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Thailand's Deadliest Construction Contractor

Thailand's Deadliest Construction Contractor

Two crane collapses in 24 hours force government to blacklist Italian-Thai Development

Today (Latest): Second crane collapse kills 2 on Rama II highway

Overview

Italian-Thai Development has built much of modern Thailand—Suvarnabhumi Airport, the BTS Skytrain, major highways. For 65 years, it remained one of two contractors automatically considered for mega-projects. That changed on January 15, 2026, when Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the company permanently blacklisted after its second deadly crane collapse in two days killed 2 more people, following 32 deaths the day before when a crane fell onto a moving passenger train.

The blacklisting strips ITD of contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars on the China-backed high-speed rail line and Rama II highway. It also exposes systemic failures: ITD's president Premchai Karnasuta already faces criminal negligence charges for a building collapse that killed 95 people last March. The company's stock trades at THB 0.25—half its 52-week high—as Thailand confronts whether its rapid infrastructure expansion has outpaced its ability to build safely.

Key Indicators

34
Deaths in 48 hours
Combined fatalities from two crane collapses on January 14-15, 2026
~130
Deaths linked to ITD since March 2025
Including State Audit Building collapse (95), tunnel collapse (3), highway collapse (6+), and crane disasters
$16.8B
Total rail project value
Cost of the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed railway, now partially suspended
35.7%
Phase 1 completion
Progress on first segment of high-speed rail after 8 years of construction

People Involved

Premchai Karnasuta
Premchai Karnasuta
Chairman, Italian-Thai Development (Facing criminal negligence charges; denied bail in May 2025)
Anutin Charnvirakul
Anutin Charnvirakul
Prime Minister of Thailand (Leading caretaker government; elections expected within 4 months)
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister (Leading investigation into both crane collapses)

Organizations Involved

IT
Italian-Thai Development (ITD)
Construction Company
Status: Facing government blacklisting and contract terminations

Thailand's largest construction contractor by revenue, responsible for Suvarnabhumi Airport, BTS Skytrain, and major highways.

CH
China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group
State-Owned Enterprise (China)
Status: Design and supervision partner on Thai high-speed rail; local director indicted

Chinese state-owned firm serving as design and construction supervisor on the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed railway.

ST
State Railway of Thailand (SRT)
Government Agency
Status: Project owner; ordered safety review

State enterprise that owns and operates Thailand's rail network, including the high-speed rail project under construction.

Timeline

  1. Second crane collapse kills 2 on Rama II highway

    Accident

    A crane of similar design collapsed onto Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon province, crushing two vehicles and killing 2 people while injuring 5. The crane was being used for the Motorway No. 82 elevated highway construction, also led by ITD. Initial reports suggest the crane's support leg settled.

  2. PM orders ITD blacklisted, contracts terminated

    Government Action

    Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the Ministry of Transport to terminate all contracts with Italian-Thai Development and permanently blacklist the company from government projects. Transport Ministry suspended all aerial construction projects nationwide.

  3. Crane collapses onto passenger train, killing 32

    Disaster

    A launching gantry crane lifting concrete slabs for the high-speed rail project fell onto Express Train No. 21 carrying 171 passengers in Sikhio district, Nakhon Ratchasima. At least 32 killed, 66 injured, 8 missing. Train was traveling at 120 km/h when 20-30 ton crane support struck coaches 1, 2, and 3, with coach 3 catching fire.

  4. Anutin Charnvirakul becomes Prime Minister

    Political

    Parliament elected Anutin, whose family owns ITD competitor Sino-Thai Engineering, as Thailand's third prime minister in two years. He committed to dissolving parliament within four months for new elections.

  5. 23 suspects indicted in building collapse case

    Legal

    Prosecutors indicted 23 individuals and companies including ITD's president and China Railway No. 10's local director for violations leading to the State Audit Building collapse. Government rolled out 'contractor report card' oversight system.

  6. Premchai Karnasuta surrenders to police

    Legal

    ITD chairman Premchai Karnasuta, 71, surrendered to police along with other executives and engineers. Court denied all suspects bail, citing flight risk.

  7. Arrest warrants issued for ITD chairman and 16 others

    Legal

    Thai Criminal Court issued warrants for Premchai Karnasuta and 16 others connected to the State Audit Building collapse on charges of professional negligence causing death.

  8. State Audit Building collapses during earthquake, killing 95

    Disaster

    A 7.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Myanmar caused the 33-story State Audit Office building in Bangkok to collapse. The building, under construction by an ITD-China Railway joint venture, was the only structure destroyed in Thailand. Investigation found substandard Chinese steel used in construction.

  9. Rama III-Dao Khanong expressway segment collapses

    Accident

    At least 5 killed and 27 injured when an under-construction bridge on the Rama III-Dao Khanong Expressway Project collapsed in Bangkok. ITD was part of the joint venture. Prompted government to announce 'contractor report card' system.

  10. 6 workers killed in motorway crane collapse

    Accident

    Four Myanmar nationals and two Thai workers died in Samut Sakhon province when a concrete segment and crane collapsed during construction of an elevated motorway. Six others were injured.

  11. Tunnel collapse kills 3 workers on rail project

    Accident

    Three workers—two Chinese nationals and one from Myanmar—died when a tunnel collapsed during heavy rain in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The tunnel was part of the same Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail project where the January 2026 crane collapse occurred.

Scenarios

1

ITD Collapses, Assets Liquidated

Discussed by: Financial analysts tracking ITD's credit downgrades since 2024 Dawei project losses

With contracts worth hundreds of millions terminated, criminal charges against leadership, and stock at near-record lows, ITD may face insolvency. Its projects would need to be reassigned to competitors like CH. Karnchang or Sino-Thai Engineering, potentially delaying the high-speed rail project further. The company's remaining assets could be sold to satisfy creditors and legal judgments.

2

Criminal Convictions, Industry Overhaul

Discussed by: Thai legal experts and construction industry observers at Nation Thailand and Bangkok Post

Courts convict Premchai Karnasuta and other executives for the building collapse, with additional charges following crane disasters. The government implements the delayed 'contractor report card' system with actual enforcement power. Foreign contractors gain market share as Thai firms face heightened scrutiny. A new safety regulatory body with independent authority emerges.

3

Political Fallout Overshadows Reform

Discussed by: Political analysts noting Anutin's family ties to competing contractor Sino-Thai

Opposition parties or ITD supporters frame the blacklisting as politically motivated given Anutin's family connection to competitor Sino-Thai Engineering. Elections within four months shift attention from safety reform to political maneuvering. ITD challenges contract terminations in court. Structural reforms stall as they have after previous disasters.

4

High-Speed Rail Project Restructured Under Chinese Control

Discussed by: Infrastructure analysts at The Diplomat and SCMP covering Belt and Road projects

With Thai contractors facing credibility collapse, China Railway assumes greater direct control over the Bangkok-Nong Khai line. Phase 1 completion target slips further from 2028. Thailand's goal of maintaining ownership and operational independence erodes as Beijing gains leverage through the crisis.

Historical Context

Sampoong Department Store Collapse, South Korea (1995)

June 1995

What Happened

A 5-story department store in Seoul collapsed, killing 502 people and injuring 937. Investigation revealed the owner, Lee Joon, had removed support columns to install escalators, used substandard concrete, and ignored engineers' warnings about cracks on the day of collapse. He refused to close the store to avoid losing profits.

Outcome

Short Term

Lee Joon received 10.5 years in prison for criminal negligence. His son, the store's CEO, received 7 years. A city official was jailed for accepting bribes to approve the construction.

Long Term

National inspections found only 1 in 50 Seoul buildings fully safe. South Korea overhauled its construction regulations and enforcement. The disaster became a symbol of the dangers of prioritizing rapid development over safety during economic booms.

Why It's Relevant Today

Thailand faces a similar reckoning: a construction giant with political connections, a pattern of ignored warnings, substandard materials, and reforms that follow disasters rather than prevent them. The Sampoong case shows criminal prosecution is possible—and that real enforcement requires sustained political will.

Mecca Crane Collapse, Saudi Arabia (2015)

September 2015

What Happened

A 1,350-ton crawler crane operated by the Saudi Binladin Group collapsed into the Grand Mosque during expansion construction, killing 111 people from 11 countries and injuring 394. High winds were blamed, though the crane should have been lowered during predicted storms.

Outcome

Short Term

Saudi Arabia suspended Binladin Group from new contracts temporarily. The company's leadership was replaced. Families received compensation.

Long Term

The contractor eventually resumed operations after leadership changes. Saudi Arabia tightened construction oversight at holy sites but the company remained a dominant player in the kingdom's construction sector.

Why It's Relevant Today

Demonstrates that even catastrophic failures linked to national mega-projects rarely result in permanent exclusion of dominant contractors. Thailand's blacklisting of ITD would be unusually aggressive by comparison—and faces similar pressures given ITD's role in critical infrastructure.

Rana Plaza Factory Collapse, Bangladesh (2013)

April 2013

What Happened

An 8-story commercial building housing garment factories collapsed in Dhaka, killing 1,134 workers and injuring 2,500—the deadliest garment-factory disaster in history. The building owner had added floors illegally and ignored evacuation orders after cracks appeared the day before.

Outcome

Short Term

The building owner and factory owners received life sentences for culpable homicide. International brands faced boycott pressure.

Long Term

Created the Bangladesh Accord, a legally binding agreement between brands and unions on factory safety. Over 2,000 factories were inspected and upgraded. Set precedent for international supply chain accountability.

Why It's Relevant Today

Shows how catastrophic loss of life can trigger binding structural reform—but only with sustained international attention and legal mechanisms that outlast initial outrage. Thailand's construction crisis lacks equivalent international leverage, making domestic political will the key variable.

15 Sources:
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