Thai tycoon surrenders to police over collapse of Bangkok building

Mr Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian-Thai Development (ITD), surrendered himself to the police on May 16 over an arrest warrant linked to the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in March.

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BANGKOK - Mr Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian-Thai Development (ITD), surrendered himself to the police on May 16 over an arrest warrant linked to the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in March.

Accompanied by his personal lawyer, Mr Premchai reported to officers at Bang Sue Police Station after the Metropolitan Police Bureau issued arrest warrants for 17 suspects linked to the incident.

Fourteen others also surrendered to the police on May 16 over the building collapse that killed nearly a hundred workers during a powerful earthquake on March 28, the authorities said.

The partially built 30-storey State Audit Office tower in Bangkok was the only building to collapse from tremors emanating from the powerful 7.7-magnitude quake in neighbouring Myanmar.

Rescue teams recovered 92 bodies during a six-week operation from the collapsed site. Four people are still missing.