The Ombudsman held an intensive meeting with government agencies, urging safety measures at construction and road maintenance sites to stop repeated tragedies.
On 12 February 2026, Mr. Songsak Saichue, Chairman of the Ombudsman, expressed deep concern over crane collapse accidents at construction projects in the Rama 2 and Sikhio areas, which have directly affected public confidence in the safety of government construction projects.
Yesterday (11 Feb), an urgent meeting was held with Mr. Jirapong Thepphitak, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, and relevant agencies to accelerate discussions and monitor progress in implementing the Ombudsman's rulings and recommendations regarding safety management for construction and road maintenance works. This followed several severe accidents in state construction projects resulting in many casualties. The meeting took place at meeting rooms 901-902, Ombudsman Office, Government Complex Commemorating His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday, Zone C, Bangkok.
The Ombudsman Chairman revealed that this meeting was a follow-up on the Ombudsman's ruling dated 29 September 2025, which provided key recommendations to relevant agencies following fatal crane collapse incidents at Rama 2 and the high-speed railway project in Sikhio. The focus was on four main points covering all aspects to elevate safety measures in construction and road maintenance projects to align with actual risks. On 11 February, discussions were held with Mr. Jirapong Thepphitak, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport; Mr. Piyapong Jiwattanakulpaisan, Director-General of the Department of Highways; Ms. Patricia Mongkolwanich, Director-General of the Comptroller General's Department; Mr. Theerapat Kachamat, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; Professor Dr. Amorn Pimanmas, President of the Structural Engineers Association of Thailand; and related agencies including the State Railway of Thailand, Expressway Authority of Thailand, Department of Rural Roads, Council of Engineers, Engineering Institute of Thailand under Royal Patronage, Royal Thai Police, and Samut Sakhon Provincial Police.
The follow-up meeting found that currently the Ministry of Transport, Department of Highways, Expressway Authority of Thailand, Comptroller General's Department, and related agencies have acted in accordance with the Ombudsman's rulings and recommendations in four areas as follows.
1. Recommendations regarding allocation of safety budgets for high-risk road construction projects. Currently, the Department of Highways has revised contracts for large construction projects in the 2026 fiscal year to enhance risk management measures and set budgets for basic safety equipment at increased and sufficient proportions. This will raise the safety budget to 2.5% of the project value. Safety signage and equipment requirements have been expanded, with costs calculated based on actual installed items. This approach will be applied to all projects in the 2027 fiscal year.
Additionally, for projects with accident risks due to conditions, minimum standards for specific safety items, such as Structural Health Monitoring equipment, have been set, requiring contractors to install them. Budgets now cover expenses for safety engineering personnel, supervision of subcontractor safety, and insurance costs. These matters are currently under discussion with the Comptroller General's Department.
2. Recommendations regarding safety measures or operational guidelines for road construction projects. Currently, the Department of Highways has incorporated safety requirements for construction sites and traffic work zones as contractual annexes for large projects in the 2026 fiscal year. These legal obligations compel contractors to comply.
Contractors are urged to prioritize compliance and inspections of safety standards, with daily fines and work stoppages enforced until full correction if safety violations occur.
3. Recommendations regarding mechanisms for inspection and oversight of safety standards in road construction projects. The Ministry of Transport has appointed an independent engineering committee to oversee and enhance safety measures during construction, per Ministry Order 121/2569 dated 15 January 2026. Additionally, the Department of Highways formed teams for Road Safety Audits (RSA) for small construction and maintenance projects, and a Construction Safety Audit (CSA) team for the Bang Khun Thian–Ban Phaeo elevated highway project segments 4, 6, and 7. Next, 360 upcoming projects will be risk-assessed, with high-risk projects potentially overseen by a third-party independent committee for control and monitoring.
4. Recommendation regarding the “Contractor Report Card.” Currently, the Ministry of Finance, through the Comptroller General's Department, has issued Ministerial Regulations on criteria for contractor registration (Second Edition) 2026, which focus on monitoring and evaluating contractor performance. Contractors causing delays or gross negligence leading to damage to life or property, or serious accidents, may face downgrading, suspension from bidding, or de-registration upon employer recommendation. Draft regulations on public procurement and asset management, along with announcements on criteria for adjusting contractor registration status, are underway to ensure the "Contractor Report Card" system is effective and enforceable.
Regarding the two accidents, the State Railway of Thailand and Department of Highways have provided compensation following legal and governmental regulations, contract terms, and insurance policies. Both agencies emphasized strict enforcement of safety requirements, suspending work during train operations. On Rama 2 Road, traffic lanes where work occurs have been closed to protect public safety.