Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt ordered suspension of demolition work at the Srifuengfung Building on Rama IV Road after a concrete beam fell from a crane and damaged three vehicles on Saturday.
Mr Chadchart on Sunday inspected the site, near the U Chu Liang Building on Rama IV Road in Bang Rak district, along with deputy governor Wissanu Sabsomphon, a representative of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association (TSEA) and various other parties.
Mr Chadchart said the 12-storey Srifuengfung Building had a mezzanine floor, making it 14 floors in total.
The large building was approved for demolition by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Department of Public Works in June 2024, he said.
The beam fell at 4pm when it was being lowered by a crane along with some other materials from the six floor of the building, he said.
A suspected electrical malfunction in the crane operator's cab may have caused the sling to slide and the concrete to fall onto three pickup trucks parked on the road below, he said.
Firefighters, electricity officials and Bang Rak rescue workers moved the fallen construction materials so the road surface could return to normal use, keeping disruption to a minimum, he said.
"This is a dangerous incident that should not have happened. Fortunately, no one was injured," he said.
He also ordered a suspension of the demolition until a full investigation is complete, which is expected within 15 days, he said.
TSEA president Amorn Pimanmas added that evidence is being collected to get a complete picture of the causes behind the falling beam incident.