Thai contractor demands payment for collapsed building project (2025)

A construction contractor, owed over 3 million baht in unpaid wages, has criticised a subcontracting company involved in the earthquake-hit collapsed building project in Bangkok

The contractor revealed structural flaws in the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) building, which collapsed on Friday, March 28, following an earthquake in Myanmar. Yesterday, April 6, a meeting was held between representatives of 9PK Co., the China Railway No. 10 consortium, Italian-Thai Development, and the unpaid subcontractors.

Thitiphong, known as Chang Bird, is the head electrical contractor featured in a viral video demanding payment. His company, BL Co., worked on the OAG building for a year, from January 2024 to January 2025, hired by 9PK Co.

The contract was verbal, relying on trust due to the project’s reputation as a major government initiative worth billions. Initially, 9PK Co. paid as agreed, but by June 2024, payments were incomplete, half of the agreed 500,000 baht (US$14,480) monthly payment was withheld with promises to pay later. However, these promises were never fulfilled, leaving Chong Bird unpaid and owed 3,482,261 baht (US$100,850).

Thitiphong expressed uncertainty about whether 9PK Co. received funds from higher-level subcontractors, suspecting the company might have used the money elsewhere. To pay his workers, he resorted to mortgaging personal assets.

Thitiphong and other subcontractors protested at the OAG building on February 19, seeking intervention from the OAG governor, but only met the project manager, a representative from 9PK Co., Italian-Thai Development, and the China Railway No. 10 project supervisor.

They were promised the 23rd and final payment of 5,795,613 baht for six companies, to be deducted from 9PK Co.’s funds, but no payment has been made.

Despite the project’s high profile, Chong Bird is disillusioned by the lack of payment, believing other subcontractors are also unpaid. During his work, he observed the building’s walls were fragile, with hollow interiors, raising concerns about structural integrity.

Fortunately, he withdrew his workers in February, avoiding entrapment in the eventual collapsed building. The subcontractors are scheduled to meet with 9PK Co., Italian-Thai Development, and the China Railway No. 10 representatives to resolve the payment issue.

Thitiphong remains hopeful for reimbursement, despite previous attempts in labour court and police reports yielding no results, reported KhaoSod.

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