Photo Credit: PTI

18 Dead, Search Continues For Missing

On Monday, rescuers were desperately searching for 76 people feared trapped under the rubble of the unfinished tower in Chatuchak district. The planned skyscraper was to house Thailand’s State Audit Office (SAO) but the shaking – caused by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in neighbouring Myanmar on Friday – reduced the structure to a pile of rubble in seconds. It was under construction for three years and the project was estimated to be worth over two billion baht (45 million pounds). Eighteen deaths have been confirmed so far. 

Numerous high-rise buildings elsewhere in Bangkok largely remained unscathed with limited reports of major damage, prompting questions as to why the one tower was destroyed.

According to a report by the UK’s Telegraph, the SAO building was a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd. The latter is a subsidiary of China Railway Number 10 Engineering Group Company, which holds a 49% stake – the maximum foreign ownership allowed under Thai law.

China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd, established in 2018, has operated as a contractor for large infrastructure projects, including office buildings, railways, and public roads, the report said. The company reported a net loss of 199.66 million baht in 2023, with revenue of 206.25 million baht and expenses of 354.95 million baht.

Its Thai shareholders include: Sophon Meechai (40.80%) that also holds stakes in five other companies; Prachuab Sirikhet (10.20%), with investments in six companies; Manas Sri-anant (less than 1%) that holds shares in 10 other firms.

The Bangkok police told NDTV that they are “aware that the Chinese company was constructing the building, but they can’t take shortcuts to blame China”. 

Chinese Nationals Detained

On Sunday, four Chinese nationals were detained for unlawfully entering the site of the collapse, police said. 

Photo Credit: PTI

Police Major General Nopasin Poolswat, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said the four men were apprehended for illegally removing 32 files of documents from the rear of the collapsed SAO building, without permission, according to a report by the National Thailand. 

After the powerful quake, the Bangkok Governor had declared the area of the building collapse a disaster zone, thereby designating it as a restricted area where no one was allowed to enter without authorisation.