Thailand speeds up investigation into Bangkok building collapse
The SAO building, valued at 2.1 billion THB (61.4 million USD), had been under construction for approximately five years and was nearing completion. It was the only building in Bangkok to collapse as a result of the powerful earthquake in Myanmar.
Bangkok (VNA) – Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on April 1 ordered a thorough investigation into the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building.
She made the order following the collapse of a 30-storey SAO building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district due to an earthquake on March 28.
Paetongtarn was quoted by local media after the weekly Cabinet meeting that several ministries had discussed the incident. They proposed measures and committed to investigating the company responsible for the construction as soon as possible.
The SAO building, valued at 2.1 billion THB (61.4 million USD), had been under construction for approximately five years and was nearing completion. It was the only building in Bangkok to collapse as a result of the powerful earthquake in Myanmar.
Acknowledging that the collapse had claimed lives and negatively affected Thailand’s reputation, Paetongtarn emphasised that safety must be the top priority. She also instructed all relevant agencies to thoroughly investigate the cause of the building’s failure.
According to Thai media, in addition to the SAO building, Thai authorities will also examine other projects linked to the same contractor, including the National Water Resources Office building and certain sections of the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed railway project.
Thai Deputy Minister of Commerce Napintorn Srisunpang stated that an investigative committee established by the Ministry of Commerce will collaborate with the Royal Thai Police’s Economic Crime Suppression Division and the Revenue Department to determine whether any legal violations had occurred.
Earlier, an investigation conducted by the Ministry of Industry on steel samples collected from the collapsed building’s debris revealed that some samples failed to meet standards for mass, chemical composition, and stress resistance. Thitipas Choddaechachainun, head of the ministry’s investigative team, reported that the substandard steel was produced by a company whose factory had been shut down since December 2024 due to other violations./.
The deadly earthquake in Myanmar caused strong tremors in Bangkok, about 1,000 km south of the epicentre, while several other Thai provinces were also affected.
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The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
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