Myanmar Earthquakes: Amid buzz around China links, Thailand launches mega probe into Bangkok skyscraper collapse

Thailand

Thailand has initiated an inquiry into the collapse of a 33-storey under construction high rise building following a deadly 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday.

The collapse has raised questions about the integrity of the building, which was being constructed by a joint venture involving a Chinese firm.

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the site of the collapse on Saturday. The collapse has claimed at least 18 lives, with 33 others injured and 78 people still missing. Most of the casualties were construction workers trapped under the rubble.

Meanwhile, experts have raised concerns about the collapse, noting that it was unusual for a building under construction to fall so quickly.

Civil engineer and politician Prof. Suchatchavee Suwansawas suggested that there might have been something seriously wrong with the building’s design or construction.

The collapsed structure was the unfinished headquarters for Thailand's State Audit Office (SAO), a project that had been under construction for three years at a cost exceeding two billion Thai baht (around $58 million).

The project was a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development Plc and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd., a subsidiary of China Railway Number 10 Engineer Group Company, which holds a 49% stake—the maximum allowed for foreign entities in a Thai company.

Local media reports indicate that China Railway Number 10 Thailand, established in 2018, has been involved in various construction projects including office buildings, residential properties, public roads, railways, and underground railways. Despite a challenging financial situation, with a reported net loss of 199.66 million baht in 2023, the company remains a major player in the Thai construction industry.

The Thai Ministry of Industry has dispatched an inspection team to the site to determine if poor-quality materials, such as low-grade steel, or design flaws contributed to the disaster.

Rescue teams are working tirelessly to search for survivors, sifting through debris that includes shattered concrete and twisted metal.