Bangkok: The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has directed the Forensic Science Department to preserve the scene of the building collapse with utmost care.
According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Lt. Gen. Siam Boonsom, Commissioner-General of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, held a meeting with Pol. Maj. Gen. Watee Atsawutmangkur, Commander of the Forensic Science Division, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Jessada Suaisom, Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 2, to discuss the ongoing efforts to gather evidence from the collapsed Office of the Auditor General building.
Pol. Col. Watee Aswutmangkura noted that the Commissioner emphasized the importance of keeping the crime scene as intact as possible to ensure accurate evidence collection. Forensic teams have focused on collecting steel bars, which are of significant interest to the Department of Public Works. The steel specimens, in various sizes, have been sent to the Steel Institute for expert analysis. The police await the findings from these experts before providing further details.
The forensic team has identified nine distinct sizes of steel used in the building, with 12 mm. bars being the most collected, totaling 114 pieces. As the investigation extends into its ninth day, concerns have arisen about the deterioration of evidence. The team stresses the need for meticulous collection to avoid errors in the investigation process.
Challenges remain due to debris covering the site, complicating further inspection by forensic officers. The area is under the jurisdiction of the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command Center, which restricts access unless a deceased individual is discovered and removed.