of the Engineering Clinic at the Engineering Institute of Thailand, recently met with the Minister of Justice and discussed the issue of a forged signature on the construction oversight documents of the collapsed Office of the Auditor General building. The DSI has discovered that the name on the design documents belongs to an 85-year-old engineer working at a design company in Bangkok. The engineer has denied any involvement, stating he has not been involved in any designs for a long time and advised inquiries be directed to the company. The design company, located on Petchburi Road, was closed with no staff available for comment.
Pol. Lt. Col. Woranan Srilam, the DSI spokesman, stated that the investigation is ongoing, with Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, personally overseeing the proceedings. The DSI is examining the list of engineers whose signatures may have been forged and is working to identify the actual designer responsible for the altered building plans. The 85-year-old engineer, who asserts no involvement, has been asked to collaborate with the investigation. For now, he remains innocent as evidence is still being gathered. The DSI urges him to provide factual details to help identify the true designer behind the building's design.
