Police have interviewed nearly 100 people as part of an investigation into the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok, said a senior police officer.
Pol Maj Gen Noppasil Poonsawat, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said police are continuing to gather evidence for the criminal probe. This includes witness statements, forensic examinations and expert assessments.
So far, a total of 98 people have been interviewed, including 13 employees from companies involved in the project, 15 relatives of the deceased, 64 eyewitnesses and victims' family members, and six injured individuals, he said.
He said that while investigators are working swiftly, it is still too early to confirm who will face charges or when the investigation will conclude.
According to Pol Maj Gen Noppasil, the process of identifying the victims remains incomplete, as search operations are ongoing for those still believed to be trapped under the rubble. As of Wednesday, 22 people were confirmed to have died and 72 were still missing.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Commerce and Industry is accelerating its own investigation into the alleged use of Thai nominees by China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) Co, a company involved in the building's construction.
Senator Ekachai Ruangrat, a member of the committee, said a subcommittee has been established to examine potential violations of the Foreign Business Act.
Initial findings suggest that China Railway No.10 may have used three Thai nationals as proxies to hold a 51% stake in the company in an apparent attempt to circumvent foreign ownership restrictions.
These three individuals are reportedly linked to at least 11 other companies and are suspected of acting on behalf of foreign interests, as their shareholding positions do not appear to match their financial backgrounds, he added.
Investigations found that Chinese nationals were also listed as shareholders in those 11 companies. The three Thai nationals in question have yet to be identified or located. Senator Ekachai said they could be taken into custody once the investigation concluded.
Authorities will also look into whether the individuals listed as shareholders actually hold managerial roles within the companies, he said.
Mr Ekachai added that the findings thus far are based on a review of official documents. The committee is also investigating whether substandard construction materials were used in the SAO building project.
The senator stressed the urgency of addressing the use of Thai nominees by foreign companies, saying the practice is detrimental to Thai businesses. He said the committee's findings would be submitted to the Department of Special Investigation and the government.
"The use of Thai nominees has become a major issue in Thailand," he said.
