Earlier this week, the Transport Ministry announced its findings on the causes and culprits of the two deadly crane collapses in January. The report sounds like good news. At last, the authorities are tackling accidents at public construction sites.
The first accident happened at a high-speed railway construction site in Nakhon Ratchasima on Jan 14, resulting in 31 people dead and 71 others injured. The second, which killed two people and injured two others, happened along Rama II Road near Bangkok.
Regarding the fatal accident in Nakhon Ratchasima, the investigating committee found that the crane operator failed to perform proper manoeuvring, causing the crane to fall onto a moving train below.
The committee also found that the operator failed to inform the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) that the operator would manoeuvre the crane.
Regarding the case on Rama II, the probe found the crane lacked a safety permit and was not properly installed.
Let us not forget that the concessionaire for both projects is Italian-Thai Development (ITD), a construction company widely regarded as controversial.
Jirapong Theppithak, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Transport, has made it clear that both accidents were a failure of the safety system. "It is palpable that safety procedures are not enforced on both construction sites," he said.
What matters most is not "why" but "what the government will do next". Will the findings lead to systemic correction that will bolster safety in public construction sites, or will they be just another form of damage control to cool off public frustration? The answer, regrettably, seems to be the latter.
The SRT tells the media that the termination of contracts with those involved in the accidents is 88% complete.
The SRT says it is now awaiting recommendations from the public attorney regarding the next legal step. However, the agency does not tell us when these terminations will be fully complete.
Similarly, the Highways Department says it does not have a policy to terminate the contract with ITD. The reason? Construction of the elevated highway on Rama II is 99% complete.
The department says it cannot place the company on a blacklist because no law mandates it.
In both cases, and other accidents involving public construction, the most the government can do is charge the small fish and put construction projects on hold.
Former transport minister Suriya Juangroongreangkit floated his scorecard idea to evaluate companies in 2024, but his successors did not follow up on it. Two years later, legislation to make scorecards mandatory is still waiting for final approval.
But the real problem is not the absence of laws to penalise negligent contractors. The Public Procurement and Supplies Administration Act 2017 already provides ample legal authority for the government to downgrade and punish contractors who violate contracts.
The real question is whether government agencies -- such as the Ministry of Transport -- have properly used these powers. The rate of accidents at public construction sites confirms that the ministry has not done enough.
The probe is right -- both accidents are outcomes of the failure of the safety system. The ministry's probe just missed one major culprit: itself.
