The Police Chief acknowledged that from now on, if the Royal Thai Police Office has construction projects, it must carefully consider cooperation with the "major" companies in Thailand's construction industry to ensure the safety of police and the public.
On 19 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Police General Kittirat Phanphet, the Police Chief, provided an update on the investigations into two serious construction-related accidents: a crane collapse onto a passenger train in Sikhio District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and a crane collapse onto a private vehicle in Bangkok. Both incidents caused injuries and fatalities. It was found that both projects were being carried out by Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited.
Police General Kittirat said that after the incidents, he convened a meeting of the investigation team to set working guidelines, stressing thorough collection of evidence and data from the period before the accidents. This aims to analyze and determine whether the cause was due to individual negligence, machinery deterioration, or procedural lapses, which will clarify whether the accidents were unavoidable or due to carelessness.
The Police Chief also addressed private sector contractors, urging them to prioritize the safety of people's lives and property and not focus solely on business profits.
"Repeated incidents involving the same company at different locations and times are a significant issue that the investigators have included in the case files. I earnestly urge contractors to take maximum precautions before starting any business because when losses occur, police must initiate legal proceedings, which no one wants to see happen," Police General Kittirat said.
"This is a matter no one wishes to experience," added Police General Kittirat.
Regarding ties to the Royal Thai Police Office, Police General Kittirat clarified that currently there are no ongoing construction projects with the mentioned private company, but acknowledged past completed projects such as police housing buildings and flats. Concerning the Immigration Bureau's Personnel Development and Welfare Training Center, which reportedly was built by that company and affected by the 2024 earthquake, he stated he was not fully aware of the details as the project was approved before his tenure began.
However, the Police Chief confirmed that due to these repeated incidents, future contracting decisions will be affected. If the Royal Thai Police Office enters into contracts with this private company, safety measures will be thoroughly reviewed and tightened to prevent recurring hazards.