Wanarat Srisuksai, Director of the Bureau of Occupational Safety and Health, under the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW) of the Ministry of Labour, and DLPW Inspector-General Anan Bowonnaowarak inspected the site of the building collapse yesterday (Nov 22).
Joining the two key national worker safety figures was Phuket Vice Governor Thanyawat Charnpinit and Marasri Jairungsri, Chief of the Phuket Social Security Office.
The building collapse killed seven workers – four Thais and three Myanmar nationals – and left one Thai and another Myanmar migrant worker in hospital with injuries. (See stories here and here.)
The incident saw a reinforced concrete roof seven meters wide and 12 meters long, and about 15 centimeters thick fall onto the worker while they were having lunch.
The concrete roof, for an office building of a gas station under construction beside Thepkrasattri Rd in Srisoonthorn, was completed about one month ago, the labour safety chiefs noted yesterday.
According to the initial police report released yesterday, the collapse occurred due to the earth beneath the supporting pylons shifting, leaving the pylons unable to support the weight of the roof. (See story here.)
“At the moment, the Phuket Social Security Office is accelerating the examination of various rights regarding remedies,” Mr Wannarat assured during his inspection of the site.
“It is now known that there are about three employers involved in this incident. The employers will be called for questioning to enforce the regulations in order to compensate the injured according to their social security rights,” he said.
“The families of the deceased will receive compensation of more than B700,000 baht per person [killed], while those injured will have all their medical expenses taken care of and they will receive compensation for being unable to work due to their injuries,” he added.
Phuket Social Security Office Chief Ms Marasri told the press that after calling the employers in for questioning, if any of the migrant workers killed or injured found to be not registered, steps would be taken to ensure that the worker would be registered so that compensation could be officially provided.
Mrs Marasri’s assurance that unregistered migrant workers killed or injured in the building collapse would receive compensation follows previously unconfirmed reports that at least one of the Myanmar migrant workers was unregistered and illegally hired by an employer.
In his initial report of the collapse, Maj Wuttichai Thongkaew of the Thalang Police, reported that the building which collapsed is owned by Sai Sinamngen Co Ltd, with Mr Chuchat Palasuwan as its managing director.
Maj Wuttichai reported Mr Chuchart as being directly involved in the hiring of those present at the site when the collapse occurred. (See story here.)