Bangkok, Thailand – May 17th, 2025: Premchai Karnasuta, the 71-year-old chairman of Italian-Thai Development Plc, has been transferred to a prison hospital shortly after his arrest in connection with the catastrophic collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok.
The 33-storey skyscraper, under construction by the ITD-CREC joint venture, crumbled during a high magnitude earthquake originating in central Myanmar on March 28th, 2025, resulting in 92 deaths, nine injuries, and several missing persons.
Premchai, along with multiple others, including engineers, supervisors, and contractors, surrendered to police on May 16th at Bang Sue Police Station, as we reported here at The Pattaya News previously, following the issuance of arrest warrants by the Criminal Court. The charges, under Sections 227 and 238 of the Thai Criminal Code, include professional negligence causing death, carrying a potential life sentence. Investigators found that the SAO building’s design violated safety standards, with structural flaws in the core lift shaft and the use of substandard concrete and steel, contributing to the deadly collapse.
Arriving at the police station in a wheelchair, Premchai’s frail appearance showed his reported health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and a recent eye operation. After the Ratchada Criminal Court denied bail for Premchai and 14 other suspects on May 16th, they were transferred to Bangkok Remand Prison. However, citing his chronic illnesses, prison authorities moved Premchai to the Central Correctional Hospital within the Klong Prem Central Prison complex for medical monitoring, sources confirmed. They made it clear this was not a private hospital.
The Corrections Department stated that Premchai’s family delivered his medication and a medical certificate to the prison, and he was provided rice porridge for breakfast on May 17th. While no approval has been granted for treatment outside correctional facilities, the decision to keep him in the prison hospital aligns with prior requests made by his wife, Kanita Karnasuta, during his earlier incarceration. In 2021, Kanita sought permission for Premchai to be treated outside prison due to his health conditions, a decision left to the prison doctor’s discretion.
This is not Premchai’s first brush with the law. In December 2021, the Supreme Court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison for illegally hunting protected wildlife, including a rare black panther, in Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in 2018. He was released early in October 2023 under probation and house arrest due to health issues, exempted from wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet because of his diabetes.
The transfer to the prison hospital has sparked mixed reactions. Some critics, recalling Premchai’s previous legal battles, question whether his health claims are being used to secure preferential treatment, a concern echoed in public sentiment following former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s extended stay at the Police General Hospital’s 14th floor during his 2023 sentence. Others argue that, given his age and documented medical history, the move is a standard procedure for inmates requiring specialized care.
The SAO collapse case continues to unfold, with ongoing investigations into the ITD-CREC joint venture, particularly regarding the use of substandard materials and possible irregularities in the project’s documentation. The tragedy has reignited debates over construction safety standards in Thailand, and Premchai’s high-profile arrest keeps the spotlight on accountability for corporate negligence.
As Premchai remains under medical observation in the prison hospital, authorities are expected to proceed with formal charges and court proceedings.
