OWNERS OF older buildings have been urged to improve their fire protection systems to meet current standards, as many do not comply with life-saving regulations.

After the recent fire at an apartment building in Bangkok’s Phya Thai district – where three people were killed and many others injured – experts from the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) yesterday urged the owners of older buildings to install all required fire-protection systems and encouraged residents to be aware of safety methods and equipment.

EIT president Thanes Weerasiri said recent fire disasters showed that older buildings, which were built before the enforcement of the earliest building control regulations in 1992, had a higher risk of fire because they were not required to install fire protection systems when they were built.

“The tragic fire last week at an apartment building in Phya Thai district proves that fire in old buildings can be very severe and fatal due to many weaknesses in the fire prevention systems of these buildings, even though there is already retrospective regulation that requires old buildings to improve their fire protection,” Thanes said.

“This is a big lesson for everybody, that even though we have the law to prevent fire disasters, such a tragedy still occurs due to inefficient law enforcement. Society must have more awareness on this issue and make sure that all buildings are installed with minimum fire protection standards.”

Busakorn Saensookh, chairperson of EIT’s safety engineering committee, said that the loss of lives in last week’s tragedy could have easily been avoided if the apartment had been equipped with a fire alarm, as many people were sleeping when the fire broke out in the middle of the night.

Busakorn said it was very important for all fire protection systems to be inspected on all buildings, especially residential buildings that have more chance of casualties. The first regulation on fire protection systems in new buildings was passed in 1992 and called for new tall and large buildings to have minimum fire protection systems installed. Subsequent ministerial regulations in 1994, 1997, 2000 and 2005 made the building control rules on fire protection stronger.

Regulations in 1997 required all buildings, regardless of year of construction, to be equipped with a minimum of six fire protection systems, including an emergency stairwell fire escape route, a fire alarm system and lights and signs indicating the fire escape route. Thanes said that EIT had made suggestions to the government to let building owners willingly comply with the fire protection regulations but there has not been any feedback on the suggestions yet.

Construction worth Bt955 million is almost complete.

Opponents say the residences, which are for officials of the Court of Appeals Region 5, encroach on forest land and cause environmental damage.

“It’s unlikely that the courts will be able to use the buildings given the strong opposition from people,” Prayut said yesterday. “So, we should consider using the buildings for some other purposes. They may function as training centres or public facilities.

“Please don’t take to the streets. Let’s talk,” Prayut said.

He dismissed calls for the buildings to be demolished as the government had already spent a large amount of the state budget on the project.

Prayut, who also heads the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has instructed the Interior Ministry, the NCPO and the Third Army Area to provide people with a better understanding of the situation.

While the authorities have maintained that the construction site does not encroach on the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, many environmentalists insist most of the residences are in the forest zone.

Prayut was speaking one day after the Courts of Justice’s executive board resolved to let the government decide on how to address the controversy.

Mediate dispute

According to Army chief General Chalermchai Sittisart, three zones were acquired by the Court of Appeals Region 5 at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain.

The first zone, which features a court building and judges’ housing units, did not attract opposition. The second zone, where 45 residences are being developed for court officials, has drawn public condemnation. The third zone is vacant.

The military has attempted to mediate the dispute. At a meeting on Monday, opponents of the construction demanded that the encroaching buildings be demolished.

There was no representative from the Court of Appeals Region 5 at the meeting.

Office of the Judiciary secretary-general Sarawut Benjakul said yesterday that the president of the Court of Appeals Region 5 did not send a representative to the meeting because he believed his agency did not have the authority to make a decision on the matter.

“The president of the Court of Appeals Region 5 has already informed the chief of Chiang Mai’s Peace and Order Maintaining Command in writing as to why he has not sent any representative to Monday’s meeting. The letter was sent on April 9,” Sarawut said.

An informed source said that Somchai tendered his resignation after receiving the transfer order.

Porametee Vimolsiri, the outgoing chief of NESDB, has been moved to the post of permanent secretary at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Government House sources said Somchai was preferred by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to help speed up the national planning agency’s task on formulating the new national development agenda as envisaged by the government.

At the Finance Ministry, the crucial post of permanent secretary is likely to be filled by Prasong Poontaneat, the incumbent director-general of the Revenue Department, according to sources.

All these crucial top-level bureaucratic changes have followed the dismissal of Puttipat Lertchaowasit from the post of permanent secretary at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security due to charges of alleged corruption.

Sources said Somchai was moved to the NESDB after the top post at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security became vacant.

An informed source said that Somchai tendered his resignation at the Finance Ministry after receiving the transfer order.

In addition, the Ministry needs to rotate senior officials as Prasong Poontaneat, the Revenue Department director-general, has already been in his current post for four years and has a good chance to be the new permanent secretary at the Finance Ministry.

Finance Minister Apisak Tantiworawong said he had not made the final decision on the new permanent secretary but would name a suitable replacement.

Meanwhile, Finance Ministry sources said the chief of the Customs Department is expected to head the Revenue Department, the most important agency in terms of tax revenue collection, if the latter post becomes vacant. Apisak said Kobsak Pootrakool, the PM’s Office minister, had sought the transfer of Somchai from the Finance Ministry to the NESDB to take charge of the 20-year national strategic plan due to Somchai’s impressive track record at the Finance Ministry.

According to Apisak, the NESDB role covers all crucial aspects of national development, including reform measures, economic growth, education and national security, so it needs a highly competent person.

The finance minister said Somchai had no problem working at the ministry, while he also worked well with the economic management team headed by deputy premier Somkid Jatusripitak.

The convicts were each sentenced to 33 years and four months in jail, fined Bt60, and ordered to pay compensation to their victims.

The blast injured seven people, in addition to causing damage to property worth about Bt402,000.

Affaham Sa-a, Iqdris Sapator, Kamphi Latae and Ibroheng Vaemae – all residents of Thailand’s deep South – were convicted of planting a bomb inside a garbage bin in front of the university in Bangkok’s Bang Kapi district on May 26, 2013.

Although they fled the scene, police found clues that helped track them. Recordings from CCTV showed a man – identified later as Kamphi – walk to the blast scene with a bag and return without the bag.

During the interrogation process, all four men admitted to the crime.

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that evidence against the four defendants was solid, upholding the Court of Appeals’ sentence against them.

In 2015, the Court of Appeals had convicted all four defendants of collusion to kill others with prohibited explosives, causing explosions that harmed others and caused damage to property, and attempted pre-meditated murder.

It imposed jail terms of 33 years and four months, a fine, and ordered the defendants to compensate their |victims.

Education inspector-general Atthapol Truektrong, chairman of a ministry-assigned fact-finding committee, filed a formal complaint along with the list, the office computer of a self-confessed embezzler, the testimony of two witnesses and recipients of the ill-gotten money .

The list identifies 22 individuals accused in the original complaint covering 2012-17. As investigators probed further back to 2005, more officials were found to be involved.

The list names two education officials, one at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, one at the Land Department, a military officer, a Border Patrol policeman and a teacher in Tak. A further 15 officials’ allegedly involved were added to the list. Six non-governmental officials are also under investigation as recipients of cashier cheques signed by Rojana Sinthee, a C8-level education official who allegedly abused her authority in overseeing the fund. Atthapol said Rojana had confessed to stealing millions of baht from the fund and has been sacked.

PACC secretary-general Korntip Daroj said the commission’s fact-finding sub-panel was probing the case and looking at evidence retrieved from Rojana’s home.

The PACC sub-panel would not yet summon Rojana to hear charges as it had only been working for 15 days out of an expected six-month timeframe, he said.

Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin announced on Monday that the fact-finding panel determined Bt230 million had been wired from the fund in 1,049 transactions to the 471 bank accounts of fund recipients and others from August 2005 to November 2017.

Bt96.38 million is believed to have been embezzled and sent to 52 bank accounts of people not authorised to receive funds, Teerakiat said.

The owners of 34 of these accounts have been identified. The Anti-Money Laundering Office is looking into the ownership of the other 18 and has obtained its transaction committee’s nod to probe assets of those accused.

Teerakiat said evidence pointed towards another C8-level education official as an accomplice. The 52 accounts were divided among four groups, members of which are being urged to step forward and cooperate with investigators, he said.

The first group of accounts belonged to Rojana and her relatives and the second to friends from her bachelor and master’s degree classes. Some of these have already confessed to being involved, Teerakiat said. The third group includes the account of a charity foundation where Rojana served as an executive. It received Bt2 million on seven occasions.

The fourth group involves accounts opened by former fund recipients who let Rojana use them because they respected and trusted her.

Victims of the second tragedy were actually officials inspecting the scene of the first accident, which caused six deaths and injured at least 30 people late on Monday night.

“The second accident killed one and injured two others on Tuesday morning,” said Pol Colonel Samoraphum Faikhieo, the superintendent of Tak – Kamphaeng Phet highway station.

He said Manida Thankijrungroj, a female labour official, was killed instantly in the second incident, while Pol Captain Sanya Phumkomsan, a highway official, and another man were injured.

According to Samoraphum, the first accident involved a bus carrying Myanmar workers . Officials from various agencies then gathered to inspect the scene and gather evidence.

“As officials were working at the spot, another bus sped down a hill, lost control, banged into a highway-police vehicle before crashing further into traffic barriers,” Samoraphum said.

He said officials began running for their lives when they saw the bus coming down the hill – but for some, the vehicle had been travelling too fast for them to get out of the way.

Samoraphum said the bus driver was now being detained for interrogation and faced further legal proceedings.

“This bus was returning from Mae Sot, where it dropped off its Myanmar passengers,” he said.

As of press time, 12 victims of the first bus accident remained hospitalised with severe injuries.

“Some 18 others were released from hospitals after receiving treatment,” Samoraphum said.

The bus involved in the first accident had been taking Myanmar workers from Tak to Chachoengsao when the driver lost control and crashed down a roadside hill on Monday night.

Pol Capt Kiarttisak Boonplong, deputy inspector of Mae Thor police, said that accident happened at 10.51pm on the Mae Sot-Tak road at the kilometre marker No 68+200 in Tambon Mae Thor in Muang district.

Bus driver Pisit Thanathakpasit, 40, told police he could not slow down at the bend.

He said he attempted to drive the bus against the roadside concrete barrier to slow it down but it eventually plunged off the road and crashed about five metres down the hillside. Police suspect the driver was speeding and his brakes failed.

Late last month, a chartered double-decker bus taking 47 registered Myanmar workers to Pathum Thani province caught fire in Tak’s Muang district, killing 20 people who were trapped inside.

Rescuers said the 20 badly burned bodies were found piled up on one another near the exit doors.

Security was also boosted ahead of the Songkran Festival this weekend.

Sungai Kolok police commander Pol Colonel Prayut Pongsanti said the screening of people and vehicles to the downtown area will be increased to prevent more violence. Pictures will be taken of anyone who looks suspicious before they are allowed to enter the area, he said.

The strict measures will help ensure the safety of local people and Malaysians who cross the border to celebrate the Songkran Festival, which starts on April 13.

Police are now examining security camera footage to determine the routes of the insurgents behind Monday’s motorcycle bomb attacks, Prayut said.

Provincial officials and local residents have cleared the debris and damaged items at the location of the three blasts, in front of a karaoke bar, a restaurant and the old Post Office buildings.

The increased security was part of a campaign to welcome visitors and Malaysian tourists during the festival.

Bang Rakham deputy superintendant Pol Lt Colonel Ketchai Nasorn said on Tuesday that the municipality had not yet filed charges because they had just discovered about the missing money.

The municipality found that finance staff members’ signatures were forged in 47 budget reimburements worth Bt793,127.65 in total but there were no back-up documents to show how the money was spent.

Police have advised deputy mayor Noppadol Yoolam to gather initial evidence and details and file a formal complaint later.

The Regional public prosecutors office on April 4 resolved that it would charge Premchai, the president of Italian-Thai Development firm, with six offences relating to his alleged poaching in Thung Yai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province in February.

However, it dropped five other charges proposed by police.

By law, police can submit dissenting opinions to the Office of the AttorneyGeneral for a final decision in cases where they disagree with public prosecutors.

Srivara, as chief investigator, said that Premchai should be charged with three of the five charges that were dropped; colluding to enter a wildlife sanctuary without permission, having in his possession hunting equipment and attempting to hunt wildlife animals in a wildlife sanctuary without a permit.

Three other suspects who were arrested at Premchai’s campsite should also be tried on the three charges, police said.

Richard Wakeling, 51, from Brentwood in Essex, was on Monday convicted and jailed in his absence after attempting to import a large quantity of amphetamines.

Wakeling fled to Belfast ahead of a 12 week trail where he was to stand alongside three other men at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Police say Wakeling, who has one leg, has family links to Thailand and could be hiding out in the country.

We strongly suspect that Wakeling fled abroad, possibly to Thailand were he has strong family links, said a spokesperson for the UK’s National Crime Agency.

But it is likely there are people here in the UK who hold clues about his movements after he arrived in Belfast on 6 January, and I’d appeal for anyone with information to come forward. He has a prosthetic leg and needs regular medical treatment.

The NCA has an international reach and he should know distance isn’t a barrier to us finding him.

We are determined he will be returned to the UK to serve his sentence.

“Until we find him, he’ll spend every day looking over his shoulder.”

In his absence on Monday, Wakeling was jailed for 11 years at Chelmsford Crown Court for masterminding the importation of liquid amphetamines which had a street value estimated at £8 million in April 2016.

Three other men, including lorry drivers Lesley Muffett, 59, Stuart Davidson, 65, and Darren Keane, 34, were also found guilty of conspiring to import drugs.

Keane and Davidson were sentenced to nine and eight years, respectively, while Muffet was sentenced to six years. Police said Davidson and Muffet, both lorry drivers, had been transporting the drugs from Europe. But the entire operation was setup by Wakeling who was in contact with drug suppliers in Belgium and the Netherlands.