Santika compensation
The Nation May 19, 2012 1:00 am
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is seeking legal counsel after being ordered by the Central Administrative Court to pay damages to some victims of the 2009 Santika pub fire, a senior BMA official said yesterday.
"From next week, the BMA will be meeting counsellors from the Office of the Attorney-General [OAG] to discuss the facts and scrutinise the judges' decision. The BMA cannot say if it will be able to pay the money to the victims in 30 days as mandated by the verdict," said Somphak Sukanant, director of the BMA's Law and Lawsuits Division.
Scrutiny by OAG, NACC
Deputy Bangkok governor Malinee Sukkhawejworrakit said immediately paying Bt795,600 in total to the five victims who took the city administration to court would subject the BMA to mandatory scrutiny from the OAG and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
She said the BMA had already helped everyone affected by the fire, which took place in the early hours of 2009 New Year's Day, killing 66 people and wounding 222 others.
However, she said, any additional assistance could only be given after Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra's approval. The governor is overseas at the moment.
"The BMA cannot simply give up on the matter without appealing against it, because if it does so, the two agencies will automatically start its scrutiny," she added.
Tall buildings to be inspected
The BMA has dispatched a team of 99 inspectors to see if all tall buildings in the capital have complied with fire-safety measures, said Winai Liimsakul, director of the BMA's Public Works Division. The inspection should be completed by October.
The Santika Club fire occurred in the early hours of January 1, 2009, ironically while a band called Burn was performing.
A total of 66 partygoers were killed and 222 others injured when flames swept through the nightclub. Many of the injured were foreigners.
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