Defects at the new parliament complex may not be fully addressed before its construction warranty expires on July 15, critics say, as they urge authorities to inspect the building before contractors are released from their obligations.
The issue was raised during a forum titled "New Parliament: Leaking Roofs, Rotten Wood, Who Is Responsible?" organised by the Third Council and broadcast live on Facebook on Friday. Speakers included former auditor-general Phisit Leelavachiropas and former Democrat MPs Vilas Chanpitak and Watchara Petchthong.
Mr Watchara traced the project's origins to the tenure of former parliament president Chai Chidchob.
He said the main contractor was initially given 900 days to complete the project and faced penalties of 12.2 million baht per day for delays. However, he added, the construction period was later extended by about 4,000 days, and no penalties were imposed.
He also raised concerns over subcontracting arrangements and the use of materials that he said did not comply with contractual specifications.
Among the issues cited were wooden flooring which had deteriorated, leaking structures and defects found in public areas of the complex.
Mr Watchara said parliament officials had notified contractors of between 600 and 800 defects ahead of the warranty deadline.
He questioned whether the project delivered value for money, describing the complex as one of the largest and most expensive parliamentary buildings in Asia despite persistent construction problems.
Mr Vilas, who said he had been examining the project since 2016, described it as one of the most problematic projects he had encountered. He claimed repeated design modifications had created opportunities for irregularities and said evidence had been submitted to investigating authorities.
Mr Vilas also pointed to recurring water leaks throughout the complex, and renewed calls for a thorough investigation into the quality of timber used in the project.
Mr Phisit urged state officials to carefully review all reported defects before returning performance guarantees to contractors. If construction materials or workmanship failed to meet contractual requirements, the defects must be rectified before final acceptance of the work, he said.
