Chadchart confident search for 14 missing workers will be completed in four days

Governor Chadchart expects search for 14 still missing in SAO building collapse to finish in 4 days as crews reach basement level of wreckage.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt expressed confidence on Monday that the ongoing search operation for 14 missing workers following the State Audit Office (SAO) building collapse will be completed within four days.

Wreckage Nearly Cleared but 14 Still Missing

Chadchart admitted he was concerned that, despite most areas of the collapsed site having already been searched, 14 individuals remained unaccounted for.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), under his supervision, has been leading the effort to search through tons of rubble, including concrete slabs and steel beams, since the building collapsed on 28 March.

Search Now Focused on Basement Zones ST1 and ST2

As part of the operation, crews have been removing layers of debris and have now reached the ground level, where they have begun searching the basement.

Chadchart said the current focus is on two basement areas near fire exit stairwells, designated ST1 (left side) and ST2 (right side).

The team is currently working through the remaining sections of the ST1 zone, including the hallway that connects to a car park building located behind the collapsed site.

Once ST1 is cleared, workers will move to the ST2 zone, which is expected to take three to four days.

Missing Persons Count Revised from 8 to 14

The governor noted that the initial count of eight missing workers was revised to 14 after the police received additional information from relatives.

Chadchart added that details about the six newly identified missing persons remain limited. He speculated that some body parts already recovered may belong to those individuals, pending disaster victim identification (DVI) results.

Over 100 Pieces of Evidence Collected for Investigation

Regarding the investigation into the cause of the collapse, Chadchart said the Royal Thai Police and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) have so far collected over 100 pieces of evidence.

Once the search for missing persons is concluded, the BMA will hand over the site to the SAO and investigating authorities for further examination.

63 Victims Identified, 286 Body Parts Await Verification

Meanwhile, the DSI centre of the Royal Thai Police reported that 63 victims have been identified and returned to their families. However, 286 body parts are still awaiting verification.

(2025/05/05-00:00)